Page 13 - QDG Year of 2020

activity. For many, a trip to German stamping grounds of old was looked forward to, courtesy of the requirement to play civilians for a Sandhurst exercise in Bavaria.
Alas it was not to be. Coronavirus dictated the agenda for one final time in 2020. With days to go, the Squadron was stood up to deploy to Pontins Southport to assist in the mass testing of Liverpool. Upon arrival at the camp itself, the mantra of ‘civvies pay thousands dozens for this’ appeared to be founded. Nevertheless, the anticipated levels of despondency were nowhere to be seen, with the atmosphere being decidedly more cheery than could possibly have been predicted. In part, credit can go to SSgt Comley’s tales of his own holidays there, which had many incredulous that they should be so lucky to stay at such a prestigious ‘resort’. More significant to morale however was the fact that all were afforded greater luxury than they would receive in-camp, particularly in having their own toaster and hot and cold running water.
Concurrently to our expedition into the wilderness of the Northwest, the cancel- lation of numerous trawls and exercises meant that further activity could be under- taken in camp. In a time-honoured ritual, A Squadron yet again chose to receive the vehicle fleet for a number of weeks, fixing them in order to hand them over to someone else. The added frictions
of minimal workforce and condensed timelines only seemed to further high- light the futility of the task. Nonetheless, some stellar work from SSgt Reyes-Con- treras and Sgts Benfield and
Wilkins meant that this was achieved, and to an impec- cable standard.
To further add to the list of impossible tasks, Lt Al-Khamiri and Sgt Pitt were also assigned with running the PNCO Cadre on STANTA. A Sqn again performed exceptionally well on this course. Of particular merit were the performances of Tpr Williams 261, who received the award for Most Improved and Tpr Haden who placed as Top Student. A strong showing all round.
In and amongst all of this
Regimental and Squadron
activity, there have been
plenty of individual achieve-
ments to note. LCpl Murphy
was awarded with the Mann
Trophy for best Tpr of 2020,
whilst Sgt Wilkins received
the Queen Elizabeth Trophy for best SNCO in the Regiment followed swiftly by a Commander Field Army’s Commen- dation. Cpl Hutchings received a note of commendation for applying Basic
Life Support to an elderly man who had collapsed whilst he was on charitable work in Dereham, and not to be forgotten are the eight individuals who volunteered
to return to Poland on Op CABRIT to aid our partners in the Royal Yeomanry.
With 2020 now behind us, I would like to leave a few parting comments. This has been a year in which A Squadron has been relent- lessly committed to an effort greater than itself, and one for which we should be rightly proud of ourselves. Our achievements are unique amongst the British Army, and I would like to take the opportunity to give my thanks to a number of people for this. Firstly, to the soldiers who have displayed an indomitable spirit in the face of an uncertain and unremitting period of tasks. Secondly, to their families, who have had to take an equally stoic attitude and without whose consistent
support my work would have been far harder. We now look forward to 2021, and a year full of unbridled opportunities ahead.
JOMC
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
11
Cpl Hutchings received
a note of commendation for applying Basic Life Support to
an elderly man who had collapsed whilst he was on charitable work
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