Page 8 - QDG Year of 2020

6 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
Commanding Officer’s Foreword
2020 has been a busy, challenging, fluid,
demanding, rewarding, unforgettable, noteworthy year. And like no other. It’s actually rather difficult to summarise. It has featured the highs of an outstanding performance on Exercise Wessex Storm and the pride of our soldiers in responding to the pandemic and the lows of having to cancel some training activities and remove so much of the ‘fun’ of soldiering (sports, adventurous training, social events, overseas travel) to comply with government direction.
What is clear to me, as it will be to you as you read this journal, is that against a maudlin backdrop of tremendous uncertainty and a febrile national atmos- phere Queen’s Dragoon Guard soldiers have delivered. Every time. Without fail. Being ‘at readiness’ has, undoubtedly, helped. But I attribute our successes far more to the unerring quality of our soldiers and officers. They go about all tasks with characteristic professionalism, humour, humility and care for others. That approach is underwritten by pride, camaraderie and the unstinting support they receive from family which includes, in no small measure, that of the wider regimental family.
The year began (seemingly a lifetime ago and in a different world) with the build-up to Exercise Wessex Storm. The exercise lived up to its name; we met Storms Ciara and Dennis head on. This was the first time since 2013 that the whole Regiment had exercised together –from tooth to tail - and the first time since operations in Afghanistan in 2011/12 that all three sabre squadrons had deployed together. It was important then to get back into the battlegroup business and enhance our reputation as an opera- tionally-ready regiment. The brigade-led exercise put 5000 soldiers into the field. We had realistic frictions not only of tough environmental conditions but of genuine battlefield congestion, flanking force fratricide and follow on forces who acted (or not) on the intelligence we provided. The QDG battlegroup was ‘validated’ as early as possible and came away with a strong training report that sets us up for operations in 2021. We were also able to leverage the exercise to conduct low level experimentation. We are grateful to several retired QDGs in defence industries who supplied us with early prototypes and joined us on an industry visitor’s day.
Shortly after Exercise Wessex Storm we refocused our efforts on supporting the national response to COVID- 19. Queen’s Dragoon Guard soldiers operated throughout the east and north- west of England on discrete tasks in
support of Operation RESCRIPT. This ranged from ambulance driving and delivering personal protective equipment to establishing mobile testing stations and supporting mass testing in both Liverpool and Manchester. Additionally, we supported local government depart- ments with planning officers. Each a bespoke, unique and short notice task it demanded much from our people; you will not be in the least surprised to hear me affirm that our soldiers excelled, displaying compassion and innovation in equal measure.
In the summer we were able to resume more familiar activity, having adjusted working practices to account for new norms. We conducted regimental firing alongside our paired regiment - The Royal Yeomanry - in Warcop in July. Concurrently we force prepared a hybrid regular and reserve squadron - Cassino Troop - for its deployment to Poland. Led by Major Ben Matthews, Cassino Troop was something of a first. All arms, majority Reserve (including all attachments) but led by a Regular QDG command spine, it deployed on Operation CABRIT in September for six months. Operating as part of a US Army battlegroup, the Squadron is contributing to the NATO-led deterrence on Europe’s eastern flank. Its inception raised chal- lenges, but it has served as an accelerant to our relationship and highlighted mutual dependencies and benefits. The rela- tionship continues to thrive, evidenced in splendid fashion by the support of comrades from both regiments who so generously gifted hampers to the families of every soldier deployed.
During the autumn we ran a superb Mullens Cup (this year a two-day mounted and dismounted patrol across Salisbury Plain) and a hugely demanding survival patrol across Otterburn. Both
have helped develop resilience and robustness which are essential qualities of a reconnaissance soldier, particularly as we aspire to increase our reach.
As I look ahead, 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards has the best forecast of events in the British Army. Bar none. In 2021 Queen’s Dragoon Guard soldiers will continue to deliver operations in Poland, train in Cyprus and Louisiana and deploy - twice - to Mali on Opera- tion NEWCOMBE. Operating as part of the United Nations-led peacekeeping force our soldiers will bring their recon- naissance expertise to bear by operating across vast areas of challenging terrain to deter violent extremist groups from attacking the local population. Following a coup the situation remains precarious and the military contribution vital.
Upon recovery from operations we intend to - and we must - double-down on sport, winter sports, adventurous training and overseas activities to recoup our losses from 2020 and recuperate and retain our people. Alongside this we have a coherent plan to bolster Welsh and Marches recruitment and better nurture those in training.
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards remains at readiness. We are on oper- ations now. We are preparing for operations in Africa. We are living with COVID-19 but neither letting it define nor restrict our non-discretionary outputs. We are institutionalising our relationship with The Royal Yeomanry. And we are reinforcing our recruiting efforts. We, the serving regiment, have the privilege of service at home and abroad and the opportunity to add to our great regi- ment’s proud history. I thank all members of the regiment - from soldier to spouse, comrade to family member - for your support in helping us remain ‘First and Foremost’.