Page 12 - QDG Volume 9 No. 2 2021

10
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
A Squadron
“First and Foremost” is a regimental motto that has found renewed usage in recent years, and it quite rightly is associated with all activity that the QDG conducts, irrespective of sub-unit. None- theless this fine publication represents an opportunity to annually highlight the exploits of the true bearers of this title, A Squadron QDG. Most importantly, it allows the reader to compare us with the ‘Second/Third Foremost’ (B and C Squadrons respectively), and demon- strate exactly why we are held in such high regard.
I could start this year’s journal article by using hackneyed phrases such as ‘2021 has been a year to remember’, but that would not do it justice. A Squadron has been fortunate enough to have had a year that few who join today’s Army will have experienced. Whilst for many 2021 was the year of the ‘staycation’, we have conducted training and opera- tions across three continents, all of which took place in the margins of a congested period of pre-deployment
training. Indeed, over the
course of 2021 many of our
soldiers will have spent up to twenty-one weeks deployed.
By way of comparison, this is
more than the Royal Dragoon
Guards’ total over the past
decade. To cover all of this
in detail would be impos-
sible within the allotted word
count, but I will do my best to
highlight the most significant
events below.
2021: The Year Begins
January 2021 was due to
start in decidedly better circumstances than those in
which 2020 had ended. The
trials and tribulations of a pre-Christmas Pontins were
to be traded with the sunnier
climes of Cyprus for a welcome return to ‘green’ training. Months of planning and a vast outlay of hours in preparation had been undertaken, and it appeared that all would proceed as planned.
Unfortunately, Op RESCRIPT was seemingly to rear its head once more, and at the most inopportune of times. With new variants (named after Greek letters we could still recognise) taking hold throughout the nation, New Year’s Eve saw the balloon sent up for a Manchester-based testing task, again for up to a month.
Despite promises of the finest Mancu- nian lodging that the Army can afford, an air of despondency settled in that we would once again forfeit valuable overseas beach-time to the unrelenting nature of the virus. Fortunately, a PsyOps campaign by Maj Curry was launched, and he was able to plant the idea that the Rifles would be best placed to take
on the task. These Mach- iavellian machinations came to fruition, and fortu- nately the plans to escape the United Kingdom could proceed, at the ultimately acceptable cost of a vastly increased infanteer NTT rate.
Cyprus: Ex GAO DAWN
With the unexpected curve-ball having swiftly been batted away, A Squadron could focus upon achieving their goal of gaining a winter sun-tan, with the subsidiary benefit of becoming better trained for our then long-way-off Mali deployment.
As of D-3, all looked like plain sailing ahead. We would deploy a near-full Squadron, with all the necessary rank structure to ensure a slick and professional training package. Covid, clearly aggrieved by our luck, decided to throw all manner of spanners into the works. By the day of flying, the Squadron had been stripped of its entire NCO backbone, not least its WO2 Hopkins (SSM) and Sgt Maj Comley (SQMS) who had to (conveniently?) remain in the UK for the duration. Appar- ently Coronavirus is particularly adept at targeting Non-Commissioned Officers, at a rate not seen since the First World War.
The Squadron - comprising of 40 troopers, several officers, and a handful of NCOs between – arrived at Brize with more than a little bemusement at the situation. Morale was nonetheless high as we stepped onto the plane. Having been sold the dream of a tropical paradise, it is understandable that many packed summer clothing and lightweight sleeping bags. A valuable lesson was learned when the first week was spent amongst weather more akin to what our Welsh colleagues are accustomed: torrential rain and bitter temperatures. This was further compounded by the fact that the Squadron was accommo- dated in what can at best be called a corrugated iron hut. Despite the weather, this period proved to be key training and served to prepare all for the continuation to LFTT.
Following the exercise phase, the grouping deployed to the Dhekelia side of the island in order to progress onto Live Fire training. The accommodation slightly improved, being relocated to an aircraft hangar usually reserved for refugees from Syria, and the weather cheered up immensely. This afforded the opportunity for some much-needed downtime (NB: not a beach party), with interspersed periods of intense range time. The exercise culminated in mid-February, having markedly improved everyone’s shooting, less that of LCpl Clark who decided that live fire was too dangerous for him to partake.
Exercise RATTLESNAKE
With the Covid situation having declined during our trip abroad, a two-week isolation was duly imposed by HM Government on our return. 14 days of ‘free’ leave was of course welcome, but it left no room for manoeuvre as we looked ahead. There were then two weeks in
Nonetheless this fine publication represents an opportunity
to annually highlight the exploits of the true bearers of this title, A Squadron QDG