Page 116 - RSDG Year of 2023

114 EAGLE AND CARBINE
Regimental Headquarters was heavily tasked throughout & endured staff churn & farewells from April – July 2023, to the holy trinity of key staff; Maj Sean Mackey RDG leaving as Executive Officer, succeeded by Maj Lee Simpson LD, Maj Simon Stott LD departing as Quartermaster, replaced by Maj Jake Bailie
SCOTS DG & the ever-vibrant Adjutant, Capt Archie Nicholson KRH, succeeded by the very learned Capt Will Baker RTR. These unavoidable changeovers took place through a period when the Nation’s eyes were very much on the ceremony of those pillar events impacting widely. The development of our Musical capabilities & integral Pipes & Drums are in no small part a central reason for being so successful in the public space. The recruitment into the Regiment of Lt Dario Salvi, as a Trooper Leader into A (A (Earl of Carrick’s Own) Y) Sqn SNIY, but also as Musical Director. Lt Dario, himself a World-renowned Conductor of Opera, means the musical capacity of the Regiment has soared.
The February 2023 course camp delivered a sound series of courses in Magilligan, NI. The wash-up of ITR activity completed & saw the embarkation of the new Training
Year in April, with Op GOLDEN ORB looming the Regtl Drill Competition saw A Sqn triumph & take the honours to parade in London for His Majesty’s Coronation. Other summer competitions has e Sqn participate in Exercise VENETO in Italy, achieving a credible third place of twelves competing, the Cateran Yomp & the Regtl Patrol Exercise, planned & executed by the Regimental Sergeant Major, WO1 (RSM) Steve Fyfe LD. This again saw A Sqn top the polls, winning the Ex the WOLF’S CHALLENGE trophy & poising the team nicely to continue with their Ex CAMBRIAN PATROL preparations. Other activity saw the annual HITLER LINE parade in Carrickfergus, NI hosted by B Sqn & the Freedom of Ayr Parade in June.
Further Light Cavalry progression & activity (the first of the year) saw the Regiment SNIY deliver the joint annual camp this year in September 2023 with Queen’s Own Yeomanry. The focused on a ‘return to role’ period of adapting ourselves onto other wheel-based platforms sees us enter 2024 in better mounted shape. Our reanimation of the Lovat Scouts identity & heritage for RHQ has provided us to have reach towards the Highlands spiritually, whilst seeking to develop added workforce recruitment in Aberdeen, an exciting &