Page 36 - RSDG Year of 2023

34 EAGLE AND CARBINE
enjoyed feeding into new SOP’s, co-ordinating how the LWRV and SVR platforms worked together.
It is obvious that the fleet was heavily utilised and repaired, operating in some horrendous conditions. Sgt Ryan Haylock, our Recovery Section Commander was attached to us for the duration. He received a Master General REME Commendation for the way he performed on the exercise, but he was one of eight brilliant lads for us. As a new team, I am proud to say we excelled across the board and maintained availability in the high ninetieth percentile for much of the exercise. It is a pleasure being part of B Squadron and working as a Lt Cav Fitter Section Commander has been the highlight of my career so far. We are looking forward to being the @R2 Fitter Section in 2024. Arte et Marte,
Cpl Gourlay – Recovery Section 2IC @ A Sqn Fitter Section - HMTV Light Weight Recovery Vehicle Fielding & Trials 2023
From the outset of the Army Fielding Plan, SCOTS DG LAD Recovery Section have been highly involved in the Combat Service Support (CSSTDU) Trials and Development phase of the Army’s new Lightweight Recovery Vehicle (LWRV). It is effectively a JACKAL 2 Chassis with a winch, towing device, and crane, but it is a huge step forward in provisioning Lt Cav Recce with a homogenous HMTV base recovery capability for use within Fitter Sections -
something the Corps and Lt Forces has been lacking for some time. Indeed, the lack of towing capacity across the Long-Range Reconnaissance Group when we were in Mali last year, was a key constraint identified by the OC in his Op NEWCOMBE PXR. The capacity for an SV(R) and casualty vehicle ‘on hook’ to effectively ‘fix’ a patrol has been an issue for close to 25 years.
To get after this as a unit, we had 3 Recovery Mechanics volunteer to deploy to CSS TDU in Aug 22 to put this new asset through its paces on Aldershot Training Area. Due to the experience of our team, we were able to affect significant changes to the layout and winching capability early on which has resulted in a far better vehicle from a user perspective.
The vehicles were delivered to us in Leuchars by DE&S in late 23 after we had put a convincing case to both 1UKXX and 7LMBCT to have them here. Our hard work paid off and we received 3 of only 4 vehicles in existence to date. Within weeks of receipt, we attended the first LWRV Operators course in Leuchars run by trade Legend WO1 Tidbury and it was great to see the changes that we had recommended had been adopted, especially increased anchorage for winching. Due to previous knowledge gained from the trial, we did not get a lot from the course. It was agreed that SCOTS DG would co-ordinate, instruct and deliver all future vehicle Maintainer and Operators Courses for the whole Division. To date, we have trained
Cpl Gourlay demonstrating LWRV to Comd ES 1UKXX and Colonel REME