Page 58 - RSDG Year of 2023

56 EAGLE AND CARBINE
It was with some trepidation that I learned at the beginning of the year that I was to be the PMC of the Officers’ Mess. The Mess rhythm inevitably slowed down over the Covid lockdown and did not really wake up after restrictions were lifted due to preparations for Op NEWCOMBE 4 and 5 taking Mess members away for long stretches. As a result, there is a generation of junior officers who have never seen the Mess operating as it should. While normally the Mess is broadly a self-licking lollipop, I realised that due to this pause in service I was going to have to try and get it running again myself.
This was compounded by 2023 being a hideously busy year for the Regiment, if not quite as full on as the ones preceding it. However, I was greatly assisted by one fortuitous chance. I also inherited the role of Leuchars
Station PMC this year. The Station Mess has similarly been fallow for a few years, and as a result a considerable amount of money has accumulated in the Station Mess fund. While of course this money is for the benefit of all Station Mess members, not just SCOTS DG officers, nevertheless we have the right to call forward funds in support of Mess activities and this unexpected bounty has eased the transition from dormancy to vibrant life. As such there have been some big-ticket events in addition to the usual round of low-level events such as Field Officers’ Lunches and meals at the Commanding Officer’s house.
The first major event of the year was the Partners Dinner Night in May, straight after the Regiment reformed in mid-April. This was a great way of restarting normal service, since it allowed Mess Members, at least those able
OFFICERS MESS
Maj Dan Lee-Mikus
The Field Officers’ Lunch degenerates into four-finger pointing. OC A Sqn fails to convince the Colonel or OC HQ Sqn.