Page 15 - 4RA 2021-2023

4th Regiment Royal Artillery
to practice operating from Foxhounds as the Regiment continues to re-role to a light mechanised Unit, able to operate at a range and speed impossible on UK train- ing areas; this was a fantastic opportunity to train. Whilst in Oman, the deployed team also benefited from an exceptional AT package; swimming with turtles off a catamaran, sea kayaking, mountain biking and water canyoning in the Wadi Shab (a world heritage site) as well as sampling some of the local culture. The deployment culminated in delivering an Short-Term Training Team (STTT) led by Capt Bren- nan teaching on the Omani FST Comd’s course; another fantastic experience for all involved where the Battery has tangibly improved UK-Omani relations, increased understanding of Fires, both theirs and ours, as well as making life-long memo- ries. Naturally, there has been plenty of other activity going on too in the margins between major exercises: as part of Op BRIDGE the Battery, led by Lt Kelly, fired the gun salute at York Castle to mark the passing of our late Queen, and the Acces- sion Salute for HM King Charles. An added twist was that the salute was delivered in
the midst of Ex WESSEX STORM, and the memory of being engaged on a live Fire CALFEX on Salisbury Plain while simulta- neously getting the orders to move North, swap exercise kit for service dress, and prepare to fire a 96 gun salute in York before seamlessly re-joining the fire plan on the Plain will live long as a particularly impressive action. There has also been plenty of Adventurous Training and sport – Capt Jefferson has led two sailing trips from Southampton, Gnr Laudola and Bdr Nichol have been selected to represent the Regiment in Rugby; with Gnr Laudola going on to represent both the Army and Defence rugby teams, Bdr Wilson contin- ues to impress in RA badminton and at the Regimental level the Battery won the inter- battery British Army Warrior Fitness com- petition – the primary event of the Regi- ment’s 2022 Cusack Cup (the Battery also won the Cusack Cup outright that year). 3/29 Bty’s BK led the Regimental Boxing team to RA success, assisted by Sgt Pat- terson, where the 4RA male and female teams won overall in their respective cat- egories. The BSM continues to drive for- ward Regimental BAWF, with the female
team achieving a place at the army finals in just their first full season.
The most significant entry in our history that occurred over the last 2 years was undoubtedly the restructuring of the Regi- ment to meet the Future Soldier structures. This saw 25 soldiers from the Battery move across the Regiment to 88 and 6/36 Btys, as well as 16 soldiers join the Battery from 3RHA and from other Batteries in 4RA. By happy chance, the timing of restructuring coincided with the 30th anniversary of the amalgamation of 3 and 29 Batteries that created the Battery as it exists today. The Battery celebrated both of these key events with a formal dinner night, held in the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess and attended by 119 members of the Bat- tery family including Mr Dave Mackey a former OP assistant in 29 Bty and the father of Gnr Mackey, who is a current OP Assistant in 3/29 Bty. Also in attendance was ‘Digger’ Barnes, who was serving in the Battery at the time of the amalgama- tion, and his brother, Capt Dean Barnes, the current Quartermaster Technical at 4RA. A good time was had by all on an his- toric and memorable night.
Having honoured our past, we look to our future. In the closing months of 2023 soldiers and officers from the Battery will conduct a long trek in the mountains of Nepal; others will deploy for 2 months for exercise in Kenya while others yet will attend a Battlefield study to Corunna in north-western Spain. In January 2024 the Battery will assume Very High Readiness as part of the VJTF(L), and we have been honoured with the task of providing the spearhead element of the Regiment; the first into contact should we be deployed at short notice to defend our nation’s inter- ests. We will continue to train to be ready to deploy, honing our skills and building on the impressive foundations we have set to ensure we are ready to fight and win at a moment’s notice, in the true Corunna spirit.
13