Page 14 - RSDG Year of 2022 CREST

12 EAGLE AND CARBINE
that had already seen 18 months of patrolling in the harsh environment of the Sahel. This ran concurrent to two weeks of acclimatisation PT, which, comprising of endless loops of the 3.2km fenceline in increasingly- heavy kit, was without a doubt one of the most boring experiences we would ever have, ever.
The squadron deployed in every long-range patrol caked in factor 50 and with enough food and water that we could carry. Needless to say, the rations only offered limited options, so we soon became accustomed to chilli con carne and warm fruit salad. This didn’t stop Sgt’s Tipling, Tamani, Matacagi, and Thapa Magar with several glamorous assistants taking any opportunity to ‘cook up a storm’ with the 10-man ration packs. The Squadron covered thousands of miles and took every opportunity to engage with the local population to assist the United Nations in their understanding of the situation in eastern Mali.
Life on patrol was unforgettable. Nothing will beat the wide, open, complete and utter emptiness of the Sahel, the knowledge that it is you, and just you, for hundreds of kilometres around, and the awesome responsi- bility that we all had to get one another home safely. They were long, challenging, filled with frictions, and frustrating; they threw up all sorts of unexpected problems to which we found the most ludicrous solutions. In other words, it was unique. Our inter- actions with the Malian people, our exposure to that desolate, brutal part of the world, and our newfound understanding of the problems that they faced; all these things were eye-opening, to say the least. It was hard to not be moved by our experiences.
It was also really, really fun with countless dits: the breakfast of champions, coffee with an anti-malarial tablet and a cigarette; our mandated coffee break around 7am when a Foxhound or Mastiff piled in after three hours on the road; marking down RV 94
onto your map when you’re over 100km into a cross- country road move; the thermometer dying at 58 degrees Celsius; the evening wars with mosquitos, locusts, and other insects; getting into your mosquito net to get away from them, only to realise that you’re in a small sauna whilst trying to get a few hours of sleep; the hysterical, terrifying Haboobs (sandstorms) that could decimate the entire task group within minutes. All of these moments will stay with us, the light- hearted edges to what was a very serious experience.
On return from patrol there was a well-rehearsed routine of vehicle maintenance, cold showers and reminding ourselves of how comfortable life was in air-conditioning. It was amazing to see how all of our productivity increased knowing there was a cold shower at the end of the patrol rainbow! As the time passed and our homecoming drew closer the conver- sation switched to plans of holidays with family and friends, wearing jumpers and not getting sunburnt when we stepped outside.
Routine life whilst not on patrol was just that: routine. A typical day comprised vehicle maintenance, a trip to the gym, reading, communal meals, and the inevitable excursion to the German coffee shop/non-alcoholic bar (which, in the evening, was almost sufficient to make you feel like you were on holiday, if you go on holiday with a pistol strapped to your hip). The Wifi coverage and ability to speak to our loved ones kept us sane: the cut-outs drove us the opposite way. This was all alongside the elements of our jobs back in Leuchars that had followed us out here: career development, reporting, and so on. We kept busy on the sporting front. Excellent BFBS coverage kept us up-to-date with football, rugby, tennis, and F1 races back home. In-camp, there were endless events: five-a-side football tournaments, Top Gun-esque volleyball competitions, Strongman Challenges, a 10km charity run... Between the endless exercise, sun, and lack of alcohol, six
Sgt King, Bdr Langford, LCpls McIllrath, McAdam and Hughes
On patrol and feeling the Malian heat