Page 20 - Light Dragoons 2022 CREST

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Cpl McDonnell and Tpr Owens leading the pack
Cpl Newton sporting stretchy trousers
to see retrospectively. It allowed NCOs to develop their leadership, management and administrative skills. Being given the responsibility for people, equipment, tasks, and back briefing to the OC has resulted in much more refined corporals ready to make that next step up to Tp Sgt, and sim- ply more experienced and capable JNCOs.
Come September this concept came to a close as a Re-Orbat, a change of command, and the onset of an autumn training period in preparation for Ex Wessex Storm led to a return to the traditional troop format. Maj Freeman took over from Maj Dodington, who made the trip upstairs to become Regimental 2IC. Capt Addison had taken over as Sqn 2IC, and SSgt Russell replaced SSgt Greenwood, who moved to be the Lt Cav SSgt Instructor in Warminster, as SQMS. A new crop of Sgts had also
arrived that saw Lt Digby paired with Sgt Oldham, Lt Riall with Sgt Brooks, and 2Lt Doggart, when he completed his Tp Ldrs’ course, with Sgt Johnston, once he returned from BATUK. Meanwhile Sgt Richardson was playing the role of Tp Sgt and Tp Ldr in running Support Tp, which was the home for all the support weapons trained personnel in the Sqn. Leaving Sgt Jeffries to manage an inexperienced SHQ, and Sgt Cheshire bolstered the SQMS packet, after the 2IC finally having had enough of the SQMS moaning about his lack of workforce.
The Autumn was pretty hectic. The aim – to get the Sqn trained in mounted and dismounted manoeuvre over 3 months, including a regimental live firing pack- age. Well, the plan failed to survive the first contact with Army SETT, the fight for
resources, and a MACA task thrown in for fun. The MACA saw teams from across the regiment deploy to Scotland, the North of England, and Greater London, to collect data on Afghan refugees who were being housed in Hotels waiting to be re-located by the Home Office. Not your average military task, and not what the OC had in mind when preparing to conduct the Lt Cav Tactical Actions on Salisbury Plain....
Despite the setbacks, the autumn saw some good and challenging training; dis- mounted patrolling, CTRs and LFTT in Catterick, subsurface OPs in constant tor- rential rain in Thetford, mounted hides and troop level vehicle manoeuvre in Ripon. It was compressed and busy, but worthwhile to get the Legion to a good place with the Battle Group Validation exercise in the New Year.
Cpl Rae winning the Para 10-Miler
Dismounted contact drills in Warcop
Kings of the hill
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