Page 88 - Light Dragoons 2022 CREST

After a long period of inactivity, the WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess finally got to open fully this year. As mess life slowly started to gain pace again, WO2 Price was given a shiny new Recce pocketbook to read which has occupied him long enough to allow the cheese on toast ‘Chesney Train’ to start rolling again.
June saw the Long-Range Reconnaissance Group return from Mali (Insert the rolling eyes emoji from everyone in C Sqn). We hoped that we would be able to conduct our first function in over a year by Dining Out Lt Col Robinson, but unfortunately, Bojo said ‘no’ and the function sadly had to be cancelled. After news reports from early January, we should have said it was a work event and brought our own booze!
The Mess finally got to hold its first func- tion at the end of the Summer. WO2 Costello had started planning a medieval themed Summer Ball for July 2020 and he finally delivered in September 2021. Luckily Cossie didn’t mention it at every given opportunity and 15 times during every conversation that he had with any- one, so his smooth planning went mostly unnoticed. His 14 months of solid plan- ning (complaining) resulted in a medieval extravaganza and some great facetime for Cossie at Lt Col Harris’s first function as the new CO. The destination was Bolton Castle where we were kindly hosted by Tom Orde-Powlett MC. Originally built between 1378 and 1399, Bolton Castle has been home to Barons, Dukes and Earls, Mary Queen of Scots. However, on 10 Sep 21, the castle hosted its most prestigious guests so far, The Light Dragoons WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess.
This year the Mess has said farewell to a number of members and has seen some
significant changes. WO2 Neil Robertson and SSgt Nic ‘I can eat more Chesney than Pricey’ Ryan have both left the Regiment after completing their full Service. Several members have returned from ERE includ- ing WO2 ‘small and angry’ Hirst, WO2 Anth ‘the Kraken’ Pennicott and Sgt Jimmy ‘Cyril Sneer’ Tynan.
Only one official dine-out has taken place this year; a WOs’ lunch in honour of WO2 Robertson. Sgt Abbott had the role of Mr Vice and almost managed to last until the end of the starter before the RSM unleashed his Provo Sgt upon the well-oiled Russ, thus the act of getting ‘Bazevac’d’ was born.
As always, the Mess closed the year with the Christmas Ball. This was planned by SSgt Pennington (RAPTC) with the help
Full Tynan
of Sgt Mallen. It was an excellent evening with Mess members enjoying a live band, disco, prize draw and light up dance floor. This year the Christmas Ball committee thought they’d try a change. Not wanting to fit the usual mould of having loads of prizes, they decided to spend most of the budget on a light up dance floor and rented
The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess
86