Page 10 - KRH Regimental Journal 2022

8 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
2022 started in a similar fashion to 2021 for the KRH with a Military Assistance to the Civil Authority task. This time sol- diers from the Regiment deployed to assist the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, a task which saw them responding to emergencies across Wales for almost a month. Unlike previous years however, the Regiment were able to send a team to the world-renowned Crest Run in Switzerland. With others enjoying the slopes of the French Alps.
February came round far too quickly for some peoples liking and saw a switch in focus from the moral component of fight- ing power to the physical. The regiment descended en masse to Castle Martin Ranges. Unfortunately, memories from previous gunnery camps of sunny afternoons and weekends on the beach were not to be repeated. Despite one of the wettest Februarys ever recorded and wind speeds topping out at 40mph all of our fan- tastic Regimental Gunnery Instructors and Tank Crews pulled together and produced a 92% first time pass rate at Annual Crew Test across the KRH SUs. Return from ranges rolled into the G4 close battle of a Land Equipment Audit. The LEs and REME worked tirelessly to demonstrate that the KRH, as always, are not only highly effective on ranges but also on the tank park.
In the run up to Easter leave the focus very much remained on the preparation for Ex DEFENDER Europe. A training level fox- trot exercise, which would form a base from which the KRH BG would deploy to Estonia on Op CABRIT. The Regiment deployed three Liaison Officers to Denmark to link up with 1 Jutland Dragoon Regiment, a Danish Leopard regiment who would detach their Second Squadron to the KRH BG for DEFENDER and CABRIT. A and C Sqn deployed to SPTA to conduct Sqn Level training and hone their tactical procedures while the more fortunate members of the Regiment again headed for the ski lifts of the Alps, to this time conduct a Regimental skiing concentra- tion, Ex ALPINE HAWK.
Almost instantaneously on return from Easter stand down, ele- ments of Command Troop and the QM departments headed to Germany to take over the vehicle fleet required for Ex DEFENDER Europe. 300 vehicles and 1,200 people from three NATO nations united under the banner of the KRH BG on the Polish, Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area.
On completion of DEFENDER 22, C Sqn made their way to Bavaria to conduct more Adventurous Training, making a detour pilgrimage to their ancestral home in the town of Coburg. A Sqn; supplemented with soldiers from Recce Troop, deployed to France on Ex CENTAURS CHALLENGE, a French patrol competition akin to the infamous Cambrian Patrol. The team gave a fantastic account of themselves and the Regiment coming a strong fourth place out of 12 teams.
The Summer term saw no let-up in the tempo of Military Training, Adventurous Training and Live Fire. D Sqn deployed as part of the Mercian BG on Ex IRON STORM. The crews enjoyed a simi- lar template of previous iterations including Live Fire exercises followed by a force-on-force TES exercise across Salisbury Plain. Simultaneously Ex CRIMSON DAGGER saw a concentration in Dismounted Live Fire.
As the days drew longer and the merry month of May came to an end, the IO ran what has been described by many as, the most attritional training serial of the year... The BG Conceptual Study week. Soldiers and Officers from 1 Scots Guards and 2/1 Jutland Dragoon Regiment descended upon Tidworth Garrison lecture theatre and associated messes for a week of intellectual
stimulation and gout inducing dinner nights. With the KRH BG integrated and well read in the history of the Baltic States, the Regiment took some well-earned leave through August.
On return from summer stand down, the KRH BG began Op CABRIT Pre Deployment Training. All the BG were green with envy as they watched D Sqn deploy on Ex KRONOS WARRIOR in Cyprus. Much to the dismay of the Sqn officers, D Sqn were not accommodated in Dhekhelia but on a disused runway. A full training program of PT, marksmanship, navigation and basic dis- mounted tactics culminated in a patrols competition around the Dhekelia Sovereign Base Area. D Sqn returned with their tans ready to wave off the KRH BG as flights to Estonia began to depart.
The BG arrived in Estonia with its unprecedented amount of Main Battle Tanks. 30 CR2 and 14 Leopard 2 A7s. The KRH BG conducted the TOA parade with the 1RW BG on 21 Sep 22, and six days later deployed on its first exercise as part of an Estonian National Snap Exercise. It saw 9000 reservist soldiers from across the country mobilise, with every unit in the First Estonian Infantry Brigade deploying across Estonia.
With the BG set in Tapa Camp, the OpsO began devising a train- ing pathway which would see the BG integrate with each other as well as within the Bde and demonstrate our credibility to our NATO allies. The BG integration pathway came thick and fast, testament to this is the amount of ammunition and fuel expended during the period between deployment and Christmas. Almost 200,000 rounds of varying natures were fired during this period. Ex BOLD HUSSAR (a multinational integration exercise) fol- lowed by Ex TOLLU RUSIKAS (Exercising with the Estonian Defence League militia and the first deployment of armour onto the island of Saaremaa for the first time since Soviet occupation of Estonia). Straight into an inter NATO Tank Competition in Latvia, which rolled into our own inter BG Tank Competition.
The promised harsh winter of Eastern Europe began suddenly with the mercury plummeting to well below zero and feet of snow arriving within a matter of days. The change in weather signalled a change in uniform posture. Brown berets were swapped for Cold Weather hats, gloves were mandatory when outside and at times people even had to don ski goggles when moving between buildings.
The weather not only signalled a change in dress but also the start of the BG undertaking the Cold Weather Operators Course. The course was a week in length and delivered by the Regiment’s own Arctic Warfare Instructors (Lt Trowbridge and LCpl Swain) under the direction of the Royal Marine Mountain Leader branch. The course aimed to teach our soldiers how to live, oper- ate and more importantly fight in the sub zero temperatures the BG were now operating in. The crescendo to the course was the infamous ice dip where individuals simulated falling through the ice of a frozen lake. A great spectator sport not so pleasant to be a participant.
The BG took a brief pause from the delivery of CWOC over the festive period. The RSM’s 7 days of Christmas provided a much- needed morale boost for those not lucky enough to be on R&R over the Christmas Period. Entertainment in the form of a ping- pong tournament, tug of war, a Great British Bake Off, a British Army Warrior Fitness Competition and of course the Brakenbury Trophy football match between the Tprs and JNCOs (The Tprs won 7-0).
The BG remain deployed in Estonia until March 23. Hussar.
Regimental Notes