Page 107 - KRH Regimental Journal 2022

Paddy secured his placed in the Army’s top polo team, facing down the Senior Service at the Rundle Cup, before he even com- missioned. He has a keen knack of finding any opportunity to step out of the doldrums of barrack life and gallop onto the many polo fields of England, and further afield. This reputation was established at Sandhurst; Paddy cementing the admiration and curiosity of his Colour Sergeant through his regular use of polo analogies and metaphors, marking the backbone to any descrip- tion of military action. There really was only one place in the army for him.
As the highest handicapped player in the KRH he led the regi- mental team into battle throughout his career, and a mighty team it was. Combining his handicap advantage with the admin- istrative action of George Walker, the horsemanship of Oscar Churton, the over-enthusiasm of Alex Walch, the sometimes-con- fused direction of Dan Gregory, as well as many more, the KRH collected some significant victories. 2015 saw the return of the KRH to inter-regimental champions, defeating the Royal Navy at Guards Polo Club, as well as subsequent Captains and Subalterns victories in multiple divisions throughout the following years. Paddy was also instrumental in the first inter-squadron polo competition for quite some time. This however didn’t last long as Army polo experienced a minor renaissance thanks to the inde- fatigable efforts of Lt Col Simon Ledger, as he managed to recruit all his Godsons into the Cavalry or Foot Guards. The rivalries mounted and a string of able players appeared back on the scene. A homecoming of school-boy competition for Paddy presented the acute threat, with Jonny Sleeman joining the QRH and Billy Abrahamian joining the Irish Guards. The pressure was now on for Paddy to earn his spurs and bring home the silverware... A reality that didn’t quite blossom as we all hoped.
Regimental commitments have a terrible fashion of hindering the pursuit of equine excellence. For Paddy his multiple deployments to BATUS between 2016 to 2018 presented this precise obstacle. He was a natural to all aspects of being in Canada, adopting the principles of being a Crimson Cowboy: wearing the boots, double denim, large ‘Hawk’ belt buckle, listening to country music (pre- ponderance of Taylor Swift), drinking (KRH inspired) Jaegar- Moo’s, and of course finding any opportunity to horse around on the prairie. The literal manifestation of which was spending a couple of months as a resident professional at the Calgary Polo Club in 2016; as well as metaphorically in the form of command- ing armoured vehicles – whether that’s a Red Top Warrior IFV or a Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank. A highlight being the time he was forced to admit to Commander BATUS that he’d been involved in drag race across the prairie in his Red Top Warrior and he was in the driving seat! Professionally Canada was hugely rewarding for Paddy. He embraced and thrived in the cavalry spirit of manoeuvre warfare: thinking quickly, acting decisively under pressure, and delivering for your soldiers and officers. As second-in-command of A(xHx)Sqn, he would regularly take the reigns of the squadron during tactical actions, a natural leader and would deliver timely and accurate action for the Commanding Officer. A reality that surprised his brother officers, considering he couldn’t arrive on time for anything else!
Following many happy trips to Canada and being in the close fight – normally defined by nights in Calgary or Banff rather than hot action on the prairie, Paddy deployed to Estonia with the KRH battlegroup, as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence. For the tour he was the Intelligence Officer; a job in which he ably performed and showed genuine ingenuity and innovation when trying to bring the Russian (very real) threat to life for our soldiers. On return to the UK, he assumed the pres- tigious position of Adjutant. In this seat he steadied the ship for the Regiment as it entered the Covid-19 pandemic, an immeas- urably important role as the Regiment evolved and manoeuvred during the crisis to stay at the forefront of looking after its people.
Thankfully the pandemic subsided, and the Regiment remained in excellent health, and with a reunited and clear purpose to get ready for operations in Europe. This time however it wouldn’t be deploying without Paddy.
The ‘deserts of Mesopotamia’ and the quest for a medal came calling, he would deploy for six months into the hot, arid, and ancient metropolis of Baghdad. In-between air raid sirens from Shia Militia Group, one-way attack drones and being a princi- pal staff officer for NATO’s mission in Iraq, Paddy set himself to bonding with his fellow comrades in the military district. He made a significant impression, chiefly with the Americans, who in a deja-vu of his Colour Sergeant, found his insistence of equine analogies extraordinary. He was much celebrated, and the stabil- ity of Iraq is better having had him there.
Paddy leaves the Regiment a much-loved brother officer, his mark is seen all over the mess, whether that’s in the polo trophy cabi- net or his idiosyncratic approach to mess life. He will be deeply missed, and we all wish him the very best in all his future endeav- ours, we’re sure it’ll be both fascinating and curious to watch...
AJW
Captain Beatrice Ormerod
Bea Ormerod joined the King’s Royal Hussars in the spring of 2018, touting a triumphant age as the first lady to commission into the Regiment – a trailblazer that contin- ued to seize opportunities through- out her career.
Posted into B Squadron, Bea deployed on Operation CABRIT 2 with the 1 Royal Welsh Battlegroup for the final throws of their 9 months in Estonia, joining Benedict and Alisdair on NATO’s eastern flank
under the steadfast guidance of Maj Welford and Capt Gregory. On returning to the UK, activity in Germany and on Salisbury Plain kept Bea preoccupied through the autumnal months, yet it was in the high north, amongst Norway’s fjords and lopes where Bea found her calling. Following on from the giants of old (Churton, KP), Bea led the Regiment’s Nordic ski team across Scandinavia and Continental Europe – qualifying for, and win- ning, every senior female officer (>21 years) race, medal, trophy and record up for grabs at the Army’s Divisional Championships in Serre Chevalier, France in Jan 2019.
Bea relished these victories. In Wiltshire, her triumph was attended by all of the ROG, where she was anointed Queen Bea – the most decorated, and only, sportswoman in Mess his- tory. Halcyon days ensued; evenings on the croquet lawn and a charming potential non-commissioned officer (PNCO) cadre in Pippingford Park, however, it wasn’t long until she was off again – this time, Brunei beckoned. Enrolled onto the Operational Tracking Instructors Course (OTIC), Bea ventured to the jungle for several months. On completion of the course, Bea joined 11th Infantry Brigade (11th Security Force Assistance Brigade) and deployed to Sierra Leone in Jan 2020 to deliver counter-poaching operations, where she successfully fostered local partnerships and oversaw training for several months.
Appointed Second in Command in Jul 2020, Bea deployed B Squadron to Liverpool later that year in support of Whole Town Testing, part of Defence’s response to the coronavirus pan- demic. Presiding over Pontins and fully applying herself, she suc- cessfully fought for increased access to pasties and fruit shoots
The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 105