Page 8 - KRH Regimental Journal 2022

6 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
Foreword by The Commanding Officer
Lieutenant Colonel Will Hodgkinson MBE
If 2021 was about Readiness, 2022 has been about Operations.
2022 has seen two major deployments, first to Poland on Exercise DEFENDER EUROPE 22 as mission ready train- ing in preparation for the second, Operation CABRIT 11. On return from Christmas holidays the Regiment enjoyed a period of focused tank training which set us to project to Poland through Germany and by sea in April. Our enablers cohered fleet from across the Field Army and operational storage to force generate the largest battlegroup in a decade. When the force concentrated on Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area the battlegroup had swol- len to over a thousand troops, including 44 tanks.
From arrival the battlegroup was living in field routine. This posed its own challenges: sandy soil made tree fall an unexpected risk, sudden rainfall nearly swept away the echelon in the dust bowl, and pollution meant we were on bottled water. However, morale was kept high by an outstanding field kitchen, and our soldier’s ingenuity and ability to thrive was infectious – you may have seen a photo from The Time’s Military Photography of 2022 featuring a C Squadron Trooper hanging out his laundry!
The exercise itself lasted just short of a week and saw the bat- tlegroup integrate with 2nd Squadron, 1st Jutland Dragoon Regiment of the Danish Army, who formed the third armoured squadron, and B Company the Scots Guards. We also maintain our command relationships with 127 (Dragon) Battery and 3rd Armoured Engineer Squadron. After a few days of sub-unit inte- gration we fought three missions against our sister Regiment, the Queen’s Royal Hussars, followed by an integration with armoured Polish and American units. Then the real test begun: the recovery. It is an enormous privilege to announce the future RSM, WO2 (RQMS) Brown, received his Regimental Medal for enhancing the military honour and efficiency of the Regiment through his exceptional management of fleet both in projection, but critically, the conclusion of Exercise DEFENDER EUROPE 22.
With the recovery almost complete, D Squadron deployed in June under 1 MERCIAN to validate as the next battlegroup at readiness, following the pathway the KRH battlegroup had trod- den September to November 2021. A summer highlight was the Regimental Families day in early July, which was attended by HRH The Princess Royal where she formally opened the new
tank park, Medicina Lines, and met family and friends of both serving members of the Regiment and Association members. The KRH also managed to get some Mess Balls in over the summer to make up for lost time under coronavirus...!
Spring had seen the Chief of the General Staff announce Op MOBILISE. A pan-Army mindset transitioning to focusing on the operation in Eastern Europe. This put the KRH battlegroup in a hugely privileged position at the centre of Defence’s activity as we deployed to Estonia on Op CABRIT in September 2022.
Our time in Estonia has been characterised by three main activi- ties. Firstly, integration into 1st Estonian Brigade, our one up formation on operations, and with our French infantry company. Secondly, rehearsing the plan, both for the defence of Estonia and the battlegroup’s part in the NATO War Plan. Thirdly, getting use to fighting in the cold. Arguably this is the single element which will give us the greatest relative advantage over our adver- sary (and it’s below zero for half the year in the high north-east!).
We have found time for the extra-curriculars: Lt Palmer-Price and WO2 Plant organised a x-NATO Boxing Competition, with representation from Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, and Latavia in addition to our own boxers (on live- steam back to the UK we had 2500 viewers!); the Prime Minister visited the Regiment in December, serving our deployed troops Christmas lunch; and we are deep into Nordic ski straining ahead of the Tartu marathon in February!
Our soldiers have performed brilliantly in fulfilling our mission on Operation CABRIT. They have adopted the posture, profile and presence consummate with the highest of professional stand- ards associated with the King’s Royal Hussars. The battlegroup, and Regiment, are in tremendous shape, and, as I handover over to Col Pete Perowne in February 2023, I leave with the best of memories. Hussar!