Page 23 - QDG Year of 2022 CREST

1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
21
B Squadron
B Sqn arrived back to Swanton Morley for 2022 ready for the challenges of the year ahead. With B Sqn having just taken the lead on winter sports, deploying an almost entirely novice team of ten soldiers on Ex White Knight, the RAC and AAC’s annual alpine skiing training and racing camp in Verbier, Switzerland. Once back to Swanton Morley, the Squadron immediately began to prepare for its next taskings. The Squadron was initially divided, with two Troops , 2nd and 3rd, headed for sunny Salisbury Plain, and another two, 1st and 4th, headed for the warmth of West Africa. During this time the Ukraine crisis was heating up and Major O’Shea got pulled from the warm embrace of Regimental Duty and tempo- rarily seconded to the Permanent Joint Head Quarters (PJHQ) in Northwood to help run the J3 Desk. This combined with the fact that the Squadron had belatedly been taken Ex RATTLESNAKE which had been due to take place in the USA meant that some fast planning had to take place in order to keep the soldiers enthused and trained.
Lt Dickie Fulloway took the lead in Sierra Leone, where he and his team delivered Peace Support Operations training to the Royal Sierra Leonian Armed Forces. This STTT marked the first of many in B Sqn’s crosshairs and provided the Sqn with a valuable expe- rience and understanding of how to deliver such training, as well as giving the troops confidence in their subject knowl- edge and lesson delivery skills in testing environments. B Sqn has since had a fruitful relationship with BPST(A) and has been able to send small teams across the continent to deliver a diverse mix of training programmes to host nations.
Whilst some were enjoying their trip abroad, two Troops were battling the elements whilst supporting the Light Dragoons in their Battle-
activities, including a continued MAB support role in which B Sqn provided Civ Pop and Enemy for a number of
group validation on Ex Wessex Storm. The Exercise was aptly named as the troops were battered by the 70mph winds of three back- to-back storms: Dudley, Eunice and Franklin. Whilst not the preferred setting for most, Ex Wessex Storm gave the Troops an excellent opportunity to both develop their mounted skills and to bond as a team. It also gave commanders an insight into how other Light Cav Regi- ments do business and lead to the adaptation of some Tp SOPs.
For many of the Sqn, this was their first experience
of kayaking or mountain biking
serials in a host of locations, from hotels in Birmingham to the tube at Wembley. This not only allowed the Troops to enjoy the experi- ence of sim-munition, but also highlighted to them the complexity of counter-ter- rorism environments and gave an insight into what a career with UKSF could look like.
Later in the Spring, B Sqn had the privilege of conducting multi-activity AT in the beautiful setting of Bavaria, Germany. For many of the Sqn, this was
With the Spring came a plethora of
their first experience of kayaking or mountain biking and this has inspired
A brisk morning for pipes and phys!