Page 58 - QDG Year of 2022 CREST

56 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
Ex Wessex Storm 2022
There are many forks in one’s journey through life. When B Sqn were told in January 2022 that half of them would deploy to Sierra Leone on an STTT and half to Salisbury Plain on Ex Wessex Storm, I could see the fork before me. That afternoon I could see the fork behind me, increasingly in the distance, as I packed yet another warm layer into my bergen. I was sportingly consoled throughout by my Brother Officers, between them discussing whether they should pack 3 or 4 pairs of swimming trunks.
cated delay action across the mighty River Berril. Through this phase the QDG were tested on the fundamentals of mounted reconnais - sance; completing various screens, route recces, CTRs, ambushes and delays. The Light Dragoons passed Phase 1 with flying colours, steered no doubt by their adopted Welsh core. Phase 2 is christened the ‘Optimisation phase.’ Here, the Battlegroup is supposed to be stretched. The stretching the Light Dragoon Battlegroup received was to
travel great distances along scenic A-roads, completing serials at specified Training Areas along the way. High- lights included a raid on a particularly hard to find airfield (very) near Bath, and a replen at our new home in Caerwent. The Coup de Grace was a concluding 2-day serial on Sennybridge Training Area. I wonder if they needed that 4th pair of swimming trunks? The two Troops from the QDG learned a vast amount being on a major mounted exercise. It was invaluable time locked in together as a group, with no commit-
ments beyond soldiering and bonding. It was the only time I have had the privilege of commanding QDG soldiers from a Jackal, and for that reason I shall treasure my time on Ex Wessex Storm. (Apart from the Brecon bit, I could have gone without that.)
SLU
From this far away, the fork
looked alarmingly like a
pair of fingers bidding me
on my way. The swimming
trunks were packed (3 pairs)
and it was consolation time
again... In February 2022,
the Light Dragoons Battle -
group were deploying on Ex
Wessex Storm. This is the
biggest and most resourced
exercise that occurs on
these shores and is a signif-
icant test (and comparison
point) for a Regiment. It is
there - fore taken rather
seriously. It is unclear then,
at what point the Light
Dragoons realised exactly
that they were missing half a squadron worth of troops. Luckily for us the penny did eventually drop, and at this point, with the exercise fast approaching, the Light Dragoons decided to light the beacons; the Light Dragoons called for aid, and the QDG answered. 2nd and 3rd Troops of B Squadron arrived at Knook Camp, where we were greeted by the concierge and had our luggage taken to our rooms. Our northern cousins had been there for nearly 2 weeks already, and were keen for news of the outside world. They welcomed us warmly, quickly integrating into our squadrons and ready to begin training. Both Troops from the QDG were very junior; neither having completed a mounted exercise as a formed body of men before. This made the early stages hugely educa - tional, from maintaining the vehicles on the tank park to moving in formation to hide routine. There was even opportu - nity for a quick gastronomy lesson, when one trooper was caught boiling his hot dogs loose in the BV. Every day is a school day, particularly when every brew has a faint whiff of reconstituted pork. The exercise is split into two phases. Phase 1 is the testing phase, where the Exercising Battlegroup pass or fail the exercise. This was conducted on Salisbury Plain, where the Troops reconnoitred and fought their way East to West across the Plain, before withdrawing back East again in a compli-
Everyday really is a school day, particularly when every brew has a faint whiff of reconstituted pork
22A, 22B and the boys
After Action Review (Was that my Tp that let the enemy through the screen...)