Page 11 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 9
Sneaking in through the back
to develop them are not necessarily a ‘one-size-fits-all’ option. The Armoured Cavalry is fundamentally different from Infantry and Armoured force elements. We do not close with and kill the enemy, although we can and should practise it at the lowest level. Instead, we operate with economy and ahead of the pack, providing time, space, and information to our commanders from which they can manoeuvre the formation to a position of rela- tive advantage. As B Squadron displayed with aplomb in CATT, targeted and timely aggression is very effective, but our struc- ture makes it impossible to sustain. Instead we rely on stealth, dispersion, and cunning to deliver, as shown by C Squadron on Exercise LIGHTNING ACE and elements of A Squadron on Exercise IRON RESOLVE.
This may seem an unexceptional quantity of training, but it has not been without challenges in prioritisation. Driven by this extensive field training programme, we sadly withdrew from Exercise HODSON’S HORSE, the Armoured Corps’ annual festival of sport. That said, our sporting ambition has not been supressed; the programme was still full and varied, thick with inter-squadron, mess and unit events and competitions. In the swimming pool, we won the UK North water polo competition and the inter-squadron swimming gala identified talent for the Army squad. Our skiers have performed strongly in Nordic and Alpine disciplines; both finishing well in the top-third of the Army championships. Our ‘strong men’ hosted and dominated the Army North Novice Championships with a team member competing in the Inter-services and being officially crowned the “Army’s strongest man”. We have boxers in the Army develop- ment squad for the second year running, a clutch of Corps rugby players, footballers, and a member of Great Britain’s Judo team.
Staircase drills
Our cyclists ascended the Cols of the Tour de France and our mountain-bikers traversed the Cairngorms, Troodos mountains and European Alps in an international endurance event, whilst the cross-country running team fished in the top third of the UK North league. The orienteering team capped the year off by competing in Italy.
Tightening of purse strings across defence has not held the Regi- ment back, for which thanks must go to the Trustees, combined with praise for the dynamism or our Officers and NCOs and de- termination of our soldiers.
Observation Post invasion
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The Commanding Officer’s pre-exercise address