Page 38 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

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www.raptcassociation.org.uk
LONDON DISTRICT
LONDON CENTRAL GARRISON HQ & PUBLIC DUTIES CEREMONIAL COMPANY
Sgt (SI) R Parker RAPTC
LONDON CENTRAL GARRISON HQ (LCGHQ) has had a busy year. Being one of the central Hubs in LONDIST, LCGHQ gym has being critical in the support of vaccine role out in London,
consistently used as a key location to brief large amounts of personnel helping with the Vaccination task in LONDIST as well as also being used for Remembrance Day rehearsals and festival of remembrance briefs for all UKAF personnel taking part. The gym also underwent a large uplift of kit bringing it up-to-date and one of the best facilities in LONDIST to deliver the APTS and sports for the surrounding Units in the district. Sgt Parker joined other district RAPTCI’s in the support and delivery of a Command Task event to teachers of a local primary school before the school term began.
LCG HQ has hosted multiple sports events throughout the Training year: LONDIST Rowing competition, Inter Coy 5-a-side football tournament and the support of a LONDIST / 16X Cross Country event to name a few. Personnel also deployed on Adventurous Training to Val Thorens, France on Ex Cockney Carver where they put their skiing skills to the test on SF1.
PUBLIC DUTIES CEREMONIAL COMPANY (PDIC) has been consistently active in their role of manning the Royal Palaces in London. They have also been heavily involved with supporting the Army’s involvement in vaccinations providing personnel to help with the delivery, support and management of vaccine role out.
The year has been especially active for the PDIC’s, taking part in as much sport as possible, members from No7 Coy Coldstream Guards ventured to Jordan to take part in the 250km Wadi Rum Desert Run, where other members ventured to the cold climate slopes to take part in Nordic skiing, members from F Coy Scots Guards became Minor Unit Winners at the LONDIST/16X Cross Country event and all three Ceremonial Companies battled to be crowned LONDIST Rowing team Champions. During all of this the PDIC’s still conducted their military Physical Training in the surrounding Royal Parks to ensure that the Coy personnel are still able to complete tasks in a field setting as infantiers.
As I approach the end of my second year with the London Regiment I can look back on a very enjoyable and rewarding time.
The London Regiment is the only Reserve regiment in the Guards Division and recruits within the Greater London area. The unit provides soldiers to reinforce the five regiments of the Foot Guards on exercises and operations throughout the world.
The last 12 months have seen me delivering two ETL courses including one of the last ever ETLs prior to the new PT Leader award coming in this year, a unit health fair, the GOC’s annual sports trophy competition, a Physical Development Audit and to finish off the year a Battalion Xmas sports day followed by Xmas lunch and a WOs’ and SNCOs’ Mess Xmas function.
The Battalion has also taken part in the Guards Division Lawson Cup (athletics) competition in Windsor, the Army Indoor Rowing League, the Army Reserve Football cup and two sailing weekends at the Army Inshore Sail Training Centre at Thorney Island.
So where is the regiment now? Well, with restrictions finally being lifted the plan is to continue where we left off, including getting the regiment involved in as much sport as possible. The Battalion will shortly name change in April from the London Regiment to the London Guards Battalion and will continue to support all the Guards Battalions on exercises and operations throughout the world. This will also give soldiers the opportunity to perform ceremonial duties and public duties alongside the Guards Battalions.
THE LONDON REGIMENT
WO2 (QMSI) KD Pitcairn RAPTC
GOC’s Sports Trophy Tug-of-War Competition