Page 16 - QDG 2023

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1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
became known as ‘Danny Dyer’ due to his proclivity towards driving through minefields, time and again testing HMTV’s blast protection. Indeed, such was his commitment towards clearing them that he has now been offered work with the HALO Trust. Lt Gamman, evacu- ated for a minor exercise injury, awoke in the American morgue, surrounded by live personnel placed in body bags. Mean- while, Lt Asquith advanced to find only to realise that everyone around him was wearing respirators and hastily decon- taminating. His selfless commitment to confirming the use of nerve agents was brave in the strongest of senses.
With Troop Leaders dying at every juncture, it fell to the Squadron’s SNCOs to carry out the tasks at hand. Of particular merit were Sgts Hugo and Couch, each of whom led a patrol deep behind enemy lines. These were the decisive actions of the exercise, placing us the furthest forward of all elements and observing a completely unaware enemy force. Nonetheless, the heroes of the Battle of Hohenfels were undoubt- edly the lower ranks. Of note was Tpr McFall, who acted as a stag for 5 days whilst technically dead, until noticed by the US Observer mentors – an excellent demonstration that you will not die until
ordered to.
Throughout this period, we had been
joined by a few of the many attachments that would deploy with us. Most notable were representatives from
5th Regiment Royal Artil-
lery and from 3rd Royal Horse Artillery, representing our Fire Support Team and Mobile Surveillance Section respectively.
With the exercise complete and A Squadron suitably validated, the recovery to the UK began. Another mammoth road move across the European continent was the first hurdle. Thank- fully, Capt Holland and SSgt Chater’s exploitation of EU customs regulations meant we arrived back without an issue.
The Squadron immedi-
ately deployed onto two
weeks of well-earned R+R,
vital after the frenetic summer period. All too quickly, we found ourselves on flights to Poland, finally deploying to Op CABRIT. But nevertheless, we changed places with the Royal Lancers and the Squadron quickly adapted to life in
Eastern Europe.
A Squadron’s last experience of
Bemowo Piskie was five years ago. An austere ex-Prussian barracks, the Soviets had adorned it with brutalist architecture to beat down any sense of individualism. To call it Warsaw Pact- esque would give too many connotations of civilisation. In that sense, it is the perfect
location to house soldiers. Whilst deployed, we sit under a formidable US-led battlegroup from 2-69 Armour. Alongside contin- gents of Croatians and Romanians, we act as the battlegroup reconnaissance asset. It is an honour to play part in this grouping, albeit perhaps the lack of a common language - above all with our US partners – introduces some interesting
frictions.
Our role out here is threefold. Firstly,
we are to demonstrate that we are good partners. Chiefly, this has been accom- plished by playing volleyball, primarily against local children. Sergeant Mwam- ulima, the team captain, maintains that
Of note was Tpr McFall, who acted as a stag for 5 days whilst technically dead, until noticed by the US Observer mentors
Thankfully only a “Lone Survivor” aesthetic