Page 22 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

20 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
B (XIV) Squadron
2021 started off with the 14th bidding farewell to their Second- in-Command, Captain Beatrice Ormerod, and welcoming Captain Chris Pople into the slot. It is not often that you find a Late Entry Officer as 2IC of a Sabre Squadron, and the Squadron were surprised to learn that Chris did, in fact, own some uniform after spending two years as Welfare Officer. However, even Chris will agree that it was his Labrador Frank who most won the hearts of the Squadron for his unhealthy enthusiasm for life and ability to leave hair in the Squadron Sergeant Major’s office (well, someone has to do it!).
The Squadron returned from Covid testing in Liverpool and despite a few poor unfortunates being tasked to backfill A and C Squadrons in Kent were able to refocus back onto Armoured Training. The Sabre Troops were welcomed back with Ex EMPEROR’S CHARGE, a mounted exercise to shake out the newer members of the Squadron. We booked terrible weather, an abundance of mud and exceptionally heavy fog just to test people that bit more. Even though the enemy had to turn on headlights, hazards and even beep their horns to give us the slightest under- standing of where they were in conditions when visibility could be as low as 10m, the exercise was a huge success made even bet- ter by the deep freeze that followed as 3rd Troop arrived back in camp... just in time for 2nd Troop to experience a mounted exer- cise in the snow without a single working crew heater!
As if January wasn’t enough, B Squadron deployed on a dis- mounted exercise in February which kept the smile on Mike Plant’s face. The Sergeant Major, known affectionately to the Officers as MFP (Michael F*****g Plant), led an excel- lent dismounted package culminating with a Squadron dawn attack. Lieutenant Giles Skrine was confined to the Ops Room
The SSM questions why they have ammo left
throughout due to injury and therefore gained the nickname “Fragiles,” courtesy of his Troop.
In the background, the Squadron prepared for Castlemartin Ranges early under the steely eye of Sergeant Allan Clegg, and as a result all crews and a stock of replacements were ready to go for Ranges in May. These went by in their usual way with the customary B Squadron 100% first-time pass rate and prodigious feats of gunnery, beer pong and karaoke were performed by all ranks – including the Squadron Leader’s rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody.
It was fantastic for the Squadron to be away doing what we do best after a very difficult 2020. CMR brought lots of fun and genuine smiles to the Squadron. Particular praise should go to Corporal Lewis McCormick and Trooper Ian “Hurricane Nigel” Ansell for achieving a Level 6 in some of the worst weather anyone could remember at CMR. SQMS Gav Harrison kept our morale up with his endless smiles, hot(ish) food and over inflated prices in
The OC shows off his eggs