Page 24 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

22 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
participate in every serial of the Exercise. They would have fin- ished them all too, but brew flask met breech block, and REME assistance was required. Redeploying to SPTA, 2nd Troop and 3rd Troop spent long days waiting to go on Ex IRON STORM proper, however the Troop Leaders’ and Troop Sergeants’ strict “What we don’t know can’t hurt us” policy with regards to deliv- eries from families living nearby meant that it wasn’t too hard a purgatory for everyone. Ultimately, for reasons that have been widely discussed, the field phase of Ex IRON STORM was can- celled, and 13B’s labours in immaculately affixing live camouflage to their tank was wasted.
Condemned to the flickery virtual hell of CATT, the Donovian invasion of Bath and north-east Somerset was eventually repulsed, bringing an end to a very full year during which a 2nd Troop team built over the best part of two years showed themselves off to be the very best that the KRH has to offer.
2nd and 3rd Troops both managed to squeeze in trips to London in amongst all of this activity. Lieutenant Tom Maddison took his Troop to meet the Chelsea Pensioners who hosted the team brilliantly from inside a pub, before they launched off on a scav- enger hunt. The soldiers were tasked with a series of challenges – such as taking a picture with a policeman, a picture at the high- est altitude, getting proof of a boat journey and even a getting
picture with the Queen! This last one wasn’t achieved, but not for lack of trying. 2nd Troop’s rather less well organised “places I like in West London” trip under Lieutenant Skrine saw Sergeant White demonstrate a newly found sense of self-control by not knocking out his Troop Leader for stepping on his extremely expensive, and allegedly limited-edition shoes. Inexplicably, 2nd Troop never made it to their publicised destination of the Natural History Museum. (Squadron Leader’s Comment – I am shocked. Shocked.)
In December, the 14th bid farewell to Chris Pople as 2IC, as he was off to pass his time as Training Officer before taking over as Quartermaster in 2022. It must be said that he brought a great deal of experience, knowledge, and life to the Squadron and has left it after a very disjointed year in the best possible condition. His parting words, extolling an experienced group of profession- als, who constantly demonstrated an extensive knowledge of their core trade, left an indelible mark, further cementing a par- ticular B Squadron frame of mind that will always stand our sol- diers in good stead. They should be proud of what they achieved and how they achieved it. The 14th is now looking forward to a series of exercises in the UK and Cyprus, building towards Ex DIAMONDBACK 2 in the USA next year.
“No bad days for the 14th...”
2nd Troop with a knocked off Guidon