Page 41 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

Light Aid Detachment
The King’s Royal Hussars Light Aid Detachment (LAD) has had a demanding and successful year, supporting the Regiment’s kit over ranges and through the build-up exercises onto Ex IRON STORM. Members of the LAD also continued to support the Regiment on UK Ops as part of the COVID response, as well as finding the time for sport and AT.
The main task at the start of the year was focusing post Op ROSE onto BCS and Castlemartin. This involved a huge effort to con- tinue turn around the fleet from its minimal use the year before and get it prepped for firing after over a year away from ranges. The challenges did not stop, after managing to get 20 CR2 ready to fire at CMR, when midway through the package a safety notice dropped. Both crews and fitter sections worked through the night to conduct the modification and minimise the disruption to firing.
After successfully completing ranges A, C, D (as the OPFOR) and HQ prepared for Ex CRIMSON THUNDER, a rotational 1:1 Combined Arms BG deployment on SPTA. The ECP was set up and in action from the off, even acting as the recce screen at one point. This was in part due to the large amount of CVR(T) s there and also due to the BG AA being to the rear so that eve- ryone could watch England in the Euros. In the middle week- end of the exercise while a mini rehab was being conducted the deployed LAD enjoyed a BBQ whilst getting over the disappoint- ment of England losing in the final. Aside from an attempt to write off more than the world’s supply of hydrogas, the exercises went extremely well and was a source of confidence for EX IRON STORM which was due to be played out in a similar way.
With Summer leave as a brief respite, the inspection and prepa- ration for deploying a 2:2 BG on the Plain was fully underway, with vehicles being taken over from units all around the UK. D Sqn moved to come under 1 YORKS as part of TF HANNIBAL
The mighty Samson!
a double roadside recovery). With exceptional hard work from the BG REME personnel the live fire phase was a huge success with C Sqn fitters managing to get more guns front than the Sqn had crews available! Due to the slightly unknown nature of the ground Cpl Elliot, Cpl Morgan and LCpl Grey had an epic of a recovery task through the night. 2IC C Sqn’s tank had almost tipped in an extremely large pit, the result recovery job involved 80T on the winch.
CALFEX complete, the March to SPTA was the next hurdle before we could shake out as a BG. Over the course of the week the TAA slowly began to be furnished off HET lifts. The LAD continued to work hard to ensure we hit the start state and come 0600 on the Friday morning Recce rolled out the TAA and all 30 CR2 followed shortly after (we won’t mention that 2 drove straight into the ECP). Over the 400 strong BG, availability was at 97%, no mean feat and a reflection of the quality and hard work of the REME personnel.
In and amongst all the exercises and ranges, members of the LAD managed to get away on AT as part of Ex IRON STRIDE. Taking part in a whole host of activities, ranging from mountain biking to wakeboarding to skydiving! As ever LAD members have rep- resented the Corps and the Army at a multitude of disciplines.
Next year the LAD looks forward to deployments to an early Regimental range package before splitting into preparation for CABRIT and an OTX to Cyprus. This will see people deploy to Germany, Poland, Cyprus and Estonia. Arte et
Marte!
The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 39
and began taping MFO boxes to their The initial phase saw 20 CR2, 6 Scimitar our increased BUF alongside a Coy of Armd Inf WRs, Terrier and Trojan, 2 Stormer and 3 AS90s deploying to CMR for the CALFEX, with all the support vehicles as well (with the
EME’s Landrover being dragged by the SVR, which subse- quently broke down and had
CVR(T)s. f r o m
Cpl Fox overjoyed that she runs!