Page 87 - RAPTC Number 102 2018/19

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ARITC
11TH (ROYAL SCHOOL OF SIGNALS) SIGNAL REGIMENT
WO2 (QMSI) R Richardson RAPTC
‘A YEAR IN BLANDFORD’
Saying my goodbyes in February 2018 to the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, the Rock, its blue skies, sunny weather and Mediterranean coastline, team Richardson embarked on the return leg home to the UK.
No sooner had I unpacked my warm kit and we were greeted by the “Beast from the East” which plunged us all into a deep freeze... with this, all notions of walking to work in shorts seemed a million miles away from my new reality.
The Home of Royal Signals – Blandford...
11th (Royal School of Signals) Signal Regiment is Phase 2/3 Training Establishment for the Royal Signals. It sees over 1800 Phase 2 and 3 Officers and Soldiers move through its training pipeline annually. Course durations range from as short as four weeks all the way up to 18 months. The team currently comprises two RAPTCIs, myself and Sgt Nerys (the machine) Jones, seven SIO PTs and four AAPTIs, an outstanding rehabilitation team headed up by SSgt (SSI) Martyn Potter and Sgt (SI) Jay Shaw. At the helm of the ship sits Capt (MAA) Mark Galley keeping us all in good order. Routine output can be anything between 50 – 70 separate lessons per week, 46 weeks a year. Like the rest of the Army white space in our calendars for sports, time away on courses and AT activities remain at an absolute premium. However, the men and women of 11 Sigs continue to lead from the front in all areas of PD and boasts a fantastic portfolio of team and individual sporting success.
Notable successes...
This year the Regiment saw an extraordinary amount of sporting and PT achievements, not only through team effort but also within an organisational capacity. These included the Regiment winning the Race to the Sun event with a team strongly supported by members of the P&RTC staff, fending off fierce competition in an event that went right down to the last race. The Royal Signals
Army Sports Trophy Major Unit Winners
11 (RSS) Sig Regt P&RTC team. Post CO’s PT.
Sgt (SI) N Jones RAPTC Triathlon Tour 2018
Boxing Concentration was another remarkable success; held in Blandford, the course not only bolstered the unit’s qualified personnel within the sphere of boxing but also the wider army with students travelling from as far away as Cyprus to attend. One notable student was none other than the “Celtic Warrior” the former WBO middleweight and super-middleweight Steve Collins who now serves as LCpl Collins with the Army Reserves. Continuing with a boxing theme, the Inter Sqn Boxing Competition ran in late November; this event perfectly showcased the courage and skill we nurture within our young trainee soldiers. The event proved to be an outstanding evening enjoyed by all those who attended. Without a doubt the jewel in the Regiment’s sporting crown this year was the Regiment winning the Major Unit Champions title in the Army Sports Trophy Competition. Receiving that accolade on behalf of the sporting men and women of 11 Sigs was a very proud moment and was the perfect sign-off for the unwavering efforts of all those involved in sports during 2018.
In closing, my time here at the home of the Royal Signals seems to be flying by in the blink of an eye, the pace of life seems to gather momentum with no signs of slowing for any of us. As I reflect upon the past year’s events, I remind myself that no successes, big or small, would be possible without the support of a strong team.
For me, the most rewarding part of the job has not come from my own achievements but rather the successes of my AAPTIs. Finally, to summarise my focus for 2019 I will leave you with some wise words of Indira Gandhi:
“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.” (Indira Gandhi)
Past and Present Corpsmen of Blandford Royal Signals Boxing Concentration gather for Remembrance Sunday 2018