Page 71 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2015-16

Another good year for the delivery of PT courses seeing the Army Reserves gaining 120 newly quali ed ETLs and 15 newly quali ed PTIs. My secondary role of assisting HQ LONDIST G7 PD involved PDIs and formal visits to all LONDIST Maj and Minor units located within the M25. I have visited 23 units / sub unit locations since the beginning of TY 15/16. There is a marked improvement across the board with Reserve units taking PD much more seriously than previous years. Fitness equipment continues to roll out to Reserve units with 6 units in London recently receiving WATT bikes for the A3 assessment. This is also the third year in which I have organised a MATT 2 testing weekend at Hyde Park Bks where units and individuals can simply turn up on the day to complete either the PFA or AFT. This has proved a great hit and tness stats have improved.
This year ATU (L) has managed to conduct a weekend of dinghy sailing as well as our very own unit 2IC joining London University Of cer Training Corps (LUOTC) on a skiing trip to Austria. Next year the plan is to send more of our staff away skiing with the LUOTC and I am in the planning phase for a long weekend of mountain biking over the South Downs in early August.
The annual GOC’s Sports Trophy competition involving 7 LONDIST Army Reserve units took place on Sat 30 May 15 at Woolwich Station. Sports included football, basketball, TOW, squash and a relay race. The overall winners were last year’s runner up, 106 Regt RA and the runner up was the London Regiment.
On the 27 Oct 15 myself along with SSgts Emmerson and Francis, as well as PTIs from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, were asked to go along to the City Hall in London to take part in a Tug of War contest with the Mayor of London. This was to mark the launch of the Royal British Legion Poppy (RBL) Appeal 2015. Once the teams had been decided, I found myself in the same team as the Mayor alongside SSgt Francis who kindly volunteered to be the team coach. After some tough talking tactics from SSgt Francis we found ourselves one pull up before the short break. At this point the Mayor thought that the event was nished only to nd out that we had another 2 pulls to go (his face in the photo says it all). The second pull of the competition saw us defeated to SSgt Emmerson’s team but with gritted teeth and determination we managed to win the third pull. A great event to advertise the RBL Poppy Appeal and for the RAPTC.
It has been a hectic period for HCMR and an eye-opener serving at a ceremonial unit in Central London. The
routine here is truly unique to the British Army. Soldiers begin daily routine at 0600 hrs and prepare the horses to the highest standard before going on watering order parade, an old privilege which allows the Of cers and Troopers to exercise the horses anywhere in the area of Greater
Sgt (SI) C Cumberbatch RAPTC
London providing they are back in Hyde Park for 0800 hrs.
Day to day routine in the stables is diverse depending on what parades are scheduled and any visitors who may be attending. Provision of the Queens Life Guard (QLG) is the mission speci c task for HCMR in Knightsbridge, ensuring Horse Guards is manned every day, 24 hours a day 365
days a year. This is a great honour for HCMR, they are entrusted ceremonial ambassadors for Britain.
After my arrival in Jun 15, I deployed with HCMR to the 4 week annual summer camp in Bodney Camp, Norfolk for equine training. It’s here I have time to facilitate the CO’s Cup competition, this runs throughout the camp and also allows time
HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY MOUNTED REGIMENT
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ARMY TRAINING UNIT (LONDON)
WO2 (QMSI) KD Pitcairn RAPTC
HCMR QLG Palace
HCMR Chinese Inspection parade