Page 101 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019
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                                REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
 partment and, when not too busy, can also be found on the golf course.
SSgt Paul Martin is based in Wales working as part of Gunnery Training and Advisory Team (GTAT). He helped support the Regiment during their latest deployment in September 2019 to Castlemartin – this included cutting the grass on the weekend for the regimental cricket competition! He will also be a help- ing hand during the Regiment’s deployment to Germany in early 2020. SSgt Adam Holdcroft is now in his third year at GTAT and he has been busy conducting the pre-employment training (PET) for the next generation of Gunnery Instructors as well as a pletho- ra of other courses. He will be returning to the Regiment in 2020.
I returned to the wing in 2018 and found myself back in famil- iar surroundings delivering technical gunnery to the next gen- eration of ‘Gunnery Gods’ and hopefully we will be seeing some more Lancers return in the near future to attend the PET 2020. I
also had the privilege to deploy to Finland with D Squadron on Exercise ARROW 19 in support of their ranges and it was great to see the Squadron perform so well in front of an international audience.
The future is looking bright for us all with AJAX nearing com- pletion and getting pushed out of the door. The delivery of a new platform will understandably lead to changes; a move to Bovington for the Gunnery Wing is a possibility in the future, due to the construction of the simulator that will be required to train on AJAX. Wherever we are, I am sure the Lancers will continue to shine.
It is always a welcome sight to see some familiar faces in sunny Dorset. If any of the wider Lancer family are down in the south west, the door is always open for a brew and a chat so please pop in and say hello to the Lancer Team.
KD
 2019 has been a busy year for the RL TACP. The year began with a move to Topcliffe, North Yorkshire to join 97 (Law- sons) Battery, 4th Regiment Royal Artillery. One serendipi- tous result of the move was to get re-acquainted with Sgt Dan Campbell, a former Lancer, now a JTAC with the Artillery. The move also saw a change of personnel for the RL TACP. We said goodbye to Capt Robertson and WO2 McDaid, who’ve returned to regimental duty. We’ve also lost Cpl Foster, who’s currently attending the Army Pilots Course with a view to becoming an Apache Pilot. An endeavour we wish him the best of luck with.
With goodbyes comes hellos and new faces have arrived this year. We welcomed Capt Gouldstone, Cpl McKenzie, Cpl Caton- Hewings and LCpl Soltani. The first to adjust to a new life was Capt Gouldstone who having finished his course was immedi- ately sent to US Air Force Base Moody to navigate Alligator in- fested swamps whilst directing A-10 Warthogs to their targets. Cpl McKenzie deployed to AFB Moody later in the year. During storm season and soaking wet he achieved the same feats as Capt Gouldstone. Cpl Mckenzie also developed an American south- ern drawl whilst deployed. He imitated the local accent perfectly with humours effect as well as the various sounds of the aircraft. Something I highly recommend you ask him to repeat. The chameleonic LCpl Soltani was the most proficient at adjusting. He was requested on completion of his TACP Signallers course to remain at JFACTSU and assist with the training of JTACs. An accolade and endorsement of his aptitude. He then, keen to
make friends at 4th Regiment volunteered to go Skiing. Where at the time of writing he still resides waiting to qualify for the ‘Armies’.
Sgt ‘tricky’ Bowers had the most impressive year. Newly pro- moted he spearheaded the British Armies Fire Support Team deployment on Exercise Combined Resolve. The exercise was a multinational combined live fire exercise in Germany. This de- ployment saw Sgt Bowers stand in as a Battle Captain, a venture he was awarded the Commendation ‘Hero of Hohenfels’ by the American Brigade Commander.
The Highlight of the year was the TACPs deployment to Cas- tlemartin Ranges with the regiment. Although the arrival of the Naval aggressor Hawks wasn’t as spectacular as we had wished we were none the less able to conduct training with RL Crew Commanders in the Pembrokeshire countryside surrounding the range. Cpl Caton-Hewings was also able to provide a night time LASER light show whilst assisting CVRT Spartan Crews with target marking.
The TACP and all at 6/36 (Arcot) Battery, look forward to work- ing closely with the regiment during a busy year ahead.
Royal Lancers TACP
‘Once a Lancer always a Lancer’
MJS
  Cpl McKenzie stands on the wings of a prayer...
Sgt Bowers with some of his American friends
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