Page 36 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019
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                                was presented due to the requirement to support B Squadron in their role as Lead Company within the Royal Lancer-led United Kingdom Standby Battalion. A Squadron personnel were re- quired to backfill when needed, and as such had to conduct the same training as their contemporaries in B Squadron. We stood prepared to support to the civil authorities in the event of an emergency once we were on standby from March to June. We learned how to erect flood defences, how to operate with the lo- cal constabulary, and that wading in water deeper than mid-calf is apparently not allowed by the fire service as it is “too great a risk”. All found it an interesting diversion from our core train- ing, and we enjoyed getting up close to the police without won- dering if we were about to be arrested.
In March, as the weather brightened, the Squadron began to re- ally focus on the five training themes. The Battlecraft Syllabus gave a template for the Troops to work from and they started to work on their collective competencies before coming together with their counterparts from other Squadrons for the Regimental training concentrations. First Troop, under the command of 2Lt BuchananandSgtHorne,andSecondTroop,underthecommand of Lt Reed and Sgt Kilburn, reminded themselves how to oper- ate as Scimitar Sabre Troops during Exercise SABRE LANCER, led by C Squadron. Capt Marriott, commanding a combined Fire Support Group comprised of the Sergeant Marsden-led Support Troop and the Sergeant Atherley-led Anti-Tank Troop, saw his command split to their respective concentrations. Support Troop travelled to the D Squadron-run concentration in Otterburn where they qualified as many new Tprs as possible whilst Anti- Tank Troop led the anti-tank concentration for the Regiment.
All of these concentrations were designed to blow off the cob- webs and return to mounted close combat excellence. Having perfected the art at Troop level, it was time to integrate it into a Squadron context. To that end, A Squadron deployed on Ex-
Police support to Exercise WOAD LANCER
ercise TUNIS LANCER which comprised a week of Combined Arms Tactical Training in Sennelager, Germany, for the Sabre Troops followed by two weeks for the whole Squadron deployed to Salisbury Plain with a fleet of vehicles. Before we left, we bid farewell to Capt Henson as he moved to Regimental Headquar- ters and welcomed Capt Luke, back from the delights of Brus- sels, to take over as Squadron 2IC.
For many of the junior Troopers, this was their first chance to deploy to Germany and boy did they make the most of it! Long days in the simulators saw a huge improvement in the Sabre Troops’ ability to manoeuvre, communicate, and think. Troop movement became quicker whilst remaining tactically sound and coordinated with flanking callsigns, voice procedure tight- ened, and, by the end of the week, assessments were assured and accurate. Hard work was rewarded with ample time to let off a little steam and explore all that Germany had to offer and the
REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
   


























































































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