Page 37 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
opportunity was not missed. Salisbury Plain offered the chal- lenge of having to deal with the realities of mounted soldiering away from the simulators. Luckily our new REME Tiffy, SSgt Marx, was on hand to deal with the remainder of the excellent LAD section to help with the vehicle fleet and our new Squad- ron Quartermaster Sergeant, SSgt Short, arrived to take care of us all. Through the excellent work of the Tiffy and the LAD, the vehicle fleet held up and enabled the Troops to get maximum benefit from the training opportunity. Through the excellent work of the SQMS, a man willing to wade through rubbish for his Squadron, the Troops were well supported throughout. The Sabre Troops put into practice all that they had practiced in the simulators and the Fire Support Group Troops were quickly up- to-speed. Rapid advances and controlled withdrawals were prac- ticed with Squadron Headquarters under the 2IC and the Troop Sergeant, Sgt Freeman, controlling throughout and, by the end of the exercise, A Squadron was operating as a cohesive body, finding the enemy and adroitly passing them between Troops for tracking or prosecution. We felt absolutely comfortable in our mounted role for the first time in a while.
The reward once we were back was a week of well-earned leave before embarking on the preparations for the Regimental Week- end. The Squadron athletics team (bolstered by the arrival of 2Lt Charrington, who was immediately entered into the 5km race before he had even unpacked his car) fought hard without much silverware to boast of until winning the final event, the Chain of Command race. The ‘90s Rave’ themed Squadron bar was a resounding success with dubious looking concoctions be-
Tweedledum and Tweedledee. Sgts Marsden and Horne
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