Page 52 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

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To give some context and not dwell on Op TOSCA 28 from last year’s articles, it is appropriate to mention that Head- quarters Squadron has undergone some significant manning changes and has re-organised twice into a traditional Headquar- ters Squadron structure that most readers will be familiar with. The reason has been the collapse of our non-traditional roles once we entered 2019, namely Mobile Force Reserve, Support Company, Military Operations Liaison and UN Peace Keeping Mission reserve force.
As OC in post now for only 8 months the Squadron has said fare- well to 43 of its members. Some to civilian life, some on internal and external postings and foremost the majority on promotion elsewhere. I will leave the detail of welcomes and farewells to my departmental articles.
Headquarters Squadron continues to deliver the real-life sup- port to the Regimental training programme, which has involved elements of the Squadron participating in Exercise SPECU- LAR 19, a divisional test for Brigade troops. The deployment on Exercise WARFIGHTER 19 in Texas on a US-led planning exercise required the facilitation of Headquarters Squadron for Regimental Headquarters to deploy en masse.
It has not all been focus on Regimental Headquarters, and we have delivered support worldwide, with the Squadron being spread to the four winds supporting Exercise TUNIS LANCER in Germany and Salisbury Plain, support to Exercise ARROW
19 in Finland and finally support to Exercise BANNOCKBURN LANCER in Scotland. These have been some of the tasks where Headquarters Squadron has made a huge impact on Sabre Sqn activity.
A mass deployment of the Regiment to Castlemartin Ranges on Exercise WATERLOO LANCER saw Headquarters Squadron required to offer the most support of all events this year. Note- worthy praise is due to Cpl Allen and LCpl Blondin-Diop for winning Top Scimitar Crew during the Commanding Officer’s Regimental Shooting Competition. I can hear the readers saying now, “Scimitar, in HQ”? Not wishing to gloat too much against the Sabre Squadrons, let’s just say it was a rare opportunity that presented itself for Headquarters Squadron to provide a spare crew to assist B Squadron. Another easy win during Castlemar- tin ranges was the ‘Burnell Sports Trophy 2019’: Headquarters Squadron showed itself to be a force to be reckoned with. Sports such as golf, volleyball, kerby and rounders seemed too anti- quated for the younger generation, providing HQ with another opportunity for victory.
The final success in Castlemartin came in the guise of Maj Whitehead showing the Commanding Officer, the other OCs and SSMs how to get 100% in all five of his Life Fire Exercises in a Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle. If there was an award for Top Panther Commander it would surely be called ‘The Whitehead Shield’.
REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
Headquarters Squadron
Cpl Cristie wonders how he missed the BBQing Capt Doherty, Maj Whitehead and Capt Bennison HQ Sqn 5km Tough Mudder lesson on his Crew Commander course – Smart Casual is not the MTOs strong point
Capt Borthwick, Maj Keirstead and Capt Renton – The Regt 2IC’s new LE look Ready to go