Page 46 - Example Journals

10 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
2014 saw the Regiment enter the high intensity phase of its training year followed by the assumption of the role of Lead Armoured Battle Group. As the Regiment started the year, the members of KRH Battlegroup Headquarters (BGHQ) were busy setting conditions for the various Squadrons to deploy on build up exercises on Salisbury Plain and live Challenger 2 ranges at Castlemartin, whilst preparing themselves to go through an assessed command staff training exercise. This kept the Commanding Of cer (CO), the Second-in-Command (2IC), the Adjutant (Adjt), the Operations Of cer (Ops Offr) and the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) extremely busy both coor- dinating activity at a Regimental level and ensuring that they were well rehearsed in battle planning procedures. Even the Intelligence Of cer (IO, Capt Rhys Wilson) was kept occupied during this hectic time!
Time was still found in the busy programme to deploy the major- ity of BGHQ’s staff of cers to the champagne region of France to take part In Ex ROCHAMBEAU, a multinational divisional-level HQ exercise. Fortunately this deployment was designed to test an allied divisional HQ, and the pace of life for the KRH was merci- fully relaxed (to the point where it was possible to conduct several vital recces of the local champagne houses). The successful comple- tion of preparation training was followed by various deployments to BATUS in Canada to conduct Exercise PRAIRIE STORM.
B Sqn deployed rst with the Royal Welsh Battlegroup in May, during which time members of BGHQ made nal preparations for their Battlegroup exercise. BGHQ would be commanding and controlling the biggest Battlegroup to have undergone training in BATUS for almost a decade: an ISTAR group, a tank squadron, two armoured infantry companies, a light infantry company, an artil- lery battery and an engineer group, totaling over 1300 soldiers. The 2IC (Maj Jules Smith) and the Ops Offr (Capt Dave Welford) put in some astonishing working hours in the run up to the deployment to Canada, and were almost relieved when they nally arrived in BATUS to start the exercise. However, the Adjt (Capt Tom Gibbs) was not relieved, as the scale of the Zap Check (an accounting pro- cess during the live re phase to con rm the location of every sin- gle vehicle and piece of equipment in the Battlegroup) resulted in him rarely getting more than three hours’ sleep per night for the rst three weeks. The experienced headquarters, under the strong command of the CO (Lt Col Justin Kingsford) was able to deal with every scenario hurled at them during the ve week exercise, and came out with an excellent exercise report.
For the 2IC, the Adjt and the Ops Offr, the deployment to BATUS was their last challenge before moving onto their next job in the Army. At
The 2IC, IO, BGE and JFC Commander under intense pressure on Ex Rochambeau in France
the start of August, Maj Smith handed over to Maj Alex Michael, the latter having completed a year as Regimental 2IC and seven months in 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade Headquarters with the Household Cavalry Regiment. Maj Smith promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and left Regimental duty to attend the Advanced Command & Staff Course, before he takes over as CO of the Queens’ Own Yeomanry. Capt Gibbs handed over to Capt Rob Bird, recently returned from attachment to the Jordanian Army. Capt Gibbs has taken over as Of cer Commanding B Sqn, until he too leaves Regimental Duty in September 2015 to attend the Intermediate Command & Staff Course. Capt Welford left Regimental Duty for a posting in Army HQ in Andover, and is now able to get more than ve hours’ sleep per night. He also handed over in August, to Capt Jun Sandeman, who is on attachment for two years from the Royal Tank Regiment, and therefore deserves no sleep.
Despite the change in three key positions, there was no rest for KRH Battlegroup. Halfway through BATUS, the CO was told that he would deploy the Battlegroup to Poland in October, as part of NATO’s response to the Ukraine crisis. The new 2IC coordi- nated the deployment of a slightly smaller force than the CO had commanded in Canada. However, it was a complicated expedi- tionary deployment, the kind of which had not been conducted in nearly ten years; 300 vehicles from both the UK and Germany were moved to Zagan, Poland via road, rail and sea. The 1000 soldiers deployed in six different waves, via land and air, either through Germany and directly to Poland. The effort required in coordinating the deployment and setting up the joint training exercise with the Polish Army resulted in the new 2IC working up to 20 hours per day, whilst getting to grips with the multitude of responsibilities which accompanied his new role. The IO was responsible for providing real life security to the Battlegroup, as well as organizing cultural trips for the 1000 soldiers. The excur- sions were extremely well received, with every person visiting sites of historical signi cance such as Auschwitz, STALAGLUFT III (scene of the Great Escape) and the East Wall, an enormous German defensive complex built by the Nazis to defend their east- ern border. Ex BLACK EAGLE put the KRH on the front pages of many international newspapers, and was a resounding success.
The CO has had an extremely busy but rewarding year, rounded off by having the responsibility of representing the UK in providing direct reassurance to the Polish Army and to the country of Poland and its NATO neighbours. 2015 will bring another busy sched- ule as the Regiment and 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade remain at readiness, but the well trained and experienced team in BGHQ are ready to meet any challenge that the new year will bring.
JRLS & AHLM
Capt Gibbs (2nd from left) and Maj Smith (2nd from right) looking distinctly unimpressed after a 30-hour stint without sleep
BGHQ