Page 21 - Cavalry Regiment

be proud of. No doubt they will be push- ing to get back there next year and settle the ‘unfinished business’.
With this part of the year coming to a close the Sqn headed to a nearby go-kart track for a bit of cohesiveness activity, although not all were exactly cohesive with the wet track. It seems we have some budding Ayrton Sennas among our troop leaders as they myste- riously dominated the podium. The day finished with a BBQ and a few beers in the Sabre Club, leading into a long weekend. Around the same time, SQMS Walker headed off to Berlin run the mara- thon there, with a most respectable time of 3h20, and a small team joined the Battlefield Study, with LCpl Bitten and Tpr ‘Tarmac’ Lewis 321 being especially praised for their presentations. Sgt Rai also beasted a QDG team 100km along the South Downs to a strong finish in the Trailwalker event, a ‘brave’ choice for Lt Cooper and LCpl Rowlands just two weeks before the Cambrian Patrol.
It was now time to return at long last to cavalry work and after some conceptual training about half the Sqn headed down to CATT in Warminster with the rest of the Regiment. This was a good run out to remember what Voice Procedure is and how to move as a pair across coun- try. Having shaken off the rust in the first week, the second week saw some good tactical work, especially some good jave- lin siting and shooting. We also started to take over some vehicles and get back
into the saddle, so to speak, of driving and commanding – as much as possible within the limits of the safety restrictions. The autumn also heralded the start of the sports season. A lucky few headed off to California and Wales for the football and rugby tours and had a most merry time by the sound of it, even playing the odd match! Sgt Welfoot had obviously mis- understood the concept of the Regiment going on CAST and instead got his own leg put in a cast, having got it caught in between Cpl De Jongh and the ball in the first 15 minutes of the first rugby match. Attrition by sports injury was another theme of the year for C Sqn, from the Sqn Ldr hurting himself playing tennis to Tpr Jones busting his ankle on the ice with the Nordic team, and many other examples in between. Perhaps more strength and conditioning is required in 2020.
After an enjoyable Christmas week, with the year complete we knocked off for leave and a chance to reflect back. As well as the Sqn’s activity, there were a lot of praise-worthy individual efforts. Our two ‘tracksuit soldiers’ continued to perform at the highest levels of their
As well as the Sqn’s activity, there were a lot of praise-
worthy individual efforts
disciplines, with Tpr Robins winning national and world Taekwondo titles and Tpr Mahoney winning inter-services and national development boxing titles. Tpr Allen qualified as a sniper and Cpl Brocklehurst grabbed a hat-trick of top student places on Advanced Signals, Land Navigation and Signals Instructor courses, the last with a ‘A Schools’ result. Cpl Howells completed the chal- lenging Jungle Warfare Instructor Course (rarely without growing a beard). LCpl Old continued to run the basketball and SSgt Walker the cross country. The new SQMS SSgt Roberts skippers the rugby and Nordic and Alpine skiing was led by Lts Groome and Cooper respectively. A number of the junior ranks played their part in the Quarter Guard and were always well-turned out.
Not only can we be pleased with what we have achieved individually this year, we can be proud of what we have con- tributed to the Regiment. There are solid foundations for a strong performance on Ex Wessex Storm and whatever the rest of the year brings you can be sure that C Sqn will be at the heart of it. I would like to extend my personal thanks to all those in the Sqn, in particular those who have worked hard this year to organise and run our events and to those who have worked hard while taking part. Although we are the junior squadron within the Regiment, our ethos is always to be ‘First and Foremost’.
DCMH
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
21
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Sgt Flint receives his Cabrit commendation