Page 43 - Cavalry Regiment

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 17
Faces of C Sqn
Sgt McDonald and SSgt Oakes learn that Land Rovers are not perfect winter vehicles
hosts. It was a fitting way to close eight long months in theatre. C Squadron performed commendably, with the Estonian Brigade commander suitably confident in British tank fighting to ease any doubts about the imminent arrival of the KRH battlegroup.
The tour was immensely rewarding for the most part. It taught everyone about the gratitude of the Estonian population and their incredible hospitality. Every advantage was taken of weird opportunities, from skiing the only hill in the country to eat- ing reindeer. Enduring lessons were learnt about armour and its application in an incredibly harsh environment. And yet, the long winter months away from families and friends meant the arrival of A Squadron into the hangars was a welcome respite. By mid-March, C Squadron was home and, thanks to the generous cover of B Squadron and the rear operations group (ROG), able to disappear swiftly on post-tour operational leave (POTL).
This was a blissfully unbroken period of nearly two months for most, allowing the unattached gap-year type trips to far-flung areas of southeast Asia and western America. Others simply took the opportunity to settle back into family life. The Officer Commanding C Squadron, Major Tom Gibbs, invited as many of the Squadron as possible to Dorset for his own wedding before taking a team of eight to southern Spain for an ultramarathon (see the sports articles later for a full report); while it raised over £1,500 for charity, his new wife was less impressed by
the ‘honeymoon’ spent handing out isotonic drinks and gels in the middle of the night!
Sergeant Rymer had returned back to the UK a little earlier than most on rotation and spent his time wisely, preparing an
Potential NCOs being put through their paces
excellent Squadron families’ day to re-introduce us all at the end of POTL. The British Legion in Tidworth heaved with children of all ages and with that the book closed on Estonia and all eyes turned to the future.
On the immediate horizon were more trips abroad: two weeks in Germany supporting the 1 YORKS battlegroup for synthetic training at CSTTX, followed by five days in Jersey for adventur- ous training. Germany is always well enjoyed, not just
Life is a drag