Page 66 - Cavalry Regiment

The Light Dragoon
The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Vol. 7 No. 3 2020 Catterick Garrison
Editor: Major JCB Black • Association Editor: Major M Tazey MBE
Editorial
2019 was supposed to be just another year of readiness, which would allow the Regiment to sit ready to deploy at a moments notice and enjoy a slightly more leisurely pace of life, lots of sport and some adventurous training with the odd exercise to maintain readiness. As ever, no plan survives first contact, and while the Regiment set about to achieve lots of fun, the tasked were dished out from Army HQ and cascaded down the chain of command, turning 2019 into another jam packed year.
The year started as a series of disparate activity with squad- rons and individuals flung around the globe to support trawls and find fun opportunities while held on readiness. Those left behind were bamboozled by spreadsheets trying to assure they maintained readiness statistics while the workforce that was split across three continents. After a fun start of squadron level over- seas training exercises, the focus quickly turned into UK opera- tions as the Regiment were held on readiness for the second half of the year. Two call outs ensued national disasters were averted: The first Operation INITIATE, the battle of Whaley Bridge Dam, Derbyshire, were the millions of cubic meter of water in the Toddbrook reservoir threatened to send a tidal wave of water towards the Greater Manchester catchment area. The second, Operation ALMON, the battle of Fishlake, South Yorkshire, where the Regiment sandbagged to save homes in our recruiting area. Both allowed the regiment to shine under the intense media spotlight. Between all these events, there have been numerous sto- ries of heroics, hard work and fun. Everything from adventurous training to sport show the Light Dragoon still stands strong.
2019 also provided a year of remembrance: The 75th anniversary of D-Day and the important part in which our forbears played not only on the beaches but also as the Allies thrust inland. The Regiment mourned the loss of Cpl ‘Dickie’ Blain to a tragic car accident, he will be remembered as a role model to many and will be sorely missed. Finally, the Regiment remembered our fallen from recent conflicts marked by the tenth anniversary of Operation HERRICK 10. They continue to be missed.
As the year ends the focus has adjusted to operations in 2020 that are due to see C Squadron deploy to Operation CABRIT, on the third Regimental commitment to the Enhanced Forward Presence and RHQ, HQ and A Squadron deploy under a UN ban- ner to form the Long Range Reconnaissance Task Group, in Mali.
Many thanks must go to: Mel and Dicky at HHQ for keeping me on the straight and narrow; Jayne and her team at Crest, thank you for another year of patience; Keith and Carol Local while sadly their role as assistant editors has taken a pause this year as Keith recovers from illness. I thank them for their continued sup- port and engagement. Thank you for providing an encyclopaedic knowledge and conscience for the journal to ensure it maintains the highest standard, I only hope my attempt without you has not let the side down. We wish you both our best and hope to see you back next year; Finally, I would like to thank all the contributors and the heroics within the pages.
Contents
Editorial...........................................................................................................2 Foreword by the Colonel of the Regiment ..................................4 A Message from Colonel Commandant
Royal Armoured Corps...........................................................................5 QR Codes ........................................................................................................5 Introduction by the Commanding Officer ..................................6 Regimental Notes... by the Adjutant .............................................7 Obituary – Cpl Richard (Dickie) Blain .........................................8
A Squadron – The Empire............................................................... 12 B Squadron – The Guards............................................................... 15 C Squadron – The Legion .............................................................. 18
HQ Squadron ........................................................................................... 21 Light Aid Detachment ........................................................................ 22 Command Troop...................................................................................... 23 Regimental Administration Office................................................ 24 Quartermaster’s Department............................................................ 24 Quartermaster Technical’s Department .................................... 25 Regimental Welfare Office ................................................................. 26 Training Wing........................................................................................... 27 Motor Transport Department .......................................................... 27 Regimental Aid Post.............................................................................. 28 Regimental Chaplain’s Notes ........................................................... 29 Regimental Duty Staff.......................................................................... 30 Gymnasium ............................................................................................... 31 Regimental Careers and Manning................................................. 31 Catering Department ............................................................................ 32
Exercises and Operations ................................................................ 33 Operations Officer’s Overview ........................................................ 33 Exercise ASKARI STORM 19/1, Kenya.................................... 34 Exercise ASKARI STORM 19/2, Kenya.................................... 36 Exercise DIAMONDBACK, California .................................... 38 Exercise WARFIGHTER, Texas.................................................... 42 Operational Shooting Competition (OSC) ............................... 42 Short Term Training Team, Jordan............................................... 43 Jungle Warfare Instructors Course, Brunei..............................44 Potential Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCO) Cadre......46 Operation INITIATE, Whaley Bridge ....................................... 48 Operation ALMON, Fishlake.......................................................... 49 The Nijmegen March ........................................................................... 50 Exercise GALLOPING DRAGOON, Scotland .................... 52
RAC 80th Anniversary ...................................................................... 56 Exercise NORMANDY DRAGOON, Battlefield Study... 57 Operation HERRICK Remembrance Weekend.................... 61 The RAC Battlefield Study, Israel ................................................. 65
Regimental Sport................................................................................... 66 1 UK Division Bismarck Challenge............................................. 67 Football ......................................................................................................... 68 Leeds Rhinos Armed Forces Day.................................................. 68 Rugby ............................................................................................................. 69 Polo.................................................................................................................. 70 Field Hockey ............................................................................................. 70 Golf.................................................................................................................. 71 Cricket ........................................................................................................... 72 Triathlon....................................................................................................... 73 Cycling .......................................................................................................... 74 Royal Armoured Corps South Africa Cycling Tour ............ 74 Boxing............................................................................................................ 76 Nordic Skiing............................................................................................78 Downhill Skiing ...................................................................................... 80 Field Sports ................................................................................................ 81 Regimental Admin Office Sport..................................................... 82 Exercise COCKNEY PICKLE, Stalking..................................84
Adventurous Training Overview ................................................. 86 Exercise LENANA DRAGOON, Kenya................................... 87 Mountain Biking..................................................................................... 90 Water-skiing...............................................................................................90 Army Offshore Sailing Regatta ....................................................... 91 Exercise SUMMER DRAGOON................................................... 92 Exercise JORDAN DRAGOON.....................................................96
The Messes.............................................................................................100 Officers’ Mess ..........................................................................................100 Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess ....................................102 Corporals’ Mess......................................................................................103
Extra Regimental Employment..................................................104 HQ RAC Bovington, Life on the south coast ......................104 Reconnaissance and Armoured Tactics Division ...............105 “The purpose of military training is not to prepare a man for war but make him long for it.” ..............................................105 Defence Academy of the United Kingdom............................105 An old hat in UN HQ.........................................................................106 UN Assurance visit for Op NEWCOMBE, Mali................106 Army Training Regiment, Winchester .....................................108 British Forces South Atlantic Islands,
The Falkland Islands..........................................................................109
International Security Advisory Team, Sierra Leone ......110 Peace Mission Training Centre, Zambia..................................112 The British Embassy, Cairo ............................................................114 Special Operations, Sandstorm, Sunsets and Stingers: Side-by-side with US SOF in Syria............................................116 Op TORAL – Train, Advise and Assist the Afghan National Army........................................................................................118 100 Squadron, RAF Leeming ........................................................118
Affiliated Regiments..........................................................................120 Queen’s Own Yeomanry ....................................................................120 HMS NORTHUMBERLAND.....................................................121
Valete ...........................................................................................................122 Lieutenant Colonel S Jordan..........................................................122 Captain QC Batterbury......................................................................122 Captain JR Gray.....................................................................................123 Captain NE Smith ...............................................................................124 Captain AV Ruddock..........................................................................125 Home Headquarters & Regimental Association News....126 Cavalry Memorial Parade 2019 .....................................................128 Notices.........................................................................................................128 The Light Dragoons’ Charitable Trust.....................................129 Field of Remembrance.......................................................................130 Officers’ Dinner .....................................................................................131 Charge! Notes 2019..............................................................................132
Branch News ..........................................................................................134 Association Golf.....................................................................................140 The Final Push and the liberation of Bergen – Belsen ...141 D-Day & Normandy Veterans’ Trip 2-9 June 2019............143 Mont Pincon – Colonel of The Regiment’s Address........ 144 Noodles 200 ..............................................................................................145 Royal Hospital Chelsea......................................................................146 75th Commemorations Sint Anthonis......................................147 Visitors to Home Headquarters ....................................................148 Obituaries 13/18H.................................................................................149 Obituaries 15/19H.................................................................................153 Ladies...........................................................................................................156
Regimental Gazette ...........................................................................157 Officers at ERE .....................................................................................159 Soldiers at ERE.....................................................................................159 Marriages ..................................................................................................160 Births ...........................................................................................................160
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