Page 77 - Cavalry Regiment

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
gap while SSgt Delaney finished his trawl to Kenya. 2Lt Williams joined the Empire on loan from the Army Air Corps while he had been put in ‘holding’ waiting to complete his flying training. A successful edition he set about tasting the high’s and lows of Regimental Duty: fun nights of Officer Mess antics and an end- less rounds of Orderly Officer. Those who hadn’t made it to Kenya so far picked up a force protection task out in Nanuki and follow- ing in the footsteps of the PWRR they set about demonstrating what a high standard looked like. The team under the watchful eyes of Lt Rudd and Sgt Curry, enjoyed this mundane task by using the opportunities for safari and local adventure training. As the squadron came back together, virtual training and a dis- mounted exercise, FOXTROT DRAGOON, allowed the Empire to consolidate lessons and re-bond. This was quickly followed by an excellent week of regimental adventurous training, SUMMER DRAGOON, to north Wales. Then just as the squadron was fin- ishing its first stint of the movement-limiting 48hrs, UKSB, the rain started and squadron watched the news as the Whaley Bridge dam, that held back the Toddbrook reservoir, started to fail. The squadron were put on 2hrs notice to move in anticipation of a call out. Finally, the call came on the final Friday of term as the rest of the regiment disappeared on leave or battlefield studies to Normandy. Some ‘warn and inform’ contingency planning and
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sandbagging saw the Dam saved, with Light Dragoon faces on many new feeds. The squadron was widely supported and back- filled within the Regiment, so while under the banner of the Empire the deployment was a collective regimental effort. Once it became clear the dam was safe the squadron could disappear on some well-earned summer leave. Letters of thanks from the new Prime Minister and Secretary of State provided a reassuring pat on the back for the loss of leave and provided some solace to the hard work, commitment and sacrifice of many including Sgt Metcalfe who had missed his child’s christening to fulfil the call.
The winter term kicked off with a focus on equipment care, ranges to maintain readiness, and looking towards the major mounted