Page 18 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

16 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) The Regimental Weekend
BSquadron Headquarters took the blueprint of the successful 2015 Tercentenary weekend – events for serving members, their families and importantly the Old Comrades Association (OCA) to enjoy – and set about putting their ‘shoulder to the wheel’ to deliver another successful Regimental family event. With a sports-day (including obligatory bar and BBQ), a fête and an All Ranks party on the tank-park on Saturday evening, followed by a parade on Sunday morning, what could go wrong?
The sports day was run brilliantly by Staff Sergeant Mukun- gunugwa, ably assisted by the Regiment’s Physical Training instructors and HQ Squadron emerged the overall victors. A special mention is certainly warranted at this stage for Cap- tain Malcolm Barnes, who estimated that he had written over 50 emails to coordinate an extremely precise fly-past by a 100 Squadron Hawk jet. Despite the best efforts of the Catterick cloud cover, the jet appeared bang on time and provided a fit- ting end to the afternoon’s proceedings. Despite Captain Barnes’ audible hoorah as his pocket-watch tracked arrival, thanks must also go to 100 Squadron for their efforts in making the fly past possible.
As the crowd headed up the road to Cambrai Lines, compar- ing stories of who had won what on the track, attention shifted to the All Ranks Party held in the hangars on the tank park. With fond memories of tank-parks, alcohol and CVR(T)s, the irony of the chosen location was not lost on the those members of the Regiment who served in Hohne. An excellent effort was made by each of the Squadrons to construct a bar area of their own. Particular mention must go to Corporal Pipe and Trooper Preedy who constructed an après-ski bar worthy of the Alps. A thoroughly enjoyable evening was had by all.
Sunday saw an important and poignant Drumhead service on the parade square in Cambrai Lines. It wouldn’t have been a Cavalry Parade without some impromptu and innovative drill manoeuvres. And true to form, the Lancers didn’t disappoint. Once all were ‘right dress(ed)’ and on parade, Padre Graham
Minutes before Lieutenant Gardner honoured his victory, in true Army fashion, by downing the contents of the cup
Collingwood delivered an excellent sermon. After Her Majesty The Queen had presented the Regiment with its new Guidon earlier in the year, this would be the final time the Guidons of the Queens Royal Lancers and the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) would be marched off parade. The ‘marching off ’ of the Guidons from the two antecedent Regiments was a fit- ting tribute and it was excellent to see so many members of the OCA in attendance.
Thanks must go to all who were involved with the organisation and running of the weekend and those members of the OCA who made the journey to North Yorkshire. Without the exemplary family spirit and effort put in by all, it certainly wouldn’t have been the success that the many thank-you letters received said it was.
WAOK