Page 34 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

32 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
Corporal Quayle’s hard work finally paid off The Brain Trust
Command Troop
2017 saw a large change of personnel in Command Troop. The Regimental Signals Officer and Regimental Signals Warrant Officer have both changed over since the last Chapka article; Captain Purbrick has moved on to 12 Squadron (RAF) as their Ground Liaison Officer and Warrant Officer Class 2 Elce has been appointed as the Regimental Signals Warrant Officer for the Queen’s Own Yeomanry. At the very end of the year Sergeant Wooff was promoted and has taken post as Squadron Quarter- master Sergeant of C Squadron.
In March 2017 Command Troop deployed on its first of many exercises for the year, Exercise MONS LANCER on Salisbury Plain. It was the first opportunity to run out the team as the new Commanding Officer’s Troop. We spent two glorious weeks on the plain training as a troop in all aspects of Command Troop life, from planning cycles to dismounted night-time navigation exercises. On the night navigation all but one of the teams that deployed found all of the points. The team that missed one point, commanded by Lance Corporal Mason, were not disap- pointed as they somehow managed to randomly find Sergeant Barrett (who happened to be on the training area at the same time with his Officer Training Corps Platoon). Many stories were exchanged.
Before we enjoyed a well-earned period of summer leave, the entire Regiment deployed on ‘CSTTX’, a battle simulation ex- ercise where the Battlegroup Headquarters sits under canvas outside the simulation hall and speaks to the squadrons and troops inside, cosy warm in their blackened simulator boxes. After torrential rain and one broken leg, we managed to suc- cessfully achieve all missions and defeated the (notional) enemy, obviously.
On return from leave we had limited time in camp before de- ploying on Exercise NORTHERN LANCER, amicably referred to as Land Rover Fest 2017 by our higher headquarters. The Troop, less those having children, deployed to the North of Eng- land and Scottish Borders. Seemingly, the water is strong, in fer- tility additives in Catterick Garrison as 25% of the Troop’s wives seemed to be ‘dropping’ during the three-week deployment. We coped, but discovered that our knowledge of communications at all levels across the Regiment could do with improvement; after some very hard work by the Troop and Squadrons we managed to achieve our mission and made many valuable observations. Hopefully they will become lessons when we return from Opera- tion TOSCA, demonstrating we have remembered them all...
No sooner had our boots dried out from Exercise NORTHERN LANCER, Command Troop deployed again to Salisbury Plain on Exercise LIGHTNING ACE. This foray to the south was not for the usual type of exercise, but for a test of the Army’s new radio systems. Command Troop was in its element; finally we were able to point out to the manufacturers how to improve their systems before they deliver it to the Army. Plenty of stress was put onto the vehicles and everyone was kept busy, from the Advanced Signalers who were fighting for communications to the junior commanders commanding on their first exercise, and much was learned by all.
The Troop has grown substantially over the year, metaphorically and physically, (although I have been told that I cannot bring the five new babies onto our books for at least another 16 years), and we look forward to 2018 and all the challenges to come.
JRGP
The Village People and the kind family that allowed BGHQ to use their barn!
The Operations Officer making friends and influencing people...