Page 133 - RAPTC Mind, Body & Spirit

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Aerial drone picture of Trails End Camp SMI Naylor driving off Name the 3x Corps Inst? into Canadian sunset
Colonels and COs that any T&S budgeter would wince at; General Bashall shouting at him for rubbish route choice also still rings in his ears. Also endured 3 x TEC OCs which is NOT an easy task. Still licking his wounds after leading the British Army Everest 2015 expedition, surviving the fateful earthquake that stopped their tracks and ambitions by late April 2015 he has served TEC well and continues to love the Corps, to our loss he has chosen to live the Canadian dream. Best wishes to Simon, Hannah, Noah, Theo and also Millie (TEC Mascot) the dog.
T3 expeds and T4 OTX remain on TEC output agenda, and via DIN 07-100 the opportunities to bring your units out to TEC, utilise resources that would have to be rented or loaned elsewhere on AT could prove the winning argument with your training budgeteers. TEC often referred to as the ‘jewel in BATUS Crown’ by the Current Commander (Col Marcus Evans late RTR) should be a place that all RAPTCIs should want to experience or serve. A truly magnificent arena for RAPTCIs to continue developing Adventurous Training.
HEADQUARTERS BRITISH FORCES CYPRUS
Maj (MAA) M Warwick
As I write these notes I find it’s an opportune moment to reflect on another year in the Army and the RAPTC. I find myself drawing my time here in Cyprus to a close as I look forward to moving onto pastures new.
The team around me here in Cyprus are highly dedicated, enthusiastic and extremely agile. They continue to create, plan, organise and assist in a multitude of sporting, physical and community events across two Infantry Battalions, two Stations and a Joint Service Signals Support Unit. Leading from the front in all that they do they continue to be a credit to the RAPTC. To give you a flavour of Cyprus life they have written about their experiences out here.
Movement on and off the island continues apace. We have seen the arrival of SSgt Geoff Bowery with the new Infantry Battalion – 2 Royal Anglian. The ‘Poachers’ relocated from Cottesmore
to Dhekalia in August 18 and he has been enjoying himself ever since. SSgt Chris Wood took over the Episkopi Station Sports Centre; relocating from Scotland has been a seamless transition for him and his family and he has taken over everything football on the island with vigour and determination. We will shortly see the departure of SSgt Shan Mansfield from Dhekelia Station and the withdrawal of the RAPTC post there. She leaves us with another box of trophies and a job well done. SSgt Neil Davison is finally leaving the Island as 1 LANCS are replaced by 2 MERCIAN in Episkopi and finally SSgt Daz Hunt will depart the Joint Signals Unit in Ayios Nikolais.
In closing it’s been a great privilege to have served with you. Everything you have done is deeply appreciated. To all of you I wish you good luck in your current and future roles and to your families’ health and happiness.
1ST BATTALION THE DUKE OF LANCASTER’S REGIMENT
SSgt (SSI) N Davison RAPTC
With the Battalion entering the last year of a 3-year tour of Cyprus and moving into the Cyprus OPS role from Regional Standby Battalion (RSB) it would have been easy for the unit to take their foot off the gas and turn an eye towards the impending unit move. However, 2017/18 was my busiest year out of the 4 I have spent on the island (having been lucky enough to serve with 2 YORKS prior to 1 LANCS taking over in 2015).
We kicked off the summer with Inter Coy Athletics competition and Battalion families’ day followed 2 weeks later with the Inter Coy Boxing competition which was a massive success. Seeing over 50 novice boxers from all Coys battle it out over a 4-day period. With the summer temperatures reaching around 40 degrees it was a challenging week with even the officials battling with the high temperatures.
1 LANCS Boxing night