Regimental Histories - Year 1960-1985 - Brockbank - Page 0024
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Tidworth and Ulrler had been negotiated earlier and are recorded at Apps. I and II. The Regiment was established forthwith as an Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment with affiliations to the Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry TA, Prince Edward Island Regi— ment, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps and the 12th Cavalry (Sam Browne’s), The Pakistan Army. After a few weeks at Tidworth, during which the CIGS, General Sir Francis Fasting visited, the Regiment embarked at Liverpool to relieve the 11th Hussars in Ulster. The situation in Ulster when the Regiment took over its internal security role was quiet. Under command of 39 Infantry Brigade and equipped with Saladin armoured cars and Ferret scout cars it was concentrated at Lisanelly Camp, Omagh, a dreadful wartime camp badly in need of replacement, less C Squadron (Major Woodhead), deployed 24 miles away to a rat- infestcd, nissen-hutted camp at Castle Archdale on Lough Erne. Close support to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in its task of combating the IRA was the priority requirement. As the civilian population gave little help to the latter their oper— ations were confined to hit and run attacks on police stations, interference with land and signal communications and the occasional murder ofa constable. This entailed the maintenance of high standards of alertness and basic training skills by the Regiment as call-outs could be at very short notice by day or night. How valuable this experience proved to be to a new Regiment that needed time to settle down, to get to know one another and to integrate as a fighting force without the endless administrative distractions of some other stations. Frequent border patrols, varied with guards and ambushes kept all squadrons busy but as the months went by the real enemy to combat was the weather. The incessant rain plus a hurricane that swept through in the first winter felling innumerable trees, added to the depressing grimness of Lisanelly Camp which included 60 families accommodated in caravans. This was only mitigated by the warm welcome and great kindness of the local people. All ranks were able to make many lasting friends — (it was said that 106 brides accompanied the Regiment from Ulster at the end of its tour) — and a full programme of football and 23 |
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