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Regimental Histories - Year 1960-1985 - Brockbank - Page 0047

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the Army Combined Downhill Event. Rayner also captained
the Army Cresta team.
Most of those who came with the Regiment to Osnabruck
were only too familiar with military life in BAOR. It revolved
around the allotment of training areas and ranges and the
incidence of exercises and inspections. High standards were
expected and attained and because so much of the Royal
Armoured Corps were deployed in the theatre there was plenty
ofhcalthy competition. The pace was hot but good management
could ensure that there was time for sport and recreation and
doing justice to visitors to the Regiment and other important
ceremonial and social events. Luckily 1964 was a year when
the Regiment, new to its equipment and role, was given the time
to settle dovm and to train progressively towards a formation
exercise which took place at Brilon in Bavaria in the autumn.
The Colonel of the Regiment came out for a four day visit in
May. Later in the year he presented to the Officers Mess a
superb painting ofour Colonel-in-Chief by Douglas Anderson.
A party from the Leicestershire and Derbyshirc Yeomanry —
the affiliated Regiment — also came to train with the Reece
Troop in Denmark. It was good again to be able to welcome a
strong party from the Old Comrades Association to Mons/“Moy
day.
There were no stables in the barracks so a nucleus of seven
polo ponies collected for the 1964 season had to be in Roberts
Barracks — two miles away; SQMS Priddey»Smith was in
charge. An enormous Mercedes horsebox was bought and
enjoyable polo was played at Munster with the 4/7th Dragoon
Guards and with the 15/19th Hussars at Bad Lippspringe. A
team entered for the Captains and Subaltems competition was
knocked out in the first round but another consisting of the
C0, Captains Cochrane-Dyet and Caldecott and Lt George
won at the Hohne Tournament. A start had been made. Some
local drag hunting organised by the Germans always attracted
a good turnout. During the winter the stable was built up to
seventeen ponies and a number of hacks so that fifteen olficers
regularly attended riding school.
In July Lt-Col Thomson-Glover handed over command to
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