Regimental Histories - Year 1960-1985 - Brockbank - Page 0072
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CHAPTER FIVE DE TMOLD Lothian Barracks, Detmold, had been the home of the 9th Lancers from 1951 to 1960 so there were still some senior ranks who knew the station. A pleasant garrison town in a far more beautiful part of the British Army Zone than, for instance, Osnabruck, it was the station of 20 Armoured Brigade now organised in the new manner with two armoured regiments and two mechanised infantry battalions The Regiment, on arrival, was afliliated to 3rd Royal Anglians, One major change in organisation was needed to assimilate the arrival of tracked command vehicles in RHQ Troop and, ultimately, the new tracked Guided Weapon carriers. This, as already noted, was Command Squadron with under command RHQ and the tracked vehicles plus Reece Troop Shortly after arriving in Detmold the whole Regiment spent two nights out on local training areas. The snow was on the ground and it was dry but very cold Some tactical exercises involving fifty miles driving proved to all ranks that they could at least survive and move in their new tanks. By March con- version training, less gunnery, was completed and the normal progression through troop and squadron training to gunnery camp and formation exercises followed in the age old way. More time was spent in sleeping bags than beds, records the Journal. There was time though to welcome the Mayor of Derby in May — a visit that was to lead to the granting of the Freedom of the City the following year — and to get on with filling the stables which were in the Household Cavalry barracks nearbyt Corporal Lawrence soon had fourteen polo ponies in his care with a list of hunters and eventers to come in the summer. A 69 |
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