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9th-12th-Lancers - Year 1985 - Page 0031

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Regiment 9th/12th Lancers
Year 1985
Transcription as the Squadron 16 during the prepar-
ation phase and the open range firingt
Our ‘5' Grading was particularly satis~
lying when one considers that we have
the fewest number of qualified Gunnery
lnstmctors in any Squadron (we
obviously go for quality not quantity!)
A week after our return to Wolfenbut-
tel the whole Squadron departed for
three weeks block leave, Lt Cooke in
the meantime left for Australia on
Exercise Long Look,
Exerclae Spearpolm
As soon as we returned from block
leave. frenzied preparations com-
menced for the big Corps FTX.
Exercise Spearpoinl 84. Captain Rout-
ledge rejoined us. having completed
his J.D.S.C. Course. Unlike the other
Squadrons who were deployed as part
of the Corps Reconnaissance force.
B Squadron because of its differing
role. deployed with the task of umpiring
a TA wheeled reconnaissance regimenl.
The Queen‘s Own Yeomanry (QOY)
equipped with CVR(W) Fox, who were
employed on rear area security tasks.
There are a number of ex 9/12L
members serving in the QOY — it was
good to see Ben Speke and Nick Straker
again, Tales from Exercise Spearpoint
are numerous and scurrilous but some
points are worth mentioning:
a. We sat in a wood for a week waiting
for the exercise to start.
h. The 2lC took up martial arts and
became a trainee NINJA!
c. Lt Paddy Devine l Armd Regt
RAAC joined us for the exercise and
was attached to 2 Tp.
d. An officer and SNCO from the
Royal Hong Kong Volunteer Regt
joined us. (LCpl Howes still has night-
mares about “MANIMAL!”
e. We witnessed the massacre of the
QOY RAP by [0 Para(V) in true
Aldershot style!
f. The LAD broke down.
g. B Squadron finally decided they
were fed up with umpiringl Please can
we play next time!
THE 9TH/ IZTH ROYAL LANCERS REGIMENTAI JOURNAI
rltct’lltl m Gunner) ( mun ,7 tut-[titling Iur m.» mute luck in \VulIt-uimucl,
For the last week of Exercise Spear»
point we were re-deployed to umpire
the Royal Yeomanry (RY) Again the
first person we encountered was
another ex 9/lZL Officer Ian Brooking-
Thomas. now the 21C of RY. The last
few days of the FI'X were spent ad-
vancing eastwards against a retreating
but not beaten enemyt This was
an
The Squadron leader In a sombre mood,
particularly fortunate for us since it
meant that. when "ENDEX" was
called on 27 September. we had reached
a position only 35 kms from Wolfen~
buttele Much to the other Squadrons‘
annoyance. we motored in through the
front gates of Northampton Barracks a
clear six hours ahead of everyone else!
Christiane Build Up
The months of October and Novem-
ber were spent bringing our vehicles
back to their normal fit state mechan-
ically, completing a series of Inter-
Squadron sports competitions and then
commencing the winter period of in-
dividual trade training. We held a
successful ”practice" Squadron
Christmas Social in the beginning of
November. starting a well built girl duo
who both went down extremely well.
according to the 21C and Cpl Edge!
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