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9th-12th-Lancers - Year 1985 - Page 0096

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Regiment 9th/12th Lancers
Year 1985
Transcription YHF. 9TH/l2Tl-l ROYAL LANCERS REGIMENTAL JOURNAL
The Commanding Officer, Com-
mander Armoured Brigadier Hayman-
Joyce, the team Captain and Sgt
Williams spent a tense night watching
the team’s progress on a gigantic score
board in the control centre. At 0515 hrs
they were rewarded by seeing the Team
secure second place overall after skilful
navigation over very rough countryside.
The 13/l8H followed shortly achieving
a very well deserved third place Overall.
So the second day of the competition
ended with 9/12L still in the lead
The third day was a rest day for all
except Lt Martin who had to complete
the Helicopter Reconnaissance Station
as the patrol leader. This was not his
favourite event as all through training
the German helicopter had made him
airsick, True to form, lo minutes
before landing at the end of the
missionI he kept his 100% record in
-laCt.
Nevertheless he still managed to
score sufficient points to secure 8th
place overall. We were pleased to see
'the lS/lEH patrol leader. Lt Prince-
Smith get the highest score in this event
At the end of the third day we were un-
believably still first but our lead was
being whittled away
On the last morning the bad weather
finally disappeared and much to our
horror the sunshine came, and with
it clear visibility for the patrols
completing the Reece Patrol Course.
Our lead looked very precarious and
the only event left for us now was the
Combat Swimming Station.
The Regimental team were all strong
swimmers and had trained hard for this
event. All appeared to be going well
and the team clocked the second fastest
crossing time of 104 minutes. Then
suddenly the bombshell burstl We were
awarded penalty time points for a
minor tactical infringement which
brought our total time up to 5V2
minutes and reduced us to 14th
position in this event. It was a bitter
blow and despite protestations the
penalty decision was upheldl
94
0.4 ‘
"'41-? M. 'ux.
Negotiating me Still Diving Cmutc m u ('VRtTlSpntlan.
Because of the change in the weather
as the final day’s Reece patrol results
started to come in at lunchtime, it was
clear that our score was going to be
bettered. We started to see our lead
quickly dwindle and finally overtaken
by firstly the Bundeswehr teams and
then, to our consternation, the Dutch
team from Verkennings — bataljon
101 It was frustrating but there was
nothing we could do!
The only cheerful fact was that our
friends from Panzerauf'klarungs —
bataillon l at Braunschweig were
among those that swept past us on the
last day and they completed the Recon»
naissance Course in such a style that it
secured them first place overall in the
competition with 36550 points and
with it the award of the Boeselager
Trophy, We came 6th overall in the
competition with 31700 points and the
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