9th-12th-Lancers - Year 1985 - Page 0094
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 1985 |
| Transcription |
THE 9TH/IZTH ROYAL LANCERS REGIMENTAL JOURNAL The Boelelager Competition 1985 Preparations for this year’s com- petition began in October 1984 when Major Burgess was nominated as Team Captain and manager. Boeselager squad selection commenced, despite vehement reluctance on the part of the Sabre Squadrons to release their best soldiers for 6 months. A total of 27 personnel were short-listed for training. Atro- cious winter conditions hampered train- ing but nevertheless a great deal of basic fitness trainingI small arms shooting, AFV identification and swimming was completed. Because it was the first time we had entered this competition (unlike our colleagues in the l3/18H) and because it was organized by the Germans and based on Bundeswehr tactics and training techniques, we found ourselves initially floundering. However contact was made with the local Bundeswehr armoured reconnais- sance regiment in Braunschweig, Panzer Aut‘lrlttrungs bataillon 1; they were to prove not only an immense help but subsequently to turn out great friends After the Christmas break training began in earnest. By now the squad had been whittled down to 20 and centralized in the Probex accom- modation under the administration of HQ Sqn, Close links had already been forged with the Braunschweig battalion but at this stage the squad were still training independently under the direction of a number of “specialist instructors". By the end of March the competition team of 8 plus one reserve had been picked; the remainder of the squad forming the support element. In April when the Regiment moved to Stuttgart for Troop Training, the squad remained at Wolfenbuttel and began intensive daily training with the German Boeselager team. This hectic month proved in- valuable for it was here that the team finally picked up the German “tricks of the trade”. The two units competed 92 directly against each other as they practised each event. On Tuesday l4 May the 4 Spartans and the REME Samson Recovery vehicle were loaded onto the rail flats at Wolfenbuttel sidings. On Friday 17 May the support element moved down to Freyung by road, while the team travelled in relative luxury on a sleeper train that night. The composition of the Boeselager Squad for the Competition was as follows: Team Capt-lo Major Burgess Patrol Leader Lt Martin Deputy Leader A/ Sgt Shipley Team Members Cpl Pearce Cpl Warson LCpl Harrison LCpl Kerr LCpl Milson Tpr Radbourne Reserve Tpr Pegg 484 Addlt‘lonll Reece Tpr Bennett Patrol Crew Tpr Riley Lt Cooke Sgt Williams Cpl Dagley LCpl Barron Tpr Henderson 461 Tpr Pegg 129 Tpr Henderson B90 Tpr Green SSgt Gray REME Sgt Gibbs REME LCpl Birrell REME LCpl Wood REME The official Opening Ceremony commenced at 1700 hrs on Monday evening. All the competing teams. including those from ltaly, Turkey, France, Belgium, Canada, America and Holland, marched onto the Freyung Garrison Sports Field accompanied by German. Dutch and Italian bands where they were inspected by the Federal President Dr Richard Von Weizsacker and Generalmajor Netzler, the Commander of [st German Mountain Division. Support Personnel REME Support accompanied by the Mayor of Freung and Commanding Officer of the host battalion, The Opening Ceremony, The Team: march on. |
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