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9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2004 - Page 0040

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Regiment 9th/12th Lancers
Year 2004
Transcription 38 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S)
The Visit of His Royal Highness The Duke of York
par
HRH The Duke of York,
he Mons Moy weekend has always proven a highlight of the
Regimental calendar but 2004’s was especially so, combined
as it was with the first visit to the Regiment by our new Colonel-
in-Chief, His Royal Highness The Duke of York.
The peaceful times anticipated by some on return from deploy-
ment to Iraq had not materialised as the Regiment complete
deployed on Exercise SWABIAN LANCE and then prepared for
the first parade in many years to combine both marching squads
and a vehicle drive past. The Regiment’s hard work, however,
was to pay offwith a splendid weekend enjoyed by all.
The visit began with a presentation to the Colonel-in-Chief by
the officers of RHQ at which His Royal Highness showed him-
self a Lancer at heart with a keen interest in the Regimental
weapon of choice. OC Headquarters Squadron was less pleased
to be introduced as the expert on the history of the lance, being
the only officer serving at the time of Waterloo.
Later that evening, after a fine Beating to Quarters performed by
the Band of the Royal Lancers, the officers gathered for a
The Commahd/hg Officer /OOl</flg,
uhsupr/s/hg/y, somewhat pehs/ve,
Sgt L/h Wood,
Regimental Weekend 29 July — 1 August 2004
/ts beeh a /Ohg t/me s/hce the CIA/7(7) has beeh /h the turret,
Ladies’ Dinner Night with His Royal Highness at the Mess. His
earlier attempts to remove a spur from the high table having
been rebuffed, Lt Panter attempted to redeem himselfby setting
fire to Capt Carpenter during the firework display in a show
which left only Capt Carpenter unamused.
His Royal Highness began the next day demonstrating an affin-
ity with CVR(T) driving which would shame many a new
recruit and certainly all young officers, at the display stands run
by B Squadron and hosted by Sgt Hallewell.
As the sun rose in the sky and the day’s heat mounted, the
Regiment marched onto parade. The band, which provided
tremendous musical support to the whole visit, joined four
marching squads and twenty six vehicles on the square. His
Royal Highness also took the opportunity to award Long
Service and Good Conduct Medals to members ofthe Regiment,
REME and band despite an erratic service from the public
address system. Much alcohol was won in wagers after no vehi-
cles broke down on parade, although the same could not be
claimed of all the Lancers.
Eveh the Ad/utaht had to get out the
poflsh,
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