9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2008 - Page 0032
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2008 |
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30 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) Headquarters Squadron aving taken over the Squadron only 10 days before the Regimental deployment on Operation TELIC l2, and after being away for over six years, the challenge in writing this is to ensure this year’s notes reflected the whole of the year and do not just reflect my period of tenure. However, as with the Sabre squadrons, it is only natural that much of this year’s text will be devoted to the work conducted by the Rear Party during the Regiment’s operational year. It would be inappropriate not to mention the tremendous work done by my predecessor Major Denton, who was responsible for over half of the year and involved the support to A Squadron’s pre-deployment training and of course the deployment on and support to RSOI; all of this while I was languishing in England. It is only now and having had to back brief personnel on the period of the Rear Party’s work that the magnitude ofwhat has been achieved is apparent, and also, as is often the way, unnoticed by many. The often briefed ‘10 tasks in 5 countries over 9 months’ regi- mental commitment has had to be supported by the Squadron and Rear Party. Some who were deployed and absorbed into the squadrons will tell their story in the pages of their surrogate organisations, for others who remained behind (often unwill- ingly) and supported both the deployed elements of the Regiment and the families and Regiment that remained behind 7 this is their story. The Rear Party’s (known, for Iraq, as Rear Party 2) main effort was to support the Regiment forward and provide much needed stability to allow the Squadrons to focus on their missions. However, there was much work to be done as opportunities were presented while the Regiment was away. There was also the Rear Party of over a 100 personnel to lead and manage. The Rear Party throughout the period continued to supply per- sonnel forward to theatre. There was a conscious effort to pro- vide operational experience to all who arrived and give people their 28 days in theatre. Others were late deployments due to health and injury issues, mostly picked up on RSOI and Pre- Deployment Training (this was considerably complicated by not having an RMO). In addition, there was the natural flow of R&R personnel either coming home or transiting though Hohne. Also there were those coming via Haig Barracks to the UK on course and of course welfare and compassionate cases with which to deal. In addition to all of this the Regiment and UWO managed to co-ordinate the return from theatre of 8 fathers in time to see the birth of their children. All this was tracked by the SSM; a task that should have been easier than it was. At times the Rear Party felt like the Hohne branch of Dr Barnardos as we found abandoned and broken people in wicker baskets by the door (not always with a note). There were also new arrivals to greet (some slightly older than the previously mentioned new born) who did not deploy: Capt Tony King (RAO), Father David Smith (Padre) and SSgt Burnett (APTCI) who all arrived in the middle of the tour The Training Wing was fully manned throughout the tour and delivered career, individual and pre-course training throughout the period. At the same time significant improvements were made by SSgt McIntyre and his team to the presentation facili- ties. SSgt Hughes’s year was dominated by the Maintenance Team and the draw down of the vehicles which was a “very emo- tional affair”. I have left it to his own imitable style in his notes to ‘explain the pain’, however at one point (for two weeks) it was all hands to the pumps to reach the required standard. The result was worthy praise. It should be noted that this was not achieved by him alone, and others should be mentioned here for their efforts: the QM(T), LAD and Sgt Tylney. The running of the Training Wing and the continual support to the Regiment it provided during the period is no better demonstrated than through the 30mm recruit firing period which was successfully conducted and saw 21 gunners (back from theatre) qualified at the end of the firing period. The largest significant project the Rear Party undertook was the infrastructure review and its associated work. Capt Keeney and Capt Hayes drove the project which came about as a result of the opportunitypresented by the move of the Regimental restaurant to the Glyn Hughes facility and the vacated A Squadron accom- modation block. During the period the Regiment was away the Rear Party moved regimental restaurants, stripped out A Squadron’s accommodation, built a welfare hostel (Wynne House), improved HQ Squadron’s wet areas and planned the fol- lowing year’s refurbishment. Most of what was achieved were ‘quick wins’ and drew immediate praise; the true success of the project is the work that it has cued in Haig Barracks for 2009 and beyond. Capt Keeney’s legacy as the QM (Rear) will echo long after he is posted while the credit will probably fall to those in post at the time of delivery. Particular praise must go to Capt Hayes and his team for the welfare support they provided and the |
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