9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2002 - Page 0025
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2002 |
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) Z3 GW Troop It has been an interesting year for GW with some regular faces going and some new ones appearing. The year started with the Regiment gearing up for it’s tour as OPFOR in Canada before deployment in May. The Troop carried out it’s live firing for the year with good results, Tpr Bissett fired his first missile after passing his GW Controller’s Course. After live firing LCpl Kusbish went off to Canada as part of the Advance Party and was attached to B Sqn and Tpr Bissett went away as part of the Regimental Recruiting Team for a cheers easy. Around this time GW said good bye to one of it’s longest serving members; Sgt Payne went away on posting and will be missed by the Troop .The normal Veh Park routine carried on with members of the Troop going away on courses, such as Cpl Pumford on his Rugby coaching course, Tpr Stephens on his Advance Drivers and Tpr Illiffe, who really lucked out, and went down to the stables .During this time Tpr Harris came to the troop from Winchester and rivalled Tpr Illiffe for the biggest ears in the Troop. By July the whole of the Troop was out in Canada. Cpl Pumford was promoted to Sgt and took over running the Troop, but the Troop was split amongst the Companies with some going to Tank 2 and the rest going to Infantry l. The Troop in all its aspects faced the Battlegroups of MM3 and MM4/5 the latter being a Brigade and then Divisional exercise during which time Sgt Pumford managed to roll his vehicle. He and Tpr Dorn escaped with hurt pride but no serious injury. Tpr Illiffe man- aged to become close protection for the LAD in camp as he couldn’t manage to drive his vehicle more than 5 miles onto the area without breaking down. LCpl Kusbish and Tpr Bissett were the operator and driver for the CC C Sqn in Tank 2 and tried in vain to hide the stickies from the OC and keep his tem- per in check. Tpr Harris became the driver for Lt Searby and one cold morning decided to let his vehicle roll back and attempt to take out half the Company for the Battlegroup but this was quickly averted and Tank 2 survived. Tpr Stephens came out to Canada after he had finished his Advanced Drivers Course and operated for Cpl Pritchard. Also while the Troop were out in Canada we got the chance to go Adventure Training with some going on Rough Ride and Wapta Dance at Trails End Camp and others touring Canada. Some got to go home to Germany and England for 2 weeks leave, and Sgt Pumford took part in the sailing expedition, Ex Pacific Lancer. This then completed our time in Canada and the Troop returned to Germany and the Veh Park after 10 days ofwell earned leave. When we got back to work the Troop had changed a bit with new faces coming in, we got Tpr O’Bierne fresh from basic train- ing at ATR Winchester, the very hard working LCpl Plunket and Tpr Harding fresh from their GW Controllers Course and Cpl Johnson and Cpl Hughes both came from 3 Troop with the lat- ter staying out in Canada for Winter Maint to search for a Canadian girl to marry. No sooner had we got Cpl Johnson then we lost him attached to B Sqn with Tpr Stephens for their tour of Bosnia. Then in Oct/Nov Sgt Pumford went away to Florida to get married and prove he wasn’t too tight for a little bit of romance and, in the process he lost a long standing bet to Cpl Orr-Munro for the princely sum of one pound. The rest of the Troop stayed on the Veh Park getting the vehicles ready for the ECI Inspection, and the last person to join the troop was Tpr Mukungunugwa in Jan. All in all it has been a challenging year for the Troop and most of it has been spent working separately but keeping the tradi- tions of the Troop alive, and a note to end with, we wish Cpl Kusbish all the best in civilian life he will be sorely missed. Sgt Payne leaves b/g boots for Sgt Pumford to fl// Support Troop et again a busy and turbulent year, dominated by the Regimental deployment to BATUS for nine months. The sole continuity within the Troop has been the stalwart Sgt ‘Windy’ Millar, who has single-handedly held the fort. Over the year the Troop has been involved in the Regimental firing peri- od, during which all Support Troop vehicles fired their cupola mounted GPMGs. This was quickly followed by an excellent Support Troop concentration run by 28 Eng Regt in Hameln. Nine of the Troop flew over to Minley Manor for the Support Troopers course at the beginning of the year. LCpl Salih did his best to impress the birds, nothing changes. March saw the Troop conducting their favourite pass-time - destruction, they helped demolish a barn at the Officers Mess stables. At the CplFlow y attemps to /aunch a hmermade UAV dunng 3 Weak m We f/nng |
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