9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2005 - Page 0022
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
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20 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) absconded to less demanding troupes. The bill of entertainment included highlights such as Gunnery Camp, OPTAG, EX NETHE LANCE and OP TELIC confirmatory training. Lt ‘Jam’ Rollin took post as direc- tor in April after a successful tour ' in Central America while stage 7 management was initially under- taken by Sgt Trev Elliott. Corporal Flint made a visiting appearance for OPTAG training but was talent spotted by another . troupe; meanwhile LCpls Blue- Sgt Mac/ntyre cata/Ogue posmg, Grass Harding, Pils Tennant, and aga’” H Harrison filled leading roles. Tprs OB ‘Oh’Brain’ O’Beirne, Sister Ward, Dutch Pearce and Santa Clowes were loyal mem- bers right from the start; Tprs Madigibuli and Phillips played briefbut crucial parts in early scenes. Highlights during rehearsals were Dutch Pearce’s catastrophic white-out during riot training and Tpr Oh Brain’s curious taste for strawberry jam on chips and tomato sauce with bread and butter for breakfast. During OPTAG it was less than reassuring, for troops preparing for an arduous operational tour, to see new signing LCpl Simpson being decked by his ex—girlfriend in a mock riot. A mystery emerged as it transpired that ‘somebody’ had driven a vehicle out to the range, but ‘n-OB-ody’ had remembered to drive it back... cue Land Rover sitting lonely in the middle of the range as C Sqn searched high and low... The following evening Sgt Elliott enthusiastically demonstrated how not to take cover on the range, as he performed a double back- flip into a target pit; shortly afterwards he flounced off in a huff to find a more sympathetic audience in 4 Tp. A more robust script-writer was found in the form of Sgt McIntyre, fresh from A Sqn, while Corporal Tails Davis was recruited from a band of amateur players - The Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry. They swiftly showed deft ground- appreciation during confirmatory training, leading an assault group straight into the midst of a formidable gorse thicket. As soon as Tpr Twin-Turbo Baggaley joined the cast in October the stage was set and the curtain went up. The chorus line-up at the start of TELIC comprised Lt Rollin, Sgt McIntyre, Cpl Davis, LCpls Simpson, Harding, Tennant, and Tprs O’Beirne, Baggaley, Pearce, Ward and Clowes. 00 C San fight/mg h/s OWN gases! October passed uneventfully into November, 3 Tp requiring lit- tle prompting and demonstrating that the rehearsals had not been in vain. Lt Rollin contributed to the glee of the nations though when, feeling peckish, he ordered a lunch break rest stop in a cosy abandoned quarry. Barely satisfied with their meagre packed lunches, 3 Tp then attempted to leave the cover of that delightful quarry 7 sadly easier said than done. Result 7 two Snatch vehicles hopelessly bogged 7 recovery tasked after a two hour struggle - a la Ice Cold inAlex. Tpr Clowes meanwhile showed great self-restraint in turning down numerous tempting invitations to indulge in ‘jiggy—jiggy’ with various Iraqi policemen. Tpr Pearce showed equally icy self control in the face of severe provocation from his vehicle and Sgt McIntyre rediscovered old friends among the inter- preters he had known on TELIC 3. 4 Troop At the end of the OPTAG training, a group of personnel were selected to join the newly formed 4th Troop, headed by Sgt (The road runner) Elliott until the arrival of 2Lt( You crazy fool) Tripuraneni, who was late because he would not get on no damn plane. The selection period proved arduous due to the sheer weight ofwannabe 4th troopers and the now legendary criterion required to be even considered. First and foremost we needed Junior NCOs of high physical and moral bearing, and like a gift from the gods came Spot Hackney and Champs (The married one), LCpl’s Beefus Maximus Cattell & H (Do you know who my dad is) Harrison, striking fear into the enemy like the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The Lads were equally notorious , first Jonny ‘Black Tooth’ Phillips (The Bandit) who cuts swathes through the foe with his laconic sense of humour, and fast wit, whilst aided by his trusty sidekick Richie (Love) Miles, the little man with a nasty finger. (Ask him to show you!). Our signals expert was Scotty, a wiry individual whose rakish appearance disguised a man ofsteel and Madigibuli who, once rumours were quashed that he was plant- ed to test us, proved a coffee maker of unfathomable ability. However like all good units we had to be bolstered by specifi- cally skilled mercenaries, yes the TA members of the troop, Pte (Mighty Mouse) Dean and Tpr (To Tall) Fisher, the Lesser and Greater Ajaxs ofour time. This now completing 4th Troop (The Hey K/ds, /OOK at th/s/ |
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