9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2001 - Page 0061
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2001 |
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 61 The Reconnaissance Division he Reconnaissance Division, despite the title, is not a new deployable formation. It is part of the Land Warfare School, Warminster, and replaces what used to be called the Armoured Tactics and Reconnaissance Division (ATRD). Here, brand new Troop Leaders and Crew Commanders learn the trade of command within a troop. The Reconnaissance Division embraces all aspects of recce. These include Special Forces patrolling, Dismounted Infantry Recce, Armoured Recce and Special Theatre courses. As they are now run under one roof, there has been an improvement in training Officers and NCOs in the FIND function of operations. I have now been employed as the S03 Formation Recce for 5 months and have derived much pleasure from seeing members of the Regiment pass through the Course. The course is now combined with Troop Leaders and NCOs sitting side by side in order that their knowledge and experiences can be shared. The duration of the course is 5 weeks during which students learn all aspects of Formation Reconnaissance. Highlights of courses so far have been trying to explain to Cpls Jones and Savage the joys of the Estimate Process, RAAT vehi- cles falling to pieces and battling with Bovington to load a max- An Attachment to the RECON NAISSANCE DIVISION Capt S/mpsoh awa/t/hg ”customers" at the Recohha/ssahce DMS/oh imum of 24 students. The course is constantly evolving and we are trying to introduce more dismounted work. In May, the new Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) comes on line. This will allow students to practice operating in an all-arms environ- ment and allow for a realistic enemy to be generated. Restraints on resources prevent us doing it for real on Salisbury Plain so the CATT will be an excellent training aid. AEBS Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders “Sah, who d’ya actually hit wi’ya whip?” rom January to July last year I was attached to the lst Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders as a Company Operations Officer. The purpose of this attachment was to spend 6 months in Belfast with an Infantry Battalion to further my experiences as an army officer. I arrived at the Battalion one freezing morning in January. Redford Barracks in Edinburgh was deep in snow and it was bit- terly cold. Despite the temperatures, it was gratifying to see burly Scotsmen oblivious to the draught in their kilts. On arrival, I was made to feel very welcome, given a Glen Gary to wear and then introduced to B Company with whom I was to spend the next 6 months. Straight away, we launched into NITAT training in Folkestone and, after some leave, the Battalion deployed to Palace Barracks in Belfast. In Belfast, B Company rotated through four different duties, each about a month long. These were Guard and Duties, Girdwood Company, Training, and Expeditionary Coy. At Girdwood, members of the Regiment will be glad to hear the mural left by the Regiment from its tour in 1993/1994 is still in good condition - though now surrounded by many more. During training, B Company ran a large public order training package at Ballykinler in preparation for the marching season. This turned out to be very worthwhile. Having not been to Northern Ireland, I cannot comment on the differences between the Regiment’s tour and the situation now. However, despite the “cease fire” there were a large number of incidents across the Province on a daily basis. These included several “near misses” for the Security Forces. While on our expeditionary rotation, B Company was heavily involved in operations to support the RUC during the trouble at St Mary’s Catholic School for Girls. We were also involved in many of the large Belfast marches during the Marching Season. I would like to say that these passed without incident; unfortunately, on sev- eral occasions, rioting of a very severe nature broke out. Luckily no members of the Company or the Battalion became casualties. My time spent with the Argylls was a very rewarding experience. The Argylls were a wonderful organisation to work with, despite the “Jocks” being more of a handful than your average Lancer. Northern Ireland is a fascinating, if sometimes slightly depressing, environment to work in and infantry battalions are always looking for volunteers of all ranks. I for one would recommend it. AEBS J p I i u E ON you can’t park that there |
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