D(DLOY) Years 2011 - 2012
D (DLOY) Squadron, Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry
Having had a successful year in 2011, D Squadron looked towards 2012 with trepidation and vigour. Concerns on what the outcome of FR20 would bring and the wider implications were at the forefront of everyone’s minds; however, conversely the Regiment was developing a mouth-watering FoE, which would include operational tours, overseas exercises, adventure training and the ability to gain important career qualifications in a year where there would be no annual camp. In support of this, D Squadron had to keep its foot on the gas and remain focussed on recruiting and retaining the quality soldiers it already had. The year would also see many opportunities to bring together our families and employers at social gatherings, which play a very instrumental and important part in our unit cohesion. All members of the Squadron had an infectious enthusiasm for what lay ahead and were keen to face the challenges that awaited them. The Squadron had recently welcomed a new Squadron Leader, Maj Phil Valentine, a local lad from Standish, and former SSM. On assuming his appointment he was acutely aware that in this ever-changing environment, it was fundamentally important that improving the life for the TA soldier was critical and all the activities previously mentioned would need to be delivered with innovative style and panache and would certainly require a great deal of balancing soldiers’ expectations against reality.
In April, the Squadron was invited to provide support and assistance to the Grand National horse racing three-day event at Aintree, Liverpool. This is a fantastic community engagement and recruiting opportunity for the Squadron to promote itself through local and national media. Soldiers from the Squadron were able to mix with the public and at times rub shoulders with celebrities from TV and sport. One of the highlights of the event is to provide a ceremonial guard around the Grand National winner’s enclosure; the soldiers thoroughly enjoyed the event and we look forward to doing it again in 2013.
Photo 1 – Squadron Ldr Maj Phil Valentine with members of the D Squadron enjoying the Grand National. Red Rum Statue immediately behind.
Photo 2 – LCpl Alice Walls with Top Gear presenter, James May.
In May a number of soldiers from the Squadron put their names forward for Operation HERRICK 17 in Afghanistan and started to undertake pre-mobilisation training to ensure their fitness and core skills were up to speed. The annual Cavalry Memorial parade in London saw a large contingent from the Squadron attend, which included members of the Old Comrades Association travelling down for the weekend. This is another event, which the soldiers enjoy very much and are extremely proud to be associated with.
The prospect of the Regiment receiving the R-WMIK platform has meant that the Squadron Permanent Staff Instructor Sgt Craig Hatfield has tirelessly worked his socks off to secure as many courses as possible in readiness. DITS, Bowman 761/762, Yeomanry Tactics, R-WMIK, Heavy Machine Gun, RODET, GPMG are amongst a plethora of courses he was striving to secure so that the Squadron can ensure it is operationally effective.
Photo 3 – Sgt Graham (Tank) Waters instructing Tpr Rob Brett on the GPMG
In June, a number of soldiers from across the Regiment were mobilised for Op HERRICK 17. D Squadron’s contribution was five soldiers, some of which had previously served in Afghanistan and Iraq. At the time of writing they are well into their operational tour and looking forward to a well-earned R & R break. Also in June the Squadron was asked to support B Squadron in their parade through Dudley. The parade was to acknowledge the receipt of the Freedom of Dudley. After some intensive drill preparation under the watchful eye of RCM McNamara the Squadron headed up the parade through the city with swords or with rifles with bayonets fitted. Only D Squadron could get away with leading someone else’s Freedom Parade!
Photo 4 - Lt Col Matthew Botsford CO RMLY and WO1 (RCM) Kerry McNamara with the RMLY soldiers mobilised for HERRICK 17.
Operation OLYMPICS was on the horizon and after trawling the Squadron for volunteers to support this prestigious event, ten soldiers arranged time off from their busy civilian work schedules to take up what would arguably be a once in a lifetime opportunity to do Venue Security Force (VSF). Capt Glen Miller 2IC of the Squadron, headed up the cohort. Having been mobilised in early July they attended an MCCP which was held at RMLY HQ in Telford before departing to Grantham to undergo 7 days of VSF training. Once the training was complete, the cohort headed for Feltham where underwent training in preparation for their duties covering the volleyball event at Earls Court. Overall, the soldiers had a wonderful experience and will cherish it for the rest of their lives.
Photo 5 – Members of D Squadron Op OLYMPIC cohort at the London 2012 Olympics. L-R: Tpr Hlongwane, Tpr James, Lt Barnard, Sgt Waters and Tpr Hulse
During August and September, course qualifications was the order of the day, however it also allowed those not involved the time to relax and take time off with their families.
In October members of the Squadron took part in Ex VIKING STAR which is a series of exercises held in Denmark. The aim of these exercises is to allow TA units to achieve CT1 (platoon) proficiency within a CT2 (company) level exercise. The training was conducted on the Oksboel training area. The soldiers undertook 14 days of classroom, static range, and manoeuvre live-fire/blank training. The soldiers experienced a demanding range schedule and progressed quickly on to section attacks on the live-firing range. A highlight of the training conducted on the exercise was the use of simulation rounds in a purpose-built FIBUA environment that allowed soldiers to practice tactics with an added element of realism. It was great retention-positive training in an unfamiliar and therefore challenging environment, which all the soldiers enjoyed.
Photo 6 – Members of D Squadron with soldiers of other arms who took part in Ex VIKING STAR in Denmark.
In late October we received our first R-WMIK complete with HMG and GPMG. To comply with the safety requirements of crewing the R-WMIK, 22 members of the Squadron deployed to DST Leconfield to conduct training on the Roll-Over Drills Egress Trainer (RODET). Troops are squeezed into a mock-up Mastiff which can be rolled over at any angle. Once strapped in, they experience the feeling of being inside a rolling vehicle and have to practice extracting themselves from their harness and quickly exiting the vehicle when it is on its side or upside down. As an added challenge, the instructors can nominate a casualty to be extracted, and lock some of the doors so that the passengers have to think more carefully about how they get out.
In November the Squadron attended the Remembrance Sunday parade in Wigan and were greeted with a very warm welcome by the general public whose numbers continue to rise each year as more and more of them pay homage to those who paid and are still paying the ultimate sacrifice in the name of peace. The Squadron laid on refreshments back at the TA centre after the event for local dignitaries including members of the ACF, ATC Police and Fire Service. There were over 200 people who joined us.
As we approached the end of the year many Squadron members had successfully passed their respective courses and it was time for the festive season celebrations to begin. The Squadron officers and SNCOs waited on the soldiers at their Christmas party, which again went extremely well. Sgt Roy Matthews pulled out all stops and ensured everyone had more than enough to eat. It was a fitting end to a satisfying and productive year.
J F A
Article for the Volunteer Magazine
RMLY head to Cyprus for Ex Lion Star
The opportunity for TA units to train overseas doesn’t come around too often and when it does the key is to grasp it with both hands. That is exactly what our Commanding Officer Lt Col Francis Acton did back in October last year.
Exercise Lion Star is a series of exercises based in Cyprus that are offered up by Land Warfare Centre in Warminster to TA Units from around the country. There are 4 per annum and the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry took up the slot of Lion Star 1 that took place in April 2011. Our CO was generous enough to task OC D Squadron (Wigan) Major Toby Gaddum with the job of heading up the exercise.
Major Gaddum went on the recce to Cyprus in January together with his colleagues Major Bamber Preston IX/XII Lancers (Training Major), Major Ian Pennington RDG (Quarter Master) and Sgt Ash Kennedy 1RTR (PSI D Sqn) and put together an exercise on low level infantry tactics. It seems slightly bizarre that a Yeomanry Regiment should be going on an exercise and spend their time running around carrying weight, advancing to section and platoon attacks, living life in a FOB and be referred to as Cyprus Coy!!
Major Gaddum is a fan of being soldier first, getting back to our roots and perfecting our basic skills. By doing that and creating a strong platform for ourselves, our trade skills then create a well rounded soldier, far more useful to our regular counterparts on operations. And why Cyprus? Cyprus gives us the harsh environment both climatically and geologically which is as close to Afghanistan without actually being there.
On a warm Saturday morning in April, 90 soldiers and officers from the RMLY and our 2 visiting units 3 Royal Welsh and 159 Supply Regiment flew from Brize Norton on a RAF Tri-Star to Akrotiri, Cyprus. We were met by our advance party who had spent the previous week taking over equipment, training areas and our camp at Radio Sonde.
We had clearly left the best of the weather in England as we were greeted with rain and blustery winds from Siberia, which had decided that our harsh training environment wasn’t quite harsh enough! This didn’t dampen any spirits and we collectively settled into our new home for an experience which none of us will ever forget.
The sabre soldiers had already been allocated into their platoons with the luxury of having 4 subalterns to command them. Yankee platoon had the unique experience of having 2 subalterns, I don’t know whether this was a help or a hindrance.
Our first week was spent on ranges at Akrotiri where we completed Grouping and Zeroing, LF9 and the ACMT. We constantly had to check fire due to the Red Arrows practising their routines for a summer of air displays throughout the world. In those down times we used the area to practise our pair’s fire and manoeuvre, section attacks, obstacle crossing and all things infantry. We had the opportunity to use a purpose built Afghan village to hone our OBUA and patrolling techniques. We were given lectures and demonstrations by the search dog team and Eddie the labrador showed us his skills.
This was all a build up for our second week’s FTX which took place on the Western Sovereign Base Area by Episkopi in a FOB that had been built by 72 Engineer Regt the previous July. If some of us had not experienced life behind hesco walls, now was our crude introduction. It was as basic as any PB in theatre and we loved it. FOB Lancaster was now our home for the next 5 days, from where we would patrol from and conduct our base security. The improvement from all of us over the previous week meant that we were ready from some real testing and Major Preston and his training team didn’t disappoint. We were hit with all kinds of serials culminating with a search op in Paramali village on the final morning of the FTX. This included a heli lift to and from the FOB.
Having worked and performed at the highest level for 12 days it was now time for some well deserved R&R, this came in the form of a water sports day at Dhekelia at the other end of the island (ESBA). Those that wanted to enjoyed kayaking, banana boat, snorkelling, swimming or just sun bathing. Some of Cyprus Coy took the opportunity of exacting their revenge on the OC by unceremoniously lifting his sun lounger up, transporting and then dumping him into the sea!! I am sure that this was instigated by all the members of our 2 northern squadrons Chester (C Sqn) and Wigan (D Sqn), who were well represented in Cyprus. I think that this was a reflection of the high morale not only at the end but throughout our time together.
Ex Lion Star finished in the way every great event finishes with us all wanting more. This was very much a collective feeling and you could tell this was so by the buzz that never left the whole coy for the duration of the exercise.
Toby Gaddum
Major
OC D Sqn & Cyprus Coy
RMLY
May 2011
Maj Toby Gaddum - Officer Commanding
