Defence School of Logistics and Administration

Commandant Gp Capt G Williams

Unusually the last edition was my first foreword for the DSLA contribution, and this is likely my last as we look forward to welcoming Group Captain Rachel Mawdsley to the DSLA as Commandant in August. Coming from a joint background, I’m sure she will also look forward to catching up with The RLC via Sustainer!

This has been another jam-packed period for the DSLA, in the classroom and out.There are many opportunities out there for us all to grab - whatever our interests - be that in sport, history, the environment, or giving something back to charity, and as ever Sustainer gives us all a reminder to go out and grab them. If we do not have good stories to tell when our military careers have ended, then we are missing a trick.

Command Wing – Chief Instructor

Lt Col Rob Williams, Field Logistics 1

On 21 November 2022,Troop Commanders’ Course 90 (TCC90) departed DCLPA Worthy Down to embark on Exercise TIMBER ARNHEM, a weeklong Battlefield Study of Operation MARKET GARDEN, an Allied operation of WWII. It started with guide Sgt Simon Evetts giving a historical backdrop on the evolution of Allied tactical logistics during WWII, followed by a couple of the presentations from students of TCC90.

By late afternoon, the course departed by coach to take the ferry to Holland and arrived on the morning of 22 Nov 22. The first destination was Bridge No. 9 over the Bocholt-Herentals Canal, better known as ‘Joe’s Bridge’. Here, on the 17 September 1944, Lt Col Joe Vandeleur overcame German anti-tank guns enabling the bridge to be crossed.

The remainder of the morning included tracing the route along Route 69 (known as Hell’s Highway) and a stop at the Wilhemina Canal in Son. By 1400 the group had arrived at Camp Vught, an internment camp run by Nazi authorities in the occupied Netherlands, which served as a poignant reminder of why we fought.

The group finished the day heading into Nijmegen, stopping off at the John S Thompson Bridge, the scene of a successful and quick action by the 82nd Airborne near Grave.The next morning was spent visiting the Waal Crossing Memorial in Nijmegen. Here, in an action immortalised by the film ‘A Bridge Too Far’, the 82nd Airborne crossed the Waal River under enemy fire in canvas sided boats, paddling with their rifle butts.

After spending the rest of the morning at the Freedom Museum in Groesbeek, the course then travelled to John Frost Bridge, Arnhem.The focus was now on the endeavours of the British 1st Airborne Division. At Frost Bridge, where 2nd Bn Para’s made an improbable stand, the group spent time discussing the logistical considerations for both the British and German units in the AO. A vignette on Lt Col John Frost was delivered by Maj Matt Bowsley and the day finished with a brief from Capt Phil Coleman of the Irish Defence Force about the situation in Ireland during WWII.

On Thursday, the group visited several locations in the 1st

Airborne AO; these included Drop Zone Y at Ginkel Heath and Wolfheze where much fighting happened. Lunch was spent at the Airborne Museum Hartenstein the site of Major General Urquhart’s HQ.

One of the most memorable visits was to the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, where the course laid a Remembrance wreath. After this, they stopped off at the Oude Kerk overlooking the Nederrijn River, across which many British soldiers escaped the German encirclement, and at Urquhart’s House in Arnhem. Overall, the trip was very useful to centre everyone’s understanding of tactics and logistics to the ground on which such a campaign was fought.

RAF Logistic Officer Training

Logistics Officer Training Course – Fg Off Rob Dowie and Plt Off Maisey Osborne

The Logistics Officer Training (LOT) course is 11-weeks long and turns newly commissioned junior officers into Logistics Officers ready to be released into the world. LOT26, the most recent graduates, had 13 trainees ranging from direct entrant Plt Officers to a Flt Lt embarking on their fourth Phase 2.

LOT26 began with a Flt Commander module.This revised the skills attained at RAFC Cranwell bringing them in line with the logistics profession. Following on from this was a look into the structure and how external agencies fit into logistics. A formative assessment known as Office Simulator finalises this module.This is a week-long assessment which consolidates all that has been learnt focusing heavily on life as a Flt Cdr on a MOB.Welfare, mindfulness and time management are tested heavily along with appraisal writing.

Next, the course enters an in-depth look at each area of logistics, spending around one week on each element; Supply, MT and Catering.To break this up, the course were afforded Station visits to RAF Benson, RAF Wittering, RAF Brize Norton and MOD Abbeywood, showing a wide range of different areas officers can work with or utilise in their careers such as ACSSU’s at Wittering and the DE&S element of supply chain management at Abbey Wood.

On the lead up to DepEx (the summative assessment) the officers learn all about the role of a DLG Cdr and in DepEx they get “deployed” and put their knowledge to the test.This all takes place within a nice warm office so I use the term ‘deployed’ loosely. Everything learnt over the last 11-weeks comes into play to prove they are qualified to operate in the profession.This means managing aircraft, supply, catering etc., and all of the quirks that come with working with our greatest asset, people.

On completion of the course, there are many directions in which the Logistics Officers of the future can head, hence the importance of the broad range of the course. Now the course is complete the graduates are posted to a variety of roles spread across the country, and internationally.There are multiple Flight Commanders and Contract Support Officers and individuals posted directly into strategic Staff Roles.

Reaching out to those interested in perhaps commissioning into the logistics profession or even transferring over from the other Services, the recent graduates have compiled their words of advice and top learning points:

“Make the most of any hold.Visit as many sections as possible across your own Station and visit other units to gain a greater understanding of the wider logistics focus.”

“Immerse yourself in opportunities for development prior to arrival. Enrol yourself in useful DLE courses, teach yourself the foundations of logistics, this allows the pieces of the jigsaw to slot into place much more easily.”

“Be confident. Embrace feedback. Be comfortable with the unknown. Absorb the knowledge of those around you.”

Logistic Specialist Training Wing (LSTW) –CO Wg Cdr Sam Alexander

LSTW Sqns, based at Worthy Down, Marwood and Brize Norton have continued to deliver a wide range of training output over recent months.

In Sep 22, the RLC Vehicle Support Specialist (VSS) Training Team led by SSgt Matthews from 73 Sqn, deployed onto Salisbury Plain to conduct Exercise VIKING SHIELD, a pilot of the new VSS SNCO course. RLC VSS manage vehicles and equipment throughout the supply chain and the SNCO course enables soldiers to understand and plan their part in the war-fighting environment.The exercise tested the SNCOs’ plans for deployment and occupation of a Vehicle Replenishment Section (VRS) whilst attempting to replicate an austere operational environment.This instance of Ex VIKING SHIELD was a pilot course, allowing the instruction team to develop the training to fully incorporate the ‘Train As You Operate’ direction.This was achieved by incorporating a complex scenario with both hybrid and conventional threats.

The troops deployed on wheels via convoy and established their VRS within an impressive four hours, supported by Class 1 JNCOs’ and VSS Class 3 troops from 17 P&M Regt RLC.To add true realism, the exercise had various crews and Bulldog armoured vehicles provided by 1RHA.This simulated battle group roup units.The exercise was a huge success and 73 Sqn now looks forward to planning and deploying on Ex VIKING SHIELD again in March 2023.

November is the month when the military community, veterans, friends and families come together to reflect and remember those fallen, injured and impacted by conflicts past and present. On 9 Nov 22, 73 Sqn assisted at St Mary’s Church, Eling in their annual War Graves Maintenance. Members of the Sqn came together to assist in cleaning up military headstones, graves and surrounding areas ahead of

Remembrance Sunday. A great effort by all and a key part in building relationships in the local community.

Following the War Graves Maintenance, the Sqn attended the Remembrance Sunday service also held at St. Marys Church.The service was a time for reflection and remembrance and perfectly executed by the Church’s team. OC 73 Sqn read the Act of Remembrance, along with both SSgt Trevenna and Cpl Stoneman providing readings to the congregation.The service was followed by a short gathering between the Sqn and the local congregation to thank 73 Sqn for their service and efforts with the war Graves.The Sqn then completed the afternoon with a light lunch with both military and civilian staff and their families.

Food Services Training Wing (FSTW) - CO

Commander Tom Shaves RN

Remembrance Day history lesson and presentation at St Paul’s (CoE) Primary School, Slade Green, Kent

On the morning of 4 Nov 22, daily life was looking the same as most days for the young pupils of St Paul’s Church of England Primary School in Kent. Little did they know that they were about to have a memorable experience that will stay with them for a very long time, perhaps forever. Sgt John Bagudu from the Food Services Training Wing (FSTW) was honoured to be invited by the Headteacher of the school,Wendy Cornford, to spend the day with the pupils and give a presentation on the history and importance of Remembrance Day.

A very proud moment for the pupils and Sgt Bagudu was the number of times a lot of them told him it was their first experience meeting a soldier and one or two were moved to tears. Slade Green is a deprived area in London and most of the pupils have limited exposure to life outside their homes.They predominantly come from low-income families with limited levels of higher education. As a result, the outcomes for these pupils are generally lower than national averages. Sgt Bagudu’s contributions in the form of a workshop and presentation would have helped bridge the gap and enrich their life experiences which positively impacts their outcomes.

St Paul’s (CoE) Primary school has since written to request further visits in the future.

Plant-based Continuous Professional Development (CPD) at Worthy Down

On 5 Jan 23, FSTW hosted a CPD plant-based workshop in Worthy Down.This workshop was run by Forward Food and Human Society International UK.The day was attended by 25 Chef instructors across the Wing including civil servants.

Jenny Chandler, food writer and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) European Pulse Ambassador, delivered her masterclass to the Chef Instructors about different natural plant-based products such as Umami, creating different textures and embracing the sustainable world of pulses and grains.

The room was filled with energy and passion from the Chefs who were busy creating menus and producing incredible plant-based dishes. It was an excellent training session for the instructors to learn about different dishes, gaining skills on how to consume more plant-centric food for sustainability and good health. Members from the MoD Vegan and Vegetarian Network joined for the sampling and taste-testing throughout the day.Thanks go to Indy Kaur from Plant Futures and Charlie Huson and John Randall from HSI for organizing this event.

Command Supply Training Wing (STW) –CI Lt Col Nick Homer

During this period, STW organised an Operation TEAMWORK event which involved five teams from across Worthy Down in a one-day cricket competition. Op TEAMWORK recognises the importance of instilling teamwork in day-to-day life and aims to actively strive to remove barriers, maximise diversity and enhance operational capability through true inclusion.The event was an all-inclusive activity to encourage teamwork and friendly competition, with the RN Team crowned the overall winners.

A Tri-Service team recently deployed to Gibraltar to deliver much needed MJDI,VITAL and SEESUPS2 training to the Civilian Defence Workforce. During their time away, the STW team also managed to visit the Ammunition Storage Site located in ‘The Rock’ and thoroughly enjoyed a tunnel tour guided by WO1 Jamie Edwards of The Gibraltar Regiment.

SCD have had another busy period supporting the Worthy Down Remembrance Parade in Winchester and participating in the King Alfred Cup.They have also continued to develop course delivery methods by modernising lesson content to ensure a more interactive platform which is more suitable for different learning styes.

Sgt Pavlou has completed a Shooting Safety Managers Course and Sgt Biney completed a NEBOSH National General Certificate. SCD would like to congratulate Sgt Anna Kampela for her runners up award for the DCLPA Trainer of the Year Award 2022.

It has been another busy period for the RN Division of STW running courses including professional promotion courses, pre-joining courses, Dangerous Goods and the Maritime Reserve (RNR) courses and weekends.The RNR had a Continuous Training Weekend led by Instructor, CPO Lisa Guy RNR. She is part of the team at Worthy Down and when not taking RNR courses she also instructs Dangerous Good courses.

PO (RFA) Pete Luff represented the RFA at Her Majesty’s funeral, marching through London with the RFA, Police and Fire Service element.

The Royal Engineers Logistics Division has seen a workforce churn, with a farewell to the Senior Instructor Maj Shaun Montague and QMSI WO2 Matt Murphy and a welcome to WO2 Tekbahadur Gurung who is the replacement QMSI.

The Division delivered a successful ME Engineers Logistics Class 1 course, with Spr Jukes from 21 Engineer Regiment being awarded Top Trainee. SSgt Afriyie volunteered and attended his 13-day Christian World Cup charity event in Guatemala, managing to raise £500,000. The Division also took part in a well-deserved AT week in Wales which was organized by Sgt Rafal Whitcher.

The Royal Logistic Corps Association and Forming Corps Associations Membership

If you are keen to enhance your network, join a group of like-minded professionals who share a common purpose, or just catch-up with lost friends and acquaintances, why not join The RLC Association or one of The RLC’s Forming Corps Associations? If interested, please contact the Veterans, Families and Civil Engagement Officer (VFCEO) - Victoria Parkes at:

Email - VFCEO@rhqtherlc.org.uk Telephone - 01962 887785 https://www.royallogisticcorps.co.uk/who-we-are/the-rlc-association/

Alternatively, you can download the Membership Registration Form from the RLC website.