Household Cavalry Regiment Foreword by Lieutenant Colonel E A Smyth-Osbourne, The Life Guards Commanding Officer, The Household Cavalry Regiment 005 has been characterized by internal change and the provision of OPFOR (Enemy forces) on both sides of the Pond. In operational terms we have been left fallow, but usefully, and the relative stability has paid dividends. There have been opportunities too: 2 Troop C Squadron deployed to South Armagh in support of 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers and acquitted themselves with real distinction, and a handful of individuals have deployed to Iraq and the Balkans.
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The advent of Future Army Structures (more commonly known as FAS) heralded the reincarnation of a Command and Support Squadron and has removed coherent squadron identities at the Windsor Regiment (with 3 symmetrical sabre squadrons and one bespoke squadron), a change that had largely already occurred through pragmatism over the last few years. That said, the formal establishment of additional manpower in an increasingly tight financial climate has been critical to allow us to retain operational viability and sustain the Mounted Regiment. And the reincarnation of niche capabilities – surveillance troops, forward air controllers and nuclear, biological and chemical expertise has made the formation reconnaissance fraternity increasingly employable as we bed into the deployable brigades. So, as ever, change represents the proverbial curate’s egg but with more good than bad for us. Deployment to Canada was, as always, fun and rewarding. Suffield remains the best permanent Army training area and we benefit from a stable political regime, 35 years of investment and access to state of the art instrumentation all of which translate into 21st Century objective training. Although the provision of OPFOR aka the enemy is pejoratively described as training support, there is a caché and freedom to the role that makes it hugely enjoyable, particularly when you do it well and keep the battle groups on the hop! And the time off the Prairie is well orchestrated too. Adventure abounds, and every soldier had the opportunity to explore the
Rockies from the somewhat spartan base at Trail’s End Camp – ski touring, walking, climbing, white water rafting, parachuting, horse trailing and mountain biking - as well as taking some well-earned Rest & Recuperation. Returning to Salisbury Plain as the OPFOR once more, this time for 3 Division to help prepare the NATO Reaction Force for contingent operations, we lacked many of the fringe benefits of Canada, but from a purely professional perspective, the Regiment flourished, armed no doubt with recent experience and a determination not to
be outdone. And the exercise proved a salutary opportunity as we prepared to join the Division and 1 Mechanised Brigade. So we end the year on a high with opportunity in our sights. As I write, D Squadron is preparing to deploy (in its customary pathfinding role) to Southern Afghanistan and the battle group has started training for operations in 2007. But this is an opportunity for reflection, and we can look back with pride on a year well spent in the knowledge that there is much spice and vari-
Household Cavalry Regiment
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