The
C KCLY Sharpshooters Squadron
ROYAL CANADIAN
THE ROYAL YEOMANRY
197l
DRACOONS
The Squadron ended 1971 having convinced at least itself of its professional ability and having achieved a certain renown as the “Show-biz." Squadron.
which followed us on the programme—a Lancashire Mobile Bath Unit. The Squadron then turned to serious soldiering for the main
This year marked the first
Camp of Munsingen in Swabia.
complete one as an operational unit of Central Army Group. Our close association with the
This training area. though rather small. proved extremely useful and equates to Sen— nelager. Unfortunately there were no French armoured units training at that time with
British Army. which goes back to the last century. has at times been taken for granted due to
similiarities in organization. methods and equipment. It was with some nostalgia that we embarked
on
this
activities. so different those of the past.
year‘s
from
whom
a
liaison
could
be
established. The Regiment has. however. been contacted by the nearest French armoured regi-
ment
known
as
the
two are worthy of note. Ex Pig Iron was a rear security operation
Having rcshufi‘led the squadron at the beginning of the year. the first three months were devoted to troop training so that by the time the Regiment went to Camp in May each troop had gained a little experience in working together.
Hussars who drove across the Plain in a westerly direction during the day and in an easterly direction during the night. the main
organised by 44 Paratroop Brigade covering the whole of Salisbury Plain. It was the first time that an exercise of this type had been attempted. Apart from a squadron of Royal
threat came from the air. Many drops of both men and equipment
took place during nhe weekend and we soon learnt that we had to react very quickly to be effective under these circumstances. The Regiment went to Camp in Castlemartin. The emphasis of the camp was on gunnery both static and battle runs. The Squadron in general was very successful and this was no little due to the many Sunday mornings that commanders and gunners had spent during the early part of the year in the FMR at
12th
Cuirassier. stationed some thirty
In January. our Centurions rumbled into Grafenwohr for
exercise season. Of the various exercises in which we took part.
We began the year with a jolt with FFR taking place in January. Luckily the weather was good for the time of year and we were able to put on a good display of troop training.
kilometers from Lahr. with whom it is hoped to develop a useful association.
a three week gun camp. amid
Problems inevitably arise in the effort of moving speedily across the Plain to 3 DZ as 4th Troop found out. Alfa‘s Saladin got bogged. Bravo‘s Ferret broke down and Tail—End Charley
disappeared from view. The troop leader arrived alone at the edge of the DZ. went otf on a foot recce and while he was away
the stares of curious American and German soldiers. This camp is administered by the US. Army and roughly com—
The first of July celebrations marking the Confeder-
Windsor. We can new report that our own FMR in Croydon
ation of Canada were celebrated
is complete and this should not only help us improve still more. but also overcome the need for us to descend on Windsor early
pares to Hohne.
Troop hosted
A whole new dictionary of
in great fashion by Helicopter
of C their
military terms. a very different
Fly—in Breakfast". Where does one find room for eight
hundred aviators from seven countries with one hundred
considerable
Helicopter Troop Leader is still trying to figure out how it was accomplished.
comment.
party
officer
(An is
a
property book officer. 1% tons is really 5/4 tons. a withdrawal is actually a retrograde movement‘the Americans got as
much enjoyment terms as we did
from our from their
terms). We derived little enjoy»
ment from the fact that Grafenwohr was the coldest place in January.
Germany
during
On reurn from Grafenwohr to home station in Lahr. the Regiment continued to settle in
to
its
new
and
still
rather
strange quarters (formerly occupied by French and Canadian jet aircraft).
To
the
rather
normal
and eighty
In moved Reims.
on Sunday mornings.
Squadron who “Fifth Annual
set of range procedures and rather complicated administrative arrangements resulted in advance
his Saladin was ordered out of the area by a senior umpire!
odd
aircraft?
Colonel of the Regiment, Brigadier-General E. A. C. Amy, D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C., C.D., inspeCts B Squadron during his first official visit to The Regiment (May 1971)
The
The second week of Camp was devoted to a regimental inter-troop competition. This was a continuous 3 day exercise and covered all phases of war. Happily we can report that 5th
Troop won the competition outright with 1st Troop not far behind. On aggregate C Squadron ended up well ahead of the other squadrons.
August. A Squadron to Mourmelon near France to train with
a very successful ski slopes of the region for twelve each squadron. In
week on the Black Forest members of fact. a large
number of Regimental person— nel have taken region is not its own right. to the great ski
up skiing as this only famous in but very close areas of France.
Switzerland and Austria. Late spring found us again
the Day" and extracts of our performance were included in the
late
36
against
Leeds
and
proved
how
programme
to
illustrate
how
Crystal
Palace
dealt
with
we soon
learnt
that
though it was
one company of the R6] retired on Saturday evening. and the message arrived in the Comms Centre “We are breaking off the
engagement and returning to base owing to the wetness of the soldiers."
their In October about 20 members of the Squadron helped umpire
the 4 Div. FTX Ex Forefront. For this we drove our Ferrets We then participated in the Wembley Tattoo and enjoyed much publicity both during the performance and on the BBC T.V. re-run by mounting the RTR Cambrai Band on our Ferrets. thus providing a new concept in mounted bands.
At
the
Aldershot
Army
Week
our theme
was
"Weekend
The year has been an unusual and unforgettable one for the Dragoons. Our ques— tions of “how things are likely
a London Transport bus next to a Saladin with the message that
to be in the South” are now
weekends. The BBC news team echoed the feeling of many that the sight of 21 double decker bus in the midst of the armoured
Motoring with a Difference“ and we illustrated this by placing
from Croydon to Detmold over the weekend and then went on to the exercise area. It was a great experience for us to take part in that type of exercise and we gave a good account of ourselves in the eyes of most of the units we met.
Our training year finished with our annual march around the city of Croydon on Remembrance Sunday and following this we turned to the serious problem of getting the vehicles ready for U.E.l.
one
answered. When the seventyfirst anniversary of the action
can
drive
the
bus
during
the
week
and
the Saladin
at
display made a vivid impression.
at Leliefontein was celebrated this year on 7th November. there was perhaps a general feeling of satisfaction that the Regiment now considers Lahr home in a way which could
not be felt on arrival thirteen
Army
match
covered.
months ago.
German
home
opposition.
return to Lahr till 15th October. Thus was the bulk of 1971
in the field. this time in the and
Palace
efficient Browning ~30 blank and Thunderfiashes are at silencing
August. unit and formation training commenced in the US. Army Camp of Honenfels in Bavaria. This was coupled with two “FTX’S” involving 2nd German Corps and 7th US. Corps. 4CMBG. of which the Regiment is a part. did not
French
imaginable. but
staged a pitched battle during the half time interval of the Crystal
winter occupations of refresher
and trades training. was added
Ex Final Folly was a battle in the Henley area against the Royal Greenjackets. It took place during one of the wettest wet for us. it was much wetter for the infantry. Because of this.
fall
In
to treat all infantry as enemy. regardless of which side they
were on. We look forward to repeating this exercise next year.
weekends
a crowd. That particular match had been chosen as “Match of
period.
first of its kind: contact reports flowed in quickly and efficiently. communications across the length of the Plain were excellently maintained. and we reacted quickly to the various threats presented. Probably the worst feature of all was our readiness
After camp we tried our hand at “Show Biz". 51h Troop
the First Battalion. Royal 22nd Regiment. This ten day training period proved of great value in preparation for the marathon
training
None the less. the exercise overall was a great success as the
Lelielontein 1971. The Guidon Party with the Guard of Honour in the background
To cap all our publicity efforts. the BBC programme “Man Alive“ featured the Squadron for IS minutes or more in its programme entitled “The Army Game". We felt happy at the way the programme portrayed our enthusiasm and professionalism
but. feared that for many it was somewhat marred by the unit
On lst November Major Boris Mollo gave up command of the Squadron. He has been succeeded by Major Rupert Bowlby. During the year we also saw the departure of CoH. Acton who had been PSI of D & M since the amalgamation of the Regiment 4 years ago. and a PSI with the KCLY even before
that. We shall miss him greatly and we wish him well in his new appointment. I-lis place has been taken by CoH. Thurston whom we hope will enjoy itn equally happy time with us.