Tank 2019 Vol.101 No.809

TVol:H101 E R O Y A L T A N K R2019 E G I M E N T J O U R NNo:A809 L

T H E ROYA L TA N K R E G I M E N T J O U R N A L

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CONTENTS FOREWORDS Colonel Commandant Royal Armoured Corps 2 Colonel Commandant Royal Tank Regiment 3 SERVING REGIMENT Notes From The Commanding Officer 4 Squadron Updates 5 Mess Updates 13 Pipes and Drums 16 AFFILIATIONS & CADETS HMS Kent 18 131 Cadet Detachment 20 The Vintners’ Company 22 Tank Museum Update 23 SPORT & ADVENTUROUS TRAINING Sports Updates 26 ARTICLES Exercise SAIF SAREEA 3 35 Exercise KHANJAR OMAN 37 Exercise CYCLOPS HIGHWAY 40 Exercise SUMAN WARRIOR 41 Exercise BLACK RIDER 42 Ronald Downing Celebrates his 100th Birthday 44 Once upon a time in Korea 45 Exchange Program LONG LOOK 46 Why is there a Mortar on the front of your Tank? The Streetfighter Project 48 Tankies in Tunnels 50 The Breakout of the Sustainment Fleet 52 Denis July – One Hundred Not Out 54 Gainey Cup 2019 55 Defence Accident Investigation Branch (DAIB) 56 D Day 75 58 HOME HEADQUARTERS & ASSOCIATIONS Branches and Secretaries of the RTR Association 59 Home Headquarters Update 60 Announcements 62 A Day in the Life of a Branch Standard Bearer 64 RTR Golf Society 66 6th Royal Tank Regiment – 100th Anniversary Cambrai Luncheon 67 Branch Updates 68 HISTORY SCAPP Trial 76 The Forgotten War; The Third Afghan War, 1919 79 Cassino Revisited 83 To Gueudécourt, 1916 84 Forceful lecture on tactics when fighting in Churchills 90 RECORD OF DEATHS 97 OBITUARIES 98

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MESSAGE FROM COLONEL COMMANDANT ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne KCVO CBE This year, the 80th anniversary of the formation of the Royal Armoured Corps, is a time and an opportunity for us to reflect on our history, our traditions, our legacy and, with a little humility, our achievements as a Corps – whilst simultaneously looking to the future and what that might hold.

I joined The Life Guards in West Germany in 1983. I remember all too vividly my father’s advice that the battlefield was an armoured affair, his experience being drawn from his service as a Forward Observation Officer.

Operating in a Sherman in 11th Armoured Division under Pip Roberts, one of the most successful armoured commanders in the Desert and North West Europe during the Second World War, his view was seminal. It was that, alongside the attraction of high tempo decision-making demanded of an armoured commander and the esprit de corps that characterises armoured soldiering that drove my decision to be armoured. It was of course a very different Army, dominated by armour and artillery, facing an existential threat, that many thought or hoped had disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact.

Since then our fortunes have waxed and waned.

NATO focused on diplomatic expansion and discretionary operations. Our mantra became one of capability rather than threat, and that, after the apparent anomaly of Operation GRANBY, saw a focus on Counter Terrorism and Stability. More often than not we served out of role, supporting rather than leading, and our training, equipment and our very raison d’être suffered as a result. This was epitomised by the fact that in Afghanistan our kit was either venerably unreliable in the case of CVR(T) or absent in the case of Challenger 2, the latter point being brought home by the poignant picture of Danish Leopards supporting British Forces. However, for those that chose to look there was a cold wind blowing from the East, with cyber attack in Estonia and armoured incursions into Georgia, but it took Crimea to change minds. Many of course still believe that this is now a competitive endeavour in the Grey Zone where enough is at stake to demand engagement but not so much as to require total commitment. But hybrid warfare, 2

despite modern taxonomy, is as old as the hills. You only have to look at Hizbullah in the Lebanon or the Boers in South Africa. It is about pitting strength against weakness. In Eastern Europe you need conventional capability to defend and, by that token, deter with resilient command and control, armour, Long Range Fires, Air Defence and the like alongside the ability to compete in an era of information, false news, cyber, subversion and sabotage.

That conventional threat is the catalyst for us to consider our future, a future as both Russia and China invest heavily in armour, from the T14 to the Medium Mechanized brigades.

So, given our 80th anniversary, and a ‘back to the future’ moment, albeit with a difference, where do we stand? The big news, of course, is that AJAX is entering service now, with the first vehicles being delivered to HCR in Bulford.

Translating that into a capability will take time. It is big and heavy but comes equipped with some state-of-the-art technology. It will demand tweaking of our reconnaissance doctrine and tactics in tandem with a changing operating environment. It represents a huge leap forward in capability and broadens our utility, but we need to be clear that it is not a Main Battle Tank. Which brings me to the Challenger 2.

Compared to the threat it is almost certain that our heavy armour force is out sensed, out acquired, out reached and under protected.

The Life Enhancement Program is essential and must be enhanced given the Armata program and the arrival of the recently showcased T14.

More broadly, in terms of pure numbers, we shall be underweight in heavy armour. At the other end of the spectrum the Light Cavalry Regiments, equipped with Jackal, continued to prove their utility with operational demand stretching from the Baltics to the Maghreb, despite the absence of any policy provenance.

Concurrently the Yeomanry provides our geographical footprint, given the predominance of regular basing in the South, and consistently

Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne KCVO CBE

proves its worth augmenting both Challenger 2 and Jackal equipped regiments; AJAX as of yet being an unanswered but necessary question.

Ultimately however, it is not about the kit – it’s about the man in the turret. Our strength lies in our people and our innate flexibility of mind and purpose. We have bags of interest at Sandhurst with about five officer cadets expressing an interest in the Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps for every place on offer. We have choice and they are good. Soldier recruiting is another story, but we outperform the rest of the Army and are reaping the dividends as Army-wide recruiting processes are sped up and streamlined. Our people tend to do better on courses and exercises. We have some seriously talented young officers and non commissioned officers to prime the next generation. I have been struck by the degree to which our people are seen as imaginative and innovative with the confidence and maturity needed for high tempo decisionmaking whether in the Special Forces, the turret or on the Staff.

We face, then, a number of challenges as we enter the third decade of the 21st century – but also a great deal of opportunity. The Royal Tank Regiment remains at the forefront of the British Army’s constant evolution to secure our nation’s interests in an increasingly volatile world. It continues to embody the Corps ethos – Robust, Agile, Capable – which will serve us well as we adapt to meet the future.

FOREWORD COLONEL COMMANDANT, THE ROYAL TANK REGIMENT Brigadier G J Thompson (late RTR) It is almost a year now since I took over as Colonel Commandant and I am deeply honoured that I have been trusted with the appointment.

From the outset of my tenure, I would like to note the significance of the leadership provided to the Royal Armoured Corps

by General Sir Chris Deverell KCB MBE, retiring from the Army as Commander Joint Forces Command and Colonel Commandant Royal Armoured Corps. His contribution has brought the Corps increased influence through combined effort without diluting the ethos of the individual regiments. I would also like to thank my immediate predecessor as Colonel Commandant, Major General John Patterson CB, who also retired from the Army this year after guiding the Regiment through some momentous years including the memorable celebrations to mark the centenary of the Battle of Cambrai.

retired network. In just over the space of a year we have changed every single member of the Regimental Council, we have two new Deputy Colonel Commandants in Colonels Jason Williams and Nick Cowey.

It was just over a year ago that Lieutenant Colonel James Howard took command of the Regiment and Dean Hutton took on the job of Regimental Secretary to support the Council from a smaller Home Headquarters.

This is an unprecedented degree of change in the Regiment’s top tier in a single year.

As Colonel Commandant, I am drawn to comment on the future and how we expect it to impact upon the Regiment. Despite an obvious return to great power competition, our platforms and roles remain under constant scrutiny. An enormous amount of energy has gone into defending the utility of armour, which I do not intend to repeat. I would add only that neither the militarisation of the maritime nor the air environment made the land battle less relevant. We are therefore wise to assume that the same will be true of the ongoing militarisation of cyber and space. While the land domain remains relevant there will continue to be advantage in being the most tactically aware, suitably protected force with the most potent firepower and decision making vested in the most agile thinking people; requirements that our Regiment has provided consistently throughout its history.

It is important to find some continuity amongst all of this change. That continuity is found in our timeless ethos as a Regiment agile in the face of opportunity. This year we marked 80 years of the Royal Armoured Corps. Next year is the 80th anniversary of the Arras Counter Attack. Only a very small portion of the Regiment fought that battle but they created a strategically significant pause in the German advance into France.

Arras is a battle that helped define the UK’s history. Without it, there may not have been an evacuation from Dunkirk and the future of the UK in Europe would most likely have taken an alternative more sinister path. It is another example of the historical significance of our Regiment, which is directly attributable not to our scale at that moment in time but to our ethos. The will to go further with less; to rise highest to the challenge of the day; to take hold of circumstance before it can take control; and to see the opportunity that changing situations present. In the changes that we face there will be as much opportunity as there is threat. I am supremely confident that our people will continue to succeed.

At the regimental level, we are also continuously adjusting to this period of profound change. We are becoming accustomed to existence as a single Regiment. It begs questions of our relationship with the Royal Armoured Corps, with our own Associations, affiliations and

I am delighted with the Regiment’s achievements over the last year. You will read more throughout this journal but I would like to highlight the breadth of deployments across the Balkans, Ukraine and Baltic states to support peace and security in Eastern Europe. Concurrently the Regiment

Brigadier Gavin Thompson, Colonel Commandant, The Royal Tank Regiment

has exercised its troops in Oman, Australia and Albania. We were the highest placed UK unit at the US Recce Concentration, the Gainey Cup and were the highest scoring RAC unit on annual firing. On the sporting front, we were narrowly defeated in the final of the Cav Cup this year. That near success has been bettered at the individual level, notably Capt Rob Vincent’s victory in the Olympic Skeet at the European Masters and Lt Tara Guyler’s selection to represent the Army at Football.

Through the generosity of our forebears, we are able to support fully the Regiment’s demand for sport, adventure training and personal development. Our officers and soldiers are shielded more than most from a general tightening of opportunity across the Army. This reflects directly in our healthy recruitment and retention figures.

The Regiment was recently awarded the 1 Brigade Iron Trophy Winner in recognition of the its promotion of physical development.

We are putting strategies in place to improve our recruitment of talent and our traditional sporting heartlands. As a significant military charity, we have increased our benevolence grants to those in need of assistance. I will always look for new opportunities to support the Regiment in every facet of its existence but I am confident that following the readjustments of the immediate past we are doing that from the most stable of footings.

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SERVING REGIMENT NOTES FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICER Lieutenant Colonel J R Howard

Lieutenant Colonel James Howard, Commanding Officer, The Royal Tank Regiment

2019 has been a busy but highly productive year for the Regiment. Formally, our role has been one of experimentation and innovation as we work with 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade in the development of the STRIKE programme.

Key to this is the great work that AJAX and Capt Quant have delivered on the Streetfighter 2 Project Tank. They have taken the concept, from its humble origins, to the next level with prototype Anti-Tank Guided Weapon launchers, vastly improving our lethality, and Unmanned Ground Vehicles that provide Artificial Intelligence wingmen, to name just a few. Best of all, these ideas have come from our soldiers, proving the concept of soldier-led innovation and drawing parallels with those Tankies who pioneered the Sherman Firefly in 1943. In addition to this, the Regiment continues to trail blaze in other areas too.

Diversity has always been a strength of the RTR and so it is no surprise that we are attracting

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an increasing number of female Tankies now that the barriers to recruitment have been removed. Another first is the selection of the RSM, WO1 Upham, as the first Armoured Infantry Brigade Sergeant Major in the Royal Armoured Corps. He moves to 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade in January 2020.

All three tank Squadrons have passed their Annual Crew Tests this year, achieving the highest scores across the RAC. The majority enjoyed the luxury of a summer range period at Castlemartin whilst AJAX fired in the horizonal rain of January, whilst still delivering the same impressive scores.

At a Regimental level, the focus has been on getting the Regiment back onto a warfighting footing through a Soldier First training programme and then building on these foundations by increasing the complexity and scale of training. Earlier on in the year, BADGER, EGYPT and DREADNAUGHT deployed on Ex KHANJAR OMAN 19. EGYPT had the herculean task of setting up an entire operating base in the middle of the Omani desert prior to the tanks arriving and then, after the exercise, collapsing it all without trace. Imagine arriving in BATUS to find no ammunition store, no POL, no hangars or accommodation and you’ll understand the challenge they faced! This allowed BADGER and DREADNAUGHT to launch into several weeks of force on force TESEX, followed by a live fire package featuring the full range of battlegroup firepower.

Operationally, much of the Regiment has been held at Readiness as part of the UK military response to domestic terror events. Beyond our borders, the pace continues with elements of the Regiment deployed in Bosnia, Kosovo, Ukraine, Estonia and Iraq as part of ongoing operations.

It is not just the tanks who have been busy this year. Recce Tp, who delivered a tenacious OFPOR in Oman, have also been deployed with Albanian commandos on Ex ALBANIAN EFFORT. Furthermore, they secured an impressive 6th place out of 27 (and the highest scoring UK team) in the Gainey Cup, a US held international recce skills competition. Early next year, the Tp will qualify its first snipers. FALCON have deployed on numerous BATUS exercises, resubordinated to 28 Engineer Regiment and have represented the UK CBRN capability within the AngloFrench, Combined Joint Expeditionary Force.

Arguably, their biggest achievement has been their success in increasing Field Army awareness of the critical capability FALCON offers. A battlegroup wouldn’t deploy without its bridging or artillery assets, so why would a commander take risk on CBRN when we face a potential enemy who is comfortable with utilising weapons such as Novichok?

Regimental sporting success continues, having secured the 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade 2019 Iron Trophy for overall physical development.

The Regiment has enjoyed broad success at Olympic, Army and RAC level across wide range of sports including Football, Rugby, mountain and road biking, Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing and ice sports. Of particular note, is Capt Vincent who won an individual Olympic Gold at the European Master’s Skeet shooting competition.

Looking forward, by the time this is published, we will have resubordinated to 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade and be in the process of re-rolling to a Type 58 Regiment of 4 sabre squadrons of 14 tanks instead of 18. The Regiment has worked in conjunction with Army HQ to drive this through, the result being a much more flexible force and the ability to operate as a 2-2 or square battlegroup once again.

In summary, the Regiment goes from strength to strength. Manning is strong and the Regiment remains the most requested posting, both at RAC recruit training and for our attached arms.

2020 offers a year of exciting overseas training for us to get our teeth into and we continue to hone our edge as a world beating Armoured Regiment.

AJAX UPDATE Major G C H Wilkinson (AJAX)

As I write this, the Regiment enters its final month under command of 1 Brigade and we look forward to re-entering the operational cycle with 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade.

1 Brigade has been rightly focused on preparing to be the army’s first STRIKE formation and so the Regiment’s tasks have been in a supporting role with many opportunities manifesting themselves for small teams or individuals. Members of the squadron have enjoyed short postings to BATUS, for example, or even operational tours to Ukraine or Eastern Europe. Something that has struck me, though I shouldn’t be surprised, is the reports of their professionalism and aptitude. There are few things more pleasing for a commander than to hear of their soldiers’ successes and this year my inbox has been overflowing. AJAX is a superb team, made up of some exceptional individuals.

We duly celebrate the achievements of those individuals as much as we celebrate the successes of the whole squadron and that is the theme of this update.

with the team enjoying notable success this year. Cpl Riddock and LCpl Lambert finished top of their instructor courses in gunnery and signals respectively. LCpl Lambert also impressed alongside Tpr Bulmer. As novice skiers they finished top third in every race they entered and qualified for the army finals.

Captain Quant and Lt Warren-Miller have taken the Streetfighter project to new heights and have become the exemplar for how a unit should conduct an innovation project.

Captain Quant also came a close second in the Combat essay writing competition, reflecting on his experiences from Op CABRIT. Most recently, 5 troopers from the squadron passed their 6 month Pipers’ course in Edinburgh – with them and the other 3 members of the Regiment drawing praise for their attitude and professionalism throughout the course and culminating in a superb passing out parade.

From music to sports to career courses and Operations – they embody the achievement that the Regiment expects from its soldiers.

When such individuals come together as a squadron, be it for Battlefield Craft Syllabus training (CT2 – mounted or dismounted), or supporting the final exercise of the crew commander course, or simulated training in CATT, they always deliver. This was none more evident that on the most recent live fire period at Castlemartin where we recorded a 100% first time pass rate, with 80% achieving level 6s.

Talent, though, cannot stand still and this year we bid farewell to Second in command Capt Boland who assumes the Training Officer role for the HQ, Capt Quant as the Intelligence Officer and Lt Hornblower as the Reconnaissance Troop Leader. Newly promoted WO2 Thorpe moves to the Export Support Team outside of the Regiment, and SSgt Joinson becomes the Regimental Gunnery Staff Sergeant alongside his new duties as CYCLOPS SQMS(T).

Fortunately, there is talent in the wings.

Capt Rhodri Lloyd will replace stand-in 2IC Lt Guyler in Jan 2020 and we have welcomed Lts Dewis and Denchai to command 1 and 2 Troops. SSgt Bryant arrived from FALCON as SQMS(T) and SSgt Harley as SQMS. Sgts Taylor and Morrin return to the Regt as 3 and 4 Tp Sgts. Welcome all – there is much to look forward to in the coming years.

First to the boxing ring where AJAX brought home the trophy thanks to the skill and individual courage that is so fundamental in the sport. Roared on by the sqn, Sgt Baldey, LCpl Osborne, Tpr Harding and Tpr Squires all fought extremely hard. LCpl Osborne gets a special mention for an astounding comeback that came from superhuman determination and Sgt Baldey for being named the boxer of the evening. In cycling, LCpl Towers balances his day job with dedicated training that has resulted in a breakthrough as an elite tri-service athlete. LCpl Irvine, who also excelled on his PNCO cadre, as did LCpl Western and Tpr Martin, is a regular in the Army Football squad and Lt Guyler has recently broken into the army team. LCpl Webb continues to represent the Army in Water Polo, 5

BADGER UPDATE Major P S A Hartley (BADGER)

Capt Nye making a bid for freedom across the desert in Oman

The last 12 months have been busy for BADGER, dominated by multiple Sub Unit training events, two live firing periods at Castlemartin and a different and demanding experience deploying on CHALLENGER 2s to Oman as part of Exercise KHANJAR OMAN. In addition to the inevitable churn out of the Squadron for a portion of the team and the welcoming in of new faces, there has also been significant change within the Squadron Headquarters with the rotation out of the previous command team; Major Luson, Capt Nye and WO2 Richardson, who had served the Squadron so well over the last couple of years. The new 2IC, Capt Walton (in from Army Training Regiment Winchester) and WO2 Williamson as the Squadron Sargent Major (in from being Training Warrant Officer at The Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry) have supported me extremely well since we joined BADGER in May 19.

Preparation for KHANJAR OMAN in March ‘19, the main event for BADGER in the last calendar year, involved Squadron level training on Salisbury Plain, synthetic training in the Combined Arms Tactical Training simulators in Warminster and a successful tank live firing at Castlemartin Ranges. The exercise itself gave BADGER the opportunity to deploy and 6

test itself in unfamiliar surroundings, in an unfamiliar environment, in both Tactical Effects Simulation and live firing conditions. BADGER seized the opportunity this exercise provided and performed really well. The combination

of challenging terrain, an austere environment lacking the G4 creature comforts and structure that BATUS provides and the opportunity to use CHALLENGER 2s in Operational Entry Standard configuration, complete with the

Sam loves Tanks, Sam loves inspecting vehicle documents, Sam loves being 2IC BADGER‌. Be like Sam

array of additional equipment they have compared to the vehicles we have in camp, provided an excellent training and learning experience for the whole Squadron. The challenges this expeditionary style of training provided not only enabled great training, but really tested the SQMS, SQMS(T) and Sqn Fitter Section and credit must go to SSgt Forrester, SSgt Lambe and SSgt Wenderott and their teams for keeping vehicle availability high and the Squadron sustained well throughout the entire deployment.

Following the successful recovery from Oman, BADGER was given another opportunity to escape camp for more Squadron level training on Salisbury Plain. We were also able to be together in camp to celebrate the Squadron’s history and commemorate those that we’ve lost along the way during BADGER Memorial Week. This included a whole Squadron Dinner Night in the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, an informative visit to the Tank Museum, an enjoyable tour of the Badger Brewery in Blandford and competing in the Squadron football competition – 5 Troop edging the final with a ‘worldie’ of a goal from Trooper Smith 062!

Prior to Summer Leave BADGER were back at Castlemartin Ranges (the 2nd time in 7 months!) to conduct more live firing on what was a very rewarding and successful range package. All crews passed Annual Crew Tests and Annual Troop Assessments in three weeks of glorious Pembrokeshire sunshine. Following

Ready for the next mission in on Ex KHANJAR OMAN, supported by Tactical Effects Simulation equipment

these tests and assessments, BADGER confirmed itself ready and qualified to tackle any contingent tasks asked of it. Special mention must go to Squadron’s Best Gunner – Trooper Brown, Best Crew – 21B, Sgt Wood, Trooper Smith 062, Trooper Brown and Trooper Grundon and Best Troop – 5 Troop.

In the margins of routine activity, BADGER has been poised, at readiness, to support UK contingent tasks such as Operation TEMPERER

and a stint as the UK Standby Battalion Lead Company. Looking forward to the next twelve months, we now have the Regiment’s deployment to BATUS in Spring ’21 and an operational deployment to Estonia in Winter ’21 as firm targets to prepare for. Our current training focus is ensuring our Troop and individual crew drills remain sharp and world class, with the complexity of training gradually set to increase as the year progresses in preparation for those milestones.

Another glorious morning in Castlemartin Ranges

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CYCLOPS UPDATE Major T Lloyd-Jukes (CYCLOPS)

CYCLOPS CS Golf 4 gets rounds down – grillin’ and killin’

Thanks to some fantastic teamwork from all ranks it’s been a great year for CYCLOPS. In a nut-shell the squadron has smashed Regimental Sports, deployed to Oman on Ex SAIF SAREEA 3, nailed ranges on CR2 and done some great work on urban ops during squadron exercises.

The back half of 2018 was focussed on the Oman deployment as part of the 1 MERCIAN battlegroup. This saw the squadron conduct build-up and integration with the MERCIANS in CATT before heading out to the desert.

There’s more on this event elsewhere in ‘TANK’ but in short CYCLOPS put in some heavy nights of vehicle prep to get our desertised CR2s out of storage and onto the ferry. We then spent a month and half in Oman conducting everything from troop training up to brigade level manoeuvre under Omani command.

It was a great experience to live off the tanks, in the desert, for an extended period.

The squadron performed well with Tankie commanders demonstrating to the BG what MBTs, aggressively commanded, can bring to the battle. The squadron also conducted adventurous training in the margins of the exercise.

Cambrai and the winter season were a bracing change from the desert heat when we returned from Oman. However, thanks to some sterling preparation of our sports teams while still in 8

Oman the Squadron went on to win both football and rugby in the Hobart Shield.

Moving into 2019 the squadron has looked to have a focus on the urban environment and infantry/armour cooperation. We have conducted two squadron exercises on the plain where CYCLOPtics have provided a tank troop and a dismounted platoon working around the barn objectives on Salisbury Plain and in Copehill Down. These events have given us all chance to brush-up our ‘soldier first’ dismounted skills; but also, and more importantly, allowed us to work on some of the low-level skills and drills required to make successful combined arms combat teams in the urban environment. CYCLOPS has continued the urban theme with a series of TEWTs conducted first at village scale in Edington and then against a complex town objective in Devizes.

Of note this year CYCLOPS also hosted soldiers from our Canadian partner Regiment – 12e Régiment Blindé du Canada

(12th Canadian Armoured Regiment) – who joined us out on the plain. This group of Canadian tank commanders and gunners were integrated directly into our CR2 crews operating the tanks on exercise with us. The exchange was a great opportunity to build trust between our units and explore differences in our skills and drills. We are already looking forward to the next partnered event.

Hard on the heels of the Salisbury Plain exercises has been annual live firing camp at Castlemartin; here the squadron had a superb first time pass rate at annual crew test. We then progressed to firing as pairs and troops.

It was a cracking effort by all ranks. In the margins the squadron also managed to get a team away for a day of coasteering. Keeping up the AT theme the squadron has also had a team mountain biking in Germany and is, as we go to print, racking up kayaking in France for September. All this has been rounded-off by a squadron dinner night and troop team building events including golf, coasteering and water sports.

DREADNAUGHT UPDATE Major M J Smith (DREADNAUGHT) This year DREADNAUGHT has deployed on five Overseas Training Exercises, conducted a dismounted Recce Cadre, Battlecraft Syllabus Training and a 30mm range package at Castlemartin. Many of our soldiers have had the opportunity to work in new and challenging environments and visit new and exciting countries.

The year started in Oman, with the Squadron supporting the RTR Battlegroup on Ex KHANJAR OMAN, Command Troop providing the Headquarters and Recce, the exercise OPFOR. The focus was on STRIKE tactics allowing junior commanders the opportunity to work independently, whether this was commanding a rebroadcast station or HQ 20km into the desert, leading a WARRIOR section or conducting resupply at reach.

Teams from both Troops prepared to deploy to the USA; Recce to the Gainey Cup Scout competition held in Georgia, as one of two UK teams in an international recce skills exercise and Command Troop on the Joint Warfighter Assessment in Seattle, Washington in support of 1 STRIKE Brigade. Recce Troop came sixth overall in the Gainey Cup, having never used the M4 rifle or Hummer before – a great achievement. Both Troops managed some local leave and got to see more of the USA.

Back in the UK, DREADNAUGHT switched focus to dismounted skills. The Squadron deployed onto Salisbury Plain to exercise basic soldier skills in a challenging one-week exercise. Making better soldiers who can perform both mounted and dismounted.

The re-role of Recce Troop back to CVR(T) and recce by stealth was a bitter-sweet experience for the Squadron. Spending time on the WARRIOR platform has been rewarding for the Troop, developing recce by force tactics to use later on the new AJAX platform, but training on CVR(T) has been like the return of an old friend and new crewman have quickly developed experience on the Troop’s SCIMITARs. So much so, that an unusually warm two weeks in Castlemartin was crowned by a 100% first time pass for all CVR(T) crews. A reflection of the hard work done by Regimental Instructors Gunnery Sgt Jones and Cpl Wilson.

At the time of writing, the Squadron has deployed overseas yet again on both

Ex ALBANIAN EFFORT and Ex SUMAN WARRIOR. Regimental Headquarters, with Command Troop will spend three weeks working as part of an Australian Brigade on a Command Post Ex SUMAN WARRIOR. Concurrently, Recce have deployed to Albania to act as the Surveillance and Recce Platoon for a Multinational Battlegroup Led by the Albanians.

The focus for next year is very different.

As part of the transition to the Type 58 Armoured Regiment, DREADNAUGHT will rerole as the fourth Challenger 2 Squadron and form part of the RTR’s 2:2 Battlegroup. This will see Command and Recce Troops move to EGYPT Squadron, and DREADNAUGHT receive 3 Troops from other Squadrons. The aim is to keep the identity of the Squadron, maintaining a mature and relaxed attitude.

There have been too many departures and new arrivals this year to name, but a big thank you to everyone who has made DREADNAUGHT a success over the last year.

DREADNAUGHT at Castlemartin Ranges

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EGYPT UPDATE Major P D Rooney (EGYPT)

EGYPT Sqn Football Team Cambrai 2018

EGYPT continues to be the heart beat for all regimental activity providing support, sustainment and administration both home and abroad. The Sqn continued at pace throughout the last 12 months supporting the deployment of CYCLOPS on Ex SAIF SEREEA 3 (Ex SS3) and deploying to support BADGER and DREADNAUGHT on Ex KHANJAR OMAN 19 (Ex KO19) in Oman.

With two key deployments, BCS exercises, CR2 ranges and a full assurance inspection regime the sqn has had plenty to focus on. The strength and success of the sqn is down to its people, tirelessly working to enable activity and provide support to all events and deployments. This professionalism and dedication was clear throughout the year, principally when large elements of all depts deployed on Ex KO19 in early Jan 19. Their aim was to sustain and deliver a Battle Group minus (BG-) in an extremely austere environment.

The QM, Capt Joe Pasquale led a disparate team of talent to manage all logistic elements from vehicle handovers, equipment, stores and resupply to accommodation and feeding. As EGYPT OC I also deployed ably supported by WO2 (RQMS) Mighall to design, plan, contract

and manage a Forward Support Area (FSA) to accommodate approx 300 pax from Med troops to range control. A unique challenge beyond the normal parameters of a Battle Group Logistic Officer (BGLO) but one which gave valuable experience and an insight into operating at reach, with limited resource and consistent delays in contracted support. The enthusiasm, humour and the quality of music provided by the RQ made the daily trip into the desert almost enjoyable. As always EGYPT personnel were first in and last out. Whilst elements deployed into the desert the remainder of the sqn continued in Tidworth poised and logistical set to provide routine support to all activity.

On the sporting front we continue to excel.

SSgt Jay Heal (currently 4th in the UK National

downhill league) and Cpl Richard Yockney represent the Army in downhill mountain biking (MTB), LCpl Walsh competes at Army level in x-country MTB and Capt Lee Johnson represents the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) on the road circuit. We made a gallant effort in football, we managed to reach the Cambrai Cup final, unfortunately 40% of our starting 11 deployed on the Handover – Takeover party to Oman.

Those who played performed well, with slightly older legs but youthful minds we still managed to make a game of it. A highlight was the cameo performance of SSgt Darren Walsh who was playing his last game at regimental duty.

He played a vital part in the goal scored by OC EGYPT, helping to persuade the referee that the ball crossed the line in a goal mouth scramble, thankfully VAR and goal line technology wasn’t in operation…! Golf continues to go from strength to strength, with success at the RAC’s the sqn continues to provide the nucleus of the golf team ably led by Sgt Tom Davies. With a serious of events played and planned the team will deploy next year to Portugal in preparation for the season ahead. WO2 (RAWO) Cheryl Roberts continues to play and administer the AGC netball team with a successful deployment to Australia which culminated in a game against the Malaysian women’s national team.

Within a busy forecast of events (FOE) the Sqn successful deployed for a two week period on adventure training (AT) to the Harz mountains, Germany. SSgt (SQMS) Russ Abbott provided a challenging and rewarding experience for over half the sqn conducting mountain biking, rock climbing, hill walking and cultural activity.

WO2 (SSM) Les Edwards was delighted with the weather and fully enjoyed the long walks and steep climbs although he did miss his dog Ozzy immensely.

To conclude this update, I would like to thank and bid a fond farewell to the EME, Capt Mark Roberts, the sqn 2IC Capt Rob Vincent, the QM Capt Bob Skivington, the UWO Capt Paul Campling, WO1 (ASM) Addy Irvin and on promotion to WO1, WO2 (SSM) Sean Woodward. All served the sqn and the regiment extremely well adding real value and selfless service. We all wish them well for the future.

Construction of the FSA in the Oman Desert – H&S not an issue

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Construction of the FSA nearly complete less perimeter and cam nets

FALCON UPDATE Major M P N Bonner (FALCON) 2018 saw FALCON undertake operations overseas and at home as part of the Op MORLOP Task Force that followed up the unprecedented chemical attack in Salisbury, for which it was awarded a Team Commander Single Joint Command (UK) Commendation and individual awards; most notably an MBE for Major Jay Ferman.

Having then proven ourselves operationally as C-CBRN Specialists, 2019 was about staking this hard-earned reputation in a combined arms environment, whilst also resubordinating from 22 Engr Regt to 28 Engr Regt (C-CBRN) and dedicating time to professional development.

AREA SURVEY & RECONNAISSANCE (AS&R) TRAINING In Jan 2019 FALCON faced the challenge of having outflowed some of our most experienced personnel back to the body of the Regt to reacquaint them with Armr, whilst inflowing a large batch not previously employed in AS&R. The initial focus therefore had to be on individual AS&R training. As Tankies and therefore naturally bright, consummately professional and with transferable mounted close combat skills, the Sqn were able to quickly qualify these individuals and switch focus to developing their crew technical skills.

With growing confidence, the Sqn commenced collective training through delivery of Troop

led Battlecraft Syllabus (BCS) culminating in Ex FALCON FLIGHT Collective Training Competency 2 validation on Salisbury Plain Training Area. Impressively, this effectively represented a year’s worth of AS&R training pipeline delivered in the first quarter of 2019 to prepare us in time for back to back Ex PRAIRIE STORM deployments to BATUS with the QRH and FIRST FUSILIERS Battlegroups.

EX PRAIRIE STORM Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1/19 & 2/19 in May and July respectively represented unprecedented combined arms training for FALCON. In the spirit of Team of Team ethos, the Troop Leaders, Capt Richi Carter and Lt Rhodri Lloyd, were given a centralised intent for decentralised execution, detached from their Sqn as part of 20 (Armd Inf) Brigade. The Troop Leaders were charged with undertaking BCS, validating and refining AS&R SOIs against the friction of a combined arms environment, deepening understanding of operating with Explosive Ordnance & Search (EOD&S) and

FALCON Sgt Donnelly conducting 360 sweep of a suspected chemical cache

improving Field Army C-CBRN competency through their attachment to Battlegroups. All of this was achieved in spades, concluding most tangibly with the Battlegroups, without prompting, calling forward FALCON to enable their manoeuvre; allowing them to survive and operate in a CBRN environment.

RESUBORDINATION 2019 also saw FALCON re-subordinate from 22 Engr Regt in August, which specialised in close support armoured engineering, to 28 Engr Regt (C-CBRN). FALCON has been under command of 22 Engr Regt since its inception as an AS&R Sqn in 2014, when on amalgamation, the RTR was directed to generate FALCON over and above its Armd role to undertake AS&R. The continued threat of CBRN, as evidenced during the Syrian civil war, emergence of ISIL and Salisbury chemical attacks, highlighted the need to reinvigorate C-CBRN in the Land Environment. As a result, 28 Engr Regt was reformed as a C-CBRN unit and presents a huge opportunity to work with and identify synergies across C-CBRN assets by placing them all under the same command. It’s worth noting that 28 Engr Regt (C-CBRN) have lent on the RTR for CBRN expertise, appointing Capt Ben Chandler (formally FALCON Ops Officer) as their Training Officer and Maj Gareth Morris

Cpl MacFarlane conducting dismounted recconnaissance of suspected chemical cache

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(former OC FALCON) as the Regimental 2IC. The re-subordination took place in good order, with special thanks to SSgt Bryant, Sgt Pople and Cpl Spencer of the SQMS team tirelessly undertaking assurance checks ahead of the Type-C Muster and Cpl Ibad and LCpl Gurung for making sure our personnel records were in order. The opportunity of being part of a CBRN specific regiment manifested itself soon after re-subordination, with a FALCON led multi-functional C-CBRN Sqn Gp deployment on Ex TOXIC PATH, a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force validation exercise in Ruchard Training Area, France.

2020 So in the same way 2019 represented another step in FALCON’s evolution by integrating us into the combined arms environment, we can now look forward in 2020 to normalising future deployments as part of a Battlegroup, with plans afoot to deploy a Troop on Op CABRIT 6 in 2020 as part of the FIRST FUSILIERS Battlegroup. Further to that as part of 28 Engr Regt (C-CBRN), FALCON will be on the leading edge of capability development yet again by understanding the employment of multi-functional C-CBRN Groups both in a special to arm and combined arms context. All whilst still at readiness for contingent operations.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Having undertaken a colossal amount of training and change, the focus for the rest of 2019 has been on individual and collective professional development. Art SSgt Bunting and Tpr Bennet led mountain biking AT in Snowdonia on Ex FALCON TRAILS, Sgt George has led a Soldier First dismounted exercise on Ex FALCON BAYONET to prepare young soldiers for PNCO course, whilst Lt Lloyd delivered a low-level special to arm exercise to keep us reacquainted with AS&R to prepare for next year, when we deploy to Estonia.

The Sqn will experiment with reorganising from a two troop to a four troop Sqn, by reducing an AS&R Troop to three vehicles and breaking out Decontamination as a separate capability to begin to address the UK’s lack of capability. Not only will this improve our ability to sustainably support contingency for 3 (UK) Div, by increasing our footprint, but by having a flatter structure, the reorganisation will empower JNCOs to take on great responsibilities.

FALCON in BATUS

FALCON crews preparing to deploy on Ex FALCON FLIGHT, CT2 validation

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OFFICERS’ MESS UPDATE Major G C H Wilkinson (President of the Mess Commitee) If anyone witnessed the previous PMC in or around the ladies’ lavatory on the evening of 7 June (with or without a plumber’s wrench) they should report the matter immediately. Your information could be used to prevent other crimes and help keep other Messes safe.

What began as a buoyant night to bid farewell to six of our esteemed members, ended in catastrophe. Officers intending to breakfast the following morning found the mess to be under a couple of inches of water. Quick (ish in the circumstances) thinking subalterns moved fast to relocate as much of the furniture as possible to dry land thus reducing the harm.

We have suffered damage to some our property but nothing fatal and all should be restored. The building fared worse and will require significant work including new carpets throughout, architrave, door frames, plaster, skirting boards and redecoration in every room. The estimated date for completion is mid-October.

While I should have been overseeing a Gods and Monsters themed summer ball I am instead overseeing significant work….

The cause? A burst mains water pipe in the aforementioned WC was squirting horizontal water of firehose proportions into the mess for a number of hours. But out of crisis has come opportunity. The Mess will return better than ever. The Regimental Sergeant Major and PMC have offered us refuge during the renovation and the coffers of the Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess are bursting with extra revenue and their wellbeing enhanced with our company.

The Fright Night Spectacular

The Mess Gin Tasting Evening

We shall still go to the Ball but it will be a Halloween affair at the end of October.

Preceding this lowlight, there have been plenty of opportunities for the Mess to come together since the last issue. We have welcomed the extra-Regimental and retired community to the mess and welcomed visitors to brief on matters from Geopolitics to the Challenger 2 Life Extension Project in both formal and less formal occasions. And thankfully we did manage to complete the dining out of all

officers called Mark (or variations thereof) Maj Mark Luson and Capts Mark Roberts and Marc Hughes. Capts Ed Hall and Matt Hodgkinson were also dined out and, completing the bill, we said goodbye to the Regimental Second in Command, Maj Chris Rimmer.

The shiny new Mess will reopen in the Autumn and we look forward to many more events that include those currently serving away from the Regiment or working outside of the Army.

...should the carpet be that shiny?

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WARRANT OFFICERS’ AND SERGEANTS’ MESS UPDATE Warrant Officer Class 2 C McPherson (MTWO & President of the Entertainments Committee) It’s been a busy year for the WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess. We have seen many new faces in the mess, including those newly promoted Sgts Rayner, Stringer, Perrin, Thorn, Ratcliff, Cartwright and Bathgate.

The Warrant Officers in the Mess with Corporal Green – serious face time

We have said farewell to WO1s Simon and Causer, WO2 Hatfield & SSgts Hopkins and Walsh. The Mess would like to congratulate Capt Johnson and Capt Macbeth on their Commission.

Oktoberfest The Mess invited the JNCOs over for an Oktoberfest party which was incorporated with a games night, which ended in Sgt Stringer taking the silverware for the WOs & Sgts’ Mess. These celebrations would not have been possible without the Mess committee led by

The Rusty Putter, Celtic Manor

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SSgt Lewis (PEC) and WO2 Stafford (PMC).

This was a very enjoyable evening and a great experience for the JNCOs.

The Rusty Putter The battle of the Rusty Putter takes place every year between the WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess and the Officers’ Mess at the Celtic Manner (New Port).

This year the event was organised by WO1 Woodward. Some golfers enjoyed their stay at the resort more than others; SSgt Walsh was briefed up on day one, hole one by the course marshall – I will just leave this here. The event is

played over two fantastic days at the resort and this year courses were in fantastic condition.

The evening following the first day ended at hole 19 with a meal in the Woodward’s suite.

Upcoming Events The Mess has the remainder of the year to look forward to with Cambrai, a boxing night and Christmas celebrations already in the Calendar.

As ever, the year will end with Officers Vs SNCOs football before welcoming the Officers into our Mess.

CORPORALS’ MESS UPDATE

Corporal D Lugg (BADGER)

Warrant Officers and Sgts’ Mess Vs Corporals’ Mess Games night

The Junior Non-Commissioned Officers’ Mess currently has around 113 members which consist of soldiers from various cap badges in and attached to the RTR. The Mess is a great place for the JNCOs to relax and gain an insight into Mess life before making the move up to the WOs and Sgts’ Mess on promotion.

The Corporals’ Mess holds two functions per year which are usually the Winter and Summer balls. The Summer ball was a great success which was fancy dress themed around Musical films with some imaginative outfits.

This year we have also been hosted by the WOs and Sgts’ Mess for a game night, which the Seniors won by a whisker. A draw was settled by an arm wrestle; both sides put forward their champion and unfortunately for the Cpls’ mess, Sgt Stringer was in attendance and as valiantly as Cpl Ratcliff’s effort was, he was no match.

The games night was officially won by the Seniors, though hopefully there is a rematch on the cards!

Away from the functions, the Committee have been working hard to make tea and toast more of a regular affair, as well as using the Mess for Regimental nights such as Boxing and Cambrai. The Mess can also be hired out by Sqns for functions, putting money back into the Mess Coffers.

The Corporals’ Winter Ball is being held at the Test Valley Golf club on the 30 Nov with a total of 103 guests attending, including the Wives and Girlfriends of members and VIPs. The Mess continues from strength to strength.

Cpl Gough and LCpl Wilcock cutting shapes as the Genie from Aladdin

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PIPES AND DRUMS Sergeant J Willoughby (Pipe Major & DREADNAUGHT) This year has been a very busy time for the Pipes and Drums with some major changes.

We started the year with a very successful DREADNAUGHT Burns night where some of the newer members of the band got the opportunity to showcase their talents both in playing and in reciting Rabbie Burns poems, even if some of the delivery of the poems was slightly unorthodox. We also had the opportunity to play at a few Squadron events which sparked a lot of interest within the Regiment for new players.

The Pipe Major, LCpl Bates, LCpl Catterall, Tpr Bongartz and Tpr Bowtell travelled to Normandy with 3Div to take part in the 75th anniversary of D Day. For some of the lads this was their first major trip with the Pipes and Drums and a great experience. We had the opportunity to reconnect with some old friends and veterans as well as making some new ones in the University. The weather was kind to us, at times a little too kind with long speeches to mark the anniversary and extended marches through Normandy. We had the privilege of playing at the Montgomery memorial and meeting his grandson before forming an impromptu massed pipes and drums along with bands from Normandy, America, Canada and Germany to lead the parade down to the beach where a very emotional speech was given by some of the veterans who were there on D Day. Some of these veterans had never returned until this time and the look in their eyes told more than the words they spoke.

Pipe Major Willoughby, Lt Comd Mitchell, Rfn Hayward, Col Adams Def Attaché, LCpl Bates at the Monumento a los Lancers (Vargas Swamp lancers) in Paipa Boyacá Columbia

In July the Pipe Major and LCpl Bates had the opportunity to travel to Colombia as part of the Bi-Centenary of Colombian independence.

After a very long flight and an endless supply of security briefs we landed in Bogota where we were met by the embassy staff and taken to the hotel in an armoured car, there was a stage of thinking ‘what are we doing here’.

There were quite a few parades and a severe amount of smiling for pictures. We had the pleasure of opening the James Rouke museum

with the vice president of Colombia. Colonel James Rouke was a British soldier who played a pivotal part in the fight for independence against the Spanish, who unfortunately died of his wounds in the decisive battle of Boyaca.

We were awarded the ‘Fe en la Causa’ medal for our services to Colombia by General Martineze the 4-star general in charge of the Colombian Armed Forces. The trip climaxed with the main parade in Boyaca in front of the President, Ambassadors and many

The GOC of 3 Division held a beating retreat at his residence where again the band played both as a band and combined with the Parachute Regiment Military Band. This was a great opportunity for the remainder of the band who were not at Normandy to show their talents and sample some finger food not bought from Iceland.

In June the band played at the ABF concert along with Belle Voci, again demonstrating their versatility and willingness to help in several tasks from ticket sales to welcome drinks. They were greatly received and helped build lasting friendships between the Regiment and wider community.

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Pipe Major, LCpls Bates & Catterall, Tprs Bongartz, Bowtell and Chapman with Emily and Sophie from Belle Voci at ABF Charity concert

high-ranking dignitaries from around the world as well as streamed on live TV all over Colombia.

This was an excellent experience and one that we would be willing to repeat in the future.

The Pipe Major, Cpl Green, LCpl Catterall and Tpr Bowtell will be deployed to Brisbane Australia for Ex SUMAN WARRIOR where we will be part of the G4 chain as well as undertaking many out-reach projects, and hopefully sampling the beach.

At the time of writing this the band has increased in size, with 7 pipers and 1 drummer currently on their class 3 course at the ASBM&HD and are due to pass out in September. After a short leave period it will be straight into practice for the Cambrai commemorations where we hope to have 16 members of the band playing on the Cenotaph this year.

What’s the future of the Band?

Next year we are working hard on being part of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and hopefully be invited to the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland as well as many other engagements closer to home.

We are getting bigger but still have a long way to go before being a full Pipe Band.

The Pipes and Drums are always recruiting and looking for members to keep this Regimental tradition alive for years to come; so if you have read this and think ‘I want some of that‘ then come to the training wing and speak to the Pipe Major or speak to the Drum Major in Badger and give it a go.

You have nothing to lose but you have everything to gain.

We would like to congratulate the following: Drum Major John Daulby on achieving a very high pass on his RSI course and being asked to be an instructor at the school.

LCpl Lyndon Bates and his wife Susan on the birth of their son Noah.

Tpr Rhys Bongartz and his partner Kiera on the birth of their son Isaac.

Tprs Clarke, Pearson-Delemar, Blondrage, Harding, Stephens, Foster, Harrison and Alliet on their achievements on their Class 3 Course and welcome you to the band.

PM, Rfn Hayward, LCpl Bates in front of the statue of Simón Bolívar at Plaza Bolivar Bogotá during the officer graduation parade

Pipe Major, Rfn Hayward, LCpl Bates with Gabriella at ‘The Christopher Columbus Theatre in Bogota’ after the Culture concert for the heads of the Columbian Armed Forces and President

Pipe Major, LCpl Bates & Rfn Hayward being awarded the ‘Fe en la Causa’ medal from General Martinez commander of the Colombian Army for their contributions to Columbia

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AFFILIATIONS & CADETS HMS KENT Lieutenant J Cox (Royal Navy) BACK TO BUSINESS! HMS KENT has come a very long way in the last 12 months. It all began back in October 2018 when KENT officially re-joined the Fleet, having been formally accepted by representatives of the Fleet Commander.

This involved a formal inspection by Portsmouth Flotilla and many of the external agencies involved in bringing the Ship out of refit. The Ship’s Rededication Ceremony took place on South Railway Jetty in HMNB Portsmouth, with the Lord Lieutenant of Kent as the Guest of Honour.

Friends & family join the crew to celebrate the Rededication Ceremony

SEA CEPTOR FIRING One of the major upgrades KENT received during her deep refit was the replacement of Sea Wolf with the new Sea Ceptor missile system, greatly enhancing our ability to protect ourselves and other units from airborne attack.

KENT became one of the first Type 23 frigates to test this system, firing missiles at a remotely operated target off the Outer Hebrides back in early September 2018. The firing demonstrated the enormous step change in capability and versatility that the new missile system provides to the RN.

FLYING THE ENSIGN IN NORWAY Just before Christmas, KENT made her first foreign port visit since going into refit, stopping in Stavanger, Norway for a few days before commencing sensor trials in the Norwegian Fjords.

New surface to air missile system launched from HMS KENT

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Arriving into Stavanger on a Friday night, most of the Ship’s Company headed straight out into town to sample the nightlife. Whilst the (fairly astronomical) price of a beer was a bit

HMS KENT and Pegasus 78 conducting winching operations

of a shock to some, Stavanger is said to have the greatest concentration of bars and clubs in the country, so obviously they did their best to sample a wide variety!

Returning from Christmas leave, the ships company turned their focus towards BOST. KENT spent January and most February undertaking Basic Operational Sea Training under the direction of Flag Officer Sea Training based in HMNB Devonport. This has involved testing the Ship and her Company to their limits, dealing with fires, floods and other incidents, all whilst coming under ‘attack’ from the evil Gingerian air, surface and subsurface combatants. The training started by ensuring we could deal with isolated incidents and single threat environments. This eventually progressed to proving our ability to deal with multiple incidents and threats in the air, on the surface and under it at the same time. BOST is always a testing period for ships, with early starts and long days the norm, but KENT demonstrated her ability to deal with any and all emergencies in the most difficult of conditions.

FROM WALES TO SCOTLAND AND BACK On completion of BOST, KENT headed to Scotland for Ex JOINT WARRIOR. Usually Ex JOINT WARRIOR sees ships concentrated towards the North of Scotland, but this year, KENT tried something different.

In a wide ranging exercise, we assisted with amphibious landings in Wales, followed by gunnery in Scotland, anti-submarine warfare off the coast of Ireland, and finally back to Wales and England for some more aviation training.

Most recently, KENT spent the early summer months deployed on BALTIC PROTECTOR, an exercise designed to show that the UK can work together with the other Joint Expeditionary Force partner nations, to protect and defend the Baltic region if required.

The first phase involved time off the coast of Denmark, training close inshore with the Royal Marines and Fleet Diving Unit 2.

After that, the Ship worked on a Danish range, firing at their unmanned aircraft and boats, providing great training for the Gunners.

Additionally, BALTIC PROTECTOR saw KENT embark the Royal Navy’s newest helicopter, the Wildcat. This helicopter builds on the pedigree of her predecessor, the Lynx, while flying further, faster and using better equipment.

Phase 1 complete, the Ship then pulled into Gothenburg, Sweden for a much deserved rest.

The Ship alongside in Stavanger, Norway

The 4.5 inch Naval Gun fires from HMS KENT

Phase 2 of BALTIC PROTECTOR saw KENT join over 70 other NATO warships for the annual BALTOPS exercise. Working as part of a multinational task group KENT successfully defended the amphibious landing force from ‘enemy’ aircraft and submarines.

On completion of Phase 2 of BALTIC PROTECTOR, the Ship arrived in Kiel, Germany for Kiel Week, an international festival of the sea. As part of the festival, Kiel Naval Base opened to over 3 million people and KENT Ship’s Company welcomed them onboard throughout the weekend with tours and presentations about the ship. KENT also sent a delegation to the service at the Laboe Naval Memorial in Kiel where sailors of all nationalities who have been lost at sea were remembered.

HMS KENT, a P-8 Poseidon and a British Submarine operating together

HMS KENT (bottom right) during BALTOPS

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131 CADET DETACHMENT Sergeant Major Instructor A Notridge 131 Cadet Detachment is part of Greater London South West Sector Army Cadet Force located in Clapham Junction in the borough of Wandsworth and was established in 1942 and has seen one of its busiest and most successful years.

The size of the Detachment grew to over 40 cadets, the highest number of cadets it has seen since 2015. This increase in cadets has seen the Detachment involved in more events and opportunities over the year.

Since September 2018 the Detachment has been involved in a number of community activities which has seen the cadets become involved in support the Race for Life event held in Battersea Park which included three cadets running as part of the race and in the process raising £76 for Cancer Research. Two cadets from the Detachment have become Wandsworth Youth Ambassadors supporting work and projects within the local community.

In addition to this the cadets helped support the Royal British Legion in last year’s Poppy Appeal and over the course of three days raising over £2,800. It is down to some of this that community spirit that saw the Mayor of Wandsworth visit to Detachment on two occasions over the year presenting six cadets with the Mayoral Pin for their efforts in the community.

In addition to local activities the cadets have also found themselves supporting other prestigious events across London.

Cadets have acted as a carpet guard at The Worshipful Company of Arbitrators dinner in May and then again at the League of Mercy Awards in July. The cadets have also been busy supporting these events in their capacity as members of the SWL Corps of Drums performing at the Greater London Reserve Force and Cadet Association awards helping to highlight the benefit of music within the cadet forces as part of a presentation given by Major Oweh. In addition to this a highlight of the year for three cadets was the opportunity to perform at Buckingham Palace as part of the WWI commemoration, cadets from the Detachment were also a part of the Corps of Drums to perform at The Tower of London and also formed part of the COD who came second in The Lord Mayors Show in November 2018. These cadets are only put forward for these performances as a reflection on their skills and dedication to music in the ACF. 20

Over the past year the Detachment has established very good relationships with CVQO who have regularly come down to support the cadets undertaking awards as well as enrol other eligible cadets not yet undertaking them. As a result we have seen a larger number of cadets take up BTEC with 13 eligible cadets now enrolled on the programme across different qualifications, BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Teamwork and Personal Development in the Community, BTEC Level 2 Extended Certificate in Music for Practical Performance and BTEC Level 2 Diploma in Music for Practical Performance. As a result of their efforts we have seen a total of 11 awards handed out to cadets over the year with one cadet being nominated for the CVQO Westminster Award. Cadets within the Detachment have also been busy with regards to DofE with two cadets completing their Silver Awards and making good progress in their Gold Awards which even saw them go to India, organised through their school, to complete their residential section.

Tull 100

The Annual Inspection by Royal Tank Regiment Adjutant, Captain M Hughes

A specific highlight of the efforts of the cadets at 131 in the area of extra activities is with the uptake of the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award (iDEA) which was introduced in the ACF in September 2018. As part of this initiative 131 Detachment led the way in South West London and in just the first few months saw 7 cadets achieve a Bronze Award and a further 5 achieve a Silver award earning themselves an invitation to attend the launch of the Silver iDEA Award by HRH The Duke of York at St James’s Palace. This was a highlight of 2018 and something which the cadets had worked so hard for.

Other achievements made by the cadets within the last year has seen one cadet be awarded funding from The Matthew Bacon Bursary to enable them to attend a course run by the Outward Bound Trust to help support their development and become more assured and confident in an effort to ensure that they are able to achieve what they want to in future without holding themselves back. A cadet from the Detachment also participated in the ACF D Day 75 commemoration which saw cadets from across the country participate in a visit to Normandy. The Detachment also entered two

5-a-side football teams in the Greater London South West Sector Tull 100 Tournament held to celebrate and remember Walter Tull one of the first ever black professional football players and the first person of black heritage to become an officer in the British Army before being killed in action in 1918. This tournament was part of a national project to commemorate Walter Tull.

Over the course of the year the Detachment has taken great strides to provide even more opportunity to all the cadets enrolled than before in an effort to increase not only their engagement but support their own future development. The cadets have seized every opportunity including a visit to King’s College Hospital as part of their 2 Star Cadet & Community where cadets had the opportunity to visit an operating theatre and speak to the staff about what it is like to work in the NHS.

Riley, we facilitated a visit with Phil Campion allowing him the chance to interact with the cadets and even learn some new skills of his own on the way. 131 Detachment is very proud of the efforts made to bring him on board even for a small part that we played.

This has been a very busy and hugely successful year and one that can be built on in future by the staff and cadets at the Detachment.

We are already looking to build on these successes into next year and continue the work the Detachment has done.

Due to the efforts of our cadets over the year and through the use of social media, the Detachment has also helped play an important role in welcoming Phil Campion as the national ACF Champion. Working with the Army Cadet Force Colonel Cadets and Colonel

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THE VINTNERS’ COMPANY Steven Marchant The Royal Tank Regiment and the Vintners’ Company have enjoyed a long and close association for over 30 years. That connection is as strong today as it has ever been and the Company and Regiment hold a number of reciprocal events throughout the year.

The link was initially made in 1986 by the Clerk of the Company at that time, Brigadier Greg Read CBE, who was also a former member of the Regiment. It is one of the oldest military-livery liaisons and it is one of which the Vintners are very proud.

But who are the Vintners and what do they do?

The origins of the Company lie in the ancient trade organisations which acted as guilds for their specific craft in medieval London.

Many are extremely ancient and some can trace their origins back to the 1100s. As one of these, The Vintners’ Company received its first Royal Charter in 1363. By implication this means the Company probably existed before that point although its actual formation date is unrecorded. What is known, is that a Vintner Lord Mayor of London was a witness to the signing of the Magna Carta in 1215.

These medieval guilds, as well as controlling their respective trades, also over time amassed enormous wealth and power in medieval London. Over the centuries this wealth and power was gradually dissipated. However, in the case of the Vintners’ Company, it still continued to be responsible for the import of wine, principally from France, and it was effectively responsible for duty, taxation and quality control of all wine sold in London and beyond.

An aspiring wine merchant would join the Company as an apprentice and, having learned his trade, would then go on to become a Freeman before qualifying as a Liveryman, ie entitled to wear the livery, effectively the uniform, of the Company as a fully fledged vintner. These designations still exist today and the Company is currently made up of 650 Freemen and Liverymen, both male and female. The Company also looked after its own and the widows and orphans of Vintners would be supported by the Company, including the provision of housing and education. From this stemmed the Company’s engagement in charity which still remains very much part of its raison d’être.

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Front of building - Five Kings House

The Company is housed in Vintners’ Hall, on Upper Thames Street, where it could unload wine directly from ships arriving from France. It has been on the same site since at least 1446.

The original building was destroyed during the Great Fire of London in 1666 but was rapidly rebuilt soon after and is therefore one of the oldest Livery Halls in the City. It was fortunate to survive the Blitz. Many did not. As a result, although there were some major alterations to the building in the Edwardian era, the dining Hall and Court Room are essentially unchanged since they were built in the 1670s.

Today, the Company has no regulatory authority within the wine trade although it remains closely aligned to it, supporting it in numerous ways, and likes to think of itself as the trade’s ‘spiritual home’. It continues to engage in charitable activity, especially focused on London and on those charities concerned with the social consequences of the effects of alcohol abuse. Swans also play a part in the Company’s life and the Company is one of two Livery Companies entitled to own swans on the River Thames. The Hall is let out regularly for charitable or commercial use

and dinners feature prominently in the annual calendar.

The Company is governed by the Court, comprising approximately 22 members, and this is effectively the board. At the head of the Company is the Master, who could be described as the chairman of the board, and he or she is appointed for one year. The 3 Wardens are the next 3 Masters in waiting.

New members generally join the Company from the wine trade or are sons and daughters of existing members.

The Company’s motto is Vinum Exhilirat Animum, aptly translated as Wine Gladdens the Spirit – a sentiment with which most soldiers would readily agree!

The Gassiot Room

UPDATE FROM THE TANK MUSEUM Roz Skellorn Another busy year at The Tank Museum is drawing to a close, which has seen highlights like the 75th anniversary of D Day, a new temporary exhibition on the Royal Armoured Corps and a bumper TANKFEST. To mark the 80th anniversary of the Royal Armoured Corps in April, The Tank Museum opened a new exhibition focusing on the stories of five Second World War veterans. Their experiences are told through video interviews, alongside four key vehicles used by the RAC during the Second World War: a Matilda I, the newly restored Matilda II, a Churchill and a Sherman tank. The exhibition also examines the role of the RAC today, through interviews with serving soldiers and draws comparisons with their Second World War counterparts.

It was opened on 4 April, with both serving soldiers and veterans in attendance.

The ‘Long After the Battle’ exhibition is acting as a preview of how the new Second World War Hall will be redeveloped and reinterpreted.

The Second World War Hall will be redesigned in two phases, with the first phase opening in Spring 2020 and renamed ‘WW2: War Stories,

The Royal Armoured Corps 1939 – 1945’.

The new gallery will include 60 vehicles and will tell the story of the men of the Royal Armoured Corps through a series of campaigns and battles, beginning with the British counter-attack at Arras in 1940 and finishing with the fall of Germany in 1945.

June saw the 80th anniversary of D Day, with numerous commemorations across the UK and France. At The Tank Museum, an eye-catching collection of items of Major General Sir Percy Hobart’s was put on display. Percy Hobart was in charge of the 79th Armoured Division, which used the specialised tanks made ready for the D Day landings, nicknamed ‘Hobart’s Funnies’.

Before being elevated to this position Hobart was in charge of the Chipping Camden Home Guard, where he was issued with a bayonet welded to a scaffold pole. This pike is now on display in the Tank Story Hall at the Museum.

TANKFEST 2019 was a great success, with 23,000 visitors over the three days. Over 60 vehicles were on the move in The Tank Museum arena, including all of the latest combat vehicles from The British Army. The Royal Netherlands Army shipped over a number of its vehicles, including the Leopard PRTL, while the French Musée des Blindés displayed the incredibly impressive Second World War Panther tank, with the support of World of Tanks.

Next year the first phase of the new Second World War Hall will be completed and opened officially on the May Bank Holiday weekend, to coincide with the 80th anniversary of VE Day. PLEASE LOOK OVERLEAF FOR MORE IMAGES...

David Willey with Hobart’s Pike

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TANKFEST

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Long After the Battle Opening

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SPORT & ADVENTUROUS TRAINING RTR RUGBY Lieutenant R Lloyd (FALCON) Despite the high tempo of regimental life, the RTR rugby team played numerous games against challenging opponents in the 2018/19 season.

The winning RTR team

The season kicked off with a competitive Cambrai inter-squadron tournament. CYCLOPS Sqn defeated DREADNAUGHT and FALCON Sqn on their road to victory, fielding a strong side of regimental and corps level players.

FALCON Sqn were the surprise performers, defeating BADGER Sqn in the semi-final on their route to a competitive game against CYCLOPS. For the Regimental team, the season started with a successful Hodson’s Horse tournament.

LCpl James (CYCLOPS) coached the side in both the union and league tournaments with LCpl Northcott and Tpr Tyson (both CYCLOPS) providing strong performances. The RTR placed 2nd in the union and 4th in the league tournaments.

Following the strong start to the season, the RTR played a competitive fixture against Griffins RFC (Army HQ) at Salisbury rugby club. Strong performances from LCpl Pritchard (DREADNAUGHT LAD) and captain LCpl James saw the team lose by one score to a well organised Griffins side.

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The season ended on a high when a strong RTR side defeated DE&S at North Bristol rugby club. A close game throughout, LCpl Pritchard coached the side to a highly contested win. Strong performances from SSgt Bryant (FALCON), LCpl Knight (CYCLOPS) and

Tpr Lockie (FALCON) edged the team to success with the Abbey Wood side proving to be a competitive opposition for the side.

For the 2019/20 season, the RTR will compete in a knock-out competition. The first fixture will be versus 11 EOD&S (RLC).

THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORP CYCLING TRAINING CAMP – CAPE TOWN 2019 Corporal C Towers (AJAX) Just as the UK was struggling to escape the murky grey of Winter, in the Southern Hemisphere the South African sun was peaking at the height of Summer. This is where a team of 10 road cyclists from across the Royal Armoured Corps were heading for a three-week arduous training camp and to race in the biggest sporting in the world, The Cape Town Cycle Tour. the next couple of days training with them on 100-mile slogs to the coast, spinning plenty of tank-related dits along the way of course.

Gold and Silver medals aside, they were both incredibly grounded and happy to pass on training tips and help where they could.

Cultural visit to French Quarter Vineyard

The overseas cycling tour was the brainchild of Lt Col Rab Livingston RTR who had planned this tour flawlessly, striking the perfect balance between structured training, local engagement with the Township charity cycling club’s and ensuring we took in all the sights and sounds of this amazing country along the way.

The group had a good mix of abilities, ranging from Army Team level to novice riders. The morning team rides were ridden at a managed pace over a distance of around 40 miles using this time to focus on coaching and training tips from the more experienced riders. The afternoon training ride pace would ramp up somewhat as the groups split and focussed on ability based training, which would usually end with a mass chase up the local hills to avoid being last and picking up the coffee bill at the cafe.

The team met with the local Township charity cycling club, Hout Bay CC, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to take part in their training rides with children from the local Townships.

These meets were remarkable as you had the opportunity to engage with and help young teenagers who lived in complete poverty, they would never have had this chance if it wasn’t for this amazing charity and the hard work of its organisers. The team did their bit to help the charity by donating a large supply of cycling clothing, bike spares, Regimental clothing and

hours of bike maintenance lessons to help the children to continue to cycle into the future.

Once the acclimatisation period was complete the training ramped up, which meant we naturally visited more cafes to keep Lt Col Livingstone’s caffeine levels up. During one of these pit stops we had a chance meet with two Team GB Olympic Gold Medallists and track world champions, Elinor Barker and Callum Skinner, who were in the local area training to compete in the Cape town Cycle Tour.

After a massive 10-egg omelette and a bit of arm bending they agreed to join the team on training rides. With a chance to ride with track royalty it was only appropriate to spend

As I eluded too in the opening paragraph, the training schedule was superbly balanced with cultural visits to the Stellenbosch region sampling some outstanding wines and cheese and taking in some of the best scenery I have ever seen in this world-famous vineyard region.

A short boat trip to Robbin Island to visit Nelson Mandela’s cramped prison cell, which he called home for 21 years, was an eye opener as it was expertly narrated by a former political prisoner who spent 15 years there himself. The team also visited Table Mountain albeit by cable car as the climb on foot looked a little unsafe but still managed to experience the iconic cloud table cloth that adorned the mountain top and spilled down onto Cape Town.

The tour was a complete success and set the RAC team up with a fantastic training base from which they took forward into the 2019 ACRRS and achieved their best results to date.

The RTR cycling team will continue to build on this success and conduct a training camp in Majorca in 2020 with the aim of building a strong cycling base and introducing more junior riders to the sport.

Oakley pro section before racing in the Cape Town Cycle Tour

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EXERCISE CYCLOPS SAXON Trooper R Attridge (CYCLOPS) During 12th May 2019 – 18th May 2019 eleven members of CYCLOPS, two RTR instructors and a chef deployed on Exercise CYCLOPS SAXON to the Harz Mountains of northern central Germany.

Spectacular views across Brocken Mountain in north Germany

The aim was to challenge ourselves physically and mentally in a demanding environment by enjoying a week of cross-country and downhill mountain biking. Over the course of the week the instructors coached us on how to descend increasingly steep gradients and rocky terrain. This took some getting used to for those of us new to the sport, but by the end of the week we were confidently throwing ourselves off steep drops on the downhill sections. It was both surprising and a little worrying how quickly you pick up speed; but this just added to the highly rewarding buzz when we reached the bottom.

CYCLOPS team

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Midweek we accomplished a challenging task, riding to the top of Brocken – the highest mountain in the north of Germany at 1142m above sea level. The views were spectacular and after the hard climb we stopped at the mountain top cafe for some lunch and brews. What goes up must come down and whilst it took almost 3 hours to reach the top, we found ourselves at the bottom again after a hair raising 15-minute downhill run.

Highlights of the rest of the week included the self-catered group meals in the lodge each night, a visit to a local hot spring spa and a well-earned night out in Paderborn on the way home.

Learning how to descend steep gradients

NO PAIN, NO GAIN… THE ARMY’S ANSWER TO CROSSFIT Lieutenant T Guyler (AJAX) The Royal Tank Regiment’s British Army Warrior Fitness (BAWF) team has doubled in size over the last year and continue to grow as the Army’s physical fitness focus shifts from a pursuit of high levels of aerobic fitness, to muscular strength and resistance training.

The Royal Tank Regiment’s British Army Warrior Fitness Team

The lack of strength training over recent years has been found to significantly increase the likelihood of musculoskeletal injury across the armed forces. In the recent Health of the Army Report 2016-2018 it was highlighted that on the 1st April 2017, 22.8% of Army personnel were not fully deployable due to musculoskeletal injury (MSKI), with 61% of all medical discharges due to MSKIs .

In an attempt to reset the standards to meet present and future challenges and reduce the impact of MSKI on deployability, program THOR has been rolled out across the army. THOR is made up of 5 projects, the key one being the Army Physical Training System (ATPS). The ATPS is a science-based approach to maximise a soldier’s training potential to optimise their performance. In other words, functional fitness.

The ATPS looks to educate soldiers on how to “move right” and “train right” by training all the components of fitness to bring all soldiers to the level required to pass the new Physical Employment Standards (PES) .

For many soldiers, meeting the minimum requirement is not enough. A wide community of tactical athletes want to push themselves to their physical limits and compete against others which has resulted in the creation of the BAWF competition. BAWF tests all the components of fitness with more emphasis on strength, speed, agility and power. All movements are functional and can all be transferred to a tactical action carried out by a soldier on the battlefield.

The soldiers of the Royal Tank Regiment are no exception. Over the last year they have competed at 5 events in the Army’s South

Region with both male and female teams putting in strong performances. In addition to this, members of the RTR BAWF teams have competed in civilian CrossFit competitions finishing either on the podium or within the top 10 places. In the next few months, the RTR BAWF have gained spots in 3 separate competitions including Battle for Cancer London. Over the next year the RTR BAWF will compete with two male teams and one female team in the Army’s South Region league with a focus to qualify for the BAWF Army finals. The RTR BAWF team is a community with a focus on fitness and health. We welcome all members of all abilities and we only ask that you come with a positive attitude, and that you leave your ego at the door.

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NORDIC TANKIE Lieutenant K Moore (BADGER)

Sgt Rob Baldey practicing on the Ranges in Beitostolen

The winter months of December and January are seen by most as a time to slow down and spend as much time as possible snuggled under a blanket next to the fire, or if you care to venture out, in a cosy pub having a pint, waiting for the first signs of Spring.

Not so for the Royal Tank Regimental Nordic Ski Team; as winter is when the real work truly begins! During the coldest months of the year, the 10-strong team travel over 6000 miles, visit 8 countries, compete in 20 races, fire 20,000 rounds of ammunition and lose over 30kg in weight.

The season is split into three defined phases: first, the preparation phase in the UK; second, the training package in Beitostolen, Norway, just before Christmas and third, a plethora of competitions that see the team travel across the Alps from championship to championship.

Phase One: By no means as arduous or as cold as the second and third phases but still as challenging. Preparation begins in the UK two weeks prior to the team’s departure to Norway. Team members are removed, where possible, from their daily duties and given extra fitness sessions with the focus on long distance running for fitness development. In addition, they are also introduced to Roller Skiing. For seven out of the ten team members, this season would be their first experience of Nordic skis! So, with limited training time, this was integral to giving the team confidence in 30

the basic skills needed when on the snow.

Finally, with all the kit prepped and checked to ensure it was serviceable, the team was ready to depart on 6 December 2018.

Phase Two: Having left the UK while it was raining and ten degrees celcius, the initial shock to the system was expected, with temperatures in Beitostolen falling to minus twenty degrees celcius at times, but still a shock nonetheless!

With only 2 weeks of training, it was no mean feat to get the team (mainly comprised of novices) up to competition standard. However, with dogged determination, Coach SSgt Jay Heel set about it breaking down the training into two halves. The team on the Range in the morning developing their skate skills and the mastery of rifle shooting, to become used to firing in morning light conditions,

The team receiving the award for second place at the RAC Championships

LCpl Gendey ready’s himself with seconds before the Classic at Serre Chevalier

which is when most of the races take place.

In the afternoon, the team were coached in developing their classic technique and the high ground that overlooked Beitostolen was perfect for just such an undertaking. Exposed to the wind and gruelling minus twenty degrees celcius temperatures, this was a 4km track of rolling hills, long straights and steep inclines, the perfect proving ground for the team’s more junior members. It was in this location that Cfm Josh Everson and Tpr Ronnie Wallace first started to show their true potential. As the second training phase ended, following many falls, slips, scrapes, missed targets and a few red faces, the team deliberated on the lessons learnt and were able to capitalise on them.

So, by the time race day dawned the Nordic Tankies were ready!

Phase Three: The new year opened with the Royal Armoured Corp Championships in Austria. Conditions for this were perfectly imperfect, with the Austrian Alps receiving its largest amount of snowfall in decades.

This near constant snowfall made for highly challenging conditions for both novices and seasoned veterans alike. Despite the difficulties presented by the weather, the team soldiered on in true Tankie fashion, demonstrated by all members, but notably Sgt Ryan Dicks who, despite injuring his shoulder and snapping a pole, still managed to complete the remaining 5km of a race. Overcoming the weather with bloody-minded grit and determination

Tpr Wallace pushing himself hard at the Army Championships

the team managed to place a close second despite being the most junior team in the whole championship.

With the team’s confidence on a high from the success at the RAC Championships, the Tankie’s arrived at the Divisional championships in Serre Chevalier in France.

The competition was a big step up from the RAC’s, and in stark contrast to the Austrian Alps, as Serre Chevalier was almost barren of snow. With high temperatures causing skiing conditions to be more akin to that of a slush puppy, the team put in a sterling effort and came ninth out of 26 teams, which qualified them for the Army Championships in Germany.

The season drew to a close at the Army Championships, where, throughout the event,

there were constant dustings of snow, which were interspersed with generally good weather and temperatures hovering just below freezing; in short, they were perfect. As expected, the Tankie’s competed in fine form, placing well within the middle third and second again in the RAC teams. A special mention must be made for Tpr Ronnie Wallace, who became the individual youth champion for the UK. Despite being the most inexperienced junior team that the Royal Tank Regiment has seen for a long time, with seven of the ten members having never been on a set of Nordic Skis before, with the help of the more experienced LCpl Gedney and Lt Chapman, the team did extremely well and held their own consistently throughout the competitions.

On a day to relax Sgt Dicks takes a moment to contemplate life

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THE RTR WATER POLO TOUR CYPRUS 2018 AND THE BUILD-UP BEFORE Lieutenant K Moore (BADGER) “Go to where the men speak Italian and keep going until they speak something else.”

Over the course of this year The Royal Tank Regiment’s Water Polo team has enjoyed many success’s and gone from strength to strength.

With the initial third place given at the interunit championships, the team learned many lessons and has been quick to capitalize.

This was demonstrated by the team’s fourth victory in a row at the annual Hodson’s horse tournament, a rigorous competition which saw the team face teams from throughout the rest of the Armed Forces. The skill of the team has resulted in the Royal Armoured Corps team being comprised of around 60% of soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment.

Though with both the victories and defeats of the past couple of years many lessons have been learnt by the team. The Team Captain and Coach; SSgt Gavazzi identified the following three points above all others: “Firstly, we need to improve individual marking, as a team we are far too likely to get drawn towards the ball and not the man, creating too much space for the opposition.

Secondly, we need to create more incentives for the players, all to often are players falling by the wayside due to a lack of opportunities for good and interesting training. Thirdly and most importantly we need to recognise that we are only as strong as our weakest player; it is well enough that we have a hard core of players at the center, but the game is fast and furious if they are not supported by an equal skill; we will fail.”

The lessons learnt have culminated in the decision to take the RTR water Polo team to a training camp to develop the skills needed for future matches but more importantly bond the virgin team together. The time table set by the highly energetic and utterly relentless team Captain was grueling but carefully thought out to get the best out of the training time available.

Four hours a day was spent in the water training; this was carefully split between warming up, basic skills and drills and then the development of team tactics and the greater understanding of the game.

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This format continued from Sunday until Thursday morning in preparation for the Friendly match against the Episkopi Garrison team. Like the RTR team they were a mix of green horn novices and straight down line the veterans. The match was initially balanced with one all scored between both teams, however the superior fitness and the week spent hammering drills soon began to give

the away team the advantage in the battle of the pool. Body’s were blown, noses broken, tempers frayed, and the whistle was blown to a final score 5-2, RTR victory.

After the match the Illustriously Sober Captain spoke of his team “They are motley, but they are ready.” We now look forward to the RAC championships, as-long as we hold together we will succeed.

WHITE KNIGHT XXXV Lieutenant H Catmur (BADGER) In December 18 it was time, once again, for The Royal Tank Regiment Alpine Ski Team to return to the Swiss mountains to compete at what was to be a very successful season of Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super G and Downhill racing.

Renowned for its reliable snowfall, particularly early in the season, the town of Verbier once again hosted the Royal Armoured Corps, for the 35th consecutive year of Ex WHITE KNIGHT. The resort was well attuned for our arrival where it had pooled the best race instructors from the local area. For the first four weeks we worked on improving our skills, technique and improving racing style; Those with previous experience of racing sought to improve their skills, focusing the minutia, with the recurring cry of ‘more angulation’ from the instructors.

The novice skiers in the teams were given a zero-to-hero introduction to the sport that brought out their nerve and determination, culminating in the week-long competition in early January. After just several weeks of skiing all participants race the same course; a steep,

North-facing slope, often rutted by the previous racers. The steeliness of the beginners is to be admired where, despite sometimes crashing out and losing both skis, they would still race to get them back on and complete the course.

After a week of racing, results through the different disciplines were consistently strong for the Regiment. In particular, there were good performances in the Giant Slalom by LCpl Lambert and LCpl Jack Smith with personal bests of 17th and 22nd out of over a hundred competitors. Tpr Crocker did extremely well, receiving the award for best-overall beginner, surpassing many who had far more experience.

In the prize giving event the Regiment came 2nd of nine teams in almost all disciplines, both in advanced and beginner categories, showing the progression it has made over the last few years.

Next year we look to improve our results further, whilst hoping to introduce more people to the sport. We also hope to send our A-Team forward to the Division and Army level championships, where this year we were unable to due to confliction with Castlemartin Ranges and the upcoming overseas exercise to Oman.

Regardless of experience, all improved significantly over the course of Ex WHITE KNIGHT. In addition to the skiing, it represents a great opportunity to meet individuals from other Regiments and share ideas on and off the slopes. It’s an invaluable experience and comes as a welcome change to normal incamp routine. I would highly recommend it to anyone.

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RTR FOOTBALL UPDATE Lieutenant R Hornblower (DREADNAUGHT) The last 12 months has seen a significant change of personnel for RTR FC, with WO1 Kevin Mighall initially handing over management of the team to WO2 Davie McIvor, who subsequently handed the privilege to SSgt Lance Rugg; at a similar time Capt Craig Murphy handed over as OIC football to Lt Rob Hornblower.

Whilst the hierarchy of the team was changing, the players on the pitch continued to perform.

Having provided 7 players to the RAC football team consistently, the quality of football played by the RTR continued to benefit from the coaching received by these players at Corps level.

After a disappointing end to the 2017/18 season, coming off second best to the Queen’s Royal Hussars in the semi-final of the Cavalry Cup after a hard-fought game in Germany, the RTR football team has bounced back.

Having netted more goals than any other unit to decisively win the football competition at Hodson’s Horse in Bovington early in the season, the team carried this momentum forward into some convincing performances in the league and cup competitions. Of note was the Cavalry Cup 18/19 Semi Final, where the RTR put 9 goals past the Royal Lancers in a performance starkly contrasting to the

RTR Football team

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previous year vs the QRH. This victory sets up a hotly anticipated encounter between the RTR and the, now Tidworth based, QRH at the Tidworth Oval in early October to decide the winners of the Cavalry Cup 18/19. Whilst memories of the 2018 semi-final were a reminder of how well the QRH can play, the RTR unfortunately came off second best again in a fiercely competitive game which ended QRH 2 – 1 RTR. Moving forward in to the 2019/20 season, the RTR will once again compete on three fronts: the league, the Major Units Cup and the Cavalry Cup. With this year’s Hodson’s Horse event only being 5-a-side rather than 11, the flexibility of the team is increasingly important, so with another busy year ahead the RTR football team will seek to use Hodson’s Horse as a spring board to success for the new season.

ARTICLES EXERCISE SAIF SAREEA 3 Lieutenant S Batts (CYCLOPS) In September 2018 CYCLOPS Sqn deployed to Oman on Ex SAIF SAREEA 3 as an expeditionary force within the 1 MERCIAN BG. Ex SS3 was a multinational, joint and combined arms military training exercise with 60,000 Omanis from the Sultan’s Armed Forces and 5,500 UK Regular and Reserve military personnel.

Flying the flag for UK-Omani cooperation

After a long-standing relationship with Oman, the largest joint exercise of its kind was conducted 17 years after Ex SAIF SAREEA 2. The exercise was proof of the UK’s ability to deploy more than 800 troops with heavy equipment, including tanks and IFVs, overseas.

The exercise also showed commitment to our international partners in the Middle East.

CYCLOPS prepared for almost a year. The Sqn conducted multiple visits to Ashchurch to survey and collect the Operational Entry Standard fleet. We also conducted a CSTTX simulated exercise with the MERCIAN, in CATT, and put in countless hours of maintenance and training on the tank park to get the tanks fit after their time in storage.

This maintenance continued immediately after arriving in country as we moved onto the Force Maintenance Area (a barren square of desert) with the vehicles and got them prepped ready to head out for the first week of exercise.

Seventeen out of eighteen tanks rolled out the door, a tribute to the hard work and ability of the individuals within CYCLOPS.

The exercise was broken down into different stages. A progressive stance of training in the form of ‘crawl’, ‘walk’ and ‘run’ phases meant the Sqn went back to basic mounted soldiering for the first phase and progressed to more complex manoeuvre.

The austere conditions were difficult at first, with temperatures soaring above 35°C, combined with a huge amount of dust. The first few days were valuable – working and focusing solely on movements and tactics in a new environment.

CYCLOPS parked next to the only tree for miles

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We also encountered unusual challenges with local farmers and livestock‌ Remaining flexible was essential.

The BG progressed to combined arms manoeuvre at night. These night phases proved particularly challenging with extremely undulating terrain, often shifting between rocky sand dunes and large wadis with steep cliff edges. Moving across the ground at good speed was interesting and choosing the right route and avenue of approach for the attacks was vital. If the terrain before an objective was difficult it could slow down the entire assault to walking pace and momentum could be completely lost.

Integration with the Omanis came next. The language barrier was not a problem, with

many of them speaking very good English.

During the exercise we took the objectives in turn, staying in balance with each other and keeping good coordination throughout.

The serials became more complex over the three days with a last final assault that saw a half-squadron go head-to-head with a counter-attacking M-60 company.

Concurrently, the other half-squadron (minus) prepared themselves for the Live Fire Power Demonstration. This consisted of show-casing the combined effects of UK and Omani Armed Forces. Overall it was a highly demanding range package with brutally hot conditions for the tankies operating closed down in the heat of the day - an extremely good opportunity and rare experience for the crews involved.

The demonstration was a great success with visits from the UK Secretary of State for Defence and the Regiment’s own General Deverell.

Mid-exercise, during the maintenance week, individuals also managed to do some adventurous training. This ranged from snorkelling and sailing, to conducting a Battlefield Study that followed the 1959 deployments of UK SF in the Jebel Akhdar.

Overall the performance of CYCLOPS Sqn was superb. It was an excellent experience for all and an opportunity to be a truly expeditionary force. The hard work and dedication of all members of the Sqn was outstanding with every member contributing to the success of the exercise.

The Secretary of State for Defence and UK Defence Attache join CYCLOPS during the VIP Firepower Demonstration

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EXERCISE KHANJAR OMAN Lieutenant H Catmur (BADGER) BADGER deployed to Oman to conduct an overseas training exercise with the Omani Army to establish their new training area, Ras Madrakah, and to prove its capability to host live firing exercises.

Oman and the UK have held close ties for decades and this exercise was a positive step in reinforcing those ties, in addition to Ex SAIF SAREEA 3 that was held in their northern training area last summer. At the tactical level it proved an excellent opportunity to experience operating the CHALLENGER 2 Operational Entry Standard (CR2 OES) in a unique and demanding environment. After the Reception, Staging and Onward Integration process the RTR combat team, formed of a Company/Squadron group from the RTR and Mercian Regiment, deployed to the desert for three weeks using the TES system, followed by three days of live firing.

A huge amount was learnt about operating in this unforgiving environment, ranging from adjustments in tactical and operational manoeuvre to differences in vehicle maintenance. For example, the amount of dust meant the air-intakes needed to be blown out or replaced daily, and the large changes in temperature between night and day required track tension to be constantly adjusted. For commanders the reliance upon GPS was realised in the featureless desert, where our maps were more or less blank.

At every level during the TES phase we were given the freedom to experiment with our tactics to see if we could adopt new Tactics, Techniques and Procedures and become more effective in the desert. This ranged from the ‘Tetris L’ formation, Troop pincer movements, and smoke screens using the dust. The key issue we faced was how far away any vehicle movement could be seen by a defending force. Dust trails would reach 30-40m above the vehicle, which could be seen from up to 6km away by anything at ground level, and even further using aerial vehicles. This made it very easy for the enemy to have prior warning of our arrival and begin preparing fire plans and defensive manoeuvres. It highlighted the need for Remote Piloted Aerial Systems at Troop level, not just at Battle Group level. Also, the methodical process of delivering Secure Orders Cards proved too slow and inflexible to be utilised against a switched on and CONTINUED OVERLEAF...

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manoeuvrable enemy, the RTR Recce Troop in this case, so we instead were tested on having decentralised control, a keen imagination for deception and high levels of communication to ensure the whole squadron was aware of how the battles were developing. It was a hugely valuable two weeks where a lot was gained through the ability to experiment and, despite the TES system not performing particularly well in the heat and dust, we were still able to draw out vital lessons through the use of it.

The final phase, live firing, went extremely well and all crews were able to rotate through firing. We started with individual battle runs and worked up to Troop level runs with targets

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between 200m and 5km, which offered a rare opportunity for the gunners to test their skills at the gun’s maximum range. The Omanis showed us their variants of the CHALLENGER 2 and kindly invited us over to their camp to cook us food and share some of their traditions.

After the vehicles had been returned to camp, post-exercise administration and vehicle maintenance had been completed, we had a few days of Adventurous Training in the capital, Muscat. This included beach sports, a mountain hike to the old city and snorkelling with turtles. Overall KHANJAR OMAN was a huge success at all levels and a lot was gained from the experience.

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The Royal Tank Regiment Battlegroup: Ex KHANJAR OMAN 19

EXERCISE CYCLOPS HIGHWAY Trooper W Payne (CYCLOPS)

Ex CYCLOPS HIGHWAY personnel at the Nijmegen Bridge

Lt Lowein’s syndicate get some good pointing done on the bridge at Grave

In October 84 soldiers from the RTR with a selection of comrades from the 12e Régiment blindé du Canada, 1 MERCIAN and the RWxY travelled to Holland to undertake a World War II Battlefield study of Operation MARKET GARDEN. The study was supported by CGT Battlefields who supplied tour guides with incredible knowledge of the Battle of Arnhem.

The study started by travelling from Tidworth Camp via the ferry at Dover and crossing into France at Calais. We then progressed through Belgium and reached our destination in Holland. We were accommodated by the Dutch Army at Schaarsbergen camp, near Arnhem, which was to a very high standard and had a great variety of Dutch meals.

Our Battlefield study consisted of traveling to they key points in Holland that were involved in Operation Market Garden which took place from the 17 to the 25 of September 1944. The key points visited included the bridges at Son and Grave, Oosterbeek church, the Westerbouwing heights, Driel, John Frost Bridge (Arnhem), Kampfgruppe Krafft’s ambush at Wolfheze, Nijmegen Bridge and the landing site for 1st British Airborne Division. At each place we visited the tour guides introduced the area, its importance and the key 40

impact the actions at each location had on Operation MARKET GARDEN. We then broke down in to groups and discussed how we would attack or defend each objective in a modern-day situation, this gave the junior soldiers a great opportunity to step up and offer their opinions of the situation at hand.

During our time at Arnhem we were allowed to experience the night-life and pubs that the town had to offer. This opened everyone’s eyes to the pride and respect the Dutch people had to offer for the British Army. Not only were they happy to meet us, they were extremely welcoming due to the efforts put in during World War II.

Sgt Wood’s syndicate conduct an estimate in Arnhem

We completed our tour with a visit to the Airborne Cemetery where British, Canadian and Polish graves are held. This allowed the tour party to conduct an Act of Remembrance. A wreath was laid by Cpl Reid from CYCLOPS. We would like to thank the tour guides from CGT Battlefields and their impeccable knowledge for making this study an incredible learning experience.

Lt Burke’s syndicate discuss attacking the North end of John Frost Bridge in Arnhem

EXERCISE SUMAN WARRIOR – AUSTRALIA, 2019 Captain W Baker (DREADNAUGHT) In September, the Royal Tank Regiment Battlegroup Headquarters travelled to Brisbane, Australia to take part in Exercise SUMAN WARRIOR 19.

The United Kingdom is part of the Five Power Defence Arrangement (FPDA) comprising of Singapore, UK, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand (SUMAN). The FPDA conducts an annual Command Post Exercise over two weeks to enhance interoperability. Since 1981, the Five Powers have conducted land and sea-based training exercises that rotate annually between nations.

The opening ceremony gave each nation the chance to brief their military history, key capabilities and to showcase their military traditions. Our Pipes and Drums gave an outstanding performance, alongside the Kiwi contingent, who performed the Haka of the New Zealand Army. The visiting nations were officially welcomed by local elder, Uncle Desmond, who shared some wise words on the importance of preserving tradition and respecting the old ways.

The first week commenced with a scenario based around an operation on the Malaysian peninsula. Each nation worked together using the wide range of expertise to formulate a BG plan and brief the Brigade Commander. For the RTR BG it was an excellent opportunity to further develop our SOIs and put a complex plan into practice.

Equally important were the Defence Engagement activities including a FPDA sports competition. This conclude with an inter-nation relay race lead by Commanding Officers, COSs and RSMs which the UK contingent won with Singapore close behind.

The five nations then reconvened for the second week to conduct the execution of the plan. Using a synthetic system, the Battlegroup HQ was able to track the battle in real time. Of note was the need to liaise with flanking formations, maintain balance and provide (and request) nuanced capabilities; something that is often overlooked during planning an execution. By the end of the exercise, all HQ personnel were conversant with their role and the operation was running to plan despite some fierce attention by the OPFOR (manned by RTR personnel).

The victorious UK contingent following the Inter-nation relay race

After the closing ceremony, the BGHQ completed the Australian water-based assault course which was definitely harder than it looked. Following this the UK contingent took advantage of this fascinating country.

From exploring Mt Tibrogargen to kayaking and snorkelling around Morton Island, the officers and soldiers of the RTR made the most of their time there.

A vastly rewarding and informative experience for all involved, Ex SUMAN WARRIOR was a rare opportunity to engage with non-NATO members on a professional and personal level. The experience has shown us the capability of these nations and critically, our role in the FPDA.

Commanding Officers and RSMs of each contingent with local elder, Uncle Desmond

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EXERCISE BLACK RIDER Warrant Officer Class 1 (RSM) H Upham Fifteen soldiers from the Regiment deployed on EX BLACK RIDER, a mounted Battlefield Study on Motorcycles, focusing on Op PLUNDER, the third battle of Ypres.

The RSM prepares to carry the RTR Flag across the Rhine, 101 years after his predecessor in the 17th Armoured Car Bn

The study covered armoured tactics and doctrine relevant to the Regiment’s role and mission, whilst drawing upon historical operations from our antecedent units (mainly 4/7 RTR) and Commonwealth formations. The RTR Motorcycle Club (MC) main goal in 2019 was to visit the remaining WW1 tanks left in Europe and hold a Rhine crossing dinner in Cologne, Germany before crossing the river with a Regimental flag and dipping it into the Rhine. The team crossed the channel and stopped first at the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient - Poelkapelle for the annual TMYS Ceremony to remember the Battle of Passchendaele on the 31 July 1917. Colonel Leon Symoens of the 1st Panzer Division took the parade, with WO1 Daz Morrissey carrying the association Standard.

The 77 Passchendaele MC then joined us on a Battle field study of Ypres, Hill 62, Robertson’s VC Bridge and the Menin Gate for the act of remembrance at 20.00.

After a night under the stars in Ypres, the RTR MC rode to the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History in Brussels, Belgium to visit a Male Mark IV tank named Lodestar III, still in original colours. SSgt Lambe briefed on the history of the Tank and focused on a conceptual study enabling the continuation of training to look beyond traditional tactical actions, apply doctrine and consider the more diverse spectrum of conflict.

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The battlefield study stopped next in Cologne and held a Rhine Crossing dinner. Here young and old soldiers alike drank champagne from the legendary Bulls Head Cup. The Bull’s Head Cup was purchased in 1945 by the division commander and staff of the 79th Armoured Division, to be presented annually to the champion sporting Regiment of the Division.

The GOC was Major General Percy Hobart CB DSO OBE MC who had commanded this experimental vehicle formation since 1942 and was a founding father of the Royal Tank Corps, having foreseen the dominance of tank warfare and transferred from the Royal Engineers in 1923. Among his staff that contributed to the

The Tank memorial at Poizierec

presentation of the Bull’s Head Cup was Lt Col Alan Jolly who had relinquished command of 4 RTR shortly after the Rhine Crossing. Only one Regiment won the Cup, the 7th Royal Tank Regiment, before the Division was disbanded in August 1945. The GOC directed that it should be retained by the 7RTR for all time. The Cup now resides in the Officers Mess of The Royal Tank Regiment.

The Rhine was crossed at Cologne, on the 6 December 1918 by the 17th (Armoured Car) Tank Battalion under Lt Col Carter. Equipped with Austin armoured cars, the Battalion had been swiftly deployed from Bovington in March 1918 and had then fought almost continuously

for the next six months until Armistice.

Although the war ended, the Battalion’s work had not, and on 1 December they crossed into Germany and moved towards Cologne to deal with local disturbances. On the 6 December they were the first troops to enter the city and by afternoon they had secured the western end of the Hohenzollern Bridge; the colours of the Tank Corps fluttered over the famous river for the first time. LCpl Sayer briefed the battlefield study on how to conduct an obstacle crossing in an urban environment, with LCpl Webb focusing on Op PLUNDER. At 9am on 31 Jul 19 the team crossed the Rhine over the Hohenzollern Bridge. This was the same time as the antecedents of the Royal Tank Regiment crossed. Royal Tank Regiment/ Battalions were the first British Unit to cross the Rhine in both World Wars. In the Second World War, the Rhine was crossed at Rees near Nijmegen on 23 Mar 45 by 4 RTR under Lt Col Alan Jolly DSO. 4 RTR had been recently resurrected from 144 Regiment RAC (East Lancashire) to replace the original regiment which had been captured at Tobruk in 1942.

They crossed the Rhine as part of Operation PLUNDER and were equipped with amphibious Buffalos. The buffalos carried officers and men of the 51st Highland Division, an old friend of the Regiment from two wars (A Sqn carried 5th Black Watch, C Sqn the 5/7th Gordons). The same flag that had been raised in Cologne 27 years earlier was carried by the Commanding Officer and RSM in the lead Buffalo. The flag, now held in the Tank museum, was accompanied by the RSM on both occasions.

To celebrate this, the RSM is invited as a guest to the Officers’ Mess Rhine Crossing Dinner and had the great privilege of carrying the Regimental Flag back across the Rhine, 101 years after the RSM of 17th (Armoured Car) Tank Battalion had done so.

From the Rhine the battlefield study turned back west through the German national park on the old road between Cologne and Aachen before dropping south to visit Mons, and stopped the night in a Chateau.

With sore heads and SSgt Forrester unimpressed with the state of his tent, the battlefield study pushed forward into France and onto Cambrai.

Starting on the Somme, the BS followed the route of the first Tank battle of Poizieres in 1916.

After visiting Deborah at Flesquières, the Tank Corps Memorial at Poizieres and conducting a TEWT on how to reduce logistical drag in the modern army, the team met up with Philippe

Preparing to depart Tidworth

The Rhine Crossing Dinner, Cologne

‘Lodestar 3’ in the Military Museum, Brussels

Gorczynski a great friend of the Regiment and the man who set out to find the Deborah tank.

The D-51 Deborah was excavated by Philippe and recovered, with barbed wire still tangled around its tracks.

Despite being barely out of their teens, the eight crewmen of D-51 had already become veterans. At least three had fought in the battle of the Somme, one had been gassed, another

won a gallantry medal and another had been wounded at Flers in 1916.

After 1100 miles on the road the team finally made it back to Tidworth ready for the start of leave. The RTR MC would like to take this opportunity to thank the Regiment, HHQ RTR, the Potter and Welsh fund and the Garrison Commander for supporting this five day battle field tour.

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RONALD DOWNING CELEBRATES 100TH BIRTHDAY Ronald Earnest Downing, 42nd RTR It was a pleasure to meet Ron, celebrating his 100th Birthday!

An amazing gentleman.

Ron enlisted on 26 September 1939 in Oxford. He trained with the 57th Heavy Training Regiment, he was then posted to 42nd Heavy Tank Regiment, as it was called then.

He was wounded near Tobruk at a defensive position code named ‘Knightsbridge’, when the tank he was driving was destroyed, with him being the only survivor. This was the third tank (Matilda) he had been in, having survived being hit by enemy fire. He was in hospital during the main battle of Alamein but returned to his unit soon after. Having survived three different tank engagements, Ron was unable (wouldn’t) close down due to his condition, he had received some burns.

He then went with the Eighth Army into Italy. At some point after the invasion of Italy he was transferred to a special operations unit (SAS) operating out of Brindisi and was involved in dropping supplies and training agents for operations in Yugoslavia, one of whom was Randolph Churchill. Ron was eventually discharged onto the reserve list, from the RAC at Barnet on 1 June 1946. Many family and friends were at the Birthday event near Oxford.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ron’s son Colin and his family who made this event a very special occasion.

Ron receiving embroidered cushion and Tank Journal from the Regimental Secretary

Ron’s Medals received during his time in the army

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Just before going to print, we received the very sad news that Ron had passed on to the green fields. The Regiment would like to express its deepest sympathy to Ron’s family for the loss of a man who embodied the very best traditions of what it is to be a Tankie.

Fear Naught.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN KOREA Anthony Metcalfe On Armistice Day 1952, 1RTR, recently deployed from Hobart Barracks in Detmold, stood ready in battle positions on Hills 159 and 210 on the border of North and South Korea.

Working initially in support of the Second Battalion, The Royal Australian Rifles and fighting in Centurions they remained in-country until a ceasefire was brokered in 1953. Serving at the time as a 19 year old Trooper with 2 Troop C Squadron, was Thomas Perkins, from Solva in Pembrokshire. Within a year the theatre of war moved on, the Regiment and her soldiers being redeployed to the Middle-East; therein memories of the bitter-cold winters and sweltering Korean summers, gave way to the dry desert heat of Shandur and the deserts of Egypt.

Fast forward some 65 years, Thom now an 85 year old RTR Veteran, founder member and Standard Bearer of the Wales Cymru branch of the RTR Association, receives a package from a Captain Ji, Defence Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea. The package contained a medal, entitled The republic of Korea, ‘Ambassador for Peace Medal’.

One week on from its arrival, a grateful nation stood ready to mark the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that signalled the end of the First World War. Being likewise mindful of the 100,00 British Troops who served in Korea, and 1,780 Britons who fell, it seemed only fitting that Trooper Perkins should receive his award formally.

Therein on 11 November 2018 Mr Carwyn Jones [First Minister of Wales], in the company of 160 Brigade’s Commander, Brig. Alan Richmond and Mr Anthony Metcalfe, late of the RTR and current Wales Area Manager for the Royal British Legion, shared the moment. Thom remarked afterwards that when you wear black coveralls for a living, the last thing on your mind is where you might be in 65 years, life in the services more-often being a day by day affair. In hindsight he pondered, the best you can ask for is to be remembered, lest we forget…

Thom Perkins being awarded the Korean Republic’s ‘Ambassador of Peace Medal’

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EXCHANGE PROGRAM LONG LOOK Lieutenant H Catmur (BADGER) ExP LONG LOOK is an opportunity for soldiers and officers to serve abroad with another army and experience how they conduct themselves in camp and in the field. Personnel from all regiments are eligible to apply, between the ranks of Private and Captain, and they serve a similar role that they would do in the UK.

Lt Hugo Catmur working hard

I had the good fortune of joining Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles (QAMR) in New Zealand who operate the New Zealand Light Armoured Vehicle (NZ LAV). I was embedded with the regiment in camp, on live firing exercises, and on a multi-state exercise to Australia, Exercise TALISMAN SABRE. I thoroughly enjoyed my time whilst learning a huge amount, not just about the Kiwi Army but, with the ability to compare, also our own. There were many similarities between our two regiments and also some subtle differences, aside from the obvious difference in platform.

The NZ army is around 4,000 strong and largely modelled on their UK counterparts.

Their armoured capabilities now reside solely with the LAV, an upgraded version of the original bought from the US some 20 years ago. This 8-wheeled armoured infantry vehicle is impressively manoeuvrable, covering ground at up to 110kph, and wields a 25mm gun capable of firing SABOT and HE, at up to 200 rounds per minute.

In total NZ has roughly 105 LAVs with QAMR operating around 80% of these, split 46

across two combat squadrons, Scots and Wellington East Coast. The LAV has a crew of three; driver, gunner and commander, whilst able to hold up to eight infantrymen in the back.

the back seats are from infantry regiments who get attached as and when the situation dictates but, for those that crew the vehicle, they are trained from Phase 2 and are ultimately armoured soldiers.

The initial difference between the Royal Tank Regiment and QAMR is obvious: we operate a Main Battle Tank not an Infantry Fighting Vehicle. So, it may seem odd for a Tankie to be attached to QAMR. There are two reasons for this, the first is just because it’s what we’ve always done: QAMR proudly retain the nickname ‘Tankies’ from when they operated the M41 and Scorpion, and as such hold their ties with their then counterparts, now being the RTR, QRH and KRH. The second reason, however, is more subtle: as the LAV is the heaviest armour the Kiwis use, they very much operate them as we would our Challengers; the way in which they ORBAT themselves; the way they manoeuvre across ground and the way they fight their vehicles. Even the training to becoming a crew member is far more comparable to our heavy armour units than our armoured infantry. The soldiers who fill

Over the three months I was attached to QAMR there were four key areas that I enjoyed the most and learnt the most from.

The first being small arms ranges, where I used their highly capable MARS-L rifle.

Having only had the rifle for several years, it has proved a step-change to the Kiwis capabilities and is highly regarded amongst their soldiers. It is light, robust, easy to maintain and can be fired by both left and right handers.

The second area was attending a mounted live firing package in their training area Waiouru, which unfortunately somewhat resembles Brecon. Despite the inclement weather and undulating ground, it was a good experience to see how they fought the vehicle and manoeuvred across the terrain.

The IFVs initially conducted individual live firing at static targets, escalating to Troop level battle runs over several kilometres of

complex terrain, requiring the Troop formation to change several times. This is a benefit of a sparsely populated country, where we unfortunately are required to go to BATUS to find enough space to see a similar flexibility in live firing. Whilst being largely similar to how we would operate regarding bounding, jockeying and pairs manoeuvre, the Kiwis have a more rigid approach to conducting an attack at the troop level. This presumably comes from the added layer of complexity having infantry organically attached. At the Troop level they use ‘Battleboards’, similar to our Secure Orders Cards at Squadron level.

The third area was Ex TALISMAN SABRE in Queensland, Australia. A US lead multinational exercise joining land, air and sea capabilities, it was awesome to see the breadth of assets that can be brought to bear in joint operations. The ability to call in Close Air Support from F18s and Apaches, as well as having Remote Piloted Aerial Systems at the Troop level was eye-opening in its capability enhancement. Thankfully, I was able to Troop Lead for a large portion of the exercise where I was able to see how Armour and Infantry combine. One such aspect was having a Javelin pair able to fire from the rear hatch, which was much welcomed when confronting enemy armour in lieu of the Chally’s 120mm. Many a conversation was had with the Javelin team in how they defeat armour, and as a Tanky how we should overcome enemy anti-tank teams, the key deduction being through shock action: speed and aggression is vital.

A LAV Live Fire Range in Waiouru Training Area, NZ

Fourth and finally, I was given some time to see New Zealand and explore the islands. A small and remote but proud country, it has strong traditions and a diverse culture. I must thank them immensely for hosting me so hospitably.

ExP LONG LOOK has taught me a multitude of things that have been acknowledged through being able to compare how our two armies operate. I am hugely thankful for this invaluable experience and want to thank both the Royal Tank Regiment and QAMR for keeping up with this tradition and enabling it to happen. I look forward to hosting the next Kiwi in the UK.

Mt Tongariro, North Island, NZ

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‘WHY IS THERE A MORTAR ON THE FRONT OF YOUR TANK?’ THE STREETFIGHTER PROJECT Lieutenant N Warren-Miller (AJAX) Streetfighter started out as a branch of the innovation project dubbed ‘The Hobart Committee’. Named after Sir Percy Hobart Hobart himself, this sought to bring back the pioneering spirit and adaptability that is the hallmark of the Royal Tank Regiment.

Streetfighter with an autonomous vehicle

It focused on soldier-led innovation, offering a forum for ideas and improvements that could make the Challenger 2 an even more potent platform.

Each Squadron was given a particular area of operations to research. AJAX was tasked with operations in the urban environment.

It is no secret that in the past armour has tried to avoid fighting in the urban canyon.

A lack of situational awareness, weaponry with limited arcs of engagement, and a difficulty in working with dismounted infantry are known as our areas of weakness. However, it was these factors that AJAX, under the name ‘Streetfighter’ looked to address.

The Project Team combed through PXRs from across the Regiment and collected as much information as possible. The Battlefield Study, Ex BERLIN PANZER provided an insight into how past operations had been conducted and this, combined with a visit to the Tank Museum, gave the project an historical context (and a 60mm Bofors Mortar). This was then filtered into a list of modifications and money 48

was made available from the Army Innovation Team for a program of spiral-development.

With the help of ex-Tankies, such as Bryan Maddams and Ash Franks, interest grew throughout the defence industry and offers of equipment and expertise were made.

The generosity of our industry partners allowed Streetfighter to go far beyond our original expectations. The modifications ranged from racks designed to carry breaching tools and a modified storage drum for use by infantry units, to a 360 degree camera and localised situational awareness system that provided an all-round view from within the tank. This video feed was then streamed on a data network using wireless routers and could be viewed by dismounted infantry using tablets. Streetfighter was shown at the Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) in Copehill Down Village in a static display and won the prize for best exhibit.

It caught the attention of a number visitors from overseas and other nations have begun similar projects of their own.

Shortly after AWE 18, the project team were approached by Rheinmetall with a view to passing on some of our findings to industry and giving ‘end-user’ feedback. We met with representatives from Rheinmetall and BAe to share the realities of the current platform and give some perspective to the current requirements. We are privileged to be working closely with the Rheinmetall LEP team who are genuinely interested in the views of the army. In addition to this, Rheinmetall allowed us to trial their new unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), ‘Mission Master’ during a two-day experiment. This makes the Royal Tank Regiment the first operational unit in the world to trial the use of UGVs with main battle tanks.

From the success of Streetfighter 1 came the next stage, the imaginatively named ‘Streetfighter 2’ and the ‘Fight Tonight’ program. The Commanding Officer tasked the Project Team to address the technological disadvantages we would face during a peer-topeer conflict if we were deployed before CR2

LEP+ was delivered. With the support of 1 Brigade, and the input from those members of the Regiment who were deployed on ORBITAL and CABRIT at the time, we aimed to build on the experience of AWE and modify CR2 to make it more lethal and survivable. The new modifications will be trialled during an exercise in Copehill Down Village during the latter half of 2019. These include a demonstration model Anti-Tank Guided Missile launcher from MBDA, designed to fire Brimstone, a commander’s GPMG mount to allow the crew to cover more arcs with fire, and a decoy device to enhance stealth and survivability which can deceive enemy electronic warfare units.

In addition to this, a glass armour situational awareness tool that allows the commander to see through the armour by using a series of externally mounted cameras, currently in service with the Israeli Defence Force, will be trialled during 2020.

The Streetfighter project has drawn from the experience and knowledge of the Regiment, past and present. It combines the input from soldiers on the tank park, officers, and ex-Tankies. We are privileged to be given this opportunity to innovate and, pending a decision to be made in the next few weeks, should be recognised as an official army experiment.

Streetfighter’s little brother

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TANKIES IN THE TUNNELS Lieutenant R Hornblower (DREADNAUGHT) It was in November 2018 that I first became aware of a historian from Nottinghamshire by the name of David Moore. A Royal Navy veteran and a former fire-fighter, David exhibited an infectious passion for history – in this instance specifically focused on the tunnels beneath the village of Gouy-en-Artois in Normandy, France.

Beneath the streets of Gouy-en-Artois

With the help of David and an old friend of the Regiment, Philippe Gorczynski, the following month I found myself travelling to Normandy, in the company of 8 soldiers from AJAX, to what would unexpectedly be the most humbling experience of my career to date.

Before we deployed, David Moore described a network of caves and tunnels carved from stone which not only housed graffiti from WW1, but markings dating back as far as the 1600s; a legacy to conflicts which had marred Northern France for generations.

With David’s impressive knowledge about the tunnels and the members of the Tank Corps known to have stayed there in 1918, it was never in doubt that the Regiment would send representatives to mark the opening of the tunnels and commemorate those who once called them home.

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In early December 2018 a small contingent from AJAX left Tidworth with the aim of paying our respects on behalf of the Regiment to the Tank Corps soldiers known to have sought refuge beneath the streets of Gouy-en-Artois in 1918. We also sought the guidance of Philippe Gorczynski, the famous hotelier and historian from Cambrai with a passion for the Royal Tank Regiment and its history, who helped us extend our visit to incorporate a small tour of the Cambrai battlefield. This proved hugely important, especially with the decision to take soldiers with less than one year of service in order to teach them about the Regiment’s heritage in the very region where the Tank Corps cut its teeth.

On arrival in Gouy-en-Artois we were met by a score of locals and visitors from the local area. Whilst my rudimentary grasp

of the French language allowed me to introduce myself, tell them where I was from and ask them where the local library was, I was unable to effectively communicate why these nine English people had arrived in their village. Thankfully, before long a Nottingham accent cut through the confusion and David Moore emerged from below ground. He immediately invited us to join him in the tunnels, where he pinpointed the names of former Tankies engraved into the stone, along with etched pictures of the Mk4, synonymous with the Regiment to this day. If this experience wasn’t inspiring enough, the knowledge that David had of these men allowed us to truly understand the situation that they would have found themselves in. All of them were surviving veterans from the war with two of them known to have fought at the first ever tank

battle at Flers-Courcelette, another two at Villers-Bretonneux and some at Cambrai.

The exact circumstances in which these men found themselves in the tunnels are unknown but it is likely that they sought refuge together away from the harsh winter while awaiting the return of their Regiments prior to redeployment. The graffiti was all created after the armistice and it is easy to imagine these men of the Tank Corps drawing on the trust and familiarity that are known by all tank crews in a small environment awaiting their future tasks with good humour and purpose.

On returning to the surface we were introduced to the families of some of those whose names were engraved in the tunnels, with one family having travelled from Australia to be there for the opening of the exhibition in the village church. The excellent exhibit was developed by David and a collection of French historians who work tirelessly to uncover and preserve what remains of this remarkable snapshot of history. We also took part in a short ceremony during which the families paid their respects, as did the Mayor, with members of our party being given the privilege of reading The Ode of Remembrance and The Kohima Epitaph. From here we spent the remainder of the day with David and the families, ending with David sharing tales of the Tank Corps into the dusk at a memorial close to Poziéres.

Having spent the night in Cambrai, and the mini battlefield tour the following day including the phenomenal Tank 1917 ‘Deborah’ museum at Flesquières with Philippe, our group departed for the UK. With time to reflect on the journey back to Tidworth, I appreciated, for the first time, how little recognition is given to those who voluntarily give up their time to keep the history of the First and Second World Wars alive and in our minds. Whilst it is the military representation which makes headlines at events such as this one, the real thanks are owed to those like David and Philippe whose passion and drive give us the opportunity to understand our Regimental history and learn the important lessons of the past.

Engravings on the stones of former Tankies

Tankies in the Tunnels

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THE BREAK OUT OF THE SUSTAINMENT FLEET – CYCLOPS SQN ON EX SAIF SAREEA 3 (EX SS3), A G4 PERSPECTIVE Captain A Pasquale (QM TECHNICAL) BACKGROUND In preparation for Ex SS3, Oman, the Regiment had the task to uplift a Sabre Sqn (CYCLOPS), who would deploy as the armoured Sqn with 1 MERCIAN BG. The fleet was delivered to Tidworth direct from the Whole Fleet Management (WFM) Sustainment stock. All A vehicles were fitted with the additional equipment and armour ready for operations (Operational Entry Standard (OES)).

For a period of over 5 months the following organisations worked tirelessly together to ensure the fleet was ready and able to deploy: • QMT dept • CYCLOPS Sqn • RTR LAD • Babcock DSG (Ashchurch and Bovington) • Army HQ • 3 Division (3XX) • 1 Brigade (1X) • 1 Bn, the Mercian Regiment (1MERC) We knew this would be a challenge for all involved, the task started with the receipt of 40+ platforms consisting of 18 x CR2 (OES) MBT, 2x CR ARRV OES, several Theatre Entry

Standard (TES) Bulldog (BD) and WARRIOR (WR) 512/513. The last time the majority of the OES fleet were used or deployed was on OP TELIC in Iraq.

HOW WE DID IT Early engagement. The planning started early with SO1 STSP, Lt Col Simon CopleySmith REME, from Army HQ. As the overall lead for the Ex SS3 uplift, he visited the unit in Jan 18. An LE who is proud of his ties to the RTR, to the RTR, his grandfather served in the Heavy Section, the Machine Gun Corps and the Royal Tank Corps in the First World War. He highlighted the complexities of the task and what was expected by all elements involved. Following this we conducted visits to Babcock DSG in Bovington and Ashchurch to conduct a meet and greet, tour the facilities and start the initial assurance checks of vehicle documentation.

Assurance. Part of the process was understanding the true condition of the platforms and supporting documentation.

A team of fitters from CYCLOPS visited Babcock Ashchurch to check through documentation specific to the turret and weapons. It was directed by Field Army the RTR would conduct all turret & weapons

(T&W) inspections and complete any resulting work. This highlighted the true condition of the vehicles and the work required to get them ready to deploy. As part of the exercise the Sqn would conduct Live Fire so it was imperative the weapon systems where at the required standard.

Co-ordination and Control (C2). This was key to success and the team was galvanised from the start. The liaison with all involved proved vital with the regiment consistently in communications with Field Army, Babcock and Bde. One of the key complexities (other than time) was the vehicle fleet being split between both Ashchurch and Bovington. Personnel from CYCLOPS and SMEs’ from the LAD and Tech travelled to both Bovington and Ashchurch to conduct HOTOs, with all vehicle CES (tools) held in Ashchurch (even if the vehs were in Bovington). Good C2 was essential to ensure personnel were in the right place, the heavy lift was booked to collect, the CES were correct and the platforms where escorted from the pickup location to Tidworth. Patience and flexibility was required throughout. The process involved having to arrange for teams from CYCLOPS to visit BDSG Bovington, a week or two prior to the HOTO to conduct assurance checks. Then to either Bovington or Ashchurch for the HOTO, and then collecting the CES separately from Ashchurch, which also included BOWMAN. To add further complexity the OES CR2 where required to SPC at CastleMartin ranges prior to shipping to Oman. A synchronisation matrix was essential with contracted heavy lift collecting and delivering to a multitude of locations including Marchwood port for the Roll on Roll off (RoRo) shipping movement to Duqm, Oman.

WHAT WENT WELL Team work. Early engagement and the forging of strong working relations from the start, with all parties involved proved vital. This was a multi-agency requirement Setting up the Forward Support Area (FSA) on the Raz Madraka Training Area prior to the arrival of the Battlegroup

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Loading up, health and safety not an issue

to produce a single output – deployment to Oman on Ex SS3. With variations in vehicle standards and the requirement to liaise and plan with several locations and personnel added complexity requiring good C2, cooperation, understanding, flexibility and bags of patience and humour.

with the vehicles issued by Ashchurch.

Turret & Weapons (T&W) inspections. The concessions Field Army provided BDSG (as they had no SQEP) resulted in us (end user) picking up the bill in work hours to re-inspect and repair. The T&W of these platforms were, overall in a poor state.

Commitment and flexibility. It must not be underestimated the level of work and support the unit provided in making the uplift of the Ex SS3 fleet work. Speaking with other units (1MERC, 1 RLC) they too went above and beyond in receiving the fleet and making our own ‘on the spot’ concessions in accepting the platforms at a standard which would normally be classed as unacceptable. Personnel on the shop floor within BDSG were helpful and co-operative and it was appreciated to see a small team was provided to assist with work on the OES CR2 in the final week prior to movement to Marchwood. The main areas of work were the re-charging of the Crew Temperature Control Systems (CTCS) which would prove vital in the desert of Oman and the changing of multiple Hydro-gas units.

Management of VEH documentation.

Management of vehicle documentation whilst in storage regarding inspections and servicing was poor. All gun docs checked at BDSG were found to have very little information on inspections. This added additional work and manpower to resolve.

Although in storage maintaining complex platforms still requires specialist support and considerable working hours. Even with early engagement and an understanding of the work load added constraint and pressure. Ideally all platforms are held in a known state ready to deploy with minimal preparation required by the user.

LESSONS IDENTIFIED Concessions affecting the Unit. There were significant Turret and Weapons issues

OES Fleet v Training User Fleet (TUF).

With BDSG having to prioritise and focus their efforts on the OES fleet for activation they were unable to support the TUF. This resulted in regiments not receiving TUF and thus relying on other units to provide from their Basic User Fleet (BUF). This had an impacted on the standard and availability

of our own training fleet and added an additional burden and work load to the other sabre sqns and other units.

C2. Never underestimate the importance of close liaison, relations and the command and control required at all levels. This was key to success with all organisations working together to get the vehicles at the required standard and delivered on time to Oman.

CONCLUSION The breakout of the OES vehicle fleet for Ex SS3 proved to be a real challenge and was achieved by applying true Tankie grit and determination in making the process work. At times, it felt we would struggle to meet the timeline which was understandably worrying. If it wasn’t for the flexibility and hard work from all parties concerned, the OES fleet would have struggled to be ready and in a good state in time to deploy to Oman. I thank all those involved in the process; Lt Col Simon Copley-Smith, Wayne Forrest, all those at BDSG and especially all personnel from CYCLOPS, the LAD and the QMT Dept.

53

DENIS JULY – ONE HUNDRED NOT OUT

Denis with the Standards and members of his family.

Photograph courtesy of Dave Orman

On Friday 24 May Ex Tankie Denis July celebrated his 100th birthday. HHQ RTR arranged for a surprise celebration for this gallant tankie, at his home in Teddington.

Denis July (ex 3rd RTR) was part of BEF and was captured by the Germans outside Calais on his 21st birthday in 1940. He and his late brother, John, also RTR, then survived the Silesia death marches. Unbeknown to Denis his brother, John July was on the same march, having also been captured, but was from a different Regiment. The two brothers were together as prisoners of war throughout the entire war, and helped to look after each other, saving food for their birthdays, protecting each other with warm clothes and safeguarding food they had procured.

He remembers very clearly the words of the German soldier who said: “For you Tommy, the War is now over!”

One touching story was that he used to give some food to a Russian prisoner who was emaciated and the Russian prisoner gave him the only item he had... a Russian ring which Denis still has in his possession. He and 54

his brother helped each other enormously in Stalag VIIIb, saving food for each other, helping each other when times were tough.

They also used to make ‘hooch’ from sugar they obtained from the Germans in return for cigarettes.

HHQ RTR would like to thank the support from our Association Branches and Lt Col Paul Macro for making this a special day for Denis and his family. The Standard bearers were Dave Larcombe (2nd, 3rd, 6th), Chris Bassett (Bournemouth Poole and District), Bob Swiniarski (London Branch), also in attendance were Dave Orman (Bournemouth Poole and District), Alan Cooper (London Branch) and Philip John Charles Rawlings (ex 2RTR) on his bike!

Lt.Col. Paul Macro led a march down the cul-de-sac where Denis lives (his daughter had enticed him outside five minutes earlier on the pretext the neighbours were coming

for morning tea). They fell in behind with Branch Standards, a neighbour played `My Boy Willie’ and of course all of the neighbours were out to celebrate this wonderful occasion.

Denis was absolutely bowled over by their arrival and couldn’t have been more delighted.

His family put on a wonderful morning tea with delicious cakes and champagne, which was enjoyed in glorious sunshine. He was presented with several gifts from HHQ including a cushion and scarf. In the middle of all of the celebrations his card and telegram from our Colonel in Chief arrived. Her Majesty has a good sense of occasion and timing. We were impressed to note that he could read the card without glasses.

Denis has been invited to become a member of the London Branch. He is relatively fit and able and we hope he may be able to make a meeting soon.

GAINEY CUP 2019 Corporal P Croucher (DREADNAUGHT)

The 2019 RTR Gainey Cup Team

Mounted on the Humvee

The Gainey Cup is an event designed to test scout (US Reconnaissance soldier) proficiency in tactical and technical reconnaissance skills.

This is a bi-annual event, which American units and international competitors invest significant time in selection and training.

The Gainey Cup tests leadership, teamwork, reconnaissance troop skills, mounted land navigation and dismounted close combat skills. All teams are required to come from a mounted or reconnaissance background.

This was the first time that the Royal Tank Regiment participated in the competition.

The importance of this competition could not be understated, and to that end we had to train hard. Not only did we practice our own skills and drills prior to the competition we also learnt a lot of new skills, so we could adhere to the US doctrine. Understanding their doctrine wasn’t easy, but we soon adapted. When it came to the competition, our knowledge of both UK and US doctrine put us well ahead of the other international teams. The competition comprised of 12 unique, demanding events.

Land navigation, recon runs, AFV recognition, 50cal ranges, CBRN serials and casualty extraction were all tested. Overall, we placed 6th out of 28 teams.

Prior to deploying we conducted a short training programme which prepared us well for the competition. This consisted of familiarising ourselves on the M4 Assault rifle and M240 Machine Gun. We also practiced AFV recognition comprising of British, US, Russian, Chinese and many other nations Tanks, bridging and Air assets. Upon arrival at Fort Benning, US we acclimatised by exercising on the local training areas, conducting navigation exercises, both mounted and dismounted as well as taking advantage of the running routes and obstacle courses. This was a thoroughly rewarding experience which has contributed to the good reputation of the Regiment overseas.

Firing the M4 rifle

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DEFENCE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BRANCH (DAIB)

On call 24/7, 365 days a year

DAIB’s Mission To conduct demonstrably independent safety investigations of accidents, serious incidents and near misses across Defence, that determine causal factors and make targeted safety recommendations, tracked to implementation, in order to reduce the likelihood of reoccurrence, enhance Defence safety and preserve operational capability.

Who are the DAIB? On 1 October 15, the formation of the DAIB brought together staff from 3 groups (the Land Accident Prevention & Investigation Team (LAIT), the Serious Equipment Failure Investigation Team (SEFIT) and the Military Air Accident Investigation Branch (MilAAIB)) to provide Defence with a single, and independent, accident investigation organisation. The DAIB delivers a worldwide, 24/7 on-call investigation capability across Defence and is part of the Defence Safety Authority (DSA).

Examples of what to report are contained in DIN: 2018DIN06-11. The DAIB is focussed on the most serious accidents, incidents and near misses within Defence. Typically, this means serious accidents and incidents involving fatalities, life-threatening or life-changing injuries or a significant loss of a major capability such as a ship, aircraft or, in the land domain, a major platform. But it is also important to report near misses where such an outcome was only narrowly avoided.

Structure of DAIB

Who Can contact DAIB?

The DAIB comprises Air and Land investigation teams with a limited Maritime capability. The teams have specialist operator and engineer investigators, drawn from all 3 Services including some Civil Servants (ex-military) investigators.

Anyone and everybody can contact the DAIB, regardless of rank or position, from Pte to the most senior officers.

What does the DAIB Do? The DAIB provides an independent, multimodal accident investigation capability. It conducts impartial and expert no-blame safety investigations across all domains, focussing on the identification of accident factors. The investigation reports make pertinent safety recommendations to prevent reoccurrence, which are then tracked to closure.

56

What should be reported? If you’re not sure, report it!

When can I contact the DAIB? The DAIB can be contacted at any time, night and day. Investigators are on call 24 hrs a day, 365 days a year. The earlier DAIB are contacted, the more likely perishable evidence can be preserved. Don’t wait until the following day; report incidents straight away.

What information will be required?

When contacting the DAIB the following information will be required:

• Name, Rank, contact details • Unit, location • Incident details • Time and date of incident • Personnel/ Equipment involved • Number and type of injuries/equipment damage • Summary of incident/action taken

Could reporting an incident result in blame?

DAIB conducts no-blame safety investigations – its purpose is to identify what happened, why it happened and then to make safety recommendations to prevent re-occurrence.

Providing accurate information about what happened will help to prevent further injury or loss of equipment. Blame is not directed at individuals and names are not mentioned within DAIB reports.

What should be expected when DAIB deploy to an incident?

The DAIB will deploy 2 or 3 trained investigators in order to gather a range of evidence. They will be on site for typically 48 hrs and produce a triage report for the Director General of the DSA which, depending on the severity of the incident and any similar previous incidents, may lead to more detailed Statutory Inquiry, Non-Statutory Inquiry or a Deployment Record being produced

Will I receive feedback following a DAIB Deployment?

Yes, a verbal brief of the initial findings will be provided to the unit, directly from the DAIB investigators on the ground. A triage report is raised by the DAIB for the DG DSA to make an informed decision on the level of investigation required; it will not normally be seen by units. Any subsequent investigation report or a deployment record along with any targeted recommendations will be sent to all stakeholders.

57

D DAY 75 Lieutenant B Denchai (AJAX) past. Opportunities like this, to engage with the past, are vital for passing down our Regiment’s history and will endure.

The AJAX Contingent attending D Day 75th Anniversary Commemorations

This year’s D Day commemorations of the Normandy landings were the largest commemorative events since the 50th anniversary in 1994 with world leaders in attendance and the associated wall-to-wall news coverage.

From events in the American sector at Omaha beach, moving east through Caen and onwards to Pegasus Bridge, the military presence within Normandy was suitably huge. As time passes it is sad to note that fewer veterans are able to make the journey across to France to honour their fallen comrades, therefore on such a momentous occasion as the 75th year since the landings, it should be expected of us as serving soldiers and recent veterans to continue to cross the channel and pay our respects.

Upon arrival into Caen, the first port of call was the city itself for a chance to familiarise ourselves with where we would be staying for the week. Whilst taking in the sights of Caen it was clear that this year’s commemorations would be particularly special, with several of the sites already being prepared for services and parades.

58

Following this period of rest, it was straight into a battlefield study led by 3(UK) Division Headquarters. This focussed on individual locations that helped to build up the larger picture of the landings and the subsequent operations. Highlights included the beaches, with a particular look at La Brèche and how 3(UK) Division conducted their landings. The study also took us over to Pegasus Bridge and its importance to the operation for both the British and the Germans. Each of the locations we visited for the battlefield study gave us chance to ask ourselves the question, ‘How would we do it now?’. This of course prompted many discussions on how we as a Regiment would employ our current platform in a variety of military problems, an excellent chance to not only practice our own tactical thinking, but also to put ourselves into the shoes of a British tank crew from the

The days after the battlefield study were filled with memorials and services, including parades at Colleville Montgomery, Caen Chateau, the 3(UK) Div memorial in Caen, La Brèche and Hermanville-sur-Mer. Each of these was a poignant reminder of the sacrifices not only the soldiers made during those phases of the war, but also the civilian cost, with several French civilians who lived in Normandy during D Day present at the services. It was an honour to be in the presence of British military veterans who had either made the crossing in the initial wave of troops into France, or who had crossed afterwards to take part in the breakout to the East. It was both touching and surprising when talking to many of these veterans as they would often thank us as serving members of the Regiment for what we do, something we all found bizarre as it was those men to whom we were there to pay our respects. Having the opportunity to hear their stories was an absolute privilege, and all of us present felt that this was the exact reason we were there; to let these men know that we still remember, and that we intend to carry on remembering what they went through 75 years ago.

It is hard to fathom what it was like for the military and civilian personnel involved with the Normandy landings themselves, not to mention the thoughts and feelings of those not necessarily on the frontlines, but at home awaiting news of their loved ones.

It is only by reaching out and talking with those who were there, those who felt the fear of landing on the beaches, who felt the swell of the sea soak their uniforms, or those who were waiting in their bomb shelters for the Allied bombardment to end, that we can even hope to understand how it felt to be there on the day. It is our duty to ensure that the memory of those events does not fade and that we continue to commemorate those who experienced what most of us today could not begin to imagine.

HOME HEADQUARTERS & ASSOCIATIONS BRANCHES AND SECRETARIES OF THE RTR ASSOCIATION Association Secretary: Capt (Retd) D C Hutton, HHQ RTR, Stanley Barracks, Bovington, Wareham, Dorset BH20 6JB – 01929 403360 Birmingham

Mr L J Reeves, 3 Hepburn Close, Aldridge, Walsall, WS9 0SU Meet 2nd Mon of each month at the Birmingham United Services Club, Gough Street, B1 1HN at 11am.

01922456798

Bournemouth & Poole

Mr A G Hart, 69 Galloway Road, Poole, Dorset, BH15 4JS – hart.tiny@hotmail.co.uk Meet 1st Tues of each month (not Jan/Aug), Ex-Servicemen’s Club, 66 North Rd, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset, BH14 0LY at 8pm.

01202778551

Bovington

Mr P Rogers, 6 The Green, Kingston, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 2DX – paulrogers34@hotmail.co.uk Meet 1st Sat of each month (not Jan/Aug), RBL, 150 High Street, Swanage, Dorset, BH19 2PA at 7.30pm.

01258817607 07828623948

Bristol, Bath & District

Mr D L Middleton, 22 Station Rd, Portskewett, Caldicot, Monmouthshire, NP26 5SF – fns.dance@btinternet.com Meet 1st Mon of each month at RAFA Club, Eastfield Rd, Eastleigh, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 4AD.

01291423397

Canadian

Mr M Howkins, 369 5th Street SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A-0M7, Canada – mikethebrit13@hotmail.com Meet last Fri of each month at Cypress Club, 218 6th Avenue SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A-2S5, Canada at 7pm.

403 331 7619

Cheltenham & District

Mr R Hall, 87 John Trundle Court, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8NE – ronhallrtr@gmail.com Meet 2nd Mon of each month at the Albion Club, North Street, Cheltenham, GL50 4DJ at 12 noon.

02075883177 07813276609

Cymru Wales

Mr T Hunter, 4 Marshall Close, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2QQ – terence_hunter@sky.com Meet 1st Thur of each month at Fairwater Conservation Club, 61 Ely Road, Cardiff, CF5 2BY at 7.30pm.

02921404904

Devon & Cornwall

Mr G Burge, Alston Cottage, Alston, Ashburton, TQ13 7ET No monthly meeting.

01364 652769

Hull & East Riding

Mr S Dale, 14 Albemarle Road, Bilton, HU11 4DR – steve@albest.karoo.co.uk Meet 2nd Tues in Feb/Apr/Jun/Aug/Oct/Dec at King William Public House, Hallgate, Cottingham, Yorkshire, HU16 4BD at 8pm.

01482812750

London

Mr E W Sear, 27 Sandwood Road, Sandwich, Kent, CT13 OAQ – edwardsear@live.co.uk Meet 2nd Sat of each month at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR at 2pm.

01304612980

Medway

Mr G T Smith, 246 Broadway, Gillingham, Kent, ME8 6DT – terrysmith1942@googlemail.com Meet 2nd Fri of each month at The King Charles Hotel, Bompton Road, Gillingham, ME7 5QT at 7.30pm.

01634263099

Merseyside

Mr T G McClymont, 131 Deysbrook Lane, West Derby, Liverpool, L12 4YE – rtrrafo@sky.com Meet last Sat of each month (except Dec) at the Vines Hotel, 81 Lime Street, Liverpool, L1 1JQ at 1.30 pm.

01512281561 07733435464

Newcastleupon-Tyne

Mr G McCutcheon, 11 Paignton Square, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR3 1QT – geomccutcheon00@gmail.com Meet 2nd Sat of each month at The Newcastle Labour Club, Leazes Lane, NE1 4PF at 12.30 pm.

07850542980

Nottingham

Mr B Rogers, 35A Church Street, Horsley Village, Derby, DE21 5BQ – Brianrogers214@icloud.com Meet 2nd Thurs of each month at Stadium Leisure, Nottingham Rd, New Basford, Nottingham, NG15 1EG 12-4 pm.

01332883268 07740631426

Oldham

Mr N K Rodgers, 9 Harewood Road, Shaw, Oldham, Lancashire, OL2 8EA – nielkrodgers@talktalk.net Meet 3rd Thurs of each month at The 3Cs Club, Henshaw Street, Oldham, OL1 2AA at 8pm.

01706849368

Oxford

Col (Retd) B A C Duncan MBE, The Cottage, Milton, Banbury, Oxon, OX15 – indiancobra@btinternet.com No monthly meeting.

01295720974

Plymouth

Mr D Taylor, 69 Longview Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6EF – secretary@greenflash.org.uk Meet 2nd Thurs of each month at RAOB Club, 41 North Hill Terrace, North Hill, Plymouth, PL4 8EZ at 7.30pm.

01752847634 07887923041

Preston

Mr A Rigby, 4 Kilnhouse Lane, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 3AA – alanrigby4@gmail.com Meet 1st Wed of each month (not Jan) at WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess, Fulwood Barracks, Preston, PR2 8AA at 2.00pm.

01253711650 07914786487

Scarborough (1 RTR)

Mr P Ramsay, 16 Guycroft, Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS21 3DS - per4408@gmail.com No monthly meeting.

01043464479 07717456203

Scottish

Mr J Keenan, 4 High Road, Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute, PA20 0NY – johnkeenan4rtr@gmail.com Meet 2nd Sun of each month at Kirkcaldy United Services Institute, 8 St Brycedale Avenue, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1ET at 1pm.

01700504846

Sefton

Mr P T Campbell, 21 Nunsford Close, Litherland, Merseyside, L21 OJW - p.campbell34@yahoo.co.uk Meet 2nd Sat of each month at Flanagans, Queen’s Street, Waterloo, L22 5PA at 1.30pm.

01519287799

2/3/6 RTR

Mr R Hall, 87 John Trundle Court, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8NE – ronhallrtr@gmail.com No monthly meeting.

02075883177 07813276609

5 RTR

Mr K Nelson, Expanse Hotel, North Marine Drive, Bridlington, Yorkshire YO15 2LS - tankie@tankie.karoo.co.uk Annual Reunion held last weekend in October at the Expanse Hotel, Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

01262675347

8 RTR

Mrs M Folgate, 96 Upton Road, Bexleyheath, Kents, DA6 8LT - derek8rtr@aol.com Reunion and AGM held in March each year in Bournemouth.

02083060060

59

HOME HEADQUARTERS UPDATE Welcome

Notices 2020

Capt (Retd) Dean Hutton

Army v Navy Rugby Match Sat 2 May

One year in and I find myself reminiscing on what has been a busy year for Home Headquarters.

My first duty in these, the notes on my first year in office must be to acknowledge my debt to my predecessor Lt Col Stephen May. I doubt whether anybody who has actually done this job can possibly grasp the amount of work he did in fostering the good relations within the Regiment, the Veterans and wider family of the RTR. If the Regiment is in his debt then I am doubly so.

My second task is to thank and pay tribute to the team here at HHQ. Ange King who looks after the administration as our Chief clerk with her firm grip of reality and who will always endeavour to keep me on the straight and narrow! Debbie Solomon who covers all aspects of our Benevolence to the RTR community with a focus to detail seldom found anywhere else, to our Regimental Accountant Gill McManus who is able to find the last farthing on a spreadsheet I have difficulty in understanding. I mustn’t miss out Jane Devine our Assistant Tank Journal Editor, who without her meticulous attention to detail would not allow the Journals many entries to see the light of day.

With a combined total of 85 years’ service, I can honestly say that the wealth of expertise here can only further the support we give the RTR community. So…what a year, much to learn from and adapt to the next. It was a privilege to pay tribute to five old soldiers during 2019, each reaching their own milestones in life.

Please turn to next page to read about each soldiers journey.

In 2018 the RAC Rugby Rep contacted RAC HHQs in late October or November for their requirements for a limited number of match tickets for the forthcoming year. It is hoped this will again take place later in 2019. Once HHQs are notified, the Regimental Secretary will advertise the tickets and prices to the retired RTR persons email distribution list.

Please note HHQ RTR will only have a limited number of tickets available, so the allocation is based on ‘first come, first served’. On the day of the match, HHQ RTR will set up a hospitality stand for current and former RTR folk. Details and location will follow from the Regimental Secretary in 2020. If you are not on the retired RTR person’s email distribution list and, therefore do not receive regular email updates, please contact the Regimental Secretary, who will add your name to the list.

• Applications are to be sent to the Regimental Secretary by 1 September each year • If the applicant is a Gap Year student applying for a grant to participate in a project associated with their prospective university course, they should give the details in the letter of application The Grant: • S ize of the grant depends on two criteria: • The amount of dividend received from investments in the Financial Year • The number of successful applicants Follow up Action: Applicants for the following and subsequent years at university should come from the student with a brief report of their last academic year’s mark and grade. No applicant will be eligible to receive more than four grants.

The James Dewhurst Trust Aims of the Trust: • To promote the undergraduate and postgraduate education of regular RTC and RTR officers whose names have appeared in the Army List • To make grants to assist the education of such persons • To provide financial or other assistance to assist such persons to travel outside the UK in order to further their education • To promote the efficiency of the RTR through education Selection of Candidates: Selection will be based on: • An initial application for assistance, which where possible, should come from the dependent who will benefit from the grant, but will accept applications from parents or guardians of the dependents if there are good reasons for this to be so • Proof that a university place has been accepted by the student • Confirmation of the subject that the student is reading at university

60

Applications:

The 2020 annual Officers’ Cambrai dinner night will be held in Bovington on Friday 13 November at a venue to be selected by the Regimental Council. The event will be Black Tie, no medals. Location, timings and attendance application proforma will be advertised by the Regimental Secretary by email in 2020.

If you are not on the retired RTR persons email distribution list and, therefore, do not receive regular email updates, please contact the Regimental Secretary, who will add your name to the list.

RTR March to the Cenotaph Day, Sun 15 Nov 2020 Timings and events are: •P arade: 10.30 – form up on Horse Guards Parade; 10.50 – march off to the Cenotaph; 11.25 – parade dismissed; 11.35 – transport to St Mary Aldermary Church •R emembrance Service: 12.00 – 12.45 •R eception at Vintnersí Hall: 13.00 • T ransport to The Barley Mow: 14.30.

TONY PYATT 103 YEAR OLD RTR VETERAN (OLDER THAN THE REGIMENT) Tony served with 1RTR as the RSO and landed on Gold Beach on D Day +2 1944, he met up with the rest of 1RTR after leaving his landing craft. HQ was in an orchard a mile or so from the town of Bayeux. Throughout the subsequent months the battle to take Caen progressed with difficulty, with 1RTR taking many casualties from the German Royal Tiger and Panther tanks. Tony’s CO Lt Col Pat Hobart commanded the Regiment for the remainder of the war and on to Berlin.

MARTIN SWANSBOROUGH 100 YEAR OLD RTR VETERAN

THOMAS LEONARD HILL 100 YEAR OLD RTR VETERAN

Martin was born on the 21 October 1919 and enlisted into the Royal Tank Corps in April 1937. After training as a gunner he served in Egypt in 1938 as part of 7th Armoured Brigade.

Martin saw action at the Siege of Tobruk, El Alamein and landed in France on D+5.

His excellent understanding of tank gunnery and tactics, alongside some good fortune, contributed to his crew surviving the war before being demobilised in 1946. Last year he was awarded the Legion d’Honneur, in recognition of his part in the liberation of France.

Thomas served with the RTR from his enlistment in 1939 and served in North Africa from 1943 to 1946.

He survived the desert campaign and went on to Italy.

DENIS JULY 100 YEAR OLD RTR VETERAN

RONALD ERNEST DOWNING 100 YEAR OLD RTR VETERAN Ron enlisted on 26 September 1939 in Oxford. He trained with the 57th Heavy Training Regiment, then in Africa went to the 42nd Heavy Tank Regiment.

He was wounded near Tobruk at a defensive position code named ‘Knightsbridge’, when the tank he was driving was destroyed, with him as the only survivor.

He then went with the Eighth Army into Italy, at some point after the invasion of Italy he was transferred to a special operations unit (SAS) operating out of Brindisi and was involved in dropping supplies and agents into Yugoslavia. One of the agents Ron trained to go into Yugoslavia was Churchill’s son Randolph.

TURN TO PAGE 45 FOR FULL STORY...

Denis served with 3 RTR in 1940 as part of 30th Armoured Brigade, who for four days held up two entire German Divisions that otherwise would have been turned against the BEF. Denis found himself out of ammunition and steered his vehicle into the sea to avoid capture, he though was caught as he walked along the beach in Calais, on his 21st Birthday and subsequently experienced the Silesia death marches as a POW. Unbeknown to Denis his brother Jack had also been captured and they both were on that same march.

TURN TO PAGE 54 FOR FULL STORY...

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ANNOUNCEMENTS RETIREMENTS Maj Gen John Patterson CB

2 Jan 19

Capt J D C Emery

1 Sep 19 6 Sept 19

Lt Col N P Ridgway

31 Jan 19

Maj J D Eaton

Capt R Skivington

13 Mar 19

Lt Col J C A Hunt

30 Apr 19

Gen Sir Chris Deverell KCB MBE ADC

Maj C Rimmer

30 Apr 19

Lt Col S J Williams

2 Oct 19

Capt G E D Peters

11 Jul 19

Maj C J Millen

1 Nov 19

Capt P Campling

27 Aug 19

Col S T Pollington

3 Dec 19

10 Sept 19

PROMOTIONS 2019 Lt Col to Col Col T A Briggs Col S A Ridgway MBE Col M J T Smith

Maj to Lt Col Lt Col S Wilson Lt Col G A Morris

Capt to Maj Maj H Davison Maj J Goodall Maj J Harding Maj T Scott

Lt to Capt Capt J Benn Capt B Chandler Capt T Chapman Capt R Knight Capt A Morris Capt T Quant Capt S Walton

2Lt to Lt

Sgt to SSgt

Tpr to LCpl

Lt H Catmur Lt B Denchai Lt M Lowien Lt K Moore Lt R Munnery Lt N Warren-Miller

SSgt Fogarty SSgt Catterall SSgt Bryant SSgt Griffiths

LCpl Kettle-Ragiste LCpl Evans LCpl Irvine LCpl Western LCpl Winter LCpl White LCpl Evans LCpl Simmons LCpl Magar LCpl Roberts LCpl Jones 231 LCpl Martin LCpl Dilloway LCpl Rawlings LCpl Smith 062 LCpl Smith 336 LCpl Dunbar LCpl Davis LCpl Mckay LCpl Ward LCpl Chidwick LCpl Crush LCpl Jones 310 LCpl Catterall

WO2 to WO1 WO1 Woodward WO1 Kennedy WO1 Mighall

SSgt to WO2 WO2 Thorpe WO2 McPherson WO2 Belton WO2 Smith WO2 Gavazzi

Cpl to Sgt Sgt Thorn Sgt Rayner Sgt Dicks Sgt Cox Sgt Crawshaw Sgt Perrin

LCpl to Cpl Cpl Cottrell Cpl Green Cpl Cree Cpl Wilson Cpl Towers

BIRTHS Beaumont Darcy Hewling Luson, born 30 Apr 19 to Maj and Mrs Mark Luson Eliza Emma Rose Lloyd-Jukes, born 6 May 19 to Maj and Mrs Thomas Lloyd-Jukes Calliope Campbell Proctor, born 2 Jul 19 to Maj and Mrs Carl Proctor Ellie May Hartley, born 11 Jul 19 to Maj and Mrs Paul Hartley 62

PROMOTIONS IN AND APPOINTMENTS TO THE MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MOST EXCELLENT ORDER OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

QUEEN’S GALLANTRY MEDAL

Brig Gibb Ian Jonathan CBE

SSgt Griffiths Stuart

QGM

Cpl Qasenivalu Saimone

QGM

Maj Ferman Jonathan David Leonard MBE

CAMPAIGN MEDALS Capt McIlroy Kane

OSM Iraq & Syria with Clasp Iraq & Syria

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

Sgt Mortley Anan

OSM Iraq & Syria with Clasp Iraq & Syria

WO1 Upham Harley

Maj Ferman Jonathan MBE

OSM Iraq & Syria with Clasp Iraq & Syria

MSM

LONG SERVICE MEDALS

COMMISSIONED INTO THE REGIMENT

Capt Campling Paul

LS&GC Medal Clasp (Army)

2Lt P Larkin

12 Apr 19

Capt Pasquale Anthony

LS&GC Medal Clasp (Army)

2Lt J Birtle

9 Aug 19

Maj Mieville Katharine

LS&GC Medal (Army)

SSgt Fulthorpe Thomas

LS&GC Medal (Army)

2Lt O Gash

9 Aug 19

SSgt Paton Sarah

LS&GC Medal (Army)

2Lt A Mackenzie

9 Aug 19

Sgt Simpkins Timon

LS&GC Medal (Army)

2Lt R Siebenaller

9 Aug 19

Sgt Collins Jeremy

LS&GC Medal (Army)

Sgt Morrin Martin

LS&GC Medal (Army)

Cpl Botterill Steven

LS&GC Medal (Army)

LCpl Limbu Aitaraj

LS&GC Medal (Army)

LE COMMISSIONS Capt A Macbeth

Apr 19

Capt L Johnson

Apr 19

COMMENDATIONS WO2 Caldwell Martin Chief of the General Staff’s Commendation

Cpl Smith Nathan

Commander SJC Commendation

Capt Chandler Benjamin Chief of the General Staff’s Commendation

Cpl Barraclough Thomas

Commander SJC Commendation

Major Davison Hamish Commander Field Army Commendation

LCpl Dean Philip

Commander SJC Commendation

Sgt Bathgate Andrew General Officer Commanding 3Div Commendation

LCpl Murphy Gavin

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Pullen Thomas

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Roche Samuel

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Rose Andrew

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Simmons Reece

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Cameron Harry

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Webster Jake

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Hawke William

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Hopkins Jack

Commander SJC Commendation

LCpl Elmore Stephen

Commander SJC Commendation

SSgt Bryant Owain

JFC Commander Commendation

Sgt Hogan Benjamin

Commander SJC Commendation

Capt Miller Christopher

Commander SJC Commendation

Sgt Donnelly Michael

Commander SJC Commendation

Cpl Cross Liam

Commander SJC Commendation

Cpl McFarlane Thomas

Commander SJC Commendation

Cpl Pegg Daniel

Commander SJC Commendation

Cpl Reed Nathan

Commander SJC Commendation

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A BRANCH STANDARD BEARER Robert Swiniarski (2RTR 1971-77) It is an incredible honour to be a Standard Bearer for one of the RTRA Branches. In the seven years that I have held this role I have had some absolutely amazing experiences; variously solemn, uplifting, happy and sad.

People often ask me what it entails so here is a selection of some of the things I have done. I am sure that other Branch Standard Bearers will have similar stories to tell.

Whilst in Cambrai for C100, London Branch added on a day trip to Ypres, to participate in and see the daily Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate. We got in touch with The Last Post Association in Belgium and were given permission to bear our London Branch Standard along with those of our colleagues from Bournemouth, Poole and District. As this was November we knew it might be cold so packed our thermals in case. We were guided by the LPA and did several quiet rehearsals as there were six standards in all. It was the most moving ceremony and many colleagues who were spectating wept uncontrollably. Something we would recommend to all to take part in or view if in the area.

Earlier in the day the Royal Tank Regiment was given the Keys of the City of Cambrai.

Ceremony at Tank Memorial Ypres salient monument

They then marched through the town and were joined on the parade square by a group of Standard Bearers and a sizeable contingent of veterans up to and around the large square and paraded past the international audience and the dais of dignitaries of both the town and the army.

Impressively, some of the veterans who marched were in their 90s.

Standard Bearers at the funeral of John Howell 2019

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As you might imagine funerals form a large part of a Standard Bearer’s duties and these can involve several Standard Bearers from other associations and branches, perhaps the British Legion or the Cadet Corps. Sometimes we know the individual concerned and other times we are honouring those where the family or HHQ have requested that someone attend.

Every funeral is unique, be it in a Church, a Crematorium or a non-religious venue and inevitably the requirements and wishes of

the individual and their family are many and varied. Some want the full works with, if possible a guard of honour of fellow veterans and standard bearers, others simply want one Standard at the coffin during the ceremony. One soon learns to improvise at the service as each is so different.

Every year the Branch and other Standards turn out in force for the Cambrai Day parade at the Cenotaph. This is a wonderful day to parade the standard with a full contingent attending from the Regiment and many RTR veterans who come from far and wide – often from abroad. This starts on Horse Guards when the Regiment and Veterans march to the Cenotaph for the service and wreath laying. The parade then marches to the RTR Memorial. The Royal Tank Regiment Memorial is a sculpture by Vivien Mallock in Whitehall Court, just off Whitehall in London. The sculptural group depicts the

recipient of the Victoria Cross in World War 1 commemorated. Relatives and dignitaries joined together on Tuesday 29 August 2018 in Greenwich Park to mark the unveiling of a plaque commemorating a local First World War Tank Corps hero. Lieutenant Cecil Harold Sewell was born in Royal Hill, Greenwich in 1895, one of nine children. In 1914, at the age of 19, he joined up to fight in the war.

After a spell in the Queen’s Own, he later joined the Tank Corps.

Cambrai Parade, Cenotaph 2018

five-man crew of a World War II-era Comet tank at 1½ times life size. It was unveiled 13 June 2000 by our Colonel in Chief HM QUEEN ELIZABETH II. Many family members attend this service and parade and it is a source of immense pride for all who participate and who watch. Again a quiet tear is often shed for lost comrades. After dispersing the Standards then are taken to the Regimental Church where a service takes place.

In June 2019 London Branch along with Bournemouth, Poole and District Branch were honoured to be asked to surprise a WWII veteran on his 100th birthday. Dennis July had fought with 3RTR at Calais and was taken prisoner there and he then endured the long March to Silesia. Dennis was completely unaware that we were going to make his birthday very special. His family asked him to come out to the front of his house to enjoy a morning tea with some neighbours.

When he was comfortable seated our group,

After the Parade, Cambrai 2018

Lt. Colonel Paul Macro marched the Standards towards his house to the tune of My Boy Willie blasting out of a neighbours car stereo system. The look on Denis July’s face was priceless. Courtesy of RTR HQ he was presented with a Regimental tie (he never had one) along with a cushion and a scarf. As we enjoyed his morning tea with him his card and telegram arrived as if to order from the Colonel in Chief. What a day for Dennis and what a joy to all of us to be able to share it with him.

There are many events and ceremonies around the country where one might be asked to bear the RTRA Standard. Some are annual such as the RAC Sponsored Church Service at the Royal Chelsea Hospital Chapel and others are one off. During the period of 2014-2018 – 100 years since WW1 – many Standard Bearers were in attendance as paving stones were unveiled as part of the nationwide Victoria Cross commemorative paving stones programme, that saw every

During heavy fighting in Fremicourt, France, Lieutenant Sewell went to the aid of the crew of another tank that had taken fire and had overturned and left stranded in a large shellhole. Lieutenant Sewell dug at the doorway in order to release the crew, who all managed to escape. Seeing his own tank driver lying injured he ran back to him and tended to his wounds, but was wounded himself. Under heavy and constant fire, he was hit again, fatally. He died on 29 August 1918, and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic actions that saved the lives of others. Over 100 guests, including over 50 members of Lieutenant Sewell’s family, and senior members of the Armed Forces and other dignitaries attended the ceremony which I was honoured to participate in.

I wasn’t sure when I volunteered for the role what it might entail, but I am both proud and humbled to be part of something that represents the Regiment in such a specific way.

Commemorating T A Challis on Armistice Day 2018

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RTR GOLF SOCIETY – SOUTH WEST Another busy year for the society with members getting together to play in locations including Cornwall the Midlands and Northern France.

The season started with our regular invite to the Air Ambulance Charity event in March that raises money for the services in Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. Two teams of 4 entered and played in conditions more reminiscent to Soltau than sunny Cornwall and once again Dennis Stone, former QM of 3 RTR was in the prizes. Although, it didn’t go anywhere near the cost of a brand new set of waterproofs that Clive Fice purchased.

Estaples Military Cemetery, France

Our next event was the annual start of season event at Oak Manor in Somerset where members enjoyed a glorious spring day with Jeff Laing winning the reunion shield. Following on was our annual trip to northern France where we took time to visit and lay a wreath at the Estaples Military Cemetery just north of the town of Le Touquet, reported to be the largest First World War cemetery in France.

Between April and July the society played in a further three charity matches supporting local charities culminating in 25 members taking part in the annual championships in North Devon, with Dave Sumner ex 3RTR taking the Graham Pearson Trophy and Richard (Killer) Lewis winning the John Muir Pennant.

Ironsides win

After much hard work and planning by the secretary, WO1 Shaun Woodward RTR and Barry McCombe secretary of the Ironsides, 26 personnel played in a successful 3 cornered match at Yeovil with the Ironsides coming out as overall winners of the Rugger Cup for 2019.

Further trips this year includes attending three more charity events in August and October including the annual SSAFA Devon meeting and a match in memory of Gary Somerset.

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Visiting Estaples Military Cemetery, France

Private Jones’ Grave

6TH ROYAL TANK REGIMENT 100TH ANNIVERSARY CAMBRAI LUNCHEON

In 1957-59, sixty years ago, the 6th Royal Tank Regiment was stationed in Libya, having taken part in the Suez invasion the previous year.

Thanks to the brilliant idea and stalwart efforts of Tom Walcot, eighteen officers of that great Regiment and their ladies, plus four widows of officers serving with the Regiment at that time, took the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai to meet for lunch at Armoury House in the City of London, to recall those happy days.

We assembled at noon to recognise faces we had not seen, in some cases, for sixty years.

Many a tale was told and retold and the wonderful comradeship of soldiering in the desert came back to us all. It was a very happy gathering.

Before we sat down to lunch a group photograph was taken in the ante room by John Bethell.

From the left the officers are: Tim Carter, Malcolm Evans, Pascal Ricketts, David Sands, Peter Doyle, Richard Carter-Jonas, John Crowley, Richard Skinner, Tom Walcot, Dion Beard, Hugo Brooke, Dennis Fisher, Andrew Gulland, Guy Hordern, Jonathan Tate and Martin Timmis. Sadly Christopher Amery was

delayed and arrived too late to be included.

The face between Dion and Hugo was a HAC waiter.

From the left the ladies are: Standing; Judy Walcot, Sarah Crowley, Jo Gregson, Sally Timmis, Anne Evans (behind Sally), Pauline Gulland and Ann Fisher, Sitting; Elizabeth Tate, Deirdre Doyle, Sally Ricketts, Jenny Harding-Rolls, Gilly Cox, Ann Allen and Imogen Carter-Jonas. Sadly Dinny Green and Judy Carter were out of the room at the time this photograph was taken. Sadder still two shown here, Richard Carter-Jonas and Andrew Gulland have since died.

The luncheon began with a Welcome from Tom Walcot, who then set the scene by briefly covering his time with the Sixth and the subsequent links that steadily developed with former members of the Sixth after his retirement in 1990 to the present time.

At the end of an excellent lunch we drank three toasts: first The Loyal Toast, second to the Fallen at Cambrai and finally to Absent Friends of 6 RTR.

We were then entertained with seven fascinating presentations, starting with the Battle of Cambrai (John Crowley) followed by Preparation for Suez (Dennis Skinner), The Suez Operation (David Sands), Barce and National Service (Pascal Ricketts), The Cyprus Squadron (Peter Doyle), Homs and Farewell to Libya (Jonathan Tate) and lastly the Amalgamation with the 3rd (Martin Timmis).

It became clear, if we did not already know it, that the Sixth was a very special regiment.

Raised during the First World War, it was disbanded for the first time in 1919 and then reformed in Egypt in 1933 of the 3rd and 5th Armoured Car Companies, Royal Tank Corps.

Twenty-six eventful years later, the 6th left Libya in August 1959, to amalgamate with 3 RTR, then stationed at Detmold in Germany.

Of the twenty-two subalterns, mostly National Service officers, serving with the Regiment in Libya in 1957-59, ten of us still meet twice a year for lunch at the Victory Services Club in London.

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5TH RTR REUNION ASSOCIATION The new meeting venue for the 5th RTR Reunion Association is: The Expanse Seafront Hotel North Marine Drive Bridlington Yorkshire YO15 2LS

ANNUAL REUNION 8TH RTR ASSOCIATION Maureen Folgate

The 8th RTR Association will be holding their annual Reunion in Bournemouth at the Trouville Hotel on the 13 to the 16 of March 2020.

Any other RTR members who would like to join them for this Spring Break will be more than welcome. Reasonable rates £48.75pp Friday & Saturday, £43.50pp Thursday & Sunday. Some members start their weekend on the Thursday.

On Sunday a coach is hired to transport members to Bovington for the Church service, after to the Officers mess for a curry lunch, or alternative, costing approximately £12.

All enquiries to either the Secretary Maureen Folgate 0208 306 0060, derek8rtr@aol.com or The Trouville Hotel 01202 552262.

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NEWS FROM MEDWAY BRANCH ASHFORD CELEBRATES 100 YEARS SINCE MK4 TANK PRESENTATION

The Medway branch have had a busy year with many ‘ups and downs’. The branch and indeed the Regiment have lost some fine men to ‘The Green Fields’. (See obituaries).

2018 ended with our combined Cambrai/ Christmas Dinner and Draw. As ever, it was a great success and a good evening was had by members and guests alike. January saw the branch AGM and the existing committee being re-elected en-bloc.

In March the branch President and Chairman were invited to Tonbridge School to the Annual CCF inspection. The cadets are commanded by Major Martin Brennan, a former Irish Guards RSM, so the drill was of the highest order. It was our second visit and as ever, we were treated to a wonderful day.

In May, we made our annual visit to Orwell Park School, in Suffolk, where we marched to the Desert Rats Memorial in the grounds.

After a superb lunch, we were entertained by tutors and pupils to a wonderful concert.

The branch was represented at the Desert Rats Association Open Day in Thetford Forest and at their 1940s dinner and Dance in Mundford.

We have attended several military shows during the Summer including War and Peace, Military Oddyessy, Armed Forces Day and Combined Ops. Branch members have also attended events organised by The Not Forgotten Association, Tea parties at Buckingham Palace and boat trips on The Solent to name a few. In July, we made the trip to The Norfolk Tank museum near Norwich. A long drive from Medway but great day out! We made our mark by leaving an inscribed Regimental plaque in the café.

As a member of the Yalding Ferret and MV Owners Club, I was part of the 25 enthusiasts

who attended the D Day celebrations in Normandy. We drove 5 Daimler Dingos, 5 Wilys Jeeps and a ‘back-up’ team from Yalding to Pegasus Bridge to witness a great event. It was an eight day trip which was both tiring and emotional.

On 3 August, we were invited back to Ashford to celebrate 100 years since the Mk4 Tank was presented to the town. Great weather and a good turn-out contributed to a wonderful day. The good people of Ashford showed great interest in the event and the local children were delighted with freebie Regimental flags and brown, red and green balloons and plenty of stories from the branch members.

Medway Branch laying a poppy wreath at Pegasus Bridge

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NEWS FROM THE NEWCASTLE BRANCH

Newcastle Branch

The year of 2019 started well with new (younger) members who joined last year continuing to attend the monthly meetings alongside those (older) who have been members for a good few years. It’s good see the younger generation continuing to remember the Regiment and it is a good sign for the future of the branch.

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The current committee led and inspired by the President Tommy Beckwith (4th RTR) are doing a sterling job due to the never ending recruitment drive and representation by the secretary George McCutcheon (4th RTR), and the sound financial management of the treasurer Ron Bingham (4th RTR) who’s funds increase The Chairman, David Reid (4th RTR) found an occasional venue in the shape of the Don War Memorial bar in Stockton, as opposed to Newcastle, which all members enjoy on a four monthly basis and it is recommended that anyone visiting the area pays a visit to said bar, it really is a memorial to all Regiments and Arms of the British and Commonwealth forces!

Green Fields

All members do their bit for the branch which makes us a formidable team. And put quite simply the presence of Dougie Dawson (8th/5th/3rd RTR) MBE LdeH alone is a great honour.

The sad note continues with the loss of Hazel Beckwith. Friends from far and wide attended to see off a wonderful woman.

Sadly we lost long standing members whom we remember with great affection: Eddie Warnes ex-Treasurer of the branch, March 2017.

Ex-President of the branch, Bill Rutherford passed away in April 2019.

His Funeral was well attended by old friends and the customary honour guard did him proud.

John Philips passed away June 2019.

Preparations are being made for attendance at the Cenotaph and at the RTR march, both in November. It is hoped that at least a couple of our branch members can attend one or the other, or both. Whilst lots of commemorative events have happened this special year, in some cases we have been informed at too short notice.

NEWS FROM BOURNEMOUTH & POOLE BRANCH

Bournemouth & Poole members placing the wreath and lowering of the Standard

The past year has continued as the last ended; busy. Our January Ladies lunch was the best attended and most successful to date.

During 2019 we have completed the 100th anniversary wreath laying ceremonies of Tank Corps soldiers buried in our area. The last tribute was to S/Sgt William Watson, Tank Corps, who was a victim of the Worldwide Influenza Pandemic and died on 14 June 1919.

On 14 June 2019, branch members attended his grave, ensuring this anniversary did not pass unnoticed, see photos.

The branch participated in a number of commemoration events during the year. In Weymouth we were present at the ANZAC Day service, The US Memorial Day service and the Armed Forces Day Parade. We also supported the Plymouth Branch by laying a wreath and participating in the annual Exercise TIGER commemoration at Slapton Sands in Devon. A contingent went to the National Memorial Arboretum in August to take part in the Op BANNER 50 event.

Closer to home, we participated in the D Day 75 commemoration event at the RBL Club in Poole. On the subject of D Day 75?

We were thrilled when our very own Dave Orman was selected to receive a ticket for the Veterans area at the national D Day event in Portsmouth. Unfortunately he failed in his mission to recruit Donald Trump as a guest speaker to our branch meetings. Honestly, you ask someone to do one “simple” task?

Our geographical location does give us some advantages, and this was shown by the significant Bournemouth & Poole presence at the RTR sponsored Church Service in March, RAC 80 event at Bovington in April, and at Tankfest in June. Bill Stebbing one our last WWII veterans was filmed by the Tank Museum in order to ensure his memories and story endure to educate future generations.

Branch members have attended the funerals of ex RTR soldiers in our and other areas when possible, which is always appreciated by the families.

Branch representatives also travelled to Teddington to support Lt Col Paul Macro with a surprise visit to ex RTR soldier Dennis July on his 100th birthday.

Guest speakers at our branch meetings continue to be enjoyed and appreciated.

Recent victims include Capt (Ret) Dean Hutton, the new Regimental Secretary, Lt Col Paul Macro RTR and representatives of FALCON based at Warminster. It’s not all military, earlier in the year we welcomed a

Wreath on William’s Grave

local charity, The Children of Fiji, who gave a most interesting presentation of their work.

We are now planning for Arras 80 and the trip to France in 2020.

The only real negative in 2019 has been the death of John Howell, one of our WWII veterans. He had been highlighted in the new Tank Museum exhibition, which was opened on 4 April during RAC 80. John was unfortunately too ill to attend the opening ceremony, and in fact died the very next day.

Membership wise, we now have over 30 members on our books, attendance figures are stable but could be higher, however, with a reasonable number of relatively “younger” members we are confident for the future.

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UPDATE FROM THE LONDON BRANCH A Trip to Poelkapelle and Cambrai by Ian Tompsett In June my two daughters and I made the trip to Poelkapelle and Cambrai. We arrived on Thursday the 6 June and visited both Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood and Tyne Cot Cemetery. Tyne Cot, near the town of Ypres (Ieper) in Belgium, is the largest War Graves Commission cemetery in the world and is the resting place of more than 11,900 servicemen of the British Empire from W.W.1.

This area on the Western Front was the scene of the Third Battle of Ypres. Also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, it was one of the major battles of the First World War. We had planned to attend the ceremonies for Friends of the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient on Friday and I was very humbled to be asked on Thursday afternoon by Chris Lock to bear the battle flag standard at the ceremonies. I arranged for our President to lay the wreath we had brought over on behalf of the RTRA London Branch. We then attended the daily Last Post ceremony at the Menin Gate when I was honoured to bear the standard.

of the First World War took place. Towering over 45 metres in height, it dominates the landscape for miles around. It is the largest Commonwealth memorial in the world. We then went to Lochnagar Crater. I had to show my daughters these memorials as I have spoken about them endlessly since the Branch Cambrai 100 trip! They are both imposing in different ways.

On Saturday we drove to Thiepval to visit the Thiepval Memorial. It can be found on the high ground overlooking the Somme River in France, where some of the heaviest fighting

Next stop was Flesquières where we visited Tank Deborah (one of the rare tanks to have taken part in the battle that still exists today and the only one to have been kept at the

President about to place the wreath of the London Branch

site of the fighting). I was impressed by the simplicity yet reverence of the exhibit. It was an awe inspiring moment to be in front of a tank that has inspired many people from our great regiment. It was my privilege and honour to lay a wreath on behalf of the London Branch. We then walked outside and visited the graves of the five crew members buried there. I planted a cross on each grave.

Overall this was such a humbling experience both for me and my daughters and one I will never forget.

D Day Battlefields Tour by Roger Burton On Tuesday 2 July, I was one of seven staff, taking 56, Year 9 students (13 to 14 year olds) to Normandy for a D Day battlefields tour in preparation for their GCSE History course work. Leaving at 04.00hrs we spent three days visiting Merville Battery Museum, Memorial Pegasus Museum, Sword Beach and Juno Beach where we were staying.

In the first of the following two photos, the building on the right is the hotel we stayed in; this photo was taken on 11 June 1944. We visited Arromanches, Ponte du Hoc, Bayeux Cemetery, Omaha Beach D Day Monument, Omaha Beach American Cemetery, Utah Beach and Airborne Troops Museum in Sainte-Mere Eglise before returning to the UK. It was a very full and hectic itinerary for the students to get through but they did well and we got repeated praise from locals and tourists alike for their good behaviour.

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Monthly Branch Meeting Report The July Meeting was held on Saturday 13 at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Both the Chairman and the Vice Chairman were unavoidably absent, so the Meeting was opened at 1430hrs. by yours truly standing in as Chairman. Everyone was then upstanding for the Exhortation followed by the Toasts to our Colonel in Chief Her Majesty the Queen, the Regiment and Absent friends. Apologies were then given for absent members.

The Chairman being absent, there was no Chairman’s report. The other members of the Committee then gave their reports, which were then followed by Alan Oliver giving the latest details about the Cambrai Lunches this year. All members present were in agreement with this arrangement.

In any other business, the possibility of two trips was discussed, to Arras in May 2020, and to Normandy at a date to be arranged. It was discussed at length and decided to concentrate on the trip to Arras first, and to Normandy possibly the following year.

Cambrai Lunches Imperial Hotel, Russell Square, London WC1 at 12:00 for 12:45pm on Saturday 23 November The cost of the meal will be £36 per head for Non Members, £20 per head for Members for a three course meal with a bottle of wine.

Pre-bookings with non-refundable deposits only, please contact one of the committee asap to book and make your menu choices -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------An informal lunch gathering downstairs at Penderel’s Oak, JD Wetherspoon 283-288 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 7HP at 2:00pm on Wednesday 20 November (Cambrai Day)

ARRAS 80 Trip The trip to Arras is to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of when the 4th & 7th RTR stopped Rommel dead in his tracks, when he was in the act of racing to the coast to bring about the retreat to Dunkirk. The respite they gained for the British and French Armies was invaluable.

When talking of Arras one should think back to the First World War to a major battle that raged from 1 April to 7 May 1917. On 11 April a Brigade of British tanks were to lead an attack by British, Canadian and Australian, troops on the Hindenburg Line. It was a disaster. The Canadians were the only ones who were successful, storming and taking Vimy Ridge.

The British were bogged down in the centre, and the Australians were slaughtered on the right. They lost 2,500 men out of 3,000 that went into the attack. The Tank Brigade lost 52 officers and men out of 103 that went into the attack. The Australian survivors stated that the Tanks were useless, and it was a long time before they again trusted the Tank Corp.

One famous victim of the Battle was Captain Albert Ball, VC. DSO. MC. of the Royal Flying Corp. At the time of his death, on the 7 May, he was this Country’s leading Air Ace with more than 50 kills to his credit. Two Tanks of `C’ Battalion at Arras from WW1 He was 21 years old.

Royal Chelsea Hospital Scarlets Appeal Last year, you will remember that this Branch donated £500.00 to the `Scarlets Appeal’ made by the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. It was asking for help to raise £300,000.00 in order to equip the Chelsea Pensioners with Lightweight Red Tunics.

On the 25 July I received a letter from Mr Gary Lashko, the Chief Executive at the Hospital. He informed me that they had successfully raised the required amount, and that the Hospital would like to thank all those who made donations by inviting some members from all the organisations to a Closing Celebration and Drinks Reception which was held on Thursday the 12 September 2019, in the Great Hall, Royal Hospital Chelsea.

London Branch sent four officials, so that they were able to be thanked personally.

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UPDATE FROM THE PLYMOUTH BRANCH The Plymouth branch has a healthy membership which continues to grow and new members are always welcome, young or old, serving or ex. We are not all Plymouth based, members come from various locations around the UK and from overseas.

We are mainly RTR, however have welcomed a small number of associate members who wish to maintain a military connection, but do not have an association of their own. Our monthly meetings are always well attended, the formal part is taken seriously but around that, the rest of the evening is friendly and informal with much banter thrown about.

The Branch and indeed the Association in general are enjoying a growing affiliation with The Regiment who are in regular contact with Association branches. This is very welcomed by all members whose only regret is that not enough of us have been able to attend events already put on by The Regiment. We look forward to future events where we will be able to do so.

Branch Dinner

Excercise Tiger 75th Anniversary Service

A major highlight of our year is the Branch Annual Dinner held in November each year and always at maximum attendance. Terry Hughes, our Chairman/Treasurer has been the driving force behind this and the dĂŠcor, layout and success of the event is down to the hard work put in by Terry, ably assisted by family members, we are extremely grateful to them for what they do. Our 2018 event was held on Saturday 24 November at the China Fleet Club where we were pleased to host two Chelsea pensioners, S/sgt Fred Bolwell and Sgt Don Crassweller. They proved to be extremely popular guests and were lively and informative, the branch ensured that they had a thoroughly memorable evening.

This took place on Sunday 28 April 2019 at the Sherman tank memorial at Slapton Sands with honoured guests from the UK, America and France. Also on parade were WO1 (RSM) Harley Upham and The Standard Party of The Royal Tank Regiment, along with soldiers from Cyclops and The RTR Association. A very moving and memorable service was held, not least when the piper, playing the lament, marched slowly around the Sherman memorial. This was solely the idea of the piper on the day and was appreciated by all those present. The day finished with everyone enjoying buffet and drinks at Stokely Farm shop and brewery.

A Brief History of RTR Involvement of the Tank Memorial: Devon resident and civilian, Ken Small, had heard that a Tank from WW2 was known to be in Lyme Bay, near the Slapton coastline.

He took on the task of seeking to commemorate the event, after discovering evidence of the aftermath washed up on the shore while beachcombing in the early 1970s.

In 1974, Ken Small bought from the U.S. Government, the rights to a submerged tank from the 70th Tank Battalion discovered by his search efforts. In 1984, with the aid of local residents and diving firms, he raised the tank, which now stands as a memorial to the incident. The local authority provided a plinth on the seafront to put the tank on, and erected a plaque in memory of the men killed. Ken Small documents how the local villagers were of more assistance than either the US or UK military officials. Later the American military honoured and supported him, when at the same time the UK military were less supportive of his efforts. Ever since then the Royal Tank Regiment Association has supported the event by providing a service of commemoration.

Ken died of cancer in March 2004, a few weeks before the 60th anniversary of the Exercise Tiger incident, his son Dean now supported by the Plymouth Branch Royal Tank Regiment Association maintain the Tank memorial, and arrange the memorial service on the last Sunday of April.

This event happens every year and is an RTR Association led event, coordinated by the Plymouth Branch of the RTRA, supported by HHQ and The Regiment.

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Plymouth Armed Forces Weekend Roger Jewell once again did a sterling job in getting this arranged with Plymouth City council and ensuring that we had a good and prominent spot for our display.

Within our marquee there was a model tank display covering from the early days of the First World War to the present day which proved to be very popular with the visiting public. Roger was our main narrator about the various vehicles and kept young and old interested and entertained. Our marquee and general display is eye-catching to say the least and a great advert for both the Association and The Regiment. The display is down to the hard work of Terry who made much of it and Ian Woods who made the large wooden models, and of course the many helpers who man the display throughout the day.

We would gladly welcome an actual vehicle to enhance our display but appreciate the difficulties in getting hold of a serving vehicle. However if anyone knows of a private owner who would be prepared to join us for the day with their vehicle, we would welcome them and would keep them topped up with tea and biscuits throughout the day.

The Exercise Tiger Memorial

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HISTORY SCAPP TRIAL 1989-1990 Neil Boston Every year seems to mark one significant anniversary or another. At the time of writing, September 2019, attention has moved away from the Centenary of the Treaty of Versailles ending the First World War and is firmly focused on the 80th Anniversary of the outbreak of the Second World War and the colossal consequences of that conflict.

In another, much less significant anniversary, it is forty years since the Army responded to the adoption by most NATO armies of a Standard CAmouflage Paint Pattern (SCAPP), a more structured concept in vehicle camouflage painting. Before the advent of Challenger 2 (CR2) the UK’s approach to vehicle camouflage painting in temperate climes was much more individual as long as two-thirds was green and the remaining third black. Patterns were not to be repeated on other vehicles.

An additional instruction – if given at all – was to make the ‘corners’ of the vehicle black. In the SCAPP scheme every vehicle had its own unique 3-colour disruptive pattern in specific proportions of green, brown and black. The UK was considering the adoption of the SCAPP concept but commissioned its own field trial before reaching a final decision.

BWB drawings of FOX left and CR1 right

TRIAL PLAN ATDU was designated as the RAC User for the trial programme and was responsible for vehicles, manpower and locations. The trials team was led

by Trials Officer Maj C G Owen QOH; Assistant Trials Officer WO1 J P Devine 5 INNIS DG organised the photography of the two vehicles assigned to the trial in their preparatory and painted stages. He was also responsible for the monthly inspections of the vehicles over the duration of the trial to assess the effects of time, wear and weather.

The SCAPP trial was conducted on two vehicles: CVR(W) FOX 01GM28 and Challenger 1 MBT (CR1) 79KF01. The SCAPP scheme for each vehicle was precise. Drawings and paints were provided via STANOC by BWB – Bundesamt fur Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung, the West German Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement.

The trials programme comprised more than one test: SCAPP was tested for the application of the camouflage (Test 1); for the durability of the paint (Test 2); and for its effectiveness compared to the standard UK green/black finish (Test 3).

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TEST 1 – SCAPP APPLICATION Issues began in Test 1, the application of the SCAPP scheme to the two trials vehicles. The patterns of the BWB drawings were transferred to the real vehicles as closely as possible.

This was found to be a time-consuming and tedious task. The trials team seemed to be uncomfortable in having to use their own initiative and discretion when dealing with areas of the AFV which were hidden by the overhang of the turrets and not defined in the drawings. Preparation time for FOX and CR1 was 8 hours for each vehicle, not the most efficient use of time.

Deciding not to mask off sections for painting and not to use marking templates meant that the trials team’s remaining option was to paint each section of the pattern individually, each section being marked in chalk. This was asking for trouble as the chalk reacted with the paint and prevented proper adhesion.

The SCAPP scheme employed three paints – Bronze Green, Leather Brown and Tar Black.

The report does not record how much of each colour was provided but the simple solution would have been to paint the whole vehicle in the Green paint and then apply the patches of Brown and Black. Instead, each patch including the predominant Green needed to be painted individually, requiring extra care every time the edge of a patch was encountered.

That approach resulted in each vehicle taking 5 hours to paint on top of the 8 hour preparation time beforehand.

Inevitably, spray-painting was quicker than brush painting but it was harder to achieve the desired +/- 50mm accuracy on the pattern.

Brush painting was therefore used to complete the edges. If SCAPP had been adopted, templates for each vehicle type would have been essential. Spray-painting carried its own hazards anyway. The paints supplied were based on pigmented silicone alkalyd binders which were not only toxic but also carcinogenic.

Full personal protection equipment was necessary, including a protected supply of breathing air.

TEST 2 – PAINT DURABILITY The two trials vehicles were painted by the end of August 1989. Durability of the SCAPP paints was tested in the regular monthly inspections from September 1989 to March 1990. It was noted that other NATO armies expected to repaint their vehicles every 10,000km or 10

years, which seemed a long time to the trials team.

Neither of the vehicles was assigned exclusively to the SCAPP trial. The FOX was used on two other trials and on a D&M course; the CR1 was similarly involved in several other trials and it also underwent a number of main component, track and barrel changes – note the additional turret stowage tray in the photo above and the L30-style fume extractor on the SCAPP CR1 main armament in the photo below. The CR1 spent much time on the training area and at Lulworth firing points.

Chipping of paint was noted as early as the September 1989 inspection. On the CR1 the areas affected were the front of the glacis plate, rear decks, roadwheels and the bottom of the

sideskirt plates. By the time of the October inspection the paint on the FOX was chipping around the Commander’s sights, headlights, Driver’s sight and hatch.

As the months passed the paint chipping spread on the CR1 over the catwalks, towhooks, lifting eyes, Driver’s hatch and across the turret while on the FOX the additional areas affected included the engine cover and rear bulkhead. Paint chipping was followed by paint peeling on the FOX turret and night sight cover and on the CR1 sideskirts and roadwheels.

Fading of the paint was noticeable on the turret of the FOX and on the sections of the CR1 that had been spray-painted.

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TEST 3 – SCAPP EFFECTIVENESS The initial appearance of the vehicles was a success as far as the effectiveness of the 3-colour scheme was concerned on the Bovington Training Area on Wool Heath. Issues that affected the immediate adoption of the scheme were the application of the paints in the first place and the durability of the finish over the 6-month trial period.

Visitors’ observations were recorded and technical methods of assessing comparisons were undertaken using photography, thermal imagery and image intensification. The trial arranged for the SCAPP vehicles and UK-pattern ‘control’ vehicles to be stationed either in proximity or at the same observation sites on the training area. There were five states in which the observations were made and the results were assessed primarily on photographic evidence but enhanced by opinions expressed by observers.

Photographs were taken from a helicopter at varying altitudes and ranges and a Chieftain Mk 11 was deployed to provide a TOGS view. Sixty-seven visitor questionnaires were analysed to produce the consolidated results.

No significant difference was noted when the vehicles were viewed through Image Intensifier systems and TOGS but observers’ opinions favoured the SCAPP scheme by a margin of 41 to 26 where the vehicles were viewed static in the open and by 45 to 22 viewed static against trees both in the wood and along the tree line.

Opinions were far less divided where the vehicles were observed static in fire positions with appropriate background and foreground foliage, 34 for the SCAPP vehicles, 33 for those in the standard UK scheme.

Similar results applied where the vehicles were viewed static and camouflaged in trees using the TS7 camouflage system though without the TCW thermal sheets, 35 for SCAPP and 32 for the UK scheme.

The final comparison was made with the vehicles moving head-on and broadside-on at approximately 2000m distance; it was impossible to tell which was better.

The trial plan had included a further static state, camouflaged in an urban environment, but the trial report made no mention of that test so it appears to have been dropped from the trial.

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FINAL REPORT After the completion of the SCAPP trial period in March 1990 the following conclusions were recorded in ATDU Report 8/0/4. The 3-colour scheme was generally more effective than the standard UK 2-colour finish but preparation and painting times were disproportionately long: vehicle painting had taken twice as long as the black on green UK finish. Paint durability was poor, emphasising doubts about other NATO armies’ 10-year painting cycle, and the sheen on spray-painted areas was highly undesirable. Lastly, there was concern over the incompleteness of the pattern drawings, which gave no guidance for those areas beneath the turret overhangs.

The report recommended improvements to the methods of preparing, marking and applying the SCAPP scheme to vehicles and it also recommended improvement to the quality of the paints themselves. A full troop trial was recommended before formal adoption of the scheme.

The report was signed off on the 31st July 1990. Two days later and 3000 miles away the Iraqi Army of Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and within weeks interest in a paint finish for the UK’s reponse, Operation Granby, turned to the single colour Light Stone.

That appeared to be the end of the SCAPP scheme... except for an echo of it eight years later in the finish applied to CR2s, which initially at least conformed more uniformly than before to a standard camouflage paint pattern for a particular vehicle type. The positions and proportions of the CR2 black disruptive patches bore a close resemblance to the example set by SCAPP. Images from the Tank Museum

THE FORGOTTEN WAR; THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR 1919 Lieutenant Colonel P Macro The British have a long history of conflict in Afghanistan and along the North West Frontier of India (now Pakistan). This ranges from the First Afghan War, 1839-1842, through the Second, 1878-1880, and Third, 1919, Wars, to the current campaign against the Taliban. The Third Afghan War, is probably the least well known of these conflicts. It was famously described by Sir Hamilton Grant, a contemporary diplomat, as “the most meaningless, crazy and unnecessary war in history”.

It was also a short war. The main fighting took place over the course of a month and, within ten days of initiating the invasion, Amanullah, Afghanistan’s Amir, was making peace overtures to Delhi. The ceasefire was agreed on 3 June 1919, exactly a month after the Afghans had invaded, although skirmishing, particularly on the Kurram frontier, continued for another week.

RAWALPINDI PESHAWAR & KHYBER

6 Bns Inf 8 Guns

Chitral

NINGRAHAR

KABUL

11 Bns Inf 6.5 Regt Cav 40 Guns

R.

Kabul

AFGHANISTAN

l

bu Ka

AP

M

Dakka

4

KHOST & GHAZNI

16 Bns Inf 2 Bns Pioneers 4 Regt Cav 60 Guns

R. Kurram

Matun

Idak

Bannu

hi

oc

Tank

Dera Ismail Khan

WAZIRISTAN

Go

ma

KANDAHAR 15 Bns Inf 3 Regt Cav 60 Guns

Kandahar

4 Bns Inf Kurram Mil 1 Regt Cav 6 Pack Guns 3 Armoured Cars

Thal

T R.

R.

KOHAT - KURRAM

andi ad LKotal lab a l Kohat Ja

Ghazni

N

Peshawar

4 Bns Inf Mahmood Mil 14 Guns 12 MGs 9 Armoured Cars

BRITISH INDIA

Rawalpindi

l

Fort Sandeman

QUETTA - ZHOB

New Chaman Quetta

12 Bns Inf 4.5 Regt Cav 24 Guns 34 MGs

4 Bns Inf N. Waziristan Mil S. Waziristan Mil 2 Regt Cav 9 Armoured Cars 0

R. Indus

MAP 3

SECURITY

22 Bns Inf Khyber Rifles 1 Bn Pioneer 6 Regt Cav 104 MGs 68 Guns

R. Indus

1 Bn Inf Chitral Scouts 2 Pack Guns

KUNAR

14 Bns Inf 1 Bn Pioneers 1.5 Regt Cav 44 Guns

STRIKE FORCE

CHITRAL

R. Zhob

Why do so few know much about the Third Afghan War? Probably partly because of its proximity to the First World War. The aftermath of that tragic conflict was still playing out in Europe as the Bolshevik Revolution and the Paris Peace Conference were both ongoing when the Afghans invaded. In Europe political and economic reconstruction had commenced while in India, the shocks of the Amritsar massacre were still reverberating and the rumblings of the various independence movements were becoming increasingly vocal. And all this took place around 5000 miles away from the UK, when short communications could be sent by telegraph, but detailed dispatches had to go by ship, with a transit time of around a month in each direction. The war was an unwelcome surprise to the British administration in India; for the government back in Britain, partly as a result of that distance, it came as a complete shock.

MAP 2 THE NORTH WEST FRONTIER THEATRES OF OPERATION

R. Kunar

Yet of all these Anglo-Afghan conflicts the Third War was the only occasion on which Afghan regular forces invaded British India. It was also a vicious little campaign which cost the lives of over a thousand British and Indian troops.

On top of this the Afghan tribesmen had an unpleasant reputation for brutality towards prisoners; they basically did not take them, and if they did, they tortured and mutilated them. Not even the dead were spared from mutilation. Even so, British personnel who served on the North West Frontier of India would probably not have claimed that it was in anyway as unpleasant as serving in the trenches of the Western Front.

50

100

Miles

KEY:

Rivers/Roads Significant Locations

British Troops Afghan Troops

Sibi Ruk

Map of Afghanistan and The North West Frontier

CONTINUED OVERLEAF...

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While the situation remained very tense, with the traditional source of trouble on the North West Frontier; the Afghan tribes, the formal Armistice was signed on 8 August 1919.

These days the Third Afghan War has also been overshadowed by the focus on the centenary of the Armistice of the Great War. When taken with the shortness of the war, the comparatively small casualty list (the total casualties equated to about an average week on the Western Front) and the relatively small number of British troops involved (about 75% of the British-Indian forces involved were Indian) the lack of knowledge of the Third Afghan War today is perhaps unsurprising.

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At its simplest, the war was a case of distracting attention from trouble at home by fighting abroad. Habibullah, the Amir of Afghanistan, was assassinated 20 February 1919. This provoked a power struggle as Habibullah’s brother, Nasrullah Khan, proclaimed himself as Habibullah’s successor.

However, in Kabul, Amanullah, Habibullah’s third son, also proclaimed himself Amir, and seized the throne in April 1919. Amanullah posed as a man of democratic ideals, promising reforms in the system of government.

He had his uncle Nasrullah arrested and sentenced to life imprisonment for Habibullah’s murder. Nasrullah had been the leader of a more conservative element in Afghanistan and his treatment rendered Amanullah’s position as Amir tenuous. Amanullah therefore decided to take advantage of the rising civil unrest (following the Amritsar massacre) and the disaffected state of British and Indian troops, and to invade British India.

with an uprising that was being planned in Peshawar later in May. The British reacted swiftly. A battalion of infantry, 2nd Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, was lifted on lorries up the Khyber to block the invasion. At the same time Peshawar was closed off and the ringleaders of the planned uprising arrested.

Further reinforcements were rushed into the Khyber and, after an initial unsuccessful attempt on 9 May, the Afghans were driven back over the border on 11 May. The British at this stage were supporting their ground operations by using the Royal Air Forces’s 31 Squadron to harry the Afghan forces from the air. On 13 May the British then advanced into Afghanistan as far as Loe Dakka;

The ground is dominated by the high mountains of the Hindu Kush, and divides neatly into three theatres. In the North lies the Khyber pass. This was the main route from India, via Peshawar to Kabul and was the route by which the Afghans initiated the war on 3 May 1919; they crossed the frontier at the western end of the pass to capture the town of Bagh.

This was strategically important to the British and Indians as it provided water to Landi Kotal, which was at the time garrisoned by just two companies of troops from the British Indian Army. The British initially considered this a minor border infraction, but it was actually part of the wider invasion plan, which had been launched ahead of schedule.

Amanullah had intended for it to coincide

Khyber Pass

Machine Gun Concentration and Demonstration Camp in Gondal, 1919

here they were counter-attacked by Afghan forces, but this were beaten off. The British then held at Dakka, considering their options for advancing further into Afghanistan, to Jalalabad, or Kabul itself. Events, however, were developing in the central theatre in particular.

The central theatre consisted of Waziristan and the Kurram Valley. Thal was the principle garrison town and lay on the north-east edge of Waziristan, the tribal homeland of the Wazir and Mashud tribes. These were the most independent of all the tribes on the frontier. To the north of Thal the Kurram River rose in the

mountain passes which eventually provided an alternative route to Kabul, avoiding the Khyber. Parachinar was the administrative centre for the Upper Kurram, and housed the headquarters of the Kurram Militia. Facing the British-Indian forces in the Kurram was the most compact and formidable of the Afghan forces. The main base was at Ghazni, but the force had been moved forward to Matun. Its commander was the young, (he was aged just 36), energetic and aggressive Nadir Khan, former Commander in Chief of the Afghan Army. He would go on to become Amir of Afghanistan from 1929, through to his assassination in 1933. Khan would have anticipated considerable support from many of the tribes of the North West Frontier.

However, on 6 May 1919, the only sign of enemy activity on the Central Front was the building of sangars at Peiwar Kotal, and it appeared that the Afghan agents had had little success in their efforts to incite the tribes of the Wazirs and the Mahsuds.

In early May 1919, the point of the central theatre most threatened was Parachinar, isolated from Thal up the Kurram Valley.

Reacting to initial reports of Nadir Khan’s concentration at Matun the Kurram Militia pushed forward picquets to the border in the vicinity of Peiwar Kotal, Kharlarchi and Lakka Tiga, to observe Afghan movements and try and identify the direction of Nadir Khan’s main attack. Khan moved on 23 May, heading south-east, down the Kaitu, threatening both Bannu and Thal. In the face of this threat, the Waziristan Militia evacuated Spinwam border post on 24 May and other garrisons along the Upper Tochi River in North Waziristan. A number of the militia deserted and the Wazirs rose and joined the Afghans; Nadir Kahn occupied Spinwam on 25 May with a force of 3,000 Afghan infantry, field howitzers and pack guns, and a large force of tribesmen from Khost and Waziristan. He was now equidistant from Thal and Bannu. The British reinforced Thal from Kohat, diverting forces which might otherwise been used to continue the invasion of Afghanistan through the Khyber.

On the morning of 27 May, Nadir Khan then appeared to the north-west of Thal, investigated it and opened fire with his artillery, cutting off the forces in Parachinar and the Upper Kurram. The British had prepared for such an eventuality by improving the defence lines, however, the water supply was a potential weaknes. Despite being

Helmet Group

Army Officers and NCOs, Gondal, 1919

Indian Mountain Artillery

81

bombed by the Royal Air Force, Khan’s artillery considerably outranged that of the British, and was causing severe damage, and he started to push the defences in towards the water supply. At the same time the skirmishes on the frontiers increased in intensity, particularly around Peiwar Kotal, Kharlarchi and Lakka Tiga. Meanwhile, at Kohat, Brigadier General Dyer, of Amritsar Massacre infamy, assembled a column of infantry, guns, machine guns and a few lorries (the vast majority of the troops marched on foot) for the relief of Thal. Dyer marched on 31 May to successfully relief Thal the following day. He then drove Khan back into Afghanistan in early June.

The third theatre was the southern one of Baluchistan and the Zhob. This centered on the town of Quetta, from which the passes through Khojac and Chaman to Spin Baldak provide the second major route into Afghanistan, to the city of Kandahar. Here, a daring and successful raid by the British to capture the fort at Spin Baldak, on 27 May 1919, greatly reduced the chance of an Afghan invasion by this route. This was the last occasion on which British forces captured a fortress by escalade. Over 200 of the 500-strong garrison of Afghan regulars were killed in the action.

The British lost 18 killed and 40 wounded. The ceasefire was announced shortly after, in early June, but it was tense and various clashes and skirmishes took place as discontent bubbled up amongst the tribes, particularly in Waziristan, the Kurram and the Zhob.

The outcome of the war remains contentious.

The British claimed victory on the grounds of having repulsed the Afghan invasion, restored the integrity of British India and subjected Kabul and Jalalabad to aerial bombing. But the situation with the tribes remained tense and trouble continued, particularly in Waziristan, for several years. Nadir Khan continue to incite the tribesmen and failed to withdraw from the border as required by the ceasefire.

For his attack into Waziristan and the siege of Thal he was hailed as a victor in Kabul; in due course a statue was erected in his honour.

And the armistice was a diplomatic victory for the Afghans. Britain recognised Afghanistan as an independent nation and gave the Afghans control of their own foreign policy.

As the Times of 30 Oct 1919 stated, “the Government of India muddled the campaign and muddled the peace.”

British military doctrine teaches that the nature of conflict is enduring but that its character 82

changes. Conflict is, and always has been, an adversarial contest of wills. It is driven by political objectives but strongly influenced by human dynamics. No two conflicts are the same; each is characterised by the prevailing conditions, weapons, communications, strategy and tactics of the day. And yet, while they are of different times, there are some startling similarities between the Third Afghan War and recent operations in Afghanistan or even the Middle East. Ground forces are operating in areas where the rule of the national government is tenuous at best. A relatively evenly balanced fight on the ground contrasts with complete friendly force domination of the air. And there are challenges maintaining logistic support over extended supply lines, of introducing new equipment and adopting novel tactics. So, particularly as its centenary passes, the Third Afghan War probably deserves to be better remembered than it is.

Some readers of Tank may recall that my grandfather, A/Sjt Ernest William “Bill” Macro, was one of those who served during the Third Afghan War and that in about 2012 I wrote a short piece which described his MiD action.

“BilI” was a section commander with 22nd Battery Motor Machine Gun Service and was involved in the rescue of two airmen from 20 Squadron who were shot down in the closing stages of the war. Over the last few years that story has become a book, which was recently released by Casemate UK, as “Action at Badama Post”.

Pashtun Warriors

Landi Kotal, Pakistan

The Jallianwala Bagh massacre, also known as the Amritsar massacre

Readers of TANK Journal can enjoy 30% discount when you order “Action at Badama Post” at www.casematepublishers.co.uk.

Simply add book to basket and apply voucher code TANKABP19 before proceeding to checkout.

Special offer expires 31/01/2020.

CASSINO REVISITED Major C Bligh MBE

The Monastery at Monte Cassino

I wonder how many of you can remember the days when the Royal Tank Regiment had 24 battalions (regiments in today’s parlance).

There were 12 regular, and the 12 Territorial battalions were numbered from 40 to 51.

I served in Italy with the 51st Bn (The Leeds Rifles) Royal Tank Regiment when it came over from North Africa in early 1944. The Commanding Officer was a solicitor, my Squadron Commander an accountant and my driver, who was old enough to be my father, owned a grocers shop from which his wife sent him regular food parcels, which we all shared.

I went out to Italy in the autumn of 1943 as a nineteen year old armoured corps reinforcement earmarked for the Royal Tank Regiment, but since the British Infantry divisions were very short of platoon commanders after the Salerno landings, I was posted to the 2/4 Bn Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.

There were eleven different cap badges among the officers and it may be remembered that this critical need for reinforcing the decimated infantry battalions by cross-postings precipitated a mutiny among some other ranks who refused – understandably – to be sent to regiments other than their own. It was an avoidable consequence of a situation being unsympathetically handled by the authorities

on the spot. I crossed the river Garigliano with 46th Division and we managed to establish a bridgehead in the mountains on the other side where we had to be supplied by mules.

The Americans on our right meanwhile failed, with heavy casualties, in the first attempt to capture Monte Cassino. I was hospitalised when my company commander turned us all over one night in a jeep accident in the mountains and upon recovery I escaped from the infantry to join 51st RTR. With a generous grant from the Lottery’s Heroes’ Return Fund, I recently went back and visited the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery at Cassino and the rebuilt Benedictine monastery, which I had watched being destroyed by 500 American heavy and medium bombers in 1944. Since, as an octogenarian, it is just about impossible to hire a car, my wife – as navigator and ‘carer’ – and I drove the 1,272 miles to Cassino in our 10 year old Volvo in a comfortable three days motoring. The beautiful cemetery at Cassino contains some 4,271 graves of which 289 are unidentified and ‘known only unto God’; a further 4,000 and more Commonwealth

dead, with no known graves are commemorated on eight memorials, among which are 36 who served and died with 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 40, 44, 46 and 50 RTR. Of the 34 named RTR graves in the cemetery, 30 belonged to the 51st RTR; they died on 22 and 23 May 1944 in bitter fighting around Portecorvo when, in our Churchill tanks, we supported the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade in breaking through the Hitler line and opening the road to Rome.

A poignant reminder of the grim characteristics of tank warfare is a single ‘collective’ grave, with the three names of the turret crew on its one headstone. At Cassino there is, in addition, the Polish war cemetery containing the 1,100 graves of the Polish soldiers who finally captured what was left of the monastery and enabled the Commonwealth forces assembled in the Liri Valley to advance northward up the Via Casalina to the Hitler line and Rome.

Because the Americans repatriated their dead, there is no cemetery for the 3-4,000 of them who died in the first battle to capture Cassino and its monastery in January 1944.

The German cemetery contains 22,000 graves and many more have no grave at all. The total cost to the Allies of the four battles for Monte Cassino is said to have numbered 45,000 killed, wounded and missing.

Although it can be a mistake to look back and resurrect memories long since buried, I felt it was an unfulfilled duty to repay, in the only way possible, a debt to those left behind on Italian soil. My recompense came with our visit to the beautifully restored monastery, which once again looks down upon Cassino town and the Commonwealth War Cemetery – a beautiful and fitting memorial to all those who died on the long march to Rome.

Footnote The monastery was founded in 526 by a Christian monk named Benedict but was destroyed in about 577 by Lombards and again three hundred years later by the Saracens. Rebuilt for the second time, the monastery was destroyed again by an earthquake in 1349 and rebuilt once more.

The present monastery, rebuilt after the war, is an exact replica of its predecessor. For reasons of their own, the Germans evacuated all the moveable treasures before the second battle began in February 1944 and almost all have now been returned to their original places in the monastery.

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TO GUEUDÉCOURT, 1916 Richard Cross 15 September, first tank attack, at Flers-Courcelette, during the Somme offensive From Delville Wood, a week before hard-fought, They’re on first start-line: volunteers, bare-trained And few before seen action. Here ‘Dreadnought’, ‘Daredevil’, ‘Dracula’, ‘Diehard’ and peers A score brood, baited in their penned-up lair Where solemn Somme mist shrouds September scene; Curtains the seething barrage over Flers; Condenses dews on Tommies and Stahlhelm…

Bavarians! Their ‘Switch Line’ first object, Tenacious, cresting, rolls along the heights Between the Ancre and Saint Quentin, through ‘High Wood’, untaken stll; ‘Flers Trench’ behind, Reverse-slope web of deadly enfilades And strong-points. Third, ‘Grid Line’, full two miles hence.

They mull upon that plan, each ‘tankie’: Coles, At guns, Lieutenant Hastie, in command, And Corporal Upton, driver, some - but bent To duty’s call and to each other bound: Each face mesh-masked against projectile ‘splash’ From unseen enemy; their thoughts to check On final preparations lest the daunt Of deafening, cat-walked, toxic pitching queer The nerves, sick up the gut… At zero hour, The engines dance on mounts, coiled vehicles growl, The links of tracks shriek, gear-trains strain and power To lever hulls, dinning and frail, uphill.

Slow, grinding walk! Pitch-forked by churning quilt Of shell-fired, barb-wired, MG criss-crossed field.

Some machines fail; others founder this seaGroundswell; many knocked out by bursting shells One such D15… Sponson rent and Coles Is killed serving his ‘Hotchkiss’ – tank a ‘male’.

Tank Mk I (male) with grenade screen; also its supporting infantry (122 or 124 Brigade), near Flers: possibly men of the 21st (Yeoman Rifles) Bn, KRRC, under the 19 year old Lieut. (temporary) Anthony Eden. Future Prime Minister, he was then the youngest battalion adjutant on the Western Front

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Through slits and optics, confused, strained eyes peer Tunics of grey with khaki blurring…? …Till, At 7.00am they storm the ‘Switch’… Icon Through Flers, ‘Dinnaken’, Hastie’s, Tommy-cheered By following 1-2-4 Brigade. …To East, D’s 17, 6 and 9 pour fire on town With 1-2-2 Brigade close in support.

7.50: High Wood ours; Flers’ garrison, Bay’risches Volk, soon overwhelmed, retreats In rout, flung running back on Gueudécourt!

Yet no ‘green fields’… The force briefly regroups At ‘Bull Farm’. There a valley rolls ahead, Some mile to ‘Grid Line’, open, swept by guns…

No “other Eden” as young Anthony Relates. His bloodied ‘Yeoman Riflemen’ Brew-up, perhaps, and wait the sign to on.

So few to start, far fewer now, some troops And crews reach for the third objective, where, Just short, lies Upton’s grave; beyond, sunlit, Where beckons Victory’s fair, un-fought domain Of Artois, green. Weeks more the ‘Grid’ withstands, Then years, past Arras, Ypres to Amiens, Cambrai: Haig and Churchill now know tanks’ sort.

Another day shall capture Gueudécourt.

PLEASE LOOK OVERLEAF FOR IMAGES RELATING TO THE POEM...

At 7x the intensity of the 140 day Somme offensive in men lost (1.2million), 15 September cost c.60,000 between both sides, but, had the tank numbers not been exhausted, bought half the gains of the entire offensive, aimed at dominating or breaking through to the Artois plains

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Inside Tank Mk I Bavarian Infantry Skirmish with Tank Crew

‘Landship’ Mk I (male) knocked out by German artillery impacts near Flers

During Hastie’s rampage above, and after, main street Flers adjacent

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Tank Mk I (male)

Tank Mk I (male)

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Cutaway of interior of Tank Mk I (male) showing crew compartments, QF6pdr and MG positions, stowage, engine and drive chain

Grave of Lance CPL L W Upton

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Lt George Hastie (D Coy, Heavy Branch, MGC), volunteered from Royal Scots Fusiliers

Grave of Gnr Coles (D Coy, Heavy Branch, MGC, later renamed Tank Corps), Bull Farm Cemetery, Flers

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(Back) 2 Lt JS Anderson; 2 Lt RWR Law; 2 Lt DJ Yeaman; 2 Lt JN Waldy; 2 Lt HT Turner; 2 Lt GT Potter; Lt GE Tarrant; 2 LT EA Gardner; Lt CG Leatham; 2 Lt RA Eden; 2 Lt GF Howard;2 Lt JM Cole.

(Middle, standing) Lt JFB Ewen; Lt JB Coates; 2 Lt TPA Hervey; 2 Lt M Cole; 2 Lt RCS Baxter; 2 Lt AF Livingstone; 2 Lt PA Jones; 2 Lt AJ Willans; Lt CF Thorpe; 2 Lt RP Graham; 2 Lt C Liddell; 2 Lt FG Mackintosh; Lt G Sheardown.

(Front row, seated on chairs) Lt FM McCausland; Lt KL Godson; Capt AT Watson; Maj RE Paget; Capt and Adj JA Thompson; Lt Col Earl of Feversham; Maj Hon GWS Foljambe; Capt P Lloyd-Graeme; Capt LFOS Honey; Capt NH Linzee; Capt RC Burton.

(Front, seated on ground) Lt GHL Burton; Lt RC Robinson; 2 Lt OM Fry; Lt W Gregson.

Officers of 21st Battalion (Yeoman Rifles) Kings Royal Rifle Corps before Flers Second from right in rear row 2Lieut Anthony Eden, future PM. On 15th September, 1916, aged 19, the youngest Adjutant of the British Army on the Western Front, commanding the battalion after CO Lt Col the Earl of Feversham (seated row, centre) killed in action

FORCEFUL LECTURE ON TACTICS WHEN FIGHTING IN CHURCHILLS1

Major General E.V.M. Strickland 1913 – 1982 If you were a Churchill tank commander in 145 Regiment R.A.C waiting to go into action in Italy in 1944, you would have received a lecture before battle from Lt. Col. E.V. (‘Michael’) Strickland M. M.2 as your commanding officer.

These are extracts of what you would have been told about your Churchill tanks and your roles: “The object of this lecture is to standardise all our ideas and methods.

Concrete examples are given from past campaigns and the present fighting in Italy throughout this lecture to bring out the reasons for certain changes from the old established methods of tactics, gunnery and wireless communications. You will all have a copy of this lecture which I want you to study amongst yourselves.

“To commence, I summarise the various roles we may be called upon to carry out.

The Counter Attack in Support of Infantry “Our tanks were made to support infantry, and the fact that infantry require tank support is the reason for our existence. This will be our ordinary role at all times when the front becomes static. Our job will be to place ourselves in such positions that we can give the infantry immediate fire support against a German attack on the infantry positions, or to counter attack quickly in order to restore any of our infantry positions that have been lost.

1.

“This will mean that a squadron is sited so as to cover all the likely enemy approaches to the infantry positions or placed behind the infantry covering their positions.

Sometimes it may even be necessary to put one troop or two troops well in front of our infantry defence lines.

Careful reconnaissance will be the answer to this role and then good siting of troops of tanks, well camouflaged, so that they cannot be easily dispersed by enemy shelling or bombing. Their positions must dominate the ground over which the enemy, either tanks or infantry or both, will have to move in order to attack our infantry.

Alternative positions will be thought out carefully. It may well be that the tanks will have to stay out in their positions for many days and nights, so that we must learn to arrange fixed lines for our fire during the hours of darkness. [Range cards giving gunners directions in which to fire ‘blind’ having made sure that the lines chosen would not cause friendly casualties] The tremendous fire power of a squadron of Churchills at night will act as a deterrent to even the best German troops.

“In Hunt’s Gap, near Beja, a squadron of Churchills remained in a position, known as the Loop, for nine days and nights and this position was approximately half a mile in front of our infantry forward defence lines. This squadron held the key to Beja and although Von Arnim tried hard to get through, he never succeeded. German patrols often worked through the squadron at night but once the alarm was given all the tank guns opened up on fixed lines and it had a really remarkable effect on the enemy. They were too frightened to counter attack the tanks with sticky bombs or magnetic beehives [magnetic mines stuck to the sides of tanks].

The “Set Piece” Battle “This is our main role in offensive operations.

Success will depend on first-class co-operation of all arms and that is the reason why I am insisting on your learning everything possible about infantry, artillery and sappers, their methods, capabilities and inabilities.

“The object will always be to put the infantry on to the objective with the minimum of casualties and to remain there until they feel safe to release you.

Churchills were ‘infantry tanks’: slow and heavily armoured to provide a mobile machine gun support to infantry, their main armament, with the exception of C/S tanks (firing only smoke), was AP only, untll some retrofitted later MarkIVs and all Mark Vis introduced 75mm calibre, a bored-out, medium-velocity conversion of the QF 6pdr firing US twin ammunitions, AP and HE… Lt Col (later Maj Gen) Strickland first commissioned before the 2WW into the Indian Army officer reserve. On outbreak he resigned to enlist in the, and by May 1940 was a Sergeant in the Fourth, commanding a Mathilda Mk1 at Arras, where he famously took prisoner a large band of German infantry despite his ammunition expended, and with the help of a DLI private frog-marched them into captivity. These exploits won him the MM. He later fought in Tunisia and Italy, appointed CO of an armoured regiment five times, including 145 RAC and the North Irish Horse, gaining the DSO.

2.

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Town and Street Fighting “This is not a type of fighting that we like, but neither is it nice for the infantry. We can help in street fighting and our job will be to provide the fire support for infantry as they assault houses and strong points. Experience has shown that we can do this well and it is obvious that the Churchill will be the best tank for this job.

“With your guns, you will be able to do tremendous damage to houses if you use them properly. Remember that high explosive ammunition will do little damage to a wall and that Besa will not penetrate bricks, so you must aim high explosive ammunition and Besa into the windows and doors. Armour piercing ammunition will make a hole in a wall for you if there is not one already.

“Don’t open up {the tanks’ hatches] and become visible and vulnerable in streets unless you are absolutely certain that you are in a safe area. The Canadians lost many tank commanders to snipers. Watch also for grenades and parachute bombs that may be dropped from tops of houses. Closed down you cannot be hurt.

“Our motto must be that we may lose the odd tank or two to anti-tank guns but no other German trick will beat us.

The Advance “Italy has given us the clearest picture of tanks in the advance. Usually this develops into an advance down a road and the old problem of the leading tank being knocked out at a bend in the road remains. Normally, the advance is led by reconnaissance elements but it has been found that this is too costly in reconnaissance personnel as the German mine or anti-tank gun not only destroys their small vehicle but also kills the whole crew. A tank only loses one track or bogie to a mine and even the notorious 88mm anti-tank gun will hurt or kill only one or two members of a tank crew. Therefore we must be prepared to lead advances.

Close Country Fighting “Italy and, to some extent, S. France and Austria, are covered with olive groves, vineyards and plantations. In the Italian campaign it has been found that the Sherman is not satisfactory for this type of country as it is too high and moreover its hull gun is not low enough. Your Churchill will be extremely

Churchill Mk IV (with MkIII shortened barrel 6pdr) introduced contra-rotating commander’s cupola for autonomous target acquisition, aligning to gunners sight by oral commands and a fixed blade-vane on turret roof; also cast turret compared to riveted Mk III. C/S version (Mk V) had 90mm smoke ordnance…

useful in olive groves, etc. as it is low and the hull gun is literally 3 feet from the ground.

Thus the hull gunner or co-driver will come into his own, as he will be able to fire under the low branches etc. It is difficult fighting this, and the advantage lies with the well sited German tank and anti-tank gun, but with an alert hull gunner we will be able to overcome the difficulties. Moreover, our 6-pounder, using high explosive ammunition, will be very effective where the Sherman 75mm high explosive shell shows a tendency to explode on branches or twigs [this was later countered by a new type of fuse that allowed detonation to be slightly delayed].

Some General Remarks “Success in all these various roles of ours will depend upon the fighting efficiency of our tanks and crews. There is no room for self complacency – there is always room for improvement. No tank must be lost without producing its effect on the enemy. Far too many Churchills and their crews were destroyed purely because time had not been spent checking over the smallest details. In future in this Regiment, everything must always work – revolver ports, pannier doors, engine covers, hatches, periscopes and telescopes.

The cupola must be made to revolve very freely and must be kept in that state. On many occasions during the last campaign in Tunisia, Churchill tanks were really blind and only because their tank commanders had not taken the time or trouble to ensure that the cupolas and periscopes were in good working order.

Remember, if any part of your tank does not work in action, then the answer is death for you and your crew and dismal failure for your troop, if not the whole Regiment.

“Make certain that the turret flaps work smoothly and easily. One tank near Medjez El Bab got a direct hit from a Stuka. The crew were not even injured but the tank started to burn, and then it was found that the turret flaps would not open easily. They had not been greased. The answer was death from burning.

“You have a petrol filler [the funnel to stop petrol spilling when poured] on your tank now. It is very important. Drivers, make certain that your tank is filled with petrol and oil very carefully and that engine oil and petrol are not allowed to accumulate under the engine [where they would form an inflammable sludge mixed together]. Many Churchills “brewed” up in Tunisia when hit by anti tank guns. It was found that the shot in some cases had penetrated the hull but not damaged the engine or fuel pipes but that the friction of the high velocity shot generated heat which ignited waste oil and petrol in the bottom of the tank. Don’t let this happen to your Churchill, and remember that you can be hit by the 88mm many times and holed by them without suffering and without losing your battle. If you are idle, the first hit may destroy you.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF...

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“The essence of good gunnery is good indication of the target. This is the job of the tank commander, and unless he does it well, he is letting down his crew. A bad tank commander is usually responsible if any of his crew are killed. He must give his gunner a good chance. Fire orders must be clear, vanes must be checked to ensure that they do line up the commander’s periscope with the field of vision through the gunner’s telescope.

Churchill Mk VI featured up-armoured cast turret and lower velocity 75mm armament bored out of longer barrelled Mk III QF 6pdr – good view of cupola and blade vane sight for contra-rotating target acquisition. On all Churchills, despite thick frontal armour, the recessed gun mantlet was a vulnerability aimed at by German gunners…

“The tendency is to say “my lid never sticks” and “my engine is clean” but unless you constantly check you will meet the same fate as the Churchills I have referred to.

Gunnery “Unfortunately, in the training of British tanks we have never put sufficient stress on gunnery, and yet it is the most important thing in our lives during war. The tank gunners, both turret and hull gunner, are the most important members of a crew. Until recent months, British tank gunnery was not as good as that of Germans. We were outgunned perhaps, but our guns were, and are, effective weapons if used properly.

Our telescopes, while not having as great a magnification as those of the Germans, are satisfactory. The failure of our tank gunnery can be traced to the fact that we did not emphasize the importance of gunnery. Follow carefully then the following points that I am going to bring out.

“We may may have 75mm guns mounted in our Churchills [reference to QF 6pdrs bored out to fire US 75mm ammunition; lower velocity, and less effective AP, but an effective HE round, for some reason artillery anti-tank 6pdr units were issued HE ammunition, but tank crews never; ‘close support’ tanks used only smoke shells]. Churchills in England are being produced now with 75 mm. The 6 Pounder is by far a better anti-tank gun than the present 92

75mm. At a test held near Beja in May 1943, representatives of 18 Army Group proved this.

The front of the turret of the German PZKW VI (Tiger) is approx. 102 mm thick. The 6 Pounder penetrated it at 300 yards – the 75mm could not penetrate at 10 yards. Both guns will penetrate the sides and rear of the Tiger and all types of German Mk. III and Mk. IV tanks at normal battle ranges.

“Good gunnery depends on the cleanliness and careful preparation of guns. In future, whether we are static or in actual operations, guns will be T and A’d] daily and tank commanders and gunners will do five to ten minutes’ practice daily in giving fire orders and gun laying respectively.

“On one occasion, in Central Tunisia, a squadron of Churchills formed up for battle.

During the battle some of the guns would not fire, and others seized up after firing one round. All due to bad preparation and idleness.

The gunner can never be satisfied that his 6 Pounder, Besa and ammunition are perfect.

Check constantly.

“On another occasion and near El Aroussa, “C” Squadron of 142 Regiment R.A.C. completely destroyed a force of Germans, including seven Mk.III tanks. (In fact four were knocked out and three more disabled.) All the Churchills had fired many rounds, but it was found afterwards that most of the damage had been done by one good gunner who had always ensured the accuracy of his guns.

“The main difficulty in the gunnery is the judgement of distance. If sights are properly T & A’d, the high velocity of your 6 Pounder will ensure a hit even if there is an error of 200 yds range up to 1000 yds. Tank commanders are all able to estimate range up to 1000 yds with a maximum error of 100 yds either way.

Therefore, you must always hit with the first round at ranges of up to 1000 yards.

“The Germans in warfare put great emphasis on psychology. They say that British tanks cease firing once they have hit or think they have hit.

This is true and we must make them change their ideas. In future, never stop firing at a target until you are absolutely sure that it is dead. Once you are on [target], go on pumping shots into it at a rapid rate. Remember that a hit does not mean the destruction of the tank.

I remember examining a Churchill that had received 30 hits at ranges varying between 600 and 1,500 yds. Only 12 of those hits would have had some effect on the crew or the guns. The solid shot projectile just makes a hole. It is the same with the German tanks and now you are going to pump shots into them until they “brew up”.

“Don’t be fooled. Once near Beja a Mk. VI (Tiger) fooled two Churchills. The Churchills hit first and penetrated. The German pretended he was done, and then suddenly came to life and destroyed both Churchills. Had they pumped shots into him, this would not have happened.

“The main use of your Besa will be the domination with bullets of an enemy area or heavy shooting against a German counter attack. The real way to do this is by spraying.

It is useless pouring bullets into the parapet of a slit trench [this is the sloping ground just in front of the trench]. The ground must be thoroughly sprayed to keep the enemy down.

Guide the gunner by the hose-piping use of tracer until he is on the target area, and then he can spray effectively… Each tank will link up its sprayed area with the next one. In close country such as olive groves spray everything, even bushes that show no signs of life. An

occasional 6 Pounder high explosive shot adds to the effect on the enemy. Remember that spraying will give your fire support the added value of many ricochets. When spraying, don’t fire in bursts but a complete belt at a time.

When you are doing an aimed shot with the Besa, fire rapidly in short bursts of five or six rounds per burst. Check your aim the instant between bursts.

“To counter attacks by Stukas and tank busting aircraft (usually ME 110 mounting 37mm quick-firing cannon) or fighter bombers... have your support troops of tanks on higher ground than the assaulting troops and when attacked by low flying aircraft, every tank will close down and all tanks will fire both Besas into the area of the aircraft. In this way the area above you will be filled with lead. In the Oued Zarga battles the North Irish Horse brought down and enemy aircraft in this way. If we are sensible and close down quickly, no German aircraft can hurt us. A direct hit of a 500lb bomb did very little damage to a Churchill and some of the crew did not know it had hit them.

Never use your Bren from the turret against aircraft. Don’t foolishly expose yourselves.

“Remember that when you have fired a few rounds from one position the enemy have discovered it, so move to a new position. This does not mean that you can only fire one round from each position. NO, destroy your target as I have said before, and then move to a new area, even if it is only 100 yds away.

This will upset the German observation post, who may be planning to bring heavy calibre shells on to you.

“Only heavy shell direct hits can hurt a Churchill (150 and 210mm), but it is very difficult to hit a tank, and if you camouflage your tank well and move about as I have suggested, they will never hit you.

“In future, only use the much talked of hulldown position for firing. [Hull-down refers to a position where the tank is partially hidden behind an obstacle or in a shallow hole and only the turret is visible above the ground or obstacle] The proper position for any tank is turret down, unless it is actually firing.

German anti-tank gunners know the Churchill – a number were captured at Dieppe – they know the weakness of the turret mounting [the internal mantlet] But they can’t hit the mounting if you are turret down and observing.

“Seventy percent of the Churchills hit by German anti-tank guns in Tunisia were holed

in the gun mounting. The reason – hull down positions. I have known Churchills to remain in hull-down positions for hours on end without firing. This gives the enemy time to bring up an 88mm anti-tank gun, or heavy tank. I remember once, a Tiger Mk. VI taking up a hull down position and remaining in it. It gave us the time (3 hours) to bring up a 17 Pounder anti-tank gun. It was just out of effective 6 Pounder range but the 17 Pounder got it.

“High explosive ammunition is effective in street fighting, but only if it is directed into windows, holes and doors. Use armourpiercing ammunition to make holes in houses and always remember the German trick of hiding a tank in a house. If fire is coming from a house, and you know that your high explosive ammunition and Besa is entering the door or window accurately, then it is a German tank or well prepared machine-gun post. Use armour-piercing ammunition if this happens.

“Our Shermans and Churchills with 75mm guns will have a valuable observed shoot high explosive role. There will be two main uses for them:

may be lorries, half-tracks, gun positions and enemy movement. …. Don’t imagine that your 75mm tanks are artillery pieces.

Our 75mm ammunition is limited. Only use it when you know that the artillery is too busy on other important targets or cannot do the job properly.

“In static warfare, you may be called upon to do some 75mm shoots against enemy observation posts, etc.. In offensive operations remember that your ammunition is limited, and that replenishment is not easy.

“In action and whenever you are in an exposed position, keep your turret traversing slowly between three and nine o’clock. In this way the gunner will be viewing the country himself and he may spot something through his telescope. Secondly, a moving turret may just help to deflect the 88mm or 75mm shot.

“The turret-down or hull-down position does not mean being behind a crest; sometimes the ground is flat and there are no features but there are always trees, bushes, hedges, walls, haystacks, buildings and even knocked out CONTINUED OVERLEAF...

(i) 75mm tanks will be used to neutralize anti-tank guns in the battle that have not been located previously by reconnaissance or air photographs, and therefore not already accounted for in the support artillery fire programme.

75mm tanks will watch assaulting Churchills closely, and keep watch for anti-tank guns on the flanks. If they do not spot the gun themselves it will be indicated to them by the Churchills. (ii) Immediately the objective is taken by infantry and [6 pounder] Churchills, the 75mm tanks will race to it and engage the enemy targets that are always exposed by the taking of an objective. These targets

Reticle from No. 22 telescope sight for QF 6pdr Mk III (tank mount with additional Besa MG range marks), as fitted to Churchills. Range was given by commander and not, as in German technique, autonomously calculated and applied by gunner from known target assumptions divided by reticle pattern widths. British technique was therefore slower, and relied on firstround hits at battle ranges (up to 500yds), at which AP ammo was effective at penetrating heavier German armour, obviating leads and range-finding after early ’43 adoption of ‘centre of mass aiming’ to maintain speed of engagement. Strickland nevertheless wanted technique improved to operate at longer ranges.

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tanks. The enemy will always find it hard to hit you if you in a really weak place if your are hidden. If solid cover is not at hand, find visual cover. Everything helps.

4. Get on with the battle – this may mean directing infantry or artillery onto the anti-tank gun.

“The Germans say that we, the British, use smoke under all conditions and that our smoke is good, but they have discovered that we are reluctant to move from behind it. In consequence German anti-tank gunners and machine-gun crews have been trained to fire all their weapons into the middle of all British smoke screens. Make use of the few minutes of temporary safety that it gives you to move to a position of safety. In fact, one of the best ways of dealing with machine-gun posts and anti-tank guns is for the tanks to keep them smoked until the infantry are close enough to assault with the bayonet or throw grenades.

“Don’t waste precious time reporting a casualty until the moment is opportune.

Remember that each crew is taught to fend for itself. It is better to capture the objective first and then return to the help of wounded comrades than to lose the battle altogether by trying to help a crippled tank on the start line.

Remember also that we have a plan and an organisation for the collection of casualties.

5. Report the casualty.

Wireless “The 19 set [Wireless Set No.19]3 is a very sound tank set and with proper attention it will ALWAYS WORK... Remember that the success of the battle depends on perfect wireless communication throughout the Regiment – that the wireless is your lifeline. If anything happens to your tank, no one can help you if they cannot hear you. Keep your batteries fully charged. The practice of running engines [to charge the batteries] at night when tanks are in the lines will cease. If a squadron has to stay out at night, then the Squadron Leader must put as many sets as possible off the air.

British Army Wireless Set Equipments in 1944-45

Sequence of Action in Battle “There is sometimes a tendency to forget the battle as soon as something difficult happens.

For example, if a tank is hit, it is sometimes patent that troop leaders lose sequence with the result that the whole troop is lost. Owing to excitement, many tanks are lost trying to save the crews of a damaged one. In a battle, when a tank is hit by an anti-tank gun it is obvious that the squadron or Regiment is in the field of the enemy’s anti-tank defensive fire so that the principle must be to speed up your attack rather than help the chap who is out of action.

You must harden yourselves to casualties and remember that the operation in hand comes before succouring the wounded. I would like you to approach the problem in this way. Leave it to the troop concerned but learn from what has happened. This should be the sequence of thought and action when a tank is hit:

No 38 Set

No 18 Set

1. The squadron notes the fact that anti-tank guns have opened up but all troops less the one that has lost a tank and its support troop continue the battle.

2. Troop leader concerned uses his remaining two tanks to try and prevent the crippled tank from being hit again. This, either by destroying the anti-tank gun if located or by smoking of the cripple.

3. He must then ensure that his two tanks are in sound positions – both may have to scurry to cover.

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No 19 A & B Set

3.

T he 19 Set was the first true ‘harness’ vehicle radio, using ‘press to speak’ and allowing two nets and intercom. Crew-wide traffic monitoring (if not also sending) was provided.. However, the VHF troop net (B Set) was not popular due to short range, and neither set would have been capable on infantry frequency bands…

4.

T he 38 Set Mk II was trialled in Italy for company-level infantry communications. The vehicle version saw introduction in lat’44, after Normandy. Until then co-operation was by face to face and pre-arranged drills, as their radio equipment was incompatible; further; co-operation was at battalion HQ level among formation-level (brigade and above assets), not as today within the Battlegroup and Combat Team.

Estimated QF 6pdr Capabilities Type

110 yds

550 yds

1,100 yds

1,600 yds

2,200 yds

(Penetrating Vertical Armour) AP

135mm 112mm

89mm 70mm 55mm

APCBC

115mm 103mm

90mm 78mm 68mm

APDS

177mm 160mm

140mm 123mm 108mm

(Penetrating 30˚ Sloped Armour) AP

?100+mm 81mm

Unknown Unknown Unknown

Table 1

“The Germans realise that we are unpractised in night fighting and, as a result, they use the cover of darkness for most of their offensive work. We cannot afford to make noise at night as in night fighting one depends on hearing.

If you run tank engines at night, no-one for miles around will be able to hear anything else and the enemy will guide himself by your noise. Remember also that the 19 set makes a loud hum. Therefore, at night, I want you to have just one set on and arrange for visual or oral alarm signals.

Artillery “Every tank commander must be able to direct and correct artillery. ...Von Arnim’s push on Beja in March 1943 was held by artillery, directed and corrected by the commands of nine Churchills. A number of enemy tanks (some of them Tigers) were destroyed or abandoned. On another occasion near Oued Zarga in April 1943 a Churchill troop leader controlled the fire of a medium Regiment Royal Artillery against a group of 8 German tanks including 4 Mk. Vs. Unfortunately no direct hits were registered but the heavy fire was too much for the Bosche and he withdrew rapidly leaving the Churchills in command of some 10 square miles of territory.

Mines “The mine is difficult to overcome. If we get to know mines the lifting of both S and Tellermines becomes quite a simple matter.

The anti-tank mine is probably the finest weapon the Germans have against our tanks. In the big set-piece battle, where there is a known enemy minefield, sappers are produced to clear lanes for us but by far the majority of casualties due to mines have been

due to the unknown minefield. The Germans show a distinct tendency not to shell their own minefields and enemy mines have been picked up quite openly even in view of the enemy. The hull gunner or co-driver is best positioned to dismount and clear mines and all co-drivers will be so trained. ...You must also learn something about British minefields.

Learn where they are and if you are supporting infantry, particularly in static warfare, always take the trouble to ask your troop or squadron leader where the British mines are. If he doesn’t know, insist that he finds out. Far too many British tanks have been knocked out on their own minefields. If you are anywhere near infantry, ask if they have put down any Hawkins grenades. This grenade will blow the track and a couple of bogies off a Churchill.

Street Fighting “The enemy usually lays mines at crossroads and the crossroads are usually covered by a 75mm anti-tank gun. The mines are well buried and when a tank is stopped by the mines, it is knocked out by the anti-tank gun.

Sometimes anti-tank guns are sited in cellars but usually they are outside the town with a good field of fire. You can’t use mine detectors so you have to take the risk. When you have to cross over crossroads, go absolutely flat out, even if this means reversing down the street you have just traversed to get the necessary 300 yds run. The mines will probably shift your tracks, but the momentum will probably carry you into the cover of the buildings at the far side of the road and you will not be a sitting target for the anti-tank gun.

“Tanks alone cannot take a town or village but tanks, infantry and artillery can, so we

shall always be supporting infantry in street fighting. Remember the German magnetic beehive and parachute bomb. Make sure when you plan to move your tanks that the infantry are going to watch them. In street fighting, we shall probably use a few tanks at a time. We lose formation and cannot operate as a troop.

“A lot of nonsense is talked about knocking houses down with tanks. The Sherman is reported to knock down houses very effectively and there is no doubt that the Churchill could knock them down even more effectively but don’t forget that most European houses have cellars and if you knock down a house, you might find yourself in a cellar with the house itself on top of you and unable to get out.

Pillars supporting balconies can be struck a glancing blow with the back of the tank and will perhaps cause the house to collapse, but remember that piles of rubble will stop your tank. It is much more preferable to set fire to the house with high explosive ammunition or smoke “In ordinary battle on good ground it is difficult enough to keep contact with infantry.

In street fighting the problem becomes even more difficult but we shall have the 38 set [Wireless Set No. 38]4 and this set has proved very effective in Ortona.

Feeding in the field “Latest reports from Italy indicate that this is a very grave problem particularly when laying out in support of infantry for long periods. Tanks are divorced from their A Echelon vehicles and one case is reported where men did not get their food for six days.

CONTINUED OVERLEAF...

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In the future, 6 Pounder ammunition boxes will be used as food boxes. There will be two boxes for each tank with tank and troop numbers pointed on them and a reserve in the A Echelon. The boxes will be filled at night and sufficient boxes for a complete squadron can be carried in one jeep. They contain 24 hrs. rations and there is also room for E.F.I. issues.

The S.Q.M.S. will not return until every box has been delivered to its tank. The tank crew will hand over their empty box for the full one. This system must always be used.

“In battle, it is sometimes impossible to get out of the tank, but it is quite safe to cook in the co-driver’s seat.

Evacuation of Tanks in Battle “First consider your tank as a fighting machine and what you have to do with it to complete your task. You have the right to save your lives if your tank is rendered useless. If your tank is on fire, you cannot hope to carry out any sort of evacuation drill [which was a set of procedures to make the tank and its weapons un-useable by the enemy and also to secure the removal of radio codes] and you should get out your tank as quickly as you can. Try to take a weapon with you, but don’t worry about anything else. I don’t want you to risk your lives trying to carry out an evacuation drill when your tank is on fire. If your tank is knocked out and is not on fire, then the normal evacuation drill should be carried out. If it seems likely that your tank will fall into enemy hands, try to destroy it completely. Set it on fire, take out the striker mechanism [the firing pin element of the main gun], Besa breach block, remove maps and coder [Slidex codes wallet], throw a grenade into the wireless set.

Shelling and Mortaring “You will get shelled and you will get mortared.

Always report back. Sometimes British guns have shelled British tanks and British guns will go on shelling British tanks unless the tanks report it and get it stopped. Even if you get a curt reply to information you have sent back, keep on reporting all you see in your area.

German Tanks “I think it could be said quite fairly that the Germans have, to a good extent, used their tanks more cleverly in some ways than we have. We do not camouflage our tanks properly. If future, the moment you become stationary, even if only for ten minutes, you 96

will camouflage your tank. You must try to make your tank merge into the background.

Materials used for camouflage should be fastened to the tank. If you are in scrub try to find a position where your camouflage will not be higher than the surrounding scrub. Don’t forget to camouflage the barrel of the gun, but always ensure that the camouflage does not interfere with your sights. A well camouflaged tank can be moved very, very slowly and yet remain undetected.

5. Movement of tanks – you will eituher be stationary or going flat out. The faster you go the harder it is for the anti-tank gun to hit you. Turret down, unless you are actually shooting. Ensure that someone is supporting you and then flat out for the next position.

Shooting at German Tanks

7. Lying out – we may sometimes have to lie out in support of infantry for many days and nights. Don’t stay out unless you make a definite fire plan. It may be essential that some of the tanks switch off their wireless transmission sets to conserve batteries for the next day’s operation, and so there must be a proper alarm system. There must always be one man awake and he should be armed with a tracer machine-gun and have his head out of the turret.

“We have been taught, quite rightly, to shoot at what we call ‘within the battle range’. If you are in a good position and German tanks are moving towards you, hold your fire until they are within nice range and you know that you can smash them. If they stand off at 2,000 – 2,500 yds and shell your positions with high explosive ammunition and don’t show any tendency to come forward, I want you to fire at them. This also applies to enemy tanks moving across your front. They may be doing a reconnaissance or feeling their way back for an attack, and you might frighten them off.

There will be occasions, however, when you are hiding for a special purpose and in such cases, you will hold your fire and not give your positions away.

Tactics “Within the troop, tanks must always be supported, whatever type of battle is being fought. There must be a drill within the troop to ensure all-round observation. When given a task, always ask “who is going to support me?”

The following points are reiterated for emphasis: 1.

We exist to support infantry and we must never say “no” when asked to do something by the infantry. If the infantry’s suggestion is impracticable then you will find an alternative method of doing what they want.

2. Plan for all round observation within the troop.

3. Arrange for infantry to indicate targets to you by using Bren or rifle tracer.

4. Never get angry with the infantry. If the infantry don’t turn up at the start line at the proper time, remember that things which won’t hurt you will hurt the infantry, and perhaps stop them.

6.

Closed down or open – depends on situation, use your common sense. If there is any question of you being overlooked by high ground or buildings, close down.

8. Defence against gas and flame throwers – make sure your respirator [gas mask] [consider break out box on gas mask] is always in good order and always with you.

The German tank flame thrower is not very effective against tanks. It is carried on Mk. IIIs and has to get within 75 yds and a German Mk. III at 75 yds is the tank commander’s dream of a perfect target.

9. Avoid wadis they are usually mined and you will find yourself ditched and trapped.

Remember that warfare must be flexible.

Don’t religiously keep to your course-line if the going is bad. Even if you have to move 500 yds off it, do so. The Churchill will climb better than any other tank; use the high ground to jockey the enemy out of his positions. Longstop Hill was captured and the complete garrison surrendered when one Churchill reached the summit.

By climbing you will outwit the enemy antitank guns.

“The old expression “good tank ground” must be forgotten. The best going for tanks is obviously covered by anti-tank guns and heavily mined. Avoid the obvious approach. It may take longer to use bad going but you will attain your object.”

Field, 24 April 1944

RECORD OF DEATHS Carter-Jonas, Richard. Died 19 August 2018, aged 83 Fagg, Sgt Edward Charles. Died 9 November 2018, aged 81 Holroyd, Capt Richard. Died 23 November 2018, aged 84 Kaczmarz, S/Sgt Wladyslaw (Kaz). Died 4 December 2018 Savage, Tpr Bryan Frederick. Died 4 January 2019 Skelton, RSMI John. Died 10 January 2019 Richards, Cpl David. Died 20 January 2019 Adams, Capt Chris. Died 22 January 2019 Wolmer, Eric. Died 27 January 2019 Newman, Tpr John William. Died 1 February 2019, aged 90 Paulley, Trumpet Major/Sgt Stephen. Died 5 February 2019 Davis, Tpr Rodger. Died 8 February 2019 Alford, Cpl Ken. Died 16 February 2019, aged 87 Ellis, Tpr Stephen Paul. Died 24 February 2019 Bloomfield, Maj Peter. Died 25 February 2019, aged 87 Towlson, Sgt Albert John. Died 27 February 2019, aged 95 Gulland, Andrew. Died 9 March 2019, aged 81 Messenger, Maj Charles TD. Died 20 March 2019 Wilby, Sgt John Edward. Died 27 March 2019 Chater, Lt Col Robin Kentish MBE. Died 29 March 2019 Rutherford, Cpl Bill. Died April 2019, aged 76 Hewer, E P. Died 28 April 2019 Smith, Cpl Peter. Died 2 May 2019 Lucas. Tpr Arthur Michael. Died 6 May 2019 Daniels, Brian. Died 9 May 2019 Fiddes, Tpr Francis Vincent. Died 14 May 2019, aged 89 Marchant, SSgt Brian George. Died 28 May 2019 Laurence-Smith, Lt Col John OBE. Died May 2019 Thompson, WO1 (RSM) Leonard. Died 26 May 2019, aged 90 Philips, S/Sgt John. Died June 2019, aged 85 Morrison, SSgt Keith (Bruno). Died 3 June 2019 Dudley, Maj Kenneth. Died 6 June 2019 Ditchburn, Barry. Died 8 June 2019, aged 77 Morrell, Ernest. Died 8 June 2019 Prater, Geoffrey Bernard. Died 9 June 2019 Dowler, Lt Bertram Jude (Bert). Died 10 June 2019, aged 94 Parker, Tpr Allan Bertram. Died 17 June 2019 Coyne, Tpr Keith Peter. Died 20 June 2019 Beddow, Tpr Leonard. Died 27 June 2019, aged 95 Beardsworth, Maj Gen Simon. Died 8 July 2019, aged 90 Martyn, Sgt Charles William. Died 11 July 2019 Fowle, Cpl Harry. Died 13 July 2019, aged 68 Pearson, Cpl Bryan. Died 17 August 2019 Kay, Ron. Died 4 September 2019, aged 81 Cartlidge, Cpl Michael. Died 15 September 2019 Stephens, Cpl Graham. Died 16 September 2019, aged 83 Hedges, Charles. Died 22 September 2019 Gill, LCpl Colin Joseph Bert. Died 28 September 2019, aged 88 Downing, Ronald Earnest. Died 28 November 2019, aged 100

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OBITUARIES WO1 Roger Michael Allen 1934 – 2018 WO1 Roger Michael Allen was born on 25 July 1934 in the St Faiths district of Norwich and passed away to The Green Fields Yonder in the James Paget Hospital in Gorleston Great Yarmouth on the 26 May 2018 after a debilitating illness. He is survived by his wife Jennifer, 6 Children, 16 Grandchildren and 12 Great Grandchildren, a much loved and respected head of an ever extending family who was always available to advise or lend a hand and he is greatly missed by us all.

As a family the Allen’s were stationed, at various military bases throughout Germany and the United Kingdom ( In no particular order) these included Detmold, Catterick, Fallingbostel, Wolfenbuttel, Aldershot, Torquay (recruiting), Bulford, Bielefeld, Hohne, Chertsey and there may be some we have missed.

Roger joined the Royal Tank Corp at the age of 18 in 1952 and soon found himself joining the regiment in Kenya. On returning from Kenya to Germany he left the army and went to work for Service Heating Company, however the call of the regiment was too strong and he re-enlisted in 1957 and returned to join the regiment in Detmold, where he was later joined by his family.

Throughout his army career Roger represented the regiment in Boxing, Athletics (High Jump, Hurdles & Long Jump) he also played football, he was a great sportsman. Roger was sent to Torquay in the 60’s to help man the recruiting office and from there he returned with his family to 3rd Tanks where he remained until 1975 when he was attached to the Army Air Corp in Netheravon. From here he went to

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Aldershot for a short time until around 1977 when the new Longcross Barracks were built in Chertsey where he took up the post of RSM of MVEE which is where he expected to finish his Army career. However in 1979 he was offered a posting to Hohne as the GSM which he accepted. During the 70’s he also had short tours in Canada, Italy and Northern Ireland.

Then In 1980 Roger made a further move to take up the job of Assistant Station Staff Officer at the Catterick Barracks in Bielefeld, where his crowning glory was to be awarded an MBE in the Queens Birthday Honours list 1984 for establishing strong community relations between service personnel and their families and the local residents of Bielefeld.

This was Rogers final posting and he left the army in 1987 after 31 years of excellent and loyal service.

On retiring from the Army Roger settled in Suffolk with his wife Jennifer, but rather than ‘hang up his boots’ and retire, he set up a Taxi firm which he later sold. He then worked in security until he finally retired in 2004. In his later years he enjoyed going on line and catching up with his friends and colleagues on the Tank web site but he became saddened by the fact that his friends and colleagues were passing on.

We would like to say a big Thank you to the regiment for providing the RTR standard for Rogers coffin. Also thanks to Denis Fisher who attended Rogers celebration of life, having been one of our neighbours in Fallingbostel it was good to catch up with him again. Also many thanks to the standard bearers from the Royal British Legion (Lowestoft Branch) who attended and stoically remained throughout the service in very hot conditions.

Roger had a caring, lovable and gentle nature and a great pride in his families achievements.

He would always say, “Once a Tankie always a Tankie”. He was our families Hero.

Cpl Kenneth Alford 1932 – 2019 In February 2019, Medway branch lost a long serving member.

Ken Alford was born in July 1932 in Orpington Kent. After working in a local bakery, Ken was ‘called up’ and joined 6 RTR. He served in UK and Germany. On demob, he rejoined the bakery as a maintenance engineer. He married Sylvia and had 2 children. He enjoyed fishing, bowls and of course the RTR Association, where he seldom missed a branch meeting or event. Ken suffered with ill-health for many years refusing to let others be aware of his pain. He passed to ‘The Green Fields’ on February 16 2019 with his family around him. The Chapel at his funeral was full which is testament to his popularity. Medway branch formed a Guard of Honour at the Chapel and the branch Standard was lowered in salute to a well respected friend. Ken is sadly missed.

May he rest in peace.

Andrew Gulland 1938 – 2019 Andrew Gulland died on 9 March 2019 a few days after his 81st birthday. Andrew served in 6 RTR for his National Service in 1956/7 in Libya and Cyprus. A very likeable selfcontained man, he went on to work for Dalgetty for many years. A good golfer, poet and expert fly fisherman Andrew is survived and sorely missed by his second wife Pauline and her children and grandchildren.

He was given a good send-off by about 100 friends at his Church and then afterwards at his Golf Club at Henleaze in Bristol. His time with 6 RTR in Libya was mentioned in a couple of his eulogies. He was a man of whom it could be said ‘Still waters run deep.’

Maj George Riordan 1937 – 2019 George Vincent Ian Riordan was born into a military family, as the eighth of nine children, in Northallerton on 21 January 1937.

It was George VI’s coronation year, which is the reason George’s patriotic father ensured he had the initials GVIR. As a schoolboy, he loved all sport.

His record time for the cross-country course remains unbeaten to this day. He was also a keen and successful equestrian, winning many a rosette at shows and gymkhanas. He was particularly proud to have ridden out on a horse named Teal, which went on to win the National in 1952. He often recounted a further event of those days, when he witnessed a German bomb narrowly missing his school.

Only two years before he died, George gave a presentation to his old school about the mayhem this caused, and presented to the school a replica model of the bomber.

Aged fifteen, George joined the Army through the Junior Leaders Regiment RAC. Two years later he joined A Vehicle Troop of the Seventh in Catterick. His Troop Leader at the time recalls how he was “a real handful”, but a man who “re-emerged quickly as a natural leader and a huge asset”. After a two-year attachment to the Lowland Yeomanry in Edinburgh, he returned to RD with 2 Troop A Squadron 4 RTR in Lemgo. The squadron role was to carry B Coy 1A&SH, and George became a LCpl Saracen Commander. His then Troop Leader remembers his impatient desire for more rapid advancement, and the resultant threat to apply for a discharge. His Squadron Leader, the late Ken Macksey MC, proceeded to march George around the various elements of the Independent Squadron, encouraging him to stay on the basis that, one day, he could

be in charge of any or all of it. It was a shrewd move. George stayed, and the Regiment was the winner.

After seeing active service with the Fourth in Aden and the Radfan, George returned to the JLR in 1964 as an Outward Bound instructor, followed by further RD with the Fourth in the Armoured Recce role in Herford.

The Regiment then moved to Hohne, where George served from 1968-1971, including two emergency tours to Northern Ireland.

His then Commanding Officer remembers, just prior to the first Op Banner tour in 1971, that George, as one of his very best SNCOs, was selected to become SQMS C Squadron (which was not on the Banner ORBAT). George turned down the chance, in favour of staying put in order to go to Northern Ireland. On being advised that such vacancies did not appear frequently, he was adamant that he would not “avoid the obvious privations and his duty to (his existing squadron) just for personal advancement”. His Commanding Officer was “mightily impressed”, and offered this anecdote as it “serves as a measure of the man, an exceptional soldier”.

He then went with A Squadron to Berlin as SSM. He and Barbara contributed massively to all aspects of Squadron life. A new Troop Leader at the time commends George for ”….providing a nudged elbow when required to a new Troop Leader. His advice was always spot on…”. He returned with A Squadron to RD in Muenster in 1974, from where he was posted to the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry on promotion to WO1(RSM). He was commissioned in 1976, serving as Families Officer, MTO and as 2i/c G Sqn. He will always be remembered for the way in which he handled outsize problems as Rear Party Families Officer during the 1977 Op Banner tour to Belfast City Centre. He was rewarded by his own trip to that city when he was appointed Adjutant and QM to Belfast UOTC in 1979. He returned finally to RD as

QM(T) in Tidworth, followed by Osnabruck, where he became QM. He took early retirement in 1986. He and Barbara returned to Yorkshire, to anything but a quiet life. He took up the post of Admin Officer with the TA (Green Howards), and became passionately involved with World War 1 history, inspired in part by his father’s capture at the Menin crossroads in 1914.

He became a member of the Battlefield Guides Association, leading many a tour to the Somme and elsewhere. He was thrilled to have been invited to read the exhortation at the Menin Gate Service in 2007. He joined the Hambleton History Group and Northallerton History Society. He researched the Commonwealth War Graves on behalf of the five villages surrounding Northallerton, presenting his detailed findings to each of them in turn. He and Barbara travelled widely around the world, from New Zealand to Alaska. He completed the summit walk of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and dived the Great Barrier Reef. He shared his competitive love of sport with his sons, Ian and Martyn, and there was much hilarity on the golf course. He loved his dogs, walking miles in the countryside in all weathers, stopping to chat with those he met along the way.

It was not generally known that George suffered two brain hemorrhages during his life – one in 1969, and the other in 2007. On each occasion, he confounded his doctors by making a full recovery. In February 2018, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lung cancer. He calmly and bravely accepted the news, but remained characteristically determined to beat it. Sadly it got the better of him, and he died, surrounded by his family, on 10 September 2018.

George was, in all respects, a truly inspirational man.

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Lt. BJ “Bert” Dowler Late 1 & 8 RTR 1924 – 2019 Bertram “Bert” Dowler was born in on 28 October 1924, experiencing a classically disrupted Second World War childhood, evacuated from Birmingham to Monmouth in 1941, where he attended Haberdashers’ Monmouth School and became a member of the Home Guard. Previously, he had attended King Edward VI Grammar School Birmingham from 1934-41 followed by the Royal Society of Arts Birmingham, then commencing a commercial career with Birmingham Small Arms Co. Ltd (BSA).

During his time in the Home Guard, he defended the River Monnow bridge with a Bren gun without any ammunition and it was at this stage, that Bert concluded he needed to step up his military contribution!

Since the Home Guard and Fire watching duties failed to address Bert’s desire to represent his country, on 23 November 1943, he volunteered to join the Royal Armoured Corps. As the story goes, it was going to be the RAC or he wasn’t going to volunteer.

Bert provided two explanations as to why the RAC was important to him – the first being that he loved playing with toy tanks as a child and secondly, he described a relative who served in the First World War and who had suffered badly during submarine warfare. Bert wanted some security from a metal structure but disliked the thought of being at sea.

Bert was Commissioned RAC OCTU Sandhurst, then posted 13 May to 28 August 1944 to 59th Training Regiment Tidworth; 29 August – 15 November 1944 to 1 RTR; 16 November to 27 June 1945 to 1st Royal Gloucestershire Hussars; 28 June 1945 to 7 December 1945 to 155 RAC and 8 December 1945 to 8 RTR. Bert joined the Normandy campaign in August 1944 as Tank Troup Leader and also served as Regimental Transport Officer and Regimental Messing Officer. He served in HQ and A Squadrons and also led reconnaissance missions to capture V1 and V2 operatives and scientists, who then went on to work for NASA in the USA. He then fought through Geel, Mol, 100

Eindhoven and onto s’Hertogenbosch (which left some vivid memories of tank warfare) in support of Operation Market Garden with A Squadron, 1 RTR. Following the European conflict, Bert was stationed in Graz Austria, Trieste Italy, Cairo Egypt, Rafah and Hadera Palestine and finally, Zarqa and Amman Transjordan in 1946.

Sadly, there is an amazing coincidence that it is important to share. Geoff Prater, famed for the book “A Troopers Tale”, who served with Bert in 1946, died on the 9 June 2019, just 24 hours before Bert. We are certain that they are sharing a “brew up” together now!

Although he would never have shown them off, alongside the war medals that Bert was proud to receive, he was also awarded the Medal of Liberation from Kingdom of Netherlands in 2009 and the Chevalier in the Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur in 2015.

During his wartime and military service, Bert loved playing rugby for both regimental and combined forces teams. Departing the military in 1947, Bert re-started his commercial career and enjoyed playing rugby for Bedford Rugby Club.

He was grateful to have survived his war and military service and deeply respectful of those who had not.

As a consummate commercial relationship manager, Bert had a highly successful sales career in local, national and international breweries; car dealerships and beers, wines and spirits distributors. He was recognised for outstanding levels of customer service. He retired at 75 and became a valuable member of his Banbury town community, culminating in being asked to switch on the Christmas Lights in 2017.

As a soldier, his primary desire was to achieve challenging objectives and ensure the welfare of his men, and he continued to have this attitude throughout his 55 years as Founding Chairman of the Oxford Branch of the Royal Tank Regiment Association.

Bert was responsible for numerous welfare interventions and he organised many memorable Cambrai Dinners and latterly, Cambrai Lunches. Bert was recognised by The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal 30 Year Award for Poppy Appeal funds generated and numerous welfare interventions.

His military experience shaped the rest of his life, and anyone who knew him - even in his nineties - would see how his days as an officer, shaped the way in which he conducted himself.

Bert’s funeral took place on Thursday 20 June at 12.00 noon at St Mary’s Church, Banbury and was very well attended by ex-military, the RTR Associations, local dignitaries and friends from the town.

He will be remembered fondly by his many friends and is survived by his sons Stuart and Nigel and his grandchildren James, Matt and Tom and his great-granddaughter Agnes.

Richard Francis Carter Jonas 1935 – 2018 Richard Carter Jonas died at his home following a short illness, on 19 August 2018, aged 83 years. During the late 1950s he had been a National Service Officer with the 6th Royal Tank Regiment in Libya (Barce and Homs) and Cyprus at the time of the EOKA insurgency.

The youngest of three brothers, Richard was born in Cambridge on 1 June 1935 and was educated at Charterhouse School. Following completion of his National Service in 1959, he went on to read for his degree in Estate Management at King’s College, Cambridge before joining the long established Carter Jonas family firm of chartered surveyors initially in Cambridge working as a Land Agent for his father and subsequently moving to their offices in Oxford. He spent his entire working life with Carter Jonas in Oxford, and indeed was the last family member with the firm. Essentially Richard was a Land Agent, specialising in farming and forestry management as an agricultural surveyor.

His responsibilities were countrywide.

Richard became a Crown Receiver and was also appointed Land Agent for the Oxford Preservation Trust and later made a Trustee and Vice Chairman. Unsurprisingly, he soon made his mark and became both very successful and highly regarded for his integrity and the quality of his work.

On retirement Richard had more time in which to pursue his many and varied interests, including botanical, historical and archaeological subjects, gardening, shooting and his passion for all forms of sport, primarily football and cricket at both of which

he had excelled at school. Indeed, we spent many enjoyable summers together watching England play at Lords.

Richard counted one of his proudest achievements in retirement to be his work with the Oxford Preservation Trust, especially his involvement in the development of Oxford Prison after it closed into a hotel, restaurant and education centre. Arguably, however, Richard would say his greatest interest had been to do with historic silver; he was a member and subsequently a committee member, of the Silver Society for very many years during which he earned an enviable reputation as an expert on historic silver.

Richard was a kind and generous man, rarely without his friendly trademark smile and sunny disposition. It was no surprise therefore that he should have been so popular with fellow officers and soldiers alike during his time with the Regiment. Likewise, it was a measure of his very genuine loyalty to the past that he would attend the 6 RTR Officers ‘biannual reunion lunches almost without fail, for nigh on twenty years. He will be greatly missed by his Regimental friends.

Richard’s Funeral was on the 4 September last year, at St. Mary’s Church, Uffington, followed by interment at St. Faith’s, Shellingford, and the service was well attended by family and friends, including colleagues from the Sixth.

Our sympathy and thoughts are with Richard’s widow Imogen and daughter Helen, as well as other members of his Family. A particular sadness was that Richard never saw his granddaughter, Esther Frances, born a year to the day after his funeral.

Maj Peter Bloomfield 1931 – 2019 Peter was born in August 1931 at Stoke Newington. Within a month he took his first train journey on the old North London Railway (NLR) from Highbury to Hampstead Heath to be shown off to paternal grandparents; his interest, some might suggest obsession, in the NLR was to remain with him for the rest of his life.

He lived in Shoreham by Sea (West Sussex) and was educated at Steyning Grammar School, he was also in the Air Training Corps so it was unsurprising that his first job in 1948 was swinging Tiger Moth propellers at Shoreham airport.

In November 1949 conscription beckoned so he reported to a hutted camp in Catterick.

He wrote ‘It was cold, damp and miserable.

The only redeeming feature was that the 8th Royal Tank Regiment was in the training regiment role. For six weeks I was drilled and generally mucked around. I was supposed to go on Christmas leave but because I was tall and those days smartly turned out I and five others had our leave cancelled so we could do a ceremonial guard at District Headquarters.

We got away for New Year though.’

On returning from leave he was supposed to start training as a tank driver but the RAC had a shortage of clerks. ‘I was asked if I wanted to be a clerk, presumably because I had school certificate. It was January with snow on the ground and there were 35 ton slabs of freezing armour plate in the shape of Comet tanks in open tin shack hangars beckoning me; and the sight of Army clerks sitting in huts next to combustible stoves; and that is how I became a clerk.’

On completion of clerical training, 8 RTR decided they wanted to keep him and he was promoted LCpl. Peter rapidly rose to Sgt and was based in Paderborn where he was married to Luise in 20 Nov 1954 (the anniversary of Cambrai).

Postings to HQ BAOR in Rheindahlen and

7 RTR in Hohne followed and in Mar 1959 became part of 4 RTR in Hohne when they were amalgamated with 7 RTR. In 1960 he moved to Berlin just in time for the Berlin Wall to be put up. He subsequently served again in Hohne and then Edinburgh, Aden, Malaya, Bovington and then to the Personnel Branch at Stanmore in 1969.

He was commissioned at Lt Feb 1971 and became 2IC HQ Sqn, 4 RTR in Hohne followed by a move with 4RTR to Catterick as captain asst adjt. He moved to RAC Records in Jan 1973 looking after soldiers’ postings before returning to 4 RTR for the last time in 1976 until Mar 1979; he became OC HQ Sqn, the first chief clerk in 4 RTR to become a squadron leader. He completed his uniformed service as a Wing Commander at the MCTC in Colchester. He used to joke about how he had gone from squadron leader to wing commander without leaving the Army but without changing his rank or pay either!

On leaving the Army in 1984 he became an MOD civil servant for 7 years finally retiring in Dec 1991, a magnificent total of 42 years with the Army, 35 of them in uniform.

Retirement released him to satiate the bug he caught as a baby; he spent the rest of his life playing with his train set including scratch building rolling stock, and spending numerous hours at The National Archives, where he eventually became a Volunteer.

During these three years, researching the history and railwaymen and women of the North London Railway, he researched over 9000 employees.

Such was his notoriety as the font of all NLR knowledge, he was asked for permission by Heritage England, to relocate the NLR WW1 memorial to its current location at Hoxton station. https://www.railwaymen-nlr. org.uk/great-war/war-memorial/ Peter leaves behind his widow Luise, children Linda and Martin and, so far, two further generations.

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Maj Kenneth Dudley Ken’s first experience of the military was when he joined the Home Guard after Dunkirk joining 22 Counter Attack Company South Staffs as a Lance Corporal and training in various skills such as building the first versions of IEDs! Mostly however their duties were to guard the power stations.

In 1942 he joined the Army and was transferred to the 48th Training Regiment in Bovington, before going to Sandhurst in 1945. 10 Troop was the last wartime intake to pass out, the parade being taken by Princess Elizabeth. He joined the 8th Royal Tank Regiment in Norfolk and was to spend the next eighteen months travelling to Austria, guarding POW camps and being sent on an equitation course, qualifying as a cavalry officer while wearing an RTR cap badge! It was then on to Trieste in Italy and finally to Palestine via Egypt. In Egypt the regiment was issued with Sherman tanks loaded onto war flats and travelled to Palestine over the swing bridge on the Suez Canal. They eventually returned to Egypt and were shipped back to England. In 1947 the 8th were posted to Catterick, Ken had married Kay and they settled into married life with the regiment. In 1952 Ken served with the 1st and in 1954 served for two years with a Dutch regiment 4th Battalion Zware Tanks based in Amersfort. At the end of this tour Ken was posted to the 4th and remained 4th till he retired.

In 1956 he was posted to MI10, internationally an interesting time but in-between dealing with cold war threats Ken found himself being given the task to design the guns for the film ‘The Guns of Naverone”. After another stint with the 4th as a Squadron Leader Ken then went to IFVME at Kidbrook where he was in his element trialling and testing new vehicles and equipment including taking a ACP for a swim across Lake Bala!

In 1966 he joined the ETW at Bovington Camp where he was able to continue his fascination with developing tests and trials on pieces of equipment, large and small. One invention was remotely controlling a Chieftain tank at the end of a cable to assist with deep wading 102

experiments, the idea being able to drive tanks across riverbeds. He also redesigned the headsets and microphones for the Clansman helmet, finally reducing the damage to hearing by firing tank shells. He retired in 1971 to work for Amplivox and finally RACAL further developing headsets for all branches of the military. After full retirement he continued to invent and design, building an extension to the house, creating working models of ships and planes, painting and even creating special jumpers for his grandson’s regimental ski team!

He is survived by his daughter Alana, grandchildren Dominic (who recently commanded the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards) and Kirsty and great grandchildren Oliver and Poppy.

John (Jack) Edward Wilby John Edward Wilby died on the 27 March 2019. John, better known as Jack, enlisted on 3 September 1942 and was posted to the General Service Corps for initial training at Beverly. He went on to have a distinguished career, being awarded the Miltary Cross in action during 1944.

His career is as follows: 14 October 1942 Jack was posted to 53 Training Regiment Royal Armoured Corps at Beverly, on 3 March 1943 he was then posted to 51st RTR at Catterick.

Six months later Jack was stationed at 2nd Lothians and Border house, North Africa on 21 September 1943. Jack was awarded the Military Medal 7 December 1944. On the 10 November 1945 he was then posted to 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry, Italy. Whilst there he was promoted to Paid Acting Sergeant on 9 July 1946.

On 22 July 1947 Jack was transferred to the reserve and Northumberland Hussars. A year later on 14 July 1957 Jack was discharged.

The funeral was 2 May 2019 at Pontefract Crematorium.

Jack leaves behind his Son’s, Michael & Frank.

Cpl Harry Fowle 1951 – 2019 In July 2019, Medway branch said ‘Farewell’ to a great chap. Harry Fowle had finally succumbed to great pain and suffering having fought it for several years. Harry was born in May 1951 and was one of 9 children. He served in 2 RTR in UK and Germany. Harry was seldom without a smile on his face and enjoyed a pint and a good laugh with friends. He was a good branch member, only missing a meeting when physically unable to do so. Harry celebrated his birthday each year, with a BBQ in his garden in Hadlow, Kent. He invited all his family and branch members to what was always a great afternoon and evening event. Harry’s wife, Donna, and his children always made his friends feel at home when visiting Harry. His last few months were spent in a Hospice in Kent, where he confounded the medical staff several times, by seemingly recovering from illness before slipping back again. Harry was finally beaten by his illness and went to ‘The Green Fields’ on 13 July 2019. His funeral service was held in St. Mary’s Church in Hadlow and he was laid to rest in the cemetery.

Harry’s friends and family packed the church and 20 members of Medway and London branches attended with both branch Standards being lowered at the graveside in salute to a brave and popular friend. May he rest in peace.

John William Newman 1928 – 2019 John was born in a cottage on the outskirts of Tetbury, Gloucestershire.

He was one of 6 children – 2 boys and 4 girls.

Leaving school at the age of 14 with minimal qualifications, he started work as a plumber`s mate to bring in money to help support the family.

His interest in the Army started when he joined the Army cadets aged 16 in 1944. He obviously enjoyed the experience since this led him to joining the Army.

On 21 May 46, John was medically examined at Gloucester and passed with flying colours.

Following this, he enlisted in the General Service Corps. The certified copy of attestation was filled in at the Gloucester recruitment office during a meeting scheduled at 0900 on 21/3/46. All was approved on 20/5/46.

Obviously having an interest in engineering and machinery, his preferred service regiments were listed as the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery and the Royal Engineers He enlisted officially for a period of 5 years service + 7 in the army reserve on 29 May 1946 “in the General Service Corps for subsequent service in the Royal Armoured Corps” His Initial training was with the 54th training regiment RAC During his time serving his country, John trained in Army as “Driver” for class B3 vehicles for which his commander officially listed him as “a good driver of class B vehicles”. He passed his STT for driver class 3 group B at Westdown camp on Salisbury plain on 8 June 51. This training would stand him for his lifelong career on leaving the Army.

He was a member of the Royal Tank Regiment Association (membership number 736) which he joined on 3 November 1949 with a membership fee of 5 shillings.

His home service periods were spent with the 8th Royal Tank Regiment at Catterick and Bovington and his final service record stands at 6 years 29 days with colours and 5 years 336 days in reserve He became Lance Corporal on 07/5/51 He transferred from The Royal Armoured Corps to the Army Reserve 31/07/52 entering as a Lance Corporal, the cause of the transfer being “on expiration of his period of colour service” He was finally discharged on 28 May 1958 at the rank of Trooper.

winter of 1963. Never complaining, he would get out of his bed in the middle of the night to do his duty to the public. Towards the end of his council career, he found himself in charge of the white lining truck. So, he was one of the unsung heroes of the Gloucestershire road crew, still serving the public and keeping the roads repaired and safe.

Military Conduct ñ Exemplary

When he finally retired from the council, he was approached for what was probably a dream job for most men. He became a delivery driver for the local Lotus Cars garage.

Approached because of his impeccable driving record and his careful driving manner, he delivered expensive cars all over the country.

No boy racer this man! He drove these high performance cars with care and responsibility.

Testimonial: Lance Corporal Newman has proved himself a most reliable and trustworthy man. He has been employed as, firstly as a “stoker” and during this period worked long and awkward hours without supervision.

Latterly, he has carried out the duties of a wheeled vehicle driver at which job he has given every satisfaction. He is an honest, sober and trustworthy man who carries out his duties to the best of his abilities.

On finally retiring, he had plenty of time to follow his beloved Gloucestershire County Cricket Club. Weekends would find him and Irmgard at the County Ground in Bristol, at Cheltenham College, at Wingate Gloucester or wherever else they may have been playing.

The two of them were inseparable and they looked forward to a long and happy retirement together. Unfortunately, this was not to be as Irmgard sadly died a couple of years later.

His Army service proved the making of the man both from a career and family perspective.

Whist stationed in Germany, he met and fell in love with a young fraulein called Irmgard.

When his service was over and he came back to England, Irmgard gained British citizenship and came here to be with him. They married in 1953 and had their only child, Gerard, a year later.

And so the life of a man of great integrity, honesty, loyalty and kindness came to an end after 90 years. Born in Tetbury, he died peacefully in his home – still in Tetbury.

The final assessment dated 2 June 1952 by his Commanding officer on his release from service stated:

John continued his driving career to support his family, firstly driving for Leslie Rimes of Tetbury on grain deliveries and then joining Gloucestershire County Council for the rest of his career. For the most part, he drove a Foden S20 8 wheel tipper, a vehicle of which he was immensely proud. He also drove the snow plough and gritter during the winter, keeping the roads around Tetbury open and safe. He would be found out at all hours of the day and night, even through that famous

As a tribute to this career driver, expert roper and sheeter and a real Knight of the Road, he was transported to his funeral on the back of the oldest working Foden in the UK – a Gardner powered FG. His coffin was covered with the drape of the Royal Tank Regiment and the British Legion provided a standard bearer and a Bugler to play The Last Post at the crematorium.

He leaves behind his son Gerard and grandsons Steven and Tom.

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Albert John Towlson 1923 – 2019 Albert John Towlson was born 13 August 1923. He enlisted into the army on 4 May 1942, his army number was 7955829.

During 1942 to 1944 (from his Soldier’s Service Book) he passed various tests eventually becoming a Gunner Mech Group C Class III on 8 May 1943 and Driver Mech AFV Group C Class II on 18 April 1944.

Promotions:

P/A/Cpl 10/01/1946 WS/Cpl 10/04/1946 U.A.Sgt 22/07/1946 A/P/Sgt 22/07/1946

Release Certificate has various date stamps, the last of which is 4 January 1947. He was transferred to the Army Reserve with effect on 1 April 1947.

He was in one of the first tanks into that part of Normandy which was being liberated at the end of the war. (He managed to go back there several times between the late 1990s and late 2000s as part of the Normandy Veterans Group).

In 1945, he gained the Military Medal. Whilst the original citation paper has been lost in the mists of time, a copy of the local paper report from the time, which Albert’s Son, Mark has copied out is below: Services in North-West Europe Military Medal Citation as taken from the report of his wedding in the Long Eaton Advertiser dated 16 June 1945:

“During the battle for the Reichswald Forest a Churchill squadron attacked the Siegfried Line extension through the forest on the night of Febuary 8-9 1945. The night was dark, except for artificial moonlight, and unfortunately the troop commander’s tank, of which L. Corpl. Towlson is the driver, fell into a large well camouflaged dug-out. All efforts failed to extract the tank from the dug-out, with the result that it had to be left and the troop leader mounted another tank. The advance continued and the crew were left alone in the middle of this part of the forest, with no protection apart from their own personal weapons. There were many enemies left around the position, including bazooka teams, who repeatedly attacked. A spandau team worked their way towards the tank and engaged the crew, who replied with bren and sten. Later they came under enemy artillery fire. Despite all this, L. Corpl. Towlson rallied the crew together and worked unceasingly throughout the night to free the tank.

LCpl Colin Joseph Bert Gill 1931 – 2019

By this display of courage and devotion to duty in the face of the enemy, a valuable piece of equipment was saved from destruction, and furthermore was brought back into action at the earliest opportunity when it was badly needed. L. Corpl. Towlson has earned a reputation with his colleagues, and he inspired them at a time when the hazards of war were at their worst, all with a complete disregard for his own personal safety.”

Born in 1920 in India, where his father was an officer in the Royal Engineers, Robin was privately educated in England, and entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1938. He was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1940, and saw wartime service in the UK, Northern Ireland, Algeria and Italy. He received an MBE in 1947 for Meritorious Service at the 1945 crossing of the River Po, at which time he had attained the rank of Temporary Major.

L/Cpl Colin Gill (22137617) passed away peacefully on 28 September, aged 88.

A National Serviceman who after basic training in Catterick served in B Squadron 5 RTR in Hohne from 1949 – 1951. After National Service he joined the TA serving with the Paras, Royal Hampshire’s, RMP’s and RAOC finishing in the RCT in 1967 as a Lt. He settled in Southampton and loved visiting the Tank Museum in Bovington. Greatly missed by his extended family.

Lt Col Robin Kentish Chater, MBE 1920 – 2019 Robin Chater passed on 29 March 2019. His funeral was held at Wangford Church, Suffolk.

His daughter, Judy, invited people who were from the Regiment and who may have known or served with Col Robin.

Col Robin’s career commenced in 1940, where he was with 4th Armoured Brigade until 1946.

He then had varied appointments within 2RTR and 6RTR. He was also the British liaison officer at Fort Knox.

After attending Staff College, he took up an appointment as War Game Commander, with his final appointment as General Staff Officer (Grade 1), Staff Secretariat MOD until his retirement in 1970.

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F4H Taking Control of Tomorrow The aim of F4H is to develop the ability of serving and retired members of the armed forces of all ranks and status – and their spouses or partners – to manage the dramatic change in cultures when resuming civilian life, ensuring they are better able to:

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I have started college and I am in the process of applying to university.

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