Regimental Update: April 2020
Much has changed since the last update from the serving Regiment.
The Regiment is now established in Tidworth and although an operational deployment and the coronavirus means we have not yet settled into a routine, the signs are positive with a drop in notice to terminates and soldiers and officers alike embedding themselves in the local community. Our priority, however, is the health and wellbeing of all QRH soldiers and their families and we hope this update finds all members of the Association fit and well.
Over the last six months, the bulk of the Regiment has been deployed on Op CABRIT. A, B and HQ Squadrons all deployed as part of the Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup to Estonia. The Battlegroup (BG) included a multinational sub-unit which, for the first month was from the French 5th Marine Regiment before they handed over to a Company from the Danish 1st Life Guards Battalion. Op CABRIT is a NATO deterrence mission and much of the BG’s time was spent on re-writing our part in the Estonian National Standing Defence Plan, as well as identifying our battle positions towards the east and understanding the Russian threat. The tour allowed the BG to train as it had not done for many years; the BG had all its vehicles, all its soldiers and a training area it could use whenever it wanted. Whilst the BG was deployed the ROG, C and D Squadrons conducted CR2 ranges and synthetic training to prepare themselves for subsequent tours of Estonia.
Upon our return, coronavirus had hit the UK and we find ourselves in strange times. In this new era, where even Cavalry Memorial Sunday is cancelled and Regimental Trustee meetings are done by Skype, the Regiment is complying with all government directions and has currently dispersed its manpower with an extended Easter leave (or Post Operational Leave for those personnel deployed to Estonia). Only a skeleton staff remain in Tidworth. We are using technology to keep as many soldiers current and competent as possible but as we all know ‘time on tanks’ is the best training and that is hard to achieve with a two-metre social distancing rule in place. Whilst this poses a challenge in the near term, we as a Regiment have faced many challenges in the past 335 years and have yet to be found wanting, this will be no different as difficulties do not deter this Regiment. Rest assured the current crisis will pass and when it has the Regiment will stand as before; strong, united, mindful of former valour and dedicated to the pursuit of armoured excellence.
Despite the impact of the coronavirus outbreak ‘C’ Squadron were able to deploy to Estonia in good order and managed (by travelling from a secure base to a secure training area) to conduct mounted exercises with the Estonians as part of 1 Royal Regiment of Fusiliers BG. The weather has improved somewhat since the QRH BG was in Estonia, but the results remain reassuring similar. ‘C’ Squadron is proving to be every bit as adept at overrunning Estonian Army positions and unhinging their defences as ‘A’ Squadron proved to be over the winter. ‘D’ Squadron will have a very high bar to maintain when they deploy with 5 RIFLES at the end of this year. The Estonians may well be relieved when the final QRH sub-unit leaves as so far we have inflicted nothing but a string of defeats on them during our force-on-force encounters.
In May the Regiment will assume the role of the Lead Armoured Task Force (LATF). This is the Army’s high-readiness armoured force and is Defence’s first port of call should heavy forces be required to deploy anywhere in the world. The Army is keen to have its pre-eminent ground manoeuvre formation up and running as soon as possible and we (the pre-eminent Armoured Regiment) will be the unit around which it is built. Yet again we will be at the tip of the spear, poised with trained hands and sharp minds ready to serve wherever we are needed.
Major B Erskine-Naylor, Regimental Second in Command
