VIRTUAL TRAINING Adapting to life in 2020

T H E R O Y A L T A N K R E G I M E N T J O U R N A L2020Vol: 102 No: 810T H E R O Y A L T A N K R E G I M E N T J O U R N A L

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

The RTR Benevolent Fund

The RTR Benevolent Fund continues to provide extensively for the welfare of the wider Regimental Family – both in

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Editor:Major Nick Stafford

Assistant Editor:Jane Devine Accountant:Gill McManus

It is a Regimental priority to ensure that the POC list is kept up to date, with particular focus on ERE personnel to ensure that timely information on upcoming events can be received by all serving members of the regiment. It is therefore requested that all RTR personnel serving at ERE send their details to the Regimental Secretary at regtlsec@royaltankregiment.org

Regimental personalities on Ex CERBERUS

L-R: Capt P Last (Adjt), WO1 M (RSM) Richardson, Lt Col J Howard, Maj J Ferman MBE (2IC), Capt K McIlory (Ops Offr).

Please note BGHQ was operating as a household cohort for this exercise

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CONTENTS

FOREWORDSColonel Commandant Royal Armoured Corps 2Colonel Commandant Royal Tank Regiment 3SERVING REGIMENTNotes From The Commanding Officer 4Squadron Updates 5Mess Updates 15Thought for the Day – RTR Padre 15 Support Hub Update 16Pipes and Drums Update 18AFFILIATIONS & CADETS The Royal Wessex Yeomanry 211st Armoured Regiment – Australian Army 22The 12e Régiment Blindé Du Canada (12e RBC) – Canadian Army 23HMS Kent – Royal Navy 24501e Régiment De Chars De Combat – French Army 26A Coy, Kent Army Cadet Force (ACF) 28Merseyside Army Cadet Force (ACF) 29Tank Museum Update 30SPECIAL FEATURE – VIRTUAL TRAININGRTR E-sports 32Training Dispersed – Maintaining Tactical Currency Using Commercial Games 34Conceptual Training – Wargaming Using Commercial Simulation 35Tactical Training Using Simulation – Virtual Battlespace Computer Suite 36ADVENTUROUS TRAINING & SPORTSports Updates 38ARTICLESFighting an Invisible Enemy at Home 48COVID-19 Response: Working with Other Governmental Departments 50Mobile Testing Units – The Lived Experience 52‘Powering’ Innovation 53Support to Experimentation and Training – Developing Future Leaders 55Gap Year Commission 57Exercise CHEVALIER ROYALE 58Exercise IRON ACE – Competitive Mounted Gunnery on Salisbury Plain Training Area 60C-CBRN Innovation at FALCON 61Creating effective combined arms teams within the Regimental system 64A Year Attached to CYCLOPS 66Lady Blacker’s Visit 67100 Not Out! 67ARTICLES FROM EREReflections on Afghanistan 68ATDU – Voice of the Soldier, Conscience of the Army 66Armoured Training in Canada – An Outgoing ØA’s Viewpoint 68HISTORICAL ARTICLES1920 – 1940 and the Prelude to War 71Again & Again (Part 1) 75Remember the Arras Counter Stroke 21 May 1940 79The Third Battalion, The Royal Tank Regiment and the Battle for Calais, May 1940 80HOME HEADQUARTERS & ASSOCIATIONSBranches and Secretaries of the RTR Association 84Home Headquarters Update 85Announcements 86The Royal Tank Regiment Cambrai 100 – Commemorative Miniature Statue 87Branch Updates 88Serendipity and Herbert Stephen William (Bill) Alltree 98Phoning a 90-year-old and finding a Centenarian 100The Silver Tankard – A Mysterious Tale from Fifty Years Ago 101Book Reviews 106RECORD OF DEATHS 109OBITUARIES 110

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FOREWORD COLONEL COMMANDANT, THE ROYAL ARMOURED CORPS

It was reputedly the Chinese who came up with the curse, ‘May you live in interesting times’ – a curse because ‘interesting’ in this context means something between ‘turbulent’ and ‘terrifying’ – so it is ironic that the interesting times stemmed ultimately from China.

social media in a way we have not been able to before. Our plan is to harness our growing social media feeds to improve our message and extend its reach and by so doing, improve both recruiting and retention.

Having mentioned recruiting, our manning is generally good, though there is more to do. But as a Corps we should certainly be attractive to those thinking of joining us. There are opportunities to deploy our capabilities – in Mali, Estonia, the Balkans and Poland. There is convincing evidence that we are a popular choice of Arm, with five candidates for every single RAC place at Sandhurst. Those that we do accept have vindicated their selection by their outstanding performance. Recently, the top ICSC(L) student was an Armoured Corps officer, as was the Sword of Honour winner at Sandhurst in the spring. The quality of those we recruit is as good as it ever was. These are all positive factors, but I am conscious that we may well need to change as a result of the Integrated Review.

The lessons from COVID-19 show the impact to a country if not fully prepared for a threat. With ever-growing numbers of Russian armour in the Western Military District, we must maintain a sovereign and credible military capability, with the power to deter our enemies and inspire confidence in our allies. Having recently returned from Gotland,

However, the Royal Armoured Corps have risen to the challenges and as always, have stepped up to assist in this time of national crisis. We have supported Op RESCRIPT widely, including staff support in HQs, running testing centres and units on standby for COVID-19 support forces; we have worked from home without diminishing our operational output and, whilst there is always further to go, have become used to doing e-business. As Armoured Commanders we all endeavour to master the ability to monitor two nets, read a map, write a SOC (Secure Orders Card) and direct a gunner all whilst the turret is facing the opposite way to the direction of travel. These traits have been tested to new levels as we juggle the multiple technological modems that we find ourselves currently tied to.This is not to say, of course, that remote working will become the rule across the board in the future. We remain a people organisation and remote working is a reversionary mode. The camaraderie of the Royal Armoured Corps, as of the British Army in general, is one of its most precious assets. But much as we enjoy this camaraderie, we are not inward-looking. We are all linked by social media; smart phones enable instantaneous transmission of footage from anywhere in the world. We must be fully integrated with this and exploit the opportunities offered by

Sweden where I was fortunate enough to see newly delivered and highly impressive Leopard 2A5s, one could not be more struck by their approach to Total Defence. With both the Swedish and Norwegians increasing their investment in Armour, its (and therefore our) importance cannot be forgotten. This is a matter of balance to enable an all-domain capability throughout the spectrum of conflict. We ‘combined arms’ and embraced jointery to leverage capability that, as the Israelis found, was wanting during the early hours of the Yom Kippur War. We need a nationally credible armoured capability as part of that balance and can ill afford to be found wanting.

Lieutenant General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne KCVO CBE

Lieutenant General Sir E Smyth-Osbourne KCVO CBE

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FOREWORD COLONEL COMMANDANT, THE ROYAL TANK REGIMENTBrigadier G J Thompson (late RTR)

When I wrote last year’s foreword and praised the virtue of our innovative DNA, none of us imagined that the next challenge would be a global pandemic, requiring the Regiment to disperse for force protection whilst also providing direct support to the NHS response. This extended the time spent away from armour but over the coming two years, the Regiment will revert back to armour and its core operational role. Beginning in early 2021, the entire Regiment will begin to cycle through Estonia in the forward presence contribution, Op CABRIT.

Many of you will be following the current Integrated Review and may wonder whether the debate is unsettling the Regiment. I can tell you that it is not, but that does not allow us to become complacent. There are compelling arguments for the UK to invest more into the cyber and space domains. As scientific progress opens these domains they are inevitably becoming contested and it is quite right that the UK wants to have a leading global role in response. Allowing an asymmetry to exist between the UK and our adversaries in any domain is inadvisable. What is true of cyber and space is equally true of the land domain. It makes little strategic sense to disinvest in armour and permit an armoured asymmetry in order to close gaps in the cyber and space domains at a time when armoured forces face each other in Eastern Europe.

History can help us in this analysis. The French disinvested in armour at the end of World War One, believing the tank to have been a solution to the static idiosyncrasies of that war and failing to recognise it as a decisive weapon of the future. Their hasty attempt to reinvest in armour in response to German aggression in the 1930s delivered an inferior tank that was defeated with ease by German armour advancing through the Ardennes in 1940. Similarly, the US closed its armoured

programme after World War Two, believing that disinvestment in the land domain was an inevitable consequence of the development of nuclear weapons. This decision had to be reversed after early defeats by Chinese and North Korean forces at the start of the Korean War. It is important that we play a role in reminding the current generation of these earlier follies. While I cannot predict the choices Defence will make in the Integrated Review, I do not sense at this stage a threat to armour that challenges our Regiment.

One aspect of Regimental life that was not adversely impacted by COVID-19 was the winter sports season. This year, our Alpine and Nordic teams, backed by a new winter sports strategy, over-exceeded expectations. Both teams were crowned RAC Champions but then went on to improve at an unprecedented rate to peak at the Army Championships. The Princess Marina Cup is awarded annually to the Regiment with the best combined Alpine and Nordic results. In previous years we have succeeded in peaking in one or other of the disciplines but not in both concurrently. This year however, the Alpine team finished second in the Army Championships, the Nordic team ninth and these results combined led to a runners up spot in the Marina; an outstanding result, the best in 50 years, which re-asserts

the Regiment as a pre-eminent winter sports regiment. Whilst the Cavalry Cup football final had to be postponed, we were the first team to qualify for the final. For the second year in a row the Regiment was awarded the Iron Trophy, the 12 Brigade completion for overall physical fitness and physical development.

Finally, I am writing this foreword in advance of our traditional Cenotaph weekend but in the knowledge that it will be going ahead in a curtailed virtual format. This is regrettable but I do hope that it is understandable. Our priorities must be to pay our respects, to protect our veterans and to uphold the reputation of the Regiment as a professional and disciplined unit. We can do each of these with a virtual event. It will not fully compensate for the full weekend but I am confident that the rationale will be widely understood. We are pragmatic in nature and comfortable with novel solutions when faced with changing circumstances. It is a fitting Tankie response to the national situation. Let us all hope life returns to normal before next year.

Brigadier Gavin Thompson, Colonel Commandant, The Royal Tank Regiment

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NOTES FROM THE COMMANDING OFFICERLieutenant Colonel J R Howard

Recce Tp were going to be deploying in the dismounted role to the jungles of Belize whilst AJAX were taking their tanks to Finland in order to train in forest warfare against Finnish Leopard 2s and the M1 Abrams of the US Marine Corps. CYCLOPS were due to join the US Army on Exercise DIAMONDBACK, swapping out their tanks for American HMMWV and a force reconnaissance role in the Nevada Desert. FALCON had been training hard in preparation for a deployment to Estonia as a vital manoeuvre support asset for the 1RRF battlegroup. Unfortunately, the pandemic resulted in much of this activity being cancelled, introducing uncertainty in its place. However, where some doors have closed, many others have opened.The measures introduced by the government in response to COVID-19 triggered the Army to disperse the force, with most service personnel returning to their hometowns in order to conduct

Throughout 2020, COVID-19 has heavily influenced the Regiment’s activity, both directly and in its second order effects. In January 2020 the Regiment had recently transitioned into 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade, had rerolled to a Type 58 Regiment and were preparing for an exhilarating year.

lockdown and preserve our combat power. Before long however, the Regiment had been re-called in order to take part in Op RESCRIPT, the military response in support of the Government’s COVID-19 testing plan. Numerous officers and senior NCOs were embedded in NHS planning teams across the country as individual augmentees. The bulk of the Regiment focused on the training and delivery of mobile testing units (MTUs) across South West England. Small teams of Tankies, operating out of car parks and Army Reserve centres, delivered an incredible 18,000 tests to members of the British public over a period of several months. The teams executed the task in traditional Tankie fashion; without fanfare or complaint, drawing praise from local councils and reinforcing positive perceptions in what is a key recruiting area.

The unusual circumstances in which we find ourselves have only served to stoke the fires of technological and procedural innovation, (something which will feature heavily in this edition of TANK). The need to continue training during dispersal generated some truly ingenious ideas, from online virtual TEWTs to simulated squadron engagements (complete with voice procedure!) over the internet, utilising commercial wargaming software. The STREETFIGHTER 2 project continues to evolve under the stewardship of Capt Tom Quant and 2020 has produced some ground-breaking concepts. The project is now focused on our upcoming Estonia deployments and is seeking to make us more effective, lighter and faster and the team have been developing working prototypes that we will trial in theatre. To name just a few of the ideas – the ‘Wolfpack’ concept is where a tank acts as a mothership for several unmanned ground vehicles, mounting both offensive and defensive systems, achieving dispersion and generating complexity for any enemy. We have a smaller and more robust boresighting device which is able to calibrate every weapon system on the tank. A power generator that is silent, has no thermal signature and powers the whole of BGHQ on a fraction of the fuel required for the current Lightweight Field Generator. These ideas have been generated from the ‘bottom up’ by young Tprs and NCOs who are engaging and challenging these capability gaps rather than simply accepting them.

SERVING REGIMENT

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

Whilst COVID-19 has disrupted most of the sporting calendar, those fixtures which have gone ahead have delivered results. In the first month of the year, we secured first place in the Iron Trophy (for overall fitness) for the second year running and were also the first team to qualify for the Cavalry Cup final. The RTR now make up the majority of the RAC eSports team and contribute heavily to the Army squad. Of particular note are the efforts of the Regimental Alpine and Nordic ski teams who achieved the best results since the competition began. 1st in the RAC for both Alpine and Nordic with the Alpine team going on to secure 2nd place in the Army Championships. The end result was second place in the Princess Marina Cup, a trophy rarely held by a small unit and normally reserved by the larger, Corps teams. Rivalling this achievement (although perhaps less so in sporting excellence), the Officers Mess beat the Sgt’s Mess in the annual football match for the first time in serving memory. To his credit, WO1 (RSM) Upham (mostly) accepted this crushing defeat on his watch with good grace and humility whilst the Officers were (mostly) magnanimous and humble in victory.

Looking forward, the Regiment has an exciting and operationally focused 18 months ahead. As I write, RHQ is preparing to deploy on Ex CERBERUS, during which we will provide the OPFOR against 3(UK)Div in a month-long HQ exercise. On the other side of camp, AJAX and CYCLOPS are conducting final kit checks prior to deploying to Liverpool on the first city-wide COVID testing operation. In 2021, the majority of squadrons will rotate through Op CABRIT (Estonia) and we hope to integrate FALCON into the battlegroup and leverage their unique and important C-CBRN capability. BADGER will be first across the Line of Departure, adding an armoured punch to the 1 MERCIAN Battlegroup. The RTR Battlegroup will then deploy later in the year. The deployment will be supported with a full training wrap including 120mm ranges and a series of field exercises, and a return to an old haunt; Sennelager training area. 2021 offers the Regiment the opportunity to get back into armoured warfighting and in an operational context. Forecasts of events don’t get much better than that!

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AJAX UPDATE

2020 started well. The troops had tanks at their disposal and space on the Plain to conduct troop-level training. It felt great to be back in action doing what we do best and with an eye on an overseas adventure in the spring.

AJAX was destined to conduct a multinational exercise in Finland in April. Not a NATO member due to the sensibilities of a certain nation with whom they share a significant border, they are a member of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force and they invited us to take part in the final exercise for their Armoured conscript soldiers. With us taking 14 Challenger 2s, we would have had the opportunity to exercise alongside Finnish Leopard 2s, T-72s and various Russian-built AFVs, US Marine Corps Abrams, US Army Striker and Estonian CV-90s. The exercise would have been a significant demonstration of allied cooperation and challenging considering the postage stamp-sized exercise area and close terrain. With the whole country densely covered with trees, the exercise area, partially deforested in the 1950s through accidental fire, is as narrow as 2km in places and the sand and existing woodblocks would have posed a significant challenge for the running gear and tank tactical employment. It would have been interesting to see some of the ways the Finnish adapt to such terrain –

for example, their use of motorcycle dispatch riders to report on their own and enemy forces – and the way they aggressively use their armour to strike in depth. However, after some entertaining recces, hot saunas, cold vodka (and colder lakes), the inevitable happened and the plug was pulled and the challenge of how to conduct meaningful training throughout lockdown became the next issue.

Through invention and determination on the part of the Troop Leaders and Troop Sergeants, the troops were kept appropriately busy. Using the many video communications platforms that are available today, the troops virtually met daily for lessons, presentations, meetings and even wellness sessions. The lessons were mainly focussed on tank soldier skills of gunnery, signals, driving and maintenance and tactics. The presentations covered topics from the broadest fields of history, to current affairs, to the most niche of military capabilities. Relevant books were read and discussed in book clubs. Films and YouTube videos were used as vehicles for learning and understanding. Innovation workshops were held throughout the Regiment to generate proposals to put to the Hobart Committee. Over 40 new ideas were created, many of them destined to tap into the £15k innovation fund with potential for scaling up following successful prototypes and testing. A model for future innovation, whether conducted virtually or otherwise, was born. Fitness was also not forgotten, and the AJAX fitness club used the technology to set challenges and keep everyone in shape. All of this was done at varying degrees of readiness with a backdrop

of a military that was becoming ever more involved in the fight against COVID-19.

1 Troop and SHQ deployed to the West Country with CYCLOPS in June for the first month on what was to be over two months of Military Aid to the Civil Authorities; in this instance the NHS. 1 Troop remained on task in Cornwall for the second rotation led by AJAX and were joined by 2 and 3 Troops and Troops from BADGER, DREADNAUGHT and EGYPT, including the LAD. Whilst providing nine Mobile Testing Units in towns from Torquay to Truro, the soldiers performed impeccably. They looked fantastic among the population, delivered a real effect for the country and letters of thanks and praise flooded in. This wasn’t an opportunity anyone would have envisaged when they joined the Army but they certainly made the most of it.

After some well-earned summer leave and (new) normality restored, it is time to get familiar with tanks once again. There has been a change at the helm but business and the focus remain unchanged and weekly concentrations on maintenance, gunnery and signals have brought the Squadron back to its core role. This is the beginning of a two-year journey for the Squadron to get AJAX ready for war. The rest of the year holds in store live and synthetic training, both mounted and dismounted, in preparation for armoured exercises early in 2021. Following the regimental firing period expected in the middle of the year, AJAX will be battle grouped to the Royal Welsh. This will see the Squadron deploy on Op CABRIT March to October 2022. The Squadron welcomes this new challenge and looks forward to excelling in front of the Regiment and Battlegroup.

The theme of this Squadron update is making the most of opportunities.

Major G C H Wilkinson (AJAX)

A tank on the Plain during an AJAX Battle Craft Syllabus training exercise

L – R: SSgt Harley, AJAX, SSgt Bryant, and Lt Denchai stood in front of one of the first two T-34/85s captured by the Finnish during the Winter War

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BADGER UPDATE

The autumn term saw the BADGER focus on dismounted skills with an exercise on Salisbury Plain designed to train and improve our basic soldiering in the field. Ex BADGER’s BRAWN was a brilliant opportunity for the Squadron to re-visit our fieldcraft skills and dismounted soldiering capabilities and served as extremely useful preparation for Tprs who would soon be completing the Potential NCO Course. Following five days of hard work in the field, this exercise culminated in a transition from blank to live training with an inter-troop march and shoot competition on Bulford ranges.

BADGER then conducted Challenger 2-based training through Ex BADGER’s BRAIN, a series of Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs) designed to get the vehicle commanders thinking through tactical problems, before then taking part in Ex BADGER’s BATTLE, a simulated (CATT) exercise allowing the Squadron to focus on its core role as a Challenger 2 Squadron. Training

alongside AJAX, both squadrons took the opportunity to test themselves further with a day of force-on-force training, pitting both squadrons against each other. It was a delight to see BADGER end the battle victorious and special mention goes to Cpl (now Sgt) Lugg who, with his crew, proved to be a lethal tank-killing machine.

Following Christmas, BADGER was set to conduct the lion’s share of Challenger 2-based activity within the Regiment, supporting numerous training exercises such as the Challenger 2 Commanders’ Course (Ex COMBAT SPIRIT) and the Anti-Tanks Course (Ex INITIAL STRIKE and ULTIMATE STRIKE). Whilst our role on these training exercises was to support the training of others, they proved invaluable free opportunities to operate for extended periods on Challenger 2s in addition to learning, and re-learning, what the current batch of crew commanders are being taught. On Ex COMBAT SPIRIT, the weather was particularly challenging as it

Major P S A Hartley (BADGER)

Cpl Ratcliffe gifting his experience to BADGER Tprs in preparation for their PNCO Course

It has been another busy 12 months for BADGER, with multiple sub-unit training events, both mounted on Challenger 2 and dismounted, in addition to the unexpected frictions and tasks the COVID-19 pandemic has generated.

The calm before Storm Dennis

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Lt Catmur (an aspiring Recce Troop Leader) asking a passer-by for directions

was conducted under the full force of Storm Dennis, resulting in an eventual track ban on Salisbury Plain and recovery back to Tidworth.

With much of the year’s training plan still to come, COVID-19 ripped up the planned forecast of events. Initially, the Squadron transitioned to dispersed working, conducting necessary training remotely via Zoom, Facetime and Skype. During this time, the Squadron was held at readiness for support across the UK in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of Op RESCRIPT and eventually deployed 4 Troop to Devon to conduct a Mobile Testing Unit role – unglamorous stuff and not our core role, but

5 Troop on mounting biking adventure training. Note Lt Catmur not in office.... again

great that BADGER was able to contribute to efforts protecting the UK population. Following four months of operating in a dispersed manner under COVID-19 restrictions, BADGER tentatively came back together over the summer months to re-start training, albeit with new ways of working to ensure we were all as safe as possible.

As ever, this year has seen a churn of personnel within the Squadron, new arrivals in addition to those leaving for fresh challenges on posting. Of particular note, WO2 (SSM) Williamson has departed the Squadron on promotion to WO1. COVID-19 had denied BADGER the opportunity

for the Squadron to say congratulations and goodbye properly, but much of the work he did whilst SSM ensured the Squadron was physically and mentally prepared for the challenges it faced over the last 12 months – we wish him all the best.

Looking forward to the next 12 months, the Squadron has now been warned for deployment on Op CABRIT 8 as part of the 1 MERCIAN Battlegroup and is set to commence a pre-deployment training package including Challenger 2 and small arms live firing, further Squadron training and then a series of training events with the Battlegroup in Sennelager, Germany, prior to the March 2021 deployment.

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CYCLOPS UPDATE

“Go anywhere, do anything, willingly.” Even if it involves other people coughing a lot and shoving swabs up their noses...

We entered 2020 with a limited deployment to Canada. Fourteen soldiers deployed on Ex CHEVALIER ROYALE, an arctic warfare exercise run by our partner unit the 12ieme Regiment Blinde du Canada. This distinctly chilly activity is covered by another article later; however, in short, it was -34 degrees centigrade, involved a helicopter and the live-fire (in four feet of snow) of Canadian small arms. A great opportunity and the partnership with 12 RBC remains alive and well worth continuing – indeed we need to up our game in hosting them next time.

2020 began with a clear focus for the whole Squadron. The Squadron was to take part in Ex DIAMONDBACK – a US Brigade force-on-force exercise taking part in California. We were to be a recce Squadron operating on HMMWV (Humvee) under the command of the US 2/1 Cavalry Regiment. In the January to March period, the Squadron began the driver, weapon handling, CBRN and tactical training to fulfil this requirement. All ranks did a great job of getting into the right headspace for this

dramatic change in role. Sadly, the exercise was shelved due to COVID-19 and our people ‘changed cassette’ again to go on standby to support the Op RESCRIPT effort. We remain poised to get stuck into whatever task may be required of us.

While the loss of the deployment to California is a blow, the Squadron has not been idle. Whilst operating dispersed, we remained connected through the delivery of lessons via Zoom. The ‘Trooper’s Lessons’ programme has seen Tprs and LCpls deliver ten-minute presentations to their troops. These have been on subjects as diverse as the action of Tpr Joe Ekins to Concorde and the South African Apartheid. The quality and imagination of these deliveries have been impressive and reflect the evident time spent in preparation.

Which brings us to deployment on Op RESCRIPT. The bulk of CYCLOPS deployed to sunny Devon and Cornwall to run Mobile Test Units in the face COVID-19. As ever, Tankies have demonstrated their capacity to adapt to any task. CYCLOPtics, supported by 24 very welcome AJAXians, have dealt with dog-walkers, travellers, friendly builders and unfriendly accountants in the service of trying to keep the COVID-19 test numbers up. I am proud to say that our soldiers have been firm but polite, regardless of some bizarre questions and even more bizarre driving from the great British civilian public. I salute the patience and clarity of our soldiers in talking the old, infirm, hard of hearing and sometimes scared visitors to the sites through what is an uncomfortable test. For those for whom this pandemic has been terrifying, the calm and measured instruction in how to self-test for COVID-19 has, I am sure, helped ease them through the invasive process.

In the margins of the major activity, the Squadron has got away on several teambuilding days including paintballing, golf and providing rioters to civilian police training – great fun and well worth a repeat.

As I finish my time with CYCLOPS, I would like to thank all ranks for their dedication, hard work and sense of humour. It has been a huge privilege. To steal from Game of Thrones, “I wish you good fortune in the wars to come”.

It’s been a strange year for everyone, and the hand of COVID-19 has made some sweeping changes to how we thought 2020 would pan out for CYCLOPS. Since I last wrote a Squadron update, we have gone from routine tank work, through re-rolling the Squadron for recce tasks, to being on standby and supporting the government’s COVID-19 outbreak response. As I now write we are on task in the South-West of England running Mobile Test Units helping the Government test for COVID-19. Strange days. As ever, RTR soldiers have shown their resilience, flexibility and their much-needed sense of humour.

As this publication went to print last year, the Squadron had just returned from a Battlefield Study of the Market Garden campaign, with 84 soldiers deploying to study the actions around Arnhem. On our return, the focus remained on armoured warfare up until Christmas with a spell in the Virtual Battle Space 3: (VBS3) suite conducting simulated training. The Cambrai season found the Squadron once again on fine sporting form with victory in football and boxing.

Major T Lloyd-Jukes (CYCLOPS)

Further proof of LCpl Jackson’s steadiness under fire

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DREADNAUGHT UPDATE

Despite the changeable nature of 2020, the Squadron has continued to thrive and is living up to all aspects of its name.

Major N Stafford (DREADNAUGHT)

fourth sabre squadron. Thankfully, the Squadron quickly came together and settled back onto its new course.

Some hail arrived. Shortly after having changed all of its people, the Squadron proceeded to change all of its vehicles, taking over the Training Uplift Fleet (which is designed to remain in the UK) to enable AJAX’s deployment to Finland with the Regiment’s usual fleet. Having navigated this turbulent event with some experienced tank park hands at the wheel (Sgts Morrin, Thorn and Rayner), the Squadron got ready to deliver support to experimentation and training tasks.

The storm hit. However, only a few weeks later, the Squadron went from conducting an exercise on Salisbury Plain to being dispersed at home (having parked up its tanks in some haste). A storm, in the form of the COVID-19 virus, had engulfed the UK, and the Squadron personnel found themselves, like most of the population, battening down the hatches and finding new ways of keeping active until it passed. This period provided further proof, if it were needed, of just how adaptable Tankies are. Troops continued to train over Zoom, delivering some remarkably engaging presentations, and skills usually employed keeping tanks on the road were applied to gardens, houses and personal

vehicles instead. Even physical training continued over Strava, which as it turns out was inadvertent preparation for the CO’s return to work challenge – Arras 80, running 80 miles in the month of August – which the Squadron won by a handsome margin.

All hands are called. In July, the Squadron was recalled from dispersion to provide Mobile Testing Units across the South West of England. From Falmouth to Torbay and Yeovilton the soldiers of DREADNAUGHT worked long hours dressed in a different kind of PPE to usual, delivering the UK’s COVID-19 testing capability. Despite the serious, and occasionally monotonous, nature of the task, the soldiers of DREADNAUGHT were thrilled to be back at work and spending time with their mates. A few of DREADNAUGHT’s soldiers were unlucky enough not to deploy on Op RESCRIPT. Thankfully for the Squadron, those who were left behind, and in particular ‘the men of ten’ (10 Troop), exorcised their frustration by hammering the Squadron’s vehicles back into a credible state – a shift that the Squadron is still benefiting from.

Next came the fog. As the Regiment returned to work in September, plotting our course for the rest of the year and into 2021 was extremely difficult. The news that BATUS would not open in 2021, combined with the uncertainty caused by an impending Integrated Security Review (and the usual accompanying media speculation), left the Army, Regiment and Squadron sailing blind into uncharted waters.

The weather clears…well unless that cloud we can see is really a Tsunami… As I write this now the weather seems to be improving. The Squadron has a destination – operations in Estonia next year – and has a course to get there, via training in Germany and some live fire in Castlemartin. DREADNAUGHT has held together well, despite the pounding that 2020 has brought, and I continue to be amazed at the resiliency and dedication of our group of fearless people.

In summary then, despite the stormy and changeable nature of 2020, the Squadron has continued to thrive and is living up to all aspects of its name.

The word Dreadnaught has many meanings. The most well known, a fearless person, is probably why it was selected to be the name of the newly amalgamated RTR’s D Squadron back in 2016. HMS Dreadnought (an alternative spelling) is famous for being the first ship in the Royal Navy’s 1906 Dreadnought Class, a vessel which sparked an unprecedented naval arms race and gives the Squadron’s name a subtle link to the tank’s naval history. However, as I recently learnt, a dreadnaught is also a type of heavy coat designed to be worn in foul or changeable weather. As the author recently reflected, if the year 2020 was a weather system, then one could do far worse than to sail out into it, tightly wrapped in a heavy coat, surrounded by fearless people and standing on the deck of one the most formidable warships ever built. Not a bad analogy for being OC DREADNAUGHT in the year 2020.

The winds of change blew. The first

change of the year was a major one. The RTR, as part of the Army’s Type 56 to Type 58 restructuring programme, moved from having three tank squadrons of 18 tanks, to four tank squadrons of 14 tanks. For DREADNAUGHT this meant waving goodbye to Recce and Command Troop and welcoming in three tank troops, one cut from each of AJAX, BADGER and CYCLOPS, to stand up as the Regiment’s

DREADNAUGHT soldiers on a dismounted Battle Craft Syllabus exercise in January

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EGYPT UPDATE

With key deployments, Battle Craft Syllabus exercises and COVID-19, the Squadron has remained critical to all Regimental activity and success. In such uncertain and challenging times, the Squadron remained galvanised to enable whatever task or deployment it was presented with. With the majority of the fighting force dispersed and conducting training at distance, the enabling and supporting elements remained active by sourcing critical spares and additional stores and equipment for troops to deploy in support of COVID-19. This included quite an impressive and large fleet of civilian vehicles to enable three Squadrons and BGHQ to deploy as COVID-19 Support Forces (CSF). The SSM WO2 Les Edwards, managed (just) to contain his excitement when he and the BGLO were allocated a Range Rover Sport. It was certainly a dramatic improvement to the usual white fleet, taking pressure off the MTO Capt Steve Lassman to upgrade the CO’s staff car. Once the Regiment were logistically set, uncertainty remained until we eventually got tasked and deployed as Mobile Testing Units (MTU), deploying across the South West of England. EGYPT not only sustained the deployment, but we also deployed three MTUs predominately made up of soldiers from the Light Aid Detachment and Command Troop.

EGYPT retains the ability to support, sustain and administer all Regimental activity both home and abroad. It has transitioned to a more familiar and traditional footing with the arrival of Regimental Headquarters, Command Troop, Recce Troop and the Training Wing from DREADNAUGHT. This transition has recreated EGYPT as a HQ Squadron.

With all other planned activity delayed or cancelled, the Squadron was able to take stock and direct its focus on concluding the Ex KHANJAR OMAN 19 (Ex KO19) stores, equipment and vehicles. We also conducted work on the rebalancing and allocation of the Challenger 2 and B vehicle fleet; whilst maintaining a minimum workforce and abiding by the COVID-19 rules and restrictions. This was all achieved as a result of the professionalism, competence and flexibility of all EGYPT personnel. The strength of the Squadron remains with its soldiers; through diversity they continue to be the Regimental heartbeat at the core of all its success.

After nearly two and a half years at the helm as OC EGYPT I reflect on all its achievements during my tenure. We deployed to BATUS on Ex WARRIORS CRAFT, to Oman on Ex KO19 and Australia on Ex SUMAN WARRIOR. As well as numerous Battle Craft Syllabus exercises, Castlemartin ranges and adventurous training. There are many highlights; of particular note was sport. We managed to reach the Cambria Cup final two years running in both football and rugby, we received Cambria awards for best Troop (QM Department) and the best SNCO award

(Buck Kite trophy), rightly presented to SSgt Tom Davies, who at the time was the Welfare SNCO. There have been plenty of individuals of character who have supported me along away, of particular note are the two SSMs, WO1 (RSMI) Sean Woodward and WO2 (SSM) Les Edwards. We also managed to achieve some continuity with a Squadron Second-in-Command, Capt Lee Johnson, with the key ingredient and part of the selection process for Squadron HQ being you must support Liverpool!!

To conclude this update, I would like to thank and bid a fond farewell to the Regimental Medical Officer Maj Katie Mieville. Not only was she an excellent Dr, she was fantastic company and a great character. She served the Squadron and the Regiment extremely well adding real value and selfless service. We all wish her well for the future. The new OC EGYPT, Maj Warren Brennan (Bren) will inherit an excellent team and Squadron who under his guidance and leadership will continue to deliver, regardless of the challenge and circumstances. It’s been an absolute honour and privilege.

Major P D Rooney (EGYPT)

EGYPT Squadron catering team – Ex Scorpion Support

Battle Craft Syllabus lessons being delivered in A2 Echelon – Ex Scorpion Support

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FALCON UPDATE

28 ENGINEER REGIMENT (C-CBRN)

In last year’s edition of Tank, the Squadron reported that it had re-subordinated from 22 Engineer Regiment to 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN). A year on, FALCON is thoroughly in the fold. The Commanding Officer has a vision for deployable multi-component CBRN Squadrons by the time the Regiment has reached Full Operating Capacity in 2020, for which we will offer up Squadron Headquarters and troops to attach to the other 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) sub-units. As the longest-established Squadron in the Regiment, FALCON has enjoyed building towards this vision through Lt Nick Warren-Miller’s early integration work with the dismounted Reconnaissance Exploitation Teams in 77 Field Squadron (C-CBRN). Reassuringly, integration has been intuitive; we have been able to draw on our core mounted close combat trade to overcome the complexities of mounted and dismounted capabilities working together. Equally the Royal Engineer soldiers, with their roots in close support engineering, have quickly taken to manoeuvre support

in a chemical, radiological and nuclear environment. The faith that the Commanding Officer has in the Squadron is further reflected in the intent for FALCON to hold readiness as the first CBRN Squadron Group since Joint CBRN Regiment days.

EX TOXIC PATH

In September 2019 FALCON deployed to Camp Ruchard, France on Ex TOXIC PATH. The purpose of the exercise was to prove technical, procedural and human interoperability between 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) and 2nd Regiment Dragoons specialists, to validate our working together within a Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) construct. Within just a few days, FALCON and 27 Squadron RAF Regiment were able to overcome language barriers and differences in equipment to conduct, mostly seamless, combined C-CBRN missions. This was due to easily dovetailed tactics, techniques and procedures and a common professional curiosity across capabilities and nations. This was most evident during the exercise’s final mission – a close target reconnaissance and exploitation of a functioning chemical factory, thoroughly testing interoperability by exposing soldiers to the friction of carrying out missions in an urban, civilian setting. Outside of interoperability, of particular note was that despite the deployment taking place within just days of SSgt Creese’s arrival as the SQMS, it demonstrated that FALCON could confidently project and sustain itself overseas for discreet periods.

Major M P N Bonner (FALCON)

2020 has represented another watershed in a history of watersheds for FALCON. We’ve settled into our new home under the command of 28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN), trained overseas with French counterparts on Ex TOXIC PATH, got ready for overseas operations, experimented with our structures and, like everybody else, adapted to COVID-19.

Lt Nick Warren-Miller, the first officer to be trained as a Fuchs commander, halts his vehicle in a tree line on Salisbury Plain

A Fuchs on Salisbury Plain as part of Ex FALCON JOG

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OP CABRIT 6 EX SPRING STORM

Building on the combined arms exposure on Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1/19 and 2/19, FALCON was called upon to deploy on Op CABRIT 6 as part of a surge of capabilities during Ex SPRING STORM: to vary the geometry of UK Forces and reassure Estonia of NATO’s commitment. From Jan 20, overseen by the Squadron Second-in-Command Capt Josh Benn and Squadron Operations Officer Capt Tom Chapman, 13 Troop were fully immersed in pre-deployment training. This required them to undertake Fuchs and Panther Annual Crew Tests, Transition to Live Fire Tactical Training, Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) and Battle Craft Syllabus field training, as well as Op CABRIT specific training requirements such as All Ranks Brief and cold weather training. Concurrently, FALCON’s fitter section under Artificer SSgt Bunting worked against challenging timescales to prepare Fuchs for deployment. The complexity of the task cannot be understated given that the section concurrently had to conduct abnormal equipment support tasks such as power pack asbestos remediation and winch upgrades. Alas, whilst FALCON was ready and the equipment deployed, our participation was cancelled due to COVID-19. Far from being a wasted effort, as an operational sub-unit held at perpetual readiness, the Squadron is better for the equipment, training and sustainment activity undertaken. Furthermore, having proved itself ready, FALCON can look forward to being invited on future deployments.

FALCON EXPERIMENTAL ORBAT

The FALCON Experimental ORBAT (FEO) activity took place Dec 19 - May 20, to address a need to increase FALCON’s operational tempo and improve structural resilience. Chiefly led by 14 Troop under Lt Kyle Moore, the experiment drew on experiences from exercise. It consisted of a study day, Virtual Battle Space 3 (VBS3) exercise and an analytical wargame, all of which comparatively analysed the conduct of Fuchs missions between troops of two pairs and three Fuchs. The experiment began by defining the problem, a quote from Army Doctrine Publication Land Operations: the side which consistently decides and acts fastest should gain and hold an advantage. It is therefore paramount that FALCON should seek to generate operational tempo in a chemical, radiological and nuclear environment. However, it was found on Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1/19 and 2/19 that the timings and speeds to conduct our tasks were too long to generate this advantage. Through experimentation, it was found that on the balance of FALCON’s tasks, tactical functions and experience from previous exercises, three Fuchs troops optimise the Squadron by enabling concentration of force to reduce timescales and generate tempo. The move to three Fuchs troops also creates the opportunity for a third troop to increase FALCON’s structural resilience through the creation of a workforce, equipment and training resilience margin at a reduced readiness. The proposal to change FALCON’s structure is undergoing 29 (EOD&S) Group (28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) higher HQ) scrutiny before submission to Army Headquarters.

COVID-19

Like everybody else, FALCON has been heavily impacted by COVID-19, rapidly dispersing and only gathering physically to maintain force elements at readiness. It was reassuring of the Squadron’s adaptability that despite this immense change we were able to confidently maintain our operational outputs through reducing our footprint to a minimum and utilising virtual platforms to deliver individual training to prevent skill fade. Of note is that we were able to balance the maintenance of our operational output with protecting the force, through the tireless efforts of the Squadron Echelon under Capt Craig Halkerston making Harman Lines social distancing compliant. This was tangibly demonstrated during 13 Troop Battle Craft Syllabus training in July 2020 where, despite not having deployed on exercise since February 2020, within a short period, the Troop were able to slickly carry out its key tasks.

2021

FALCON looks forward to emerging from COVID-19 ready for what 2021 brings; no doubt another watershed... The Squadron will continue to set the pace for development of the C-CBRN Squadron Group and looks forward to continuing to take its place alongside other arms in a combined arms environment, with aspirations for deployments to both BATUS and Estonia. The Squadron also looks forward to a Fuchs uplift, with the renewal of chemical and radiological sense equipment making the platform competitive on the 21st Century battlefield; all whilst maintaining readiness for contingent operations.Advancing to confirm the edge of a chemical zone on Salisbury Plain

13 Tp taking part in a Battle Craft Syllabus exercise on the Plain

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Our temporary foster carers, although aging, were warm hosts and opened many officers’ eyes to new and rich experiences such as mid-morning tea and toast and a passion for football chat. The latter must have rubbed off on the officers, as the annual Officers vs SNCOs football match resulted in a resounding 3-2 victory for the officers – the first win in football for the Officers’ Mess for a generation! Whilst the score line flattered the SNCOs, I can confirm it was a hard-fought match on a blustery winter day, supported by some

interesting interpretations of what a red card actually meant. A huge amount of credit goes to the Officers’ Mess team coach (and poacher-turned-gamekeeper Career Management Officer) Capt Craig Murphy, for masterminding the victory.

The Fright Night Ball was a huge success. As extravagant as it was over budget, it was great to see over 200 monsters, vampires and werewolves descend upon the Mess for a fantastic night. Where the creepy contortionists and dentist chairs came from, I don’t know, but it was great to have the Mess so full of the friends and family who support us all.

Following a very merry Christmas season, including the customary hosting of the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess, the Officers’ Mess stepped into 2020 with flood damage fixed, new carpets fitted and high hopes for another active year. It started brightly with several excellent briefings and presentations organised by Maj Tom Lloyd-Jukes (CYCLOPS) as part of the Officer Education Programme. Pick of the bunch had to be a visit from Michael Portillo.

Unfortunately, like the rest of the UK, the impact of COVID-19 has been severely felt, essentially closing the Mess for five months.

After the flood came pestilence...The autumn term commenced with the recovery from “The Great Flood” of 2019. Temporarily re-homed in the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess, the Officers’ Mess will be forever grateful to the Regiment’s Senior NCOs.

OFFICERS’ MESS UPDATEMajor P S A Hartley (President of the Mess Committee)

L-R: The CO, RSM and Pipe Major at the Christmas Jumper party

During this time the Mess Manager (Tina Webb) and her team have worked tremendously hard putting in COVID-19 compliant working practices to enable us to re-open, albeit under significant restrictions, with the next opportunity to welcome guests, or even dine out serving members, remaining unknown. The Officers’ Mess committee have sought to use the COVID-19 induced lull in activity to focus efforts on our existing property and silver portfolios, generating a robust restoration plan going forward to ensure our important pieces are a maintained well for all to enjoy.

Inevitably, there has been significant churn in the Officers’ Mess over the last 12 months, with many moving on from Regimental Duty this year. Mentions in dispatches go to Capt Kieran Boland (SLIM) and Maj Godfrey Wilkinson (AJAX and PMC). Maj Wilkinson had steered the Officers’ Mess through some unprecedented times and we are all extremely grateful for the dedication he gave to the PMC role.

Given the challenges that have faced us through 2019 and 2020, the Mess will ensure spare rooms are available for the remaining horsemen, Fire and Wind.

The Fright Night Ball

Hosting Michael Portillo in the Officers' Mess

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OFFICERS VS. SENIORS FOOTBALL

I will start with some controversy and report that for the first time in decades the Officers’ Mess won the annual football match. Some very dodgy refereeing and what some would call “outright cheating” by the officers secured them a 3-2 victory in a very hard-fought game. This was followed by us being welcomed into the Officers’ Mess in Christmas jumpers to listen to the officers’ heroics. In particular, Maj Rooney (OC EGYPT) continually telling us the story of his 18-yard diving header, when in reality he tripped on his laces three yards from the goal and the ball struck him in the face before dribbling over the line. Revenge this year will be sweet.

THE GREAT FLOOD OF 2019

At some point over the summer leave period, the Officers’ Mess decided that turning their ante room into an indoor swimming pool would be a good idea. The subsequent flood caused substantial damage rendering the officers homeless. Being the gracious, warm-hearted and accommodating people that the Sgts’ Mess are, we rescued the refugees and had them dine with us for the next three months. This proved to be a great way to make the bond between our messes stronger and forged new friendships between seniors and officers from different squadrons that would not normally have contact; although towards the end of the three months it was becoming difficult to listen to yet another Sandhurst dit.

Up to the point that COVID-19 reduced the world to a standstill, the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess had been enjoying a period of high activity. Multiple old faces left the mess and some fresh-faced, keen youngsters joined. Of exceptional note and with some sadness we dined out the following RTR Legends: Capt Johnson, Capt Macbeth, WO1 Causer, WO1 Simon and SSgt Hopkins. You will all be missed from Mess life and are welcome back any time.

Warrant Officer Class 2 (RQMS) Roder (President of the Mess Committee)

WARRANT OFFICERS’ AND SERGEANTS’ MESS UPDATE

RSM, RQs, and SSMs (2019 pre-stick change)

STICK CHANGE

January 2020 saw a new RSM. WO1 Harley Upham handed over the stick of power to WO1 (RSM) Richardson; a new opportunity and role for Harley to sink his teeth into as 1 Brigade Sergeant Major. We have no doubt he will make the role his own, taking the good name of the RTR with him. All mess members would like to thank Harley for his hard work, excellent leadership and support that he gave the mess during his two years as the badge. The dine out for WO1 Upham had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 situation but will happen as soon as restrictions on social events are lifted.

Regimental Sergeant Major stick change

WO2 (SSM) Edwards enjoying the Scorpion Race

CHARITY EVENT

The Regiment took part in the Scorpion Race, a 6-mile cross country obstacle course on Salisbury Plain Training Area. As it was for charity, the Mess rallied to field as many members as possible, led from the front by WO2 (SSM) Edwards. A fun event enjoyed by all, with the proceeds going towards Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a cause close to the RTR’s heart. Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to caring for the children of the fallen.

MESS IMPROVEMENTS

The Mess decoration has been a constantly changing beast. This has been a result of the hard work and dedication of the SNCOs within the mess; in particular, Sgt Dicks, Sgt Wood, DMaj Daulby, PMaj Willoughby, Sgt Rayner and Sgt Teece. The outstanding look and feel of the mess has been mentioned by numerous visitors.

As with the rest of the world, the mess is looking forward to some form of normality returning, so we can open our doors and welcome guests back again soon.

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.

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CORPORALS’ MESS UPDATE

For the Cpls Mess, 2019 ended with a much-anticipated function at Test Valley Golf Course. Attendance and spirits were high, and we enjoyed some great entertainment from the hired band.

The CO and RSM join the Corporals’ Mess for their 2019 function

As always, some incredible prizes were up for grabs and there were many happy faces on the coaches returning to Tidworth. Neil, the head of hospitality and catering at the course, was so impressed he invited us back, hopefully creating a partnership that can carry on in the future!

As we entered 2020, the mess was thriving: tea and toast was a regular event, pizza and pub themed nights (included some light-hearted darts) and pool competitions were all up and running. Sadly, COVID-19 has put a stop to much of this, but the mess has remained a place of camaraderie and support.

Recruiting into the mess is now our focus and we encourage the newly promoted LCpls and attached arms to join. Social distancing measures are in place, and the mess is still a fun and inclusive club. Hopefully, we will see the membership grow after the Tprs board results are announced.

Corporal J Isaacs (President of the Mess Committee)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY – RTR PADREReverend K J Adoplhe

heading towards the mud, and not towards the green fields.

Psalm 23, The Lord is My Shepherd, is very well known, and yet I find it can annoy me a little bit. It seems to be promising that if I allow God to be my shepherd then everything will be fine. And I know that that simply isn’t true. The promise of green fields, gentle babbling brooks and massive feasts, simply doesn’t reflect my experience of life, and certainly not my experience of life in the Army.

Thankfully other parts of the Bible are a bit more realistic. They acknowledge that life is hard, that often life is about sweat, blood and tears. As a Christian minister I have a hope that one day wars will cease, strivings will end and all will be at peace. Yet I know that in the here and now I am often called to be in the dirt and the grime of real life. The Bible talks about pressing on, about being like an athlete focussed on winning the race, and every Christmas we hear the story of God coming to earth, not as an all-powerful

king, but as an illegitimate baby, born in a barn, to a single teenage mother.

It doesn’t really surprise me, therefore, that we wear brown towards the front; that we are heading towards the mud and the blood. There’s nothing at all wrong with desiring to be at rest in a lush green field, and we all need to recognise when we need down-time. But as soldiers, we, like our forebears before us, are often called to be the people who don’t shy away from our responsibility to be in amongst it, in the mud and the blood; whether that’s the metaphorical muddiness of life, or the reality of muddy, bloody, conflict.

Never lose focus on those green fields, those things you long for, the rest that we all need. But never either forget the example of those who went before us, knowing that sometimes the painful, muddy, bloody path is the one which we have been called to tread.

Never lose focus on those green fields, those things you long for, the rest that we all need.

If you’ve ever looked at an American soldier’s uniform, you’ll have noticed that it seems like they have their flag on their sleeves the wrong way around. You’d imagine that the stars bit should be at the rear, but they wear it towards the front. The explanation for this is that if you’re holding the flag by a pole and running, then the flag would billow out behind you. They don’t want to appear like they are running away, so they wear it that way around, as if they were running towards an enemy, not away.

This got me thinking about our own rank slide. We all know what the three Royal Tank Regiment colours – brown, red and green – stand for: from the mud, through the blood, to the green fields beyond. Yet, when we wear our rank slides on our shoulders, we have brown, the mud at the front. It looks like we are

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SUPPORT HUB UPDATE

INTRODUCING THE NEW WELFARE OFFICER

Capt Dwain Tucker joined the Army in 2001 and began his career with the King’s Regiment, now the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment (2 LANCS) before moving onto the Small

Arms School Corps (SASC). He has deployed on multiple operations and has travelled the world with the Army. He is married to Keisha and has three children, Keira, Keigan and Keiran.

When asked what it meant to join the RTR, Capt Tucker said, “I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to serve within such a professional and iconic Regiment, after commissioning from the Small Arms School Corps (SASC) which, like the RTR, can trace some of its heritage back to the Machine Gun Corps. I am very much looking forward to my journey with the RTR and I bring steadfast commitment, strong Christian values, and integrity to the role.”

THE SUPPORT HUB

COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented period of uncertainty for the nation. The Support Hub has sought to be a source of reliable information and assistance for soldiers and their families during this period. During lockdown we adjusted our operations and relied heavily on the Families Facebook page to pass on useful and sometimes critical information to our community. Support to service personnel and their families continued throughout, despite many routine services being disrupted. We have tried to remained flexible and continue to adapt our operations as the restrictions evolve!

We have refrained from planning large trips or outings. Instead we focus on single family and small group outings.

The Support Hub continues to offer day tickets to:

• Cholderton Charlie’s• Finkley Down• Atmosphere trampoline park.

If you would like to take part in a visit to any of the venues, please call the Support Hub on 01980 656057.

We’ve increased the number of family grouping outings by adding 40 family tickets for Hollywood Bowling and another 40 family tickets to the IRON SIGHT, a multiple activities venue offering events such as paint balling, airsoft, laser quest, zorbing and splat mat.

With the Regiment now back in work, several indoor sky diving tickets at the Ifly Indoor Skydiving in Basingstoke were also purchased for members of the Squadrons, hopefully offering them the opportunity to try something different.

On another note, I believe it is only fitting to say a huge thanks to SSgt Davies. The start of September saw us saying goodbye to SSgt Davies as the Welfare SNCO and welcoming Sgt Pople to the role. Throughout the last few years SSgt Davies has done a brilliant job serving the community. His calm temperament and hard work helped countless soldiers and their families access the support they needed to continue to serve. He has been promoted to SSgt and taken up his new post as AJAX SQMS.

Going forward, we want to thank the families for their support and for abiding by the restrictions and regulations. We can assure you that the team will continue to develop and adapt to Government restrictions and guidelines and will always strive to maintain the highest level of support to the Regiment and wider community.

Pig racing

Indoor SkydivingHollywood Bowling

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EnquiresandbookingcanbemadeviatheRegimentalPRIorSupportHub.PRI:01980650813SupportHub:01980656057

ROYALTANKREGIMENTPRI

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PIPES AND DRUMS UPDATE

This has been a very busy and somewhat challenging year for the Pipes and Drums.

We pick up from the end of last year where Troopers Allerton, Archibald, Gregory and Thomson successfully passed their Class 3 pipers’ course at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Dance (ASBM&HD) gaining high praise from the Director and Chief Instructor. Tpr Archibald gained the ‘most improved’ award. This is the third consecutive RTR piper who has been awarded this trophy, demonstrating the quality of soldiers we have in the band and their determination to strive for success.

The Pipe Major and Drum Major played in London at the Cavalry & Guards Club for the Officers’ Cambrai Dinner, getting the opportunity to catch up with the officers of days gone by. After a night staying in the Union Jack Club, we were off across London to meet the rest of the band for the Cenotaph parade. This was the first time a formed band had played at the Cenotaph for at least 9 years. We had a picture opportunity at 10 Downing Street but unfortunately couldn’t get the whole band in. I think maybe the Prime Minister was nervous that we were sent by Nicola Sturgeon to take over!

Later that week, the 2019 Cambrai parade was the first time that the Pipes and Drums led the Regiment since the amalgamation parade. It was an excellent experience, not only for our new members to show off, but also for the Regiment to be proud of their Pipes and Drums and march behind them, an inch taller and with a lot of swagger in their step.

The Pipe Major and Tpr Pearson-Delemar packed their kit, grabbed their passports and boarded the plane bound for India as guests of the Colonel Commandant, Brigadier Thompson. While there, they played at a few events set up by the Brigadier, including the turning on of the Christmas lights for the staff and showing off their dance moves afterwards. On the last day they played at the Brigadier’s residence where the Pipe Major wore the Brigadier’s pipe banner and played the pipe tune composed for him by the Pipe Major when he was the CO of 1 RTR. It wasn’t all work, they managed to travel to Agra on their day off to visit the Taj Mahal and learn of its amazing history as well as the ‘Black Taj Mahal’. Tpr Pearson-Delemar became more of an attraction than the Taj Mahal with the local kids due to his tattoos or maybe it was his intense knowledge of the game ‘Fallout’. After some severe haggling from the Pipe Major at the local shops (expect nothing less from a Jock) they left with the usual armful of souvenirs.

The full band at the Cenotaph for the first time in over nine years

After a quick unpack and repack of uniform, the Pipe Major and Tpr Pearson-Delemar were again grabbing their passports. This time they were accompanied by the Drum Major as well as Tprs Bowtell, Clarke, Harding, Allitt and Skelton and headed to Jamaica as guests of Lt Col Gash OBE, Defence Attaché for the Caribbean. We were over as part of the UK-Jamaican inter-relations fair and while there took part in a few outreach projects including playing at the local school. The kids loved seeing and hearing the Pipes and Drums and enjoyed watching Tpr Pearson-Delemar displaying his dancing skills. The guys embraced the accommodation and made full use of the swimming pool for daily PT. As we were in Kingston, visiting the Bob Marley museum was a must and an excellent experience, highly recommended to anyone visiting Jamaica. The band played at the fair combined with the Jamaican Defence Force military band on the stage to a very enthusiastic crowd. Despite the rain, it was a fantastic day made better when the Drum Major found a huge TV screen showing the Liverpool game.

Many other engagements were on the cards for the remainder of the year, including the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, which would have seen the band fully manned with serving soldiers for the first time since 2009. However, due to COVID-19 they were all cancelled. This had a huge impact on the band with them

Sergeant J Willoughby (Pipe Major)

L-R: Tprs Allerton, Archibald (most improved student), Thomson and Gregory at the Class 3 pipers’ course pass off parade at the ASBM&HD in Edinburgh

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all going back to their Squadrons and taking up their positions as part of the MTU teams. During this time, both the Pipe Major and Drum Major ran practices online on Zoom with mixed success due to the constraints of technology. During this time LCpl Catterall, Tprs Allitt and Skelton completed their Class 2 Elementary drummers’ course. Again this was made harder by doing it over Zoom. The ASBM&HD is now open again, albeit with reduced numbers due to the social distancing, and the courses are starting to resume. As a result of this, and the recruiting powers of the Drum Major, Tprs Knott, Brandt and Boniwell will be attending the six-month intense Class 3 drummers’ course starting in September and we wish them all success on that. LCpl Brock will do his Class 3 pipers’ course under the Pipe Major at Tidworth and be assessed by the Director on completion.

FAREWELL

We bid farewell to LCpl Bates and Tprs Bongartz, Blondrage and Foster and wish them all well for their future in the civilian world. We also bid farewell to Tpr Chapman back into the folds of BADGER and wish him every success.

The Pipes and Drums have increased in size and are the biggest they have been in ten years.

We are always recruiting and constantly need new members to make the Pipe Band stronger and sustainable for years to come. So if you read this and think ‘I want to try this’ as well as travel around the world, then come and speak to the Pipe Major in the Training Wing or the Drum Major (BADGER) on the Tank Park and give it a go; you’ll be glad you did.

Leading the Regiment onto the Cambrai parade

The Pipe and Drum Majors at 10 Downing Street

L-R: Drum Major Tprs Pearson-Delemar, Allitt, Clarke, Lt Col Gash OBE, Tprs Harding, Skelton, Bowtell and Pipe Major at the UK Fair in Jamaica proving that we are ‘Great’

L-R: Pipe Major, Tprs Allitt, Clarke, Skelton and the Drum Major showing ‘One Love’ at the Bob Marley Museum, Kingston, Jamaica

Pipe Major and Tpr Pearson-Delemar at the Taj Mahal

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AFFILIATIONS & CADETS

Having planned for a year of consolidation, after years of effort pushing qualified crews through the Annual Crew Test as a way to demonstrate readiness, the plan for this year was to spend time delivering individual training opportunities. We’ve largely managed to execute this plan.

Having started the year working towards the usual targets of Challenger 2 currency and Military Annual Training Tests (MATTs), the arrival of COVID-19 and the lockdown brought some novel challenges. First, the Regiment was warned to mobilise Regimental Headquarters and a sub-unit. This mobilisation never came but provided us with a real opportunity to focus for a while on being ready to support UK Operations; in the end, five officers from the Regiment deployed on an individual basis to support Op RESCRIPT. The second challenge was more difficult: how to keep an armoured reserve regiment together when a public health crisis requires people to stay apart.

Our first innovation was the introduction of paid individual physical training, using an exercise tracking app as a way for soldiers to demonstrate their activity up to three times each week. In addition to maintaining fitness in lockdown, this allowed us to continue to pay our soldiers at least a little, in an economy where the lure of driving for Ocado is strong.

THE ROYAL WESSEX YEOMANRYMajor A E Sharman (Second in Command RWxY)

This has been a year of change for the Wessex with a move, alongside the RTR, into 12 Brigade and then all the upheaval of a pandemic.

Next, we developed and delivered a series of online exercises and training nights, using Microsoft Teams and Zoom, to allow the whole Regiment to participate. We focussed on low-level skills to design serials which were accessible to all, such as navigation, first aid and Armoured Fighting Vehicle recognition, with our reserve chain of command required to pass and manage information, exercising Regimental command and control.

As restrictions eased, we were able to complete some driving and maintenance and signals training, a number of low-level adventurous training courses and outings and a Battlefield Study at Roundway Down. In September, we deployed to Okehampton, in Dartmoor, for our annual training period; over 130 reservists attended, taking part in a range of courses, including Potential NCO command leadership

Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY) Annual Training in Dartmoor

and management, signals qualifications and instruction on the General Purpose Machine Gun. We thoroughly exploited this unusual opportunity to have so much of the Regiment together, running Regimental sports and competitions to deliver on the promises of sport and adventure made to our newer recruits.

Alongside all this training activity, we are making renewed efforts to improve on our recruiting, with social media efforts placed in the hands of some of our talented youngsters and a new association website. We hope that we can attract more fit young men and women to serve with our squadrons across the South West. It should go without saying that our most prized recruits are bright, young ex-regular soldiers and officers with Challenger 2 qualifications under their belt; those determined to leave regular service need not be entirely lost to the Army.

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1ST ARMOURED REGIMENT – AUSTRALIAN ARMYLieutenant Colonel T Orders (1st Armoured Regiment)

THROUGH MUD… The devastating bushfires that affected so much of Australia in December and January led to one of the largest domestic deployments of the Australian Defence Force in our history. 1st Armoured Regiment formed part of this response, deploying to Kangaroo Island, South Australia to provide much needed disaster relief to the local community. The operation saw the Regiment deploy its Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAV) and suite of support vehicles to support emergency services and the community by providing much needed relief and recovery. The opportunity to directly support the community during their time of need was an incredibly rewarding experience for the soldiers of the Regiment and we are proud to have been part of the response.

AND BLOOD... The COVID-19 global pandemic has impacted our lives in ways that have not been seen for living generations. The isolating conditions imposed by the pandemic presented both challenges and opportunities in ensuring we remain connected and operationally sound. It has required different methods of training in order to maintain our proficiency while supporting the wellbeing of our people. The pandemic also saw the

1st Armoured Regiment is fortunate to share a proud history through our affiliation with the Royal Tank Regiment, and has benefited from a close relationship over the years. Our history is what shapes our identity and it is this identity that we draw strength from. It is a privilege to share some reflections on 2020 — a year that has proven unlike any other in unit history.

Regiment once again deploying as part of the Australian Defence Force’s provision of assistance to the Government of Victoria. At the time of writing, the Regiment remains deployed in Melbourne providing supporting the management of the COVID-19 outbreak in the state.

TO THE GREEN FIELDS BEYOND… As we reflect on the past year, we look to the future. The Royal Australian Armoured Corps stands on the cusp of a major recapitalisation of our Armoured Vehicle fleet in the coming years, including tank and combat reconnaissance vehicles. The Regiment must ensure we are well positioned and prepared for new capability introduction while remaining uncompromising on the standards we set to be ready now. 2020 has tested us in different ways and we look forward to the challenges that lie ahead and ensuring we live up to our motto to be ready.

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Although the Arctic is certainly beautiful in its own way, other members of our Regiment were concurrently tasked with what many would consider a more pleasant opportunity. Courtesy of our sister Regiment in the French Army, Le 4e Régiment de Chasseur, a squadron of our soldiers braved the hardship of three weeks of mountain warfare training in the French Alps. Miraculously, they seem none the worse for wear.

As with the rest of the world, Canada has suffered the ill effects of COVID-19 and our Regiment’s home province of Québec has been hit particularly hard. Deploying as part of Op LASER, the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) response to the pandemic, the Regiment was tasked to aid several long-term care facilities struggling with the impacts of this pernicious disease. Working alongside medical personnel drawn from across the CAF, the Regiment provided daily patient care, thorough decontamination of medical facilities, and support to the distribution of critical equipment. After two months of difficult but rewarding work, the Regiment’s Task Force was stood down in June and returned to the garrison. Members of all ranks remain proud of their contribution to stabilizing the situation and helping some of Canada’s most vulnerable citizens in their time of need.

Now returned from a well-deserved period of summer leave, the Regiment has resumed its individual training and is preparing to transition to collective training at the troop and squadron levels. Naturally, this training forms part of the Regiment’s preparations for Canadian Army deployments to Latvia, the Middle East and Ukraine planned for 2021-2022. Despite the challenges and uncertainty presented by COVID-19, the 12e RBC has remained operational and continues to sharpen its readiness for conflict.

THE 12E RÉGIMENT BLINDÉ DU CANADA (12E RBC) – CANADIAN ARMYLieutenant R Gervais (2 Troop, A Squadron, 12e RBC)

Following our excellent exchange with CYCLOPS in January, the 12e RBC participated in several challenging operations and training events. To begin, elements of the Regiment spent over a month on Op NANOOK-NUNALIVUT in the Canadian Arctic reinforcing Canada’s sovereignty in this rapidly changing region.

Members of B Squadron and the 4e Régiment de Chasseur pose for a photo atop a mountain in the French Alps during Ex CHEVALIER TRICOLORE

Members of D Squadron, 12 RBC, as part of OP NANOOK, prepare for a mounted patrol in Resolute Bay, Nunavut

A patrol of Coyotes wait for further orders after a successful combat team attack during Ex SABER AUCLAIR

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HMS KENT – ROYAL NAVYCommander M Sykes (Royal Navy)

Above: HMS KENT in company with USNS SUPPLY, USS DONALD COOK, USS PORTER and USS ROOSEVELT in the Norwegian Sea

HMS KENT conducts a Replenishment-At-Sea with USNS SUPPLY to take on additional fuel

Kent has remained one of the country’s high readiness, on-call warships throughout the crisis, limiting our ability to get home. Despite the ongoing Pandemic, the other threats our country faces have not reduced and Kent’s operations in the North Atlantic, Arctic and Barents and Baltic Seas have demonstrated that the UK is committed and able to respond even in such difficult circumstances. You will be glad to hear that the Ship’s Company have performed amazingly throughout, rising to all the challenges we have faced from sub-zero temperatures and 24hr daylight in the Arctic to practicing hunting submarines in the North Atlantic. We now look forward to a well-earned period of leave and maintenance over the summer, before starting our next exciting mission as a key part of the UK’s Carrier Strike Group centered on the nation’s impressive new Flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth.

JOURNEY TO THE ARCTIC

In early May, HMS Kent joined three American destroyers USS Donald Cook, USS Roosevelt and USS Porter, a nuclear submarine, support ship USNS Supply and an American P8-A Poseidon, a long-range maritime patrol

aircraft, above the Arctic Circle to hone skills in challenging environmental conditions. Whilst there, the ship worked as part of a combined US and UK task group, enabling an opportunity for integration with our allies’ proving our ability to operate at sea in sub-zero temperatures hundreds of miles inside the Arctic Circle. Here, the ships company enjoyed 24hr daylight in the land of the midnight sun. During the exercise in order to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day a remembrance service was held on the flight deck led by HMS Kent’s Chaplain, giving the ships company a moment to reflect on the personnel that fought in this challenging environment during World War 2 as part of the Artic Convoys (pictured below).

This is the first article since I took Command back in January. On behalf of the whole Ship’s Company let me start by sending you our best wishes in these challenging times and thank you for your support over the last few months.

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Gunnery Practice! AB(AWW) Mills takes aim during a small arms gunnery serial

RECENT OPERATIONS: GRAMPUS + BALTOPS

Following the successful conclusion of NATO Exercise GRAMPUS in the North Atlantic in May, HMS Kent recently took part in BALTOPS, an exercise designed to develop interoperability between NATO forces. The exercise, taking place in the Baltic Sea comprises of multiple serials over the course of two weeks and has seen Kent work closely with the Danish, Swedish and United States Navy’s.

COVID-19

It would be remiss not to mention the impact that COVID-19 has had on HMS Kent and highlight the extra precautions that we have taken to restrict its impact on operations. Our medical team have worked hard to limit the impact of the virus, implementing measures such as reduced access to mess decks and additional cleaning routines for high traffic areas. This has successfully enabled us to proceed with our programme in what has been a busy period at sea.

814 FLIGHT EMBARK

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

Above: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach Gothenburg, Sweden

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

814 Flight Embark

HMS Kent has welcomed Mohawk Flight from 814 Squadron, RNAS Culdrose. They have been present in all of Kent’s exercises and operations so far and have become integral members of the Ship’s Company.

Above Upper: CPO(ME) ‘Chief Stoker’ Evans oversees the fire control point during a programmed damage control exercise.

Above Lower: ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency.

Above: AB Wilson prepares the cable as we approach

Gothenburg, Sweden

LPT Cole and L(POLICE) Dodd at the helm bringing KENT safely into Gothenburg

Right: Merlin Mk 2 conducts winching operations on the Fo’c’sle

Below left: AET Kitson Securing our Merlin Mk 4 ‘Whitehorse’ on deck

Below right: Merlin Mk 2 ‘Whitehorse’ in the Hangar

ET(CIS) Warren sets up the sound powered telephone, a secondary form of communications during an emergency

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501E RÉGIMENT DE CHARS DE COMBAT – FRENCH ARMY

Capitaine P O Lozachmeur (501e Régiment de Chars de Combat)

GABON/CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Having left in April 2019, 130 soldiers from the 501st Combat Tank Regiment joined the French Elements in Gabon (EFG) in order to strengthen the operational military partnership battle group (GT PMO) at the de Gaulle camp in Libreville. Throughout these four months, the soldiers of 501 responded to the demand for a military partnership in Central Africa, which mainly takes the form of training and support activities.

In direct cooperation with the operational support detachment stationed in Bangui (Central African Republic), our mission was to lead technical instruction detachments for the benefit of the Central African armed forces (FACA). These ‘tailor-made’ training courses, adapted to the needs of the FACA, illustrate the operational cooperation developed by the French armies for the benefit of their Central African partners.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

The 1st Company of the 501st Combat Battle Tank Regiment deployed for a four-month mission to the United Arab Emirates in May 2019.

Gabon military partnership (GT PMO)

Our tankers carried out numerous technical and tactical activities to perfect our operational capabilities. For the duration of the mission, we were attached to the 5th Regiment of Cuirassiers (RC), located in the Middle Desert, 45 minutes from Abu Dhabi. Our activities included ALI (Light Infantry Arms) firing, an urban route, combined arms combat with the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment and the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, as well as simulator training sessions.

The 5th RC has a unique structure: unlike a mainland cavalry regiment, it is organised as a combined arms battle group (GTIA). It permanently has an armoured squadron equipped with Leclerc and VBL tanks, an infantry company with VBCI, a support company equipped with 155mm guns (Caesar), armoured personnel carriers and a command and logistics squadron.

The 5th RC provides real effect within the Arab-Persian Gulf. It participates in bilateral co-operation missions throughout the region and generates operational lessons for units based in France. The most important of these are digital combined arms manoeuvre, operating in the desert and operations in urban terrain.

During this mission, the 501 tankers and Leclerc tanks demonstrated power, adaptation to the terrain, responsiveness and flexibility.

EXERCISE DRAGOON READY 20: HIGH INTENSITY COMBAT READINESS, GERMANY

In November 2019, the 501st Combat Battle Tank Regiment was integrated into a major US brigade certification exercise. All aspects of high intensity combat were brought together to enable us to exercise our combined arms capability.

Following a four-month preparation period, 501st participated in Exercise BLACK BERET as part of the American-led Ex DRAGOON READY. For the first time, French main battle tanks were integrated with American manoeuvre assets. 501st had a US infantry company directly under its command, developing our ability to fight in a multinational scenario.

The exercise took place in two stages between the camps of Grafenwohr and Hohenfels. These included tactical manoeuvre and live fire serials for the armoured crews. The tankers were tested on their ability to fight in war-like conditions such as those encountered in operations. In Hohenfels, the crews of the Leclerc and VBL acted cautiously to avoid the enemy’s helicopters. Between the laser simulation systems and the exercise controllers, it’s hard to escape! At the rear, the logistics supply zone rehearsed their tactical proficiency. It was one of the first times that the logistics company could perform its real support mission in a high-intensity context with all its elements. The command post was not to be outdone either. Here, the headquarters worked

Operation DAMAN

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hard to understand and integrate the American doctrine. With support from the brigade, including an Apache helicopter squadron, the staff successfully commanded all of its elements throughout the battle.

BLACK BERET assessed the ability of the chain of command to conduct manoeuvre over time, increasing operational capacity, human, technical and tactical interoperability, while working in a multinational environment. This large-scale manoeuvre exercise required exceptional logistics and planning. Deploying nearly 350 men and 150 vehicles (including combat tanks) more than 1,000 km from the Regiment in fewer than five days was no mean feat.

OPERATION BARKHANE, SAHEL

Deploying in October 2019, around 100 soldiers from the 501st Combat Tank Regiment were deployed on Op BARKHANE. This operation focusses on a partnership with the main countries of the Sahel-Saharan strip (BSS). This counter-terrorism operation aims to address the threat of armed terrorist groups in the whole of the Sahel-Saharan strip.

DAMAN, SOUTH LEBANON

Deploying in the summer of 2020 to southern Lebanon under a UN mandate, the 501st swapped their dear black beret for that of the UN.

France has been present in Lebanon since 1978 and is one of the main contributors to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), currently 700 troops strong.

The French soldiers in Lebanon are deployed as part of Operation DAMAN. French forces provide credibility and backbone of the international force and form the Force Commander’s Reserve. They are prepared to intervene instantly throughout the UNIFIL area of operations under UNSCR Resolution 1701.

In order to promote the rise of the Lebanese Armed Forces (FAL), the FCR conducts joint observation and reconnaissance missions every day. More than 1,500 patrols are operated each year, all alongside the FAL. The FCR and the FAL train regularly together: 92 different joint training sessions, ranging from one day to one week, are conducted annually (dog training, counter-IED, maintenance, combat first aid). These actions are part of the enhanced bilateral cooperation of 2016 aimed at reaffirming the support provided by France to the Lebanese defence forces.

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The intention was we would follow the coastal roads of the previous visit we had partaken with Buckinghamshire Army Cadet Force in 2019.

In total there were 26 participants; 11 adults but sadly only 15 cadets. Based on this, I initially thought we would not achieve the distance. But we completed the walk with a total of 1112 kilometres accumulated.

This was achieved by some particularly astounding efforts from the following Deal Cadets: LCpl R Amos, LCpl E Sole, Cadet R Chester and Cadet K Smith who walked as a socially distanced group from Deal to Ramsgate and back, with Mr Neil Chester as support vehicle and motivator. Also, Margate Cadet Cpl M Pennington walked Ramsgate to Deal twice, I believe. Everyone who took part did exceptionally well and showed true selfless commitment working together to achieve the goal – and going further.

Some of our staff who are key workers still managed to fit in a walk or three and special thanks go to SSI Rankin, AUO Morris, AUO Cooper, 2Lt Davies, SSI Bedingfield and SSI Shuttleworth. Other participants were Lt Young, Capt Atkins (myself) and PI Atkins.

A COY, KENT ARMY CADET FORCE (ACF)

As we could not take part in Armed Forces Day 2020 due to COVID-19, I had a crazy idea of a virtual walk for the Royal Tank Regiment (RTR) cadets of A Coy, Deal, Broadstairs and Margate. The scheme was to walk from Margate, our furthest north RTR detachment, to Gold Beach, Arromanches-les-Bains in France, roughly 413 kilometres.

Captain Paul Atkins

Our own county RSM jumped on to the event as well and supplied a great 50 kilometres – thank you RSM Barnes.

So, following the Armed Forces Day theme, spirit and story, we walked from Margate to Dover, crossed the English Channel braving the Luftwaffe, and the German Navy, we marched through France and met up with the D-Day landings, helped secure the beachheads and then joined up with the Second Army, which was the main British contribution to the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, and advanced across Europe.

We pushed a further 699 kilometres into Europe through France, seeing action around Falaise, Belgium and the Netherlands and into Germany. Shortly thereafter, the Second World War in Europe came to an end, and we returned home.

Everyone who participated will get a certificate to show they took part, and the final part is (hopefully, with training restrictions being lifted) that next year the RSM and I will look at a possible battlefield tour for those who took part.

An outstanding effort everyone, well done.

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Although face-to-face training was suspended early in 2019 due to the global pandemic, Merseyside Army Cadet Force’s RTR cap badged cadets, who are based in Ainsdale have carried on in true Army Cadet style.

Ainsdale Detachment, which is run by Staff Sergeant Instructor Dan Sutcliffe, is currently home to 12 Cadets and for the best part of the last seven months the Ainsdale Cadets, like other cadets across the County and the UK, have been training virtually.

All cadets from Ainsdale have been attending virtual training sessions which have been delivered via Merseyside ACF County run closed groups on Facebook. These training groups, which have been created especially to deliver training during the lockdown period, have been delivering training for all star level cadets across the County (for cadets who do not have their own Facebook accounts or access to social media, parents and carers could join the groups and let the cadets access the training that way).

SSI Sutcliffe, who was a Merseyside Army Cadet himself before returning as an adult instructor, has told us how proud he is of how the Cadets within his detachment have adapted to virtual training and that their enthusiasm to not only join in the Company level virtual quizzes that have been run over the past few months, but also to contribute to them, has been encouraging.

Prior to the suspension of face-to-face training, the RTR cap badged cadets had a very successful year in 2019 and in early 2020. All cadets had attended Company weekends which are held at Altcar Training Camp, where our St George’s CTC HQ is based. Annual Camp 2019 was a week of fun, action and adventure. Ainsdale Cadets enjoyed a mixture of activities in Castlemartin, South Wales, ranging from fieldcraft to surfing and orienteering to expeditions.

Added to this, Cadet Sgt Glennie, was part of the Merseyside ACF County First Aid Team who won the Regional Competition and went onto the National ACF First Aid Competition, coming in at an amazing 4th place.

MERSEYSIDE ARMY CADET FORCE (ACF)

During 2019 to 2020 the cadet experience, inclusive of the CV boosting qualifications, training and skills has continued for Merseyside Army Cadet Force (ACF) Cadets.

#VirtualACF #cadetforceresilience #armycadetsuk #toinspiretoachieve

Cadet Sgt Hughes travelled to Lithuania as part of Exercise Baltic Guard. The #teamMACF Cadet had secured a place on the exercise having passed a selection event and both Cadet Sgts’ Lawson and Glennie passed the Master Cadet Course at Frimley Park in 2019.

Other activities for the MACF Royal Tank Regiment Cap Badged Cadets, included Cadet in The Community engagements, including collecting for the Royal British Legion

Poppy Appeal in November and parading on Remembrance Day, beach cleaning and even a spot of painting!

All in all, despite 2020 being a very different training year to 2019, RTR Cadets from Merseyside ACF have taken it in their stride and carried on in true Army Cadet style. Here is looking forward to another year of fun, friendship, action and adventure!

Photographs – © Ainsdale Detachment Cadets

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TANK MUSEUM UPDATERoz Skellorn

MUSEUM ONLINE

When lockdown came and the museum was closed, the museum moved its presence online. Through the museum’s social media channels, audiences were given access to the collection and the knowledge of our staff. Curator David Willey hosted a very popular weekly question and answer session from his garden and videos on subjects from Jerry Cans to the Battle of Arras were well received by the museum’s audience. Between March and August, the museum’s YouTube channel attracted 7.2 million views.

TANKFEST, the museum’s annual display of historic moving armour and an important fundraising weekend, also went online after it was cancelled. Over a million people around the world watched the three hour live stream of tank displays and videos about the collection, as well as raising over £80,000 for the museum. The films made for TANKFEST Online are still available to view on the museum’s YouTube channel.

Like for most of us, 2020 at The Tank Museum didn’t quite go as planned…

The Tank Museum exhibition

NEW WW2 EXHIBITION

Much of the work on the new WW2 exhibition had been done before lockdown. The 3,400 square foot gallery tells 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.

At the end of last year, the museum’s workshop team had a considerable moving job to undertake. All 60 of the WW2-era vehicles in the exhibition had to be moved out and 59 moved back in. Vehicles which were not returning to the new exhibition had to be organised into one area of the Vehicle Conservation Centre to keep them out of the way whilst those which were being taken out were removed and made ready to go on display.

It was a highly complex operation to move so many historic vehicles, but the team ensured it went to plan. The first phase of the exhibition is now finished, with the second scheduled to be completed mid-2021.

MUSEUM RE-OPENS

In early July, the museum re-opened to the public in-line with Government guidelines and has been certified as COVID-19 secure. Since being open, the museum has received very positive feedback from its visitors about the measures in place to ensure The Tank Museum is a safe place to visit. Using this experience, two successful Tiger day events were held recently with reduced audience numbers. Military tours, hosted by our curatorial team, are also back up and running.

We look forward to seeing you at the museum again soon.

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APPEAL FROM MUSEUM ARCHIVES

This focus on the Royal Armoured Corps provides a good opportunity to remind current and recently serving soldiers that the Museum Archives is interested in collecting modern items used in conflict, i.e. items of equipment or uniforms that you may be replacing and souvenirs from recent operations, as well as photos, diaries and letters. Although it is often well publicised that archives are interested in long past conflicts, like the Second World War, The Tank Museum is keen to make sure that items from recent service are not lost. If you have anything you think may be of interest please contact library@tankmuseum.org

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SPECIAL FEATURE

RTR E-SPORTSSergeant L Cox

WHAT IS E-SPORTS?

You may be asking, “what is E-sports?” E-sports (Electronic-Sports) is an umbrella term for a collection of computer games that can be played competitively by a group of individuals. The more popular of these, “Call of Duty (CoD), Modern Warfare” currently hosts a whopping 60 million registered players around the world.

Owning a console or computer and playing online games does not necessarily make you a gamer. To be able to compete in E-sports it takes dedication and training to understand and learn the mechanics of a game. Developing that understanding as part of a cohesive team takes further hours of dedication and commitment. I would compare it to my dubious

Cambrai Rugby experience (I’m still waiting for my phone call from Eddie Jones).

HOW DOES E-SPORTS HELP THE ARMY?

These conditions are perfect for members of the RTR who excel at forming teams: crews practising tactics and playing towards a common mission or goal. With COVID-19 measures reducing the amount of contact-time between personnel, E-sports has enabled soldiers to communicate outside of work and brush up on their core team building skills. COVID-19 has impacted on physical training and the ability to conduct exercises on Salisbury Plain. The RTR E-sports team conducted a 6 vs. 6 battle against the

INTRODUCTION

As you read this year’s edition of TANK you will be hard pushed to find an area of Regimental life that has not been affected by the pandemic.

Like it or not, COVID-19 has been the defining event of 2020 and the turret of a tank was not designed with social distancing in mind. So, rather than focusing on the impact of COVID-19, or even the role the Regiment has played in the response to the virus, this year TANK will instead look at how the Regiment has adapted and continued to train virtually in its core role.

For the tank crews, troops and squadrons of today’s army, virtual training is no substitute for physical field training. However, the pandemic has forced us to go out and find, or in many cases just make better use of, virtual training tools. During this process of panning for gold we have discovered a few valuable nuggets and some areas worthy of further development.

The first article in this special feature will look at the growth of E-sports and gaming within the Regiment. We have known for many years that soldiers who play console games often make the best tank gunners.

As the number of uncrewed systems on the battlefield continues to increase it seems likely that the skills associated with gaming – the manual dexterity required to swiftly control complex vehicles, and the ability to extract and process large amounts of information from sensors – will become even more important. Virus-driven developments in E-sports and gaming may help future crews develop the cognitive capacity required to control not only their tank but also a range of other vehicles operating from the tank.

The second and third articles look at how the Regiment has been using commercial games to continue training tactically and conceptually in a virtual environment. In both cases, these improvised solutions have delivered tangible training value and could be of continued value if we ever return to business as usual. The fourth article looks at how the Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3) training suite has come into its own in the post COVID-19 workplace. This facility allows tailored made, socially distanced, tactical training to be conducted virtually in our lines with very limited preparation required. The virus has forced the Regiment to push the boundaries of what can be achieved with these virtual tools, and the results have been pleasantly surprising.

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RAF on the tank simulation programme, “War Thunder”. This match included quick battle orders, troop level recovery under fire and fire missions – all conducted from the comfort of their home on their personal computers.

The process may not be as official as requesting a fire mission from a forward observer embedded within a squadron; however, deconflicting between assets within the game while involved in a complex firefight helps to exercise and develop the tactical awareness of our soldiers. This also provides an insight into the complexities of tank commanding for the less experienced soldiers within the Army.

It is not only the War Thunder team who have experienced success; the CoD team competed against our fellow Challenger 2 regiment, the Kings Royal Hussars. I’m pleased to add RTR gave them a good old fashioned whooping (3-1), using pair fire manoeuvre and covering fire to fix enemy positions without breaking a sweat.

The online character may have inhuman speed and God-like reflexes in scenarios real-time soldiers can only dream of. However, communication between players is always key and in certain situations often in much quicker time than in real life.

Another bonus of the Regimental E-sport community is you do not even need to be a top tier player within the community. Many soldiers

teach and train newer members within their own time to develop skills complementing the team. The skills include hand-eye co-ordination, special manoeuvres and quick terms or references (such as phoenix) within War Thunder, which indicates the enemy team has deployed a formation of four ground vehicles and two air assets). These skills enable quick strategies to be formed which are often crucial to success online.

AND THERE IS MORE!

What makes an online game an E-sport depends on the appetite of the general public. There are a few standard characteristics between games: teamwork, the ability to communicate in real-time and the application of tactics. There also needs to be a goal or objective to be achieved, which can be as simple as destroying an enemy base or earning the most points.

The E-sports team do more than just develop online gamers; we offer technical support learning about computer hardware, spending hours on Amazon and Google researching the latest processors and other hardware for computers to ensure we have the technical edge over the competition. We often use graphics design software to design our own logos or waiting screens for our very own twitch channel (twitch.tv/royalarmouredcorps). We painstakingly learn every characteristic of a weapon or vehicle to give the viewers the absolute best experience possible.

Like other sports, buying better equipment for your personal computer to improve performance is akin to buying the latest space-technology football boots to give players the edge over the opposition. Shaving valuable micro-seconds in bringing your weapon to bear, destroying the enemy moments before they fire or the rush of unlocking a new

attachment on a preferred weapon makes all the hours dedicated worthwhile.

In some cases, when it comes to the professionals, it can become a full-time job that pays extremely handsomely. The major E-sports tournament events have prize pools reaching millions of pounds. INSOMNIA, which is hosted in Birmingham NEC, draws in crowds by the millions in person and online. It is a prestigious gaming event which caters to all gaming tastes under one roof. From real-time strategy, for all the armchair generals, to the heart attack-inducing, fast-paced, first person shooter in CoD.

This is a very tempting sport for the younger generation: the appeal of internet stardom and a healthy bank balance for doing what is, in essence, a hobby is causing a rapid growth in E-sports throughout the British Army.

TO CONCLUDE

COVID-19 has not only expanded the RTR E-sports team, it has also given us additional opportunities to train and excellent exposure. LCpl Dunbar (BADGER) has been selected for the Army Call of Duty team and Tpr Verner (AJAX) has been selected for the Army War Thunder team.

The RTR E-sports team comprises approximately 40 members from a range of ranks (including some from the Officers’ Mess). Most of these individuals regularly represent the RTR and Royal Armoured Corps. With a wealth of experience and talent in the RTR, leading innovation on and off the battlefield, we are a leading team in the Army’s E-sports community. This produces fantastic opportunities for all soldiers and has tangible benefits for the Army today and the Army of the future.

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CYCLOPS used Wargame: Red Dragon to enable eight participants to conduct Squadron/Company Group manoeuvre in an adversarial, competitive force-on-force environment. We executed using civilian hardware with Squadron nets provided using an open Zoom lobby. Each exercise iteration followed five stages: Receipt of Orders and Combat Estimate, Back Brief and Virtual Tactical Exercise Without Troops (TEWT) leading to Course of Action Selection, Orders, Execution and After-Action Review.

CYCLOPS conducted a range of missions based around either a deliberate attack in order to secure, or a delay in order to guard. Within these missions advance to contact, forward passage of lines, reconnaissance, delay, withdrawal in contact, block and hasty defence were all practised. Each mission was executed with two teams of four. BLUEFOR under the Squadron Leader consisted of a single operator controlling Squadron headquarters, recce section in CVR(T), an infantry platoon in Warrior, SQMS packet and a pair of AS90 in support. Three more BLUEFOR Troop Leaders controlled their Challenger 2 Troops – the principle aim being to enable Troop Leaders to focus

TRAINING DISPERSED – MAINTAINING TACTICAL CURRENCY USING COMMERCIAL GAMES

Major T Lloyd-Jukes

on their manoeuvre choices while the fourth participant controlled the battle and provided the combined arms wrap through recce, infantry and artillery elements. REDFOR was similarly structured under command of the Squadron second-in-command, but involved significantly greater resources in terms of artillery support and mass of armour.

During stage 1, participants were given Battlegroup orders defining their resources and mission. These were delivered to BLUEFOR and REDFOR. REDFOR was directed to plan to win, not simply to facilitate training. Each participant then independently conducted a combat estimate against the mission. This was enabled by being able to conduct question one (of the 7-questions estimate) using Wargame: Red Dragon to fly the battlefield and assess the ground. Each participant brought their findings to a back brief which initially saw all players compare findings before Officer Commanding (OC) RED and BLUE took their teams to conduct virtual Tactical Exercises Without Troops (using the game) and discuss courses of action for the mission. At the end of this stage the OCs

COVID-19 has disrupted most of our activity over the last year. We have had the challenge of dispersing our personnel while maximising the training and personal development of our teams. Fortunately, thinking remains free and, more importantly, does not require the proximity of our fellows. During lockdown we all used Zoom, Strava and a host of other widgets to keep in touch, train and compete. In addition, the Regiment used the commercial computer game ‘Wargame: Red Dragon’ to deliver planning, armoured tactics and communications training.

selected a course of action to execute. Stage 3 was delivery of orders via Zoom. Execution was conducted using a private lobby session in-game. All communication was conducted via Zoom using voice procedure, including practice of contact reports, fire missions including corrections, replenishment demands and quick battle orders. REDFOR fought its own plan using a separate Zoom comms channel. Finally, following execution, OCs BLUE and REDFOR used the games recording tool to compile After Action Review (AAR) points and debrief the mission in terms of the success of planning, communication and tactical decision making.

Wargame: Red Dragon enabled training to be conducted while dispersed. It is not a perfect tool; however, its ease of use, flexibility in mission design, automatic adjudication of interactions between assets and its provision of high-fidelity mapping and replays for TEWTs and AARs made it an effective tool to keep the tactical grey matter ticking over during lockdown.

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Out of Andover a small but determined band of wargamers is rising up to engage the British Army in using commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) computer strategy games to further doctrinal education and experimentation. UK Fight Club aims to make the concept of wargaming far more accessible to every level of the Armed Forces, changing culture to make wargaming a more common approach to improve thinking and fighting across all dimensions of conflict and competition.

In partnership with Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) and other commercial organisations, UK Fight Club are identifying suitable games that mimic realistic scenarios and warfighting environments, encouraging others to use these computer-based simulations, at little-to-no expense, amongst a community of likeminded peers who can aid and collaborate with each other to achieve specific results, training objectives and conceptual development.

In the few months that UK Fight Club has existed it has pursued these aims along several routes. In April some of its members formed the red team for a COVID-19 grey zone competition wargame with US Special Operations Command – Europe. Since April

CONCEPTUAL TRAINING – WARGAMING USING COMMERCIAL SIMULATIONCaptain A Maggs

At the risk of Brad Pitt and the ghost of Robert Paulson breaking down my front door I’m going to talk about UK Fight Club. In this instance however, we are not talking about a grimy, bare-fist boxing affair with anarchistic overtones, but a professional wargaming outfit helping to modernise the ethos of Prussian kriegsspiel for a 21st century British Army.

the club has been playing through a campaign called ‘Operation Rising Moon’ on the COTS computer game Combat Mission: Shock Force 2 (CMSF2). Club members complete the missions, post their results in a group chat on Slack and then discuss how they would tackle the situations they faced differently in the future. Many club members are setting up fight nights in their own battalions and regiments, where commanders pit their wits and tactical acumen against each other and then discuss how it went once the battle is over.

Training in the RAC is an expensive affair. The opportunities to conduct large scale manoeuvres are hampered by limited track mileage, training estate availability and an unrelenting forecast of events. Given these tight constraints it is often difficult to justify learning through failure. Conceptual development up front is essential. If Squadron Leaders are conducting rehearsal of concept drills in the field with tanks running behind them, it’s probably too late. Given the importance of, and renewed focus on, getting the basics right, opportunities for experimentation and toying with different approaches to tactical doctrine are sometimes far and few between. UK Fight Club are looking to combat this and

are working to bring cheap platforms with relatively low barriers to entry to units intent on augmenting the conceptual development of their soldiers and officers. In turn they hope to help plug some of the gaps that inevitably exist, encouraging an environment of competitive competency and an opportunity for all to fail fast, learn fast.

The RTR are grasping this opportunity early and are set to run what will hopefully be the first of many force-on-force fights utilising CMSF2. The battle will see officers from DREADNAUGHT and CYCLOPS face off against each other in a Squadron/Company group action which will engage the officers with their knowledge of doctrine, teamwork and their ability to interpret information in front of them into decisive and effective action. Watch this space.

UK Fight Club has ambitious plans for the future, with objectives ranging from hosting international competitions to running cross-government and industry seminars. Follow them on Twitter @UKFightClub1.

Combat Mission Shock Force 2

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Simulated training has become familiar practice in the Army and is a well-recognised means of enhancing soldiers’ skills and complementing live training. For the past fifteen years Defence Virtual Simulation (DVS) has been the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) common simulation tool delivered by Bohemia Interactive Simulations in the form of Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3). During the early days of Op HERRICK and the latter days of Op TELIC, many will remember troop-level exercises of laptops wired together in spare classrooms and running through tactical actions with a personal role radio attached to their heads. The premise today remains the same but this third iteration of the platform has been shaped and refined into a highly capable virtual training environment that is used by the US Department of Defense and over 50 other countries. For those joining the Army nowadays it feels entirely natural to activate their avatars and immerse themselves in this first-person multiplayer shooter gaming app. Based on commercial game technologies, it replicates real battlefield environments (or training areas like BATUS or Salisbury Plain) and allows our soldiers and leaders to practise their cognitive skills and tactical activity from low-level actions-on to delivery of effects in support of mission objectives.

INFRASTRUCTURE AND HARDWARE

When Maj Moseley established a temporary Local Area Network (LAN) of loaned laptops on the mezzanine above the gunnery simulators in the gunnery wing he proved the concept of having a permanent VBS3 training suite for the Regiment. He handed the project over to me and his early work has now developed into the following:

52 high-spec gaming PCs, 48 of which enable various configurations and, with a crew of Commander, Gunner and Driver, delivers 16 vehicles. These 16 vehicles could include a full 14 tank squadron and up to six live enemy or any number of configurations with single four tank troops combat-teamed alongside recce, infantry, artillery fire support teams (FST),

TACTICAL TRAINING USING SIMULATION – VIRTUAL BATTLESPACE COMPUTER SUITE

Major G C H Wilkinson

engineers or even air/aviation and against any number of real and artificial intelligence (AI) enemies. They are housed over two levels in individual booths, grouped together into vehicles of three crew members. They are connected by a permanent LAN and enhanced power supply.

The game is played with Xbox control handles that are familiar to many. There are also five genuine CR2 Commander’s Control Handles (CCH) and five Gunner’s control handles (GCH) that interface with the system. The open architecture of the software will enable constant tweaks to improve the realism and user experience. Two examples of improvement already actioned include the inclusion of a gun position indicator (GPI) and a solution to enable two concurrent radio nets in both ears alongside live intercom. Upgraded RAM (with room for future expansion) means the system is ready for the imminent rollout of VBS4 – the latest version of the platform. VBS4 increases ease of use by making it simpler to build missions and edit terrains, thus saving time and enabling soldiers to concentrate on the training. Virtual reality headsets will replicate some of the complexity of operating in a turret, thus increasing training value

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

A large screen will enable easier delivery of after-action reviews or even conduct vehicle recognition, using the excellent graphical capabilities to view friendly force and adversary vehicles from all angles in day and night and through various optics including sights and thermal imaging systems. A screen could also run wargames for a large audience, test Op plans for headquarters staff, simulate Tactical Exercises Without Troops (TEWTs) or even conduct virtual battlefield studies on historical battlefields with equipment of that period.

Additional tablets connected to the network may soon replicate the use of the commanders

ComBAT terminal. With the Kings Royal Hussars and 1 Royal Welsh in the process of building their own suites there could be an opportunity to connect and run battlegroup missions within the wire of Tidworth Garrison.

SUMMARY

The benefit of having a permanent VBS suite on our doorstep is that training can be conducted anytime for crew, troop, squadron or combined arms combat teams anytime, at short notice and at no extra expense. Simulated training will never replace live training; the pressures and awkwardness of the turret, the multitasking required to keep a complex machine in the fight while travelling at speed across challenging terrain. Obscuration while desperately tracking multiple enemies and navigating at night, or your last lumicolour falling victim to the turret monster will never be replicated in a computer suite. But better preparing soldiers through cognitive training in a situational context resulting in faster assimilation of content, increased retention and practising key training objectives can all be achieved. This means that when live training opportunities present themselves we are better prepared to make best use of that limited time.

Since the Regiment has returned to work after COVID-19 our Virtual Battlespace 3 (VBS3) suite has been an essential tool to allow crews, troops and squadrons to conduct meaningful training whilst remaining socially distanced and keeping the risk of infection as low as possible.

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ADVENTUROUS TRAINING & SPORT

Boasting reliable snowfall early in the season, Verbier in 1984 was a quiet but up-and-coming resort with North-facing slopes; cold and hard snow that was fit for racing. It was a sound choice for locating the Royal Armoured Corps and Army Air Corps Championships, and here the foundations were laid. 36 years later, the 11 Regimental teams still return to Verbier for Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super Giant Slalom and Downhill training, that culminate in ten days of competition.

On the first day, Regimental teams are mixed together based on ability level and each group is assigned an instructor who develops their technique over the first four weeks, before the competitions begin in the new year. Conditions this year were challenging, particularly for the beginners, where large snowfalls made the pistes undulated and difficult to navigate. For the more advanced skiers, it denied much of the race training, although there was little complaining while groups explored the mountains practising their off-piste skiing. In the evenings the Regimental teams would come back together to share their stories of the day, usually involving picture and video evidence of the biggest fall. One evening the

RTR ALPINE SKIING

Major Noon (L) and Brigadier Cowey (R) congratulate the team after a successful day of racing

The 2019/20 Alpine Ski season was the most successful the Royal Tank Regiment has ever had. From a strong set of results the year before, the team returned to Tidworth at the end of January 2020 with the most silverware it has ever accumulated in one season.

Royal Tank Regiment team hosted the Swiss World Cup racer Tanguy Nef, who gave great insight into life at the highest level of racing. His advice was sound, and became a lasting theme for the Tankies throughout the competitions.

Following the celebrations of Christmas and New Year, the team went into the competitions with high hopes and a goal to achieve podium position. Racing the same course; a steep, North-facing slope, all participants complete both individual and team events in Slalom, Giant Slalom and Super Giant Slalom. Much kudos is given to the beginners, who have to climb into the start-gate with just four weeks of skiing under their belt. From one success to the next, both the A and B teams of the Tank Regiment began accumulating some fantastic results. Having won the seeding race, Tpr Bulmer consistently finished in the top ten earning himself a well-deserved personal best of fourth in the Corps. LCpl Lambert came a very respectable eighth, with B Team’s rising star, Tpr Grundon, narrowly missing out on best beginner. In all, our goal of a podium position was smashed when both A and B teams won eight out of the nine team awards, coming a very firm first overall.

Lieutenant H Catmur

Our success continued to Les Contamines for the Divisional Competition where the team came third overall, with a team best of second in the Super Giant Slalom. Finally, onto the Army competition in Serre Chevalier; the four-man team secured another best-ever result for the Tank Regiment: second overall in the Army. This was aided by a proudly earnt second in the Team Downhill, the most nerve-wracking event where racers average 90kmph over a 2km course, which includes jumps, tight turns and blind-lips. Against much larger CSS Regiments organised purely for ski racing, our small team of combat soldiers fought tooth and nail at every turn, and in the short time we had for training, proved the attitude of Tankies is as strong as it has ever has been.

Next year we hope to earn another set of good results. However, the team will be challenged as some of its best talent moves on. Tpr Bulmer, who has developed a high level of skiing competency accumulated by years of hard work, will be a great loss to the team. We look forward to seeing new faces next year, and continuing to improve the calibre of the RTR skiing.

Tpr Bulmer gaining 27 places in the Army rankings

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FINAL RESULTS FOR SEASON 2019/2020:

RAC AND AAC CHAMPIONSHIPS

1st – A Team Slalom 1st – A Team Giant Slalom1st – A Team Super Giant Slalom2nd - B Team Slalom1st - B Team Giant Slalom1st - B Team Super Giant Slalom1st – A Team overall1st – B Team overall 1st - Overall Team1st - Individual Super Giant Slalom (Lt Catmur)2nd - Individual Slalom (Lt Catmur)2nd - Overall Individual (Lt Catmur)

DIVISIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

2nd - Team Super Giant Slalom3rd - Team Downhill3rd - Overall Team

ARMY CHAMPIONSHIPS

3rd - Team Slalom3rd - Team Giant Slalom5th - Team Super Giant Slalom2nd - Team DownhillTop 10 Individual Super Giant Slalom (Lt Catmur)Top 15 Individual overall (Lt Catmur)2nd Overall Team

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PRE-SEASON TRAINING

Weeks before deployment the team began training to build a team ethos that becomes so important later in the season. This consists of long runs and strength work before the roller skis come out and we inevitably get some strange looks around the garrison. In the background LCpl Jones was busy sizing everyone up for their race suits and skis. December came and we packed the vast amounts of equipment into the vans and set off for Beitostolen in Norway – which we would call home for the next three weeks.

NORWAY

On arrival we split the squad into two groups. The novices departed for a literal crash course in skiing with Sgt Dan Fuller (a former GB Nordic athlete), while a more experienced group got their balance back and started getting ski fit again. Evenings were filled with rifle practice and equipment preparation, all to save valuable seconds when it came to race days. One thing that surprised me was how well-tailored Beitostolen is for the sport. Dedicated tracks run for miles in every direction – all of which are manicured overnight. Unfortunately, they would then be trashed by me and the other novices, who seemed to be spending more time on the floor than on skis. By week

RTR NORDIC SKIINGLieutenant M Dewis

three we started training as a team and were getting in three sessions a day. Progress was really starting to show. With several regiments using Beitostolen as their training location, a practice race was organised, giving us a chance to select the A and B teams for the races ahead. As our time in Norway came to an end, focus started to switch to Christmas and some quality time with our loved ones back in the UK – with strict instructions not to eat too much turkey!

RACE SEASON

The first race of the season, the RAC championships held in Austria, is somewhere the RTR traditionally performs well. However, the course in Hochfilzen brought us back down to earth with a Christmas pudding bump. A World Cup level venue, it is unforgiving. Both uphill and downhill the course is technically demanding and after the first practice session several human-shaped holes had been added to the snow. However, the team performance exceeded expectations, winning the overall competition and qualifying for the Divisional Championships. A special mention should go to LCpl Jones who walked away with a well-deserved best individual. At this point we had to select six athletes that would continue the season and four who would return home.

Biathlon is a sport I have watched with admiration at the Winter Olympics and always wanted to try. The package this year was split down into pre-season training, a training camp in Norway and then a race season across Europe.

The RTR team with their silverware

For the Divisional competition the team travelled to Les Contamines, France. Les Contamines is a resort tailored more towards Alpine than Nordic skiing, and the course posed a new challenge: skiing in slush. The competition here took a big step up, with teams progressing from their respective Corps championships. However, consistency in all disciplines helped earned the team a second place finish overall. With the RTR Alpine team matching that result, the Regiment finished second overall in the competition, earning a place at the Army championships and some lovely silverware.

The season reached its pinnacle with the Army Championships held in Rhupolding, Germany, which had just hosted the International Biathalon Unions World Cup a few days beforehand. The conditions here were ever-changing which kept our wax guru on his toes to find the optimal treatment for the skis. The team performed exceptionally well, exceeding expectations. A special mention goes to Tpr Lewis, who was later picked to join the British Biathlon Union Development squad. We had been keeping tabs on the Alpine team’s progress but didn’t realise we had done so well collectively. Both teams were delighted to learn that RTR had won the Marina Cup for overall second, beating other regiments who are pretty much full-time athletes, something that speaks volumes about the teams we fielded.

This season turned out to be one of the best we have had in years. Many of the soldiers are determined to come next season, and hopefully RTR Nordic will continue to go from strength to strength.

Tpr Lewis on the range

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RTR ICE SPORTSCorporal S Webb

Ice sports is the name given to group together the disciplines of bobsleigh, skeleton and luge. It is a sport in which the Regiment was once the dominant unit in the Army, and although it has taken a backseat to other sports in recent years, this year saw our biggest and most successful season yet.

The ice sports season consists of three exercises: RACING ICE (RI) 1, 2 & 3. RI1 is a zero-to-hero novice camp that takes place over two weeks in December at the track in Igls, Austria. It takes sliders from never having seen a sledge in the flesh before, to running one off the top of the mountain and, hopefully, reaching the bottom the right way up! This year saw eight novices from the Regiment take part representing all three disciplines and Cpl Webb deploying as part of the Army coaching staff in luge.

With Tankies topping the timesheet on multiple occasions, most of the novices, as well as some of the more experienced sliders in their second and third years on ice, deployed on RI2 in January. RI2 is the Army Championships which this year took place in Winterberg, Germany. It consists of four training days in which the athletes must memorize every twist and turn of this 1.3km track in preparation for the race at the end of the week, the results from which decide the selection for the Army team.

An injury during the week saw Cpl Hewson out of action and SSgt Rugg without a brakeman in the bobsleigh event. Fortunately, he was able to find one and finished 5th against a hugely experienced field, narrowly missing out on selection. In the skeleton, after a promising first run, LCpl Diamond was punished for a mistake at the start on his second run, sending him down the order. A strong showing by LCpl Sayer saw him take home the title of novice champion and a spot on the Army team, beating athletes far more experienced than himself. Finally, the team was phenomenally successful in luge with Cpl Webb taking 2nd, missing out on retaining the title of Army Champion by just six-tenths of a second, and Tpr Clark taking 3rd as well as the title of Junior Champion. Tpr McKinley was able to claim novice runner-up, and all three athletes were selected to represent the Army.

The Inter-Services competition was held in the shadow of the Eagles Nest at the stunning village of Schonau-am-Konigssee, Germany. Schonau-am-Konigssee is by far the most technical track of the season with an unforgiving 360 degree

‘Kreisel’ corner which punishes any small mistake with a crash. The skeleton team were fortunate to have 2018 Olympic bronze medallist Dom Parsons as their coach this year, showing just how steep the progression in this sport can be. Unfortunately, LCpl Sayer picked up an injury after a particularly heavy crash during a training run, leaving it all down to the luge team.

With the Armed Services luge making up a large part of the British luge community, all the athletes who had made it this far were invited to take part in the PRG Storage British Luge Championship. In heavy rain and temperatures nearing plus ten degrees, conditions were the definition of unfavourable! After one of his best runs of the week, a skid near the bottom of the track where it starts to go uphill saw Tpr McKinley grinding to halt just a few feet from the finish and despite his best efforts to try to scramble up the track, he was out of the race. Despite a few knocks on the way down, the remaining Tankies were able to complete two runs and came away with a British ranking of 5th and 16th respectively.

After another training day, the end of the week saw the main event, the Inter-Services Ice Sports Championship. With a view of the competition a few days earlier, it was clear it would be a close match between the Army and the RAF. The team event would be decided by the combined times of the top three of a pre-selected four athletes. Cpl Webb represented the RTR with his time going towards the overall total. After a close race, the RAF was able to take the title by just 1.019 seconds.

Following such a successful season, the ice sports team is poised to excel in the 20/21 season. Plans are already being enacted for the selection and training of our would-be novice sliders including strength and conditioning programming and planned visits to the home of British luge and skeleton training at the University of Bath. This will significantly reduce the learning curve for our novice sliders when they arrive at the camp this year. Excitingly, interest in the sport is at a high within the Regiment, and a strong foundation has been set this season from which the Regiment will undoubtedly improve on this year.

Cpl Webb on the start handles for the Inter-Services Championships

Above: Tpr McKinley moments before it all went wrong for him

Below: The skeleton team of LCpl Diamond, LCpl Sayer & Tpr Wright

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RTR RUGBY

Despite the high tempo of regimental life, the RTR rugby team played numerous games against a variety of opponents in the 2019/20 season.

Lieutenant A MacKenzie

The RTR Rugby Football Club (RFC) made a positive start to the season with a comfortable win over Griffins RFC. This friendly match gave the team some much needed confidence at the start of the season.

Shortly after this pre-season warm up, the team faced the first knock out game, an away fixture against 11 Royal Logistics Corps (EOD). Despite a long journey, the Tankies came racing out of the blocks and took the game to the home team. An early try came in the first ten minutes for the RTR and this gave the men in black a boost. Momentum continued to build throughout the first half of the game. However, the excitement of the early success got to the heads of a few and the RTR unfortunately lost a man to a red card. With a man down, the Tankies knew they’d have to up their game and a fierce performance eventually led to a 38 - 22 victory, continuing the RTR’s excellent start to the season.

A break between games, to allow other sides to play their fixtures, allowed the team to consolidate, train and celebrate their early wins. The team used the break to play its annual fixture with Battersea Ironsides, a civilian team based in London which has strong ties to the RTR and includes several former members of the Regiment. As per usual, this was a hard-fought game played in good spirits. The RTR narrowly secured the victory, 19-17. The game

was followed by the obligatory post-match hospitality in the Ironsides’ clubhouse.

After a long break for Christmas, the team where back in action against an Artillery team at Larkhill. With little time to prepare and shake off the cobwebs, a well-drilled Artillery side gave the team a difficult game and unfortunately then chalked up its first loss of the season. Although the loss was a blow, this charismatic Tankie team kept their heads up and looked forward to the next game. After a period of intensive training, and the addition of a few new players,

the team went to play 22 Royal Engineers at Perham Down. An extremely strong Engineer team came out to play. The unfortunate loss of a few critical players to injury allowed the Engineers to dominate the scrum, putting the RTR team on the back foot for the majority of the game. Despite the team’s best efforts, the Engineers won the day – a defeat the team took with good grace, and thanks to the charisma of certain characters, kept a smile on their faces. We look forward with great anticipation to playing again in the 2020/21 season and continuing to build the team.

RTR RFC and Battersea Ironsides post-match

RTR RFC post Ironsides game

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With Capt Rob Hornblower and SSgt Lance Rugg remaining in place as Football Officer and Manager respectively, Cpl Hayden Maguire took on the role of Club Secretary and picked up the captain’s armband after a return from injury, injecting new energy in to the team’s training and match day schedules.

After a loss to the Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH) in the 2018/19 Cavalry Cup final in October, following a convincing run in the contest, the RTR approached the new season with a desire to put right the disappointment of the previous season. With a new season came a new kit, with the team now sporting black and grey stripes, with the logo of regimentally-affiliated charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers printed on the front. Early fixtures showed that the team were as competitive as ever, with early wins in the Major Units Cup, the Cavalry Cup and the League seeing the team competing on three fronts on the run in to Christmas.

Unfortunately, with Regimental commitments stretching the team thin, an exit from the Major Units cup was a blow early in the New Year.

RTR FOOTBALLLieutenant R Hornblower

Whilst the 2019/20 season has seen upheaval across the sporting calendar, it has nonetheless been a successful campaign for the Royal Tank Regiment Football Team.

Despite this, the team continued to battle in the League, and turned their focus to a semi-final clash with the Light Dragoons (LDs) in the Cavalry Cup. With match day looming, and a full strength RTR team in the final stages of build up, a travelling LDs team posted a video on Twitter of their service station encounter with Grimsby Town manager Ian Holloway. Holloway urged the LDs to “smash ‘em all over the place”, and this was all the motivation needed for the RTR to race out of the blocks and sweep the LDs aside by a margin of 5 goals to 1 in a convincing attacking display backed up by solid defensive shape and organisation.

With the end of March came a halt to the season, which has since seen the League declared void. Fortunately for the RTR, with September’s return of sport came the return of the Cavalry Cup. The RTR football team have returned to training and await the remaining Cavalry Cup semi-final to decide who of the QRH or ARMCEN they will face in the 2019/20 final in October.

The RTR’s Twitter beef with the Light Dragoons

The RTR debut their new kit in a league fixture

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RTR WATER POLOWarrant Officer Class 2 (SSM) Gavazzi

Looking in from the outside, water polo looks like a graceful combination of different sports rolled into one. However, like a duck gliding serenely above water level whilst paddling furiously beneath, it is not as easy as it looks. You are tossed into the deep end of an Olympic sized pool and have to tread water for thirty minutes while simultaneously attempting to possess and control a ball and evade brutal opponents.

The Royal Tank Regiment’s Water Polo Team

Water polo combines the skill of playing basketball with the added brutality of rugby and lacrosse where the players literally have to keep their heads above water and try not to drown or be drowned!

The main event of the year for the team was the Army Inter Unit Water Polo Championships. The competition consisted of a total of 10 major unit teams split into two pools of five. The games were played in the new fast five format which has a smaller area of play with fewer players in the water. Teams were awarded three points for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss. The teams finishing second in each pool had a play-off match for third place, and the winning teams from each pool then played off for overall winner and runner-up.

The team historically does very well in the pool stages, and this year was no exception. The team dominated Pool A. The highlight of the pool games was our 6-1 win over the Royal School of Military Engineering, who came third in the tournament.

The RTR team has made it to the finals of the tournament for three years in a row. After losing in a penalty shootout last year, the team returned to the tournament determined to

bring back the trophy. We faced Army Training Regiment Pirbright, the same team we had lost to the year before, and the game proved to be a closely fought match. A game is broken down into six-minute quarters. The RTR team were 4-0 down at halftime, and things were not looking good. After regrouping, we managed to claw back some goals, and by the end of the third quarter, the scoreboard showed an admirable 4-4. In the final quarter, fitness and experience came to the fore. Pirbright, a team that boasts several Army players, managed to up their game and won 7-4.

Once again, the team has worked hard and achieved much in one of the most demanding sports on offer. Water polo requires physical fitness, toughness, resilience and teamwork, and therefore fits well with the Regiment’s ethos. It is important to mention that the RTR Water Polo Team remains undefeated within the Armoured Corps since it was introduced to the RAC Hodson’s Horse competition in 2014. This year has seen another fantastic performance by the team and next year we will ensure that our team is the one to watch at the Army Inter Units competition.

Army Inter Unit Water Polo Championships

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With the shooting season fast approaching, the team have been out on the range conducting some much needed pre-season training. Whilst the junior members were practising under the watchful eye of LCpl Chiplin, three senior members attended a shotgun safety officers course. The safety officer course not only qualifies individuals to run our own clay range, but it has also improved the team’s ability to coach newcomers. The team now has several taster and training days ready to deliver.

The RTR shooting team, thanks to Regimental and Home Headquarters financial support, is also becoming a regular feature in the local shooting community and routinely joins the Tidworth and Bulford Garrison shoot for days out. The garrison shoot, which is run by

RTR SHOOTING TEAMStaff Sergeant Forrester

After an extremely successful season last year, the RTR shooting team is focused on individual development and team growth to develop future success.

former RTR Lt Col (Retd) Alan Ellis with military precision, is extremely popular and places remain at a premium.

Earlier in the year, the Regiment was able to host the Vinters at Castle Martin Ranges. Shortly after this visit, the Regiment was kindly offered two pegs on a Vinters shooting party – an invitation the shooting team couldn’t refuse. SSgt Forrester and Sgt Teece were lucky enough to enjoy one of the best days shooting they had ever experienced. The hosting and hospitality were excellent, and the visitors even managed to bag a few birds.

Towards the end of the season, the Regimental shooting team were, for a second year running, against the victors at the Southern Counties Championship. Off the back of this successful season, some of the senior team members attended the British Army Olympic selection

Regimental game shooters past and present from L-R: Col Evans, Capt Chisholm, Maj Barker, Lt Col (Retd) Ellis, SSgt Forrester, DMaj Daulby

camp, and SSgt Forrester and Capt Rob Vincent have subsequently been picked for the Army team and the Olympic Development Squad.

During the lockdown, the team has managed to get out and complete some socially distanced training shoots. DMaj Daulby, LCpl Bevin and Tpr Taylor have all become permanent fixtures to the shooting programme with the potential to represent the Regiment at future events.

Looking to the future, the team has more training courses planned to help grow its instructor numbers, develop new talent, recruit a broader membership and hopefully maintain our current position as the top RAC shooting team.

Finally, a personal goal is to continue to promote shooting throughout the Regiment and to be selected to attend the 2021 World Masters in Japan as part of the Olympic Development Squad.

SSgt Forrester and Sgt Teece enjoying an afternoon refreshment courtesy of the wider Regimental family, hosted by Charlie Burchell (Vinters) and his son Nick

Sgt Teece eying up his next bird

Four members of the team are competing for Olympic selection

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RTR ROAD CYCLINGCorporal Towers

Road cycling is one of the few activities booming in the new COVID-19 era.

The brutal discipline of hill climbing...

I’m happy to lift morale slightly with the knowledge that the sport of cycling across the Regiment in 2020 has not been miserably suppressed by COVID-19, but in fact amplified.

The lockdown in early 2020 taught us all a few things, I’m sure. Besides banana bread recipes and bad DIY, we all collectively realised the importance and enjoyment there is in keeping

ourselves physically active with all the extra time suddenly on our hands. We were of course encouraged to participate in an hour of exercise a day and the chain of command clearly supported this.

Cue the entire Regiment downloading Strava and a big bike boom across the RTR.

There were many improvised ways to build individual fitness; garden gyms, YouTube Yoga and of course plodding on the pavement outdoors. But many soldiers and officers were quickly realising that, coupled with idyllic weather conditions and barren roads, now was not a bad time at all to swing a leg over a bike.

Fast forward to the present day and we now have a bigger cycling participation on a Wednesday sports afternoon than I can ever recall. The club, able to operate within the given regulations, is going from strength to strength.

As for my side of life on the Army Men’s Race Team, the big team focus for May this year was set to be the OVO Energy Tour Series – competing at national level, televised with live coverage, against professional bike racers, which of course could not go ahead. However, that race-specific fitness I had been working on meticulously since November was not to go to waste, due to the team making a rapid switch fire and jumping straight on the incredible

indoor training and racing platform that is Zwift.

Usually reserved for making indoor training on the turbo or wattbike during winter more interesting and immersive, Zwift is essentially a virtual cycling game that can be used on your laptop or phone, showing you riding along with others logged on as an avatar and encompassing metrics such as your heart rate, speed and power measurement data to reflect what is happening on the screen in real-time. Clearly during a period of globalised lockdowns, this platform became hugely popular with athletes worldwide.

Where Zwift really comes into its own though is online racing. The world of Zwift is not a light form of fun and pastime, it is its own legitimate governed e-Sport that is fiercely contended worldwide by top level cyclists in professional teams, and it attracts significant media coverage. Us riders even had to routinely provide ‘anti e-doping’ data, where we sent in weigh-in and height measurement videos to the governing body on the day of competition, to prove we were not just falsely inputting rider information to give us an unfair advantage.

We could therefore still compete as a team aggressively and legitimately during the whole of lockdown, albeit from our garages with several fans and several more water bottles

The author tackling another hill

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RTR MOUNTAIN BIKING

nearby, with our team manager giving us firm direction throughout via the discord app while we raced. The team achieved some impressive results, ultimately winning the first ever Inter-Services e-racing championship, beating the Navy and RAF cycling teams.

Now that restrictions have eased and more real-time sport is open for us to take part in, we have re-focused on the British Hill Climb season. Cycling has many different disciplines and types of racing to get involved with, but hill climbing can take the accolade of being the oldest type of bike race in the world, tracing its heritage back to 1887. Simple yet utterly brutal by nature, this type of event involves starting from a standing start at the foot of a usually savagely steep hill (the normal gradient is around 20%). Then on your start time, you get yourself to the crest of the hill as quickly as possible. These efforts usually only last around five minutes,

The RTR Mountain Bike Team had a fantastic 2019, with several riders leading adventurous training in Germany and the UK. In addition, the team’s trip to Morzine in France during the summer meant that 2020 had a lot to live up to.

The year started off well with SSgt Heal, Cpl Yockney and LCpl Walsh being selected to represent the Army Mountain Bike Team for another year. The team started with plans to conduct a training camp in North Wales, several training days around the UK and a trip back to France. Team members were also available to assist with the running of Regimental adventurous training.

In 2019, the RTR team finished in 6th place in the Army Mountain Bike Championships

Lance Corporal Walsh

which was a great achievement. Preparations for 2020 were going well until COVID-19 took over and all Army and Regimental mountain bike training was halted.

BADGER managed to get a troop away to the New Forest in late July to conduct some low level mountain bike adventure training. The trip was run by team members, LCpls Walsh and Smith, with the groups conducting daily cycling routes between 12-30 km during the five-day trip.

Looking forward to 2021, the team are planning on organising a Race to the Sun as part of the CO’s challenge. There will also be some team members travelling to Japan to represent Great Britain and the Army in an international event. While at home, the team will be planning on France in 2021 while assisting squadrons with adventure training.

LCpl Smith showing off the new RTR Team jersey

Tprs Matthews and Thetford in the New Forest

but these are arguably the hardest five minutes of physical exertion you can put your body through, with your heart almost instantly hitting its maximum rate and your legs and arms pooling with burning lactate. Put it this way: one of the new regulations for COVID-19 was no more catchers are allowed at the top of the hill. I’ll let you work out what their job entailed…

It’s fair to say as a bike racer I’m usually at my happiest in the middle of a fast moving bunch of riders throwing elbows and jostling for position ready for a big final sprint, but as the competitors in a hill climb start a minute apart and perform an individual best effort, this is one of the only style of events currently open to all competitive cyclists in the UK, that is COVID-19 regulated and at present, safe.

The die-hard top tier hill climbers in the UK scene will train intensively specifically for these

events, as well as meticulously shedding weight from both bike and body. Competitors follow diligent diets year-round and shave every gram possible from their machines to grab those vital seconds that make the difference between winning and losing. It is not uncommon that they will even saw off the curved drops from their handlebars before events to hope to gain that elusive advantage. Marginal gains.

As a lighter rider with a fair bit of punch, I am acquiring a knack for these races and have achieved very respectable results. I am just using my standard do-it-all road racing bike for the time being, but I am enjoying the challenge of dipping my toe into something a bit different and continuing to compete during these aforementioned “unprecedented times”.

I hear the Light Aid Detachment has a half decent hacksaw...

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RTR TRIATHLON TEAM

In 2012 the late Maj Mick Welbourne of The Royal Lancers set about raising the profile of triathlon within the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC).

Staff Sergeant Lambe

To gain interest in the sport he managed to convince the home of the RAC to include the sport in its Commanders Cup, an annual competition which sees the three schools (Driving and Maintenance, Gunnery and Signals) plus the RAC Training Regiment compete in a series of sports from football and rugby to cross country and swimming.

Selling triathlon to a cohort of RAC SNCOs is no easy feat but the tenacity of Maj Welbourne ensured the sport grew in popularity year on year. The RAC triathlon competition grew to be an annual event held in its own right, seeing entries opened out to the RAC, attached arms and attached civilians, all with the goal of creating an RAC team to compete at Army Championship level. Unfortunately, in early 2019 the RAC lost a fine Late Entry Officer when Maj Mick Welbourne passed away after losing his battle with cancer.

WO1 Robertson of the Scots Dragoon Guards and the new Corps Sergeant Major was one of the early victims of Mick’s mission to convert

soldiers to Triathlon. WO1 Robertson paid Mick the most fitting tribute, by going to great lengths to organise the RAC triathlon competition at short notice and unfortunately in the month of November, out of season. Despite the real threat of freezing temperatures, over a hundred soldiers and civilians signed up to compete and pay their respects in the newly-named Welbourne Cup Triathlon.

The RTR fielded a team of five athletes, with a range of experience, and three finished inside the top 20 – Tpr Lewis finishing 9th, Capt Moore 14th, and SSgt Lambe 16th. Newcomers to the sport Cpl Gough and Cpl Reynolds both performed well while gaining some experience of this demanding sport.

The Regimental team went into the off-season with a training plan heavily focussed on techniques across the three disciplines. Swim training consisted of four key drills to enhance stroke and efficiency in the water, cycle training included bicycle maintenance sessions to ensure both man and machine

were performing at their best. Run sessions were done at a low heart rate to build strength and condition without risking fatigue-induced injuries. There was a fourth discipline practised – the transition. Learning how to set up your bike for the transition from swim to cycle and subsequently going from cycle to run. A Bike Run Interval Circuit (BRIC) trains the muscles in switching between the two disciplines, a very tough staple in a triathlete’s training. To complete the team a new Tri-Suit has been provided by the Regiment, meaning for the first time the team can be identified as RTR in future events.

Like the rest of the world, COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the team’s ability to train together in mid-2020, and events have been cancelled until further notice. The team is now looking toward to 2021, with plenty of time to kick-start the training and to get ready for the next available event.

RTR GOLF

RAC Corps championships at Camdown golf course in Dorset

The Golf year started well with two teams being entered for the RAC Corp Championship and one of the teams finishing in third place. Notably at this event, LCpl Irvine won the best overall Stapleford score of the competition.

The year of planned golf tournaments was largely cancelled due to COVID-19; a year of great disappointment, especially as a five-day tour in the Algarve also cancelled.

Nonetheless, after a six-week lock down, golf courses were allowed to reopen and the team definitely made the most of their time whilst on dispersal as handicaps came down from 28 to 26.

There is one event due to take place this year, The Rusty Putter, which is due to take place mid-October and the Seniors are hoping to make it their third successive win against the Officers.

Staff Sergeant Davies

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RTR BOXING TEAM

It has been a stellar year for the Royal Tank Regiment Boxing Team. Our fighters put on a series of eye catching and extremely competitive bouts as they took to the ring. For a number of them, the Regimental Boxing Night was their debut performance. CYCLOPS were the overall victors with BADGER taking second place.

Corporal G Jobburn

REGIMENTAL BOXING NIGHT 2019

The first fight of the evening was between Cpl Browne of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry representing AJAX, and Cpl Oakley representing FALCON. Cpl Browne, who has close links with the RTR Boxing Team, stepped up in what was his first amateur bout. Cpl Oakley was the named victor by a split decision in what was a close-fought bout – a great start to the evening.

Next up, Tpr Mdluli of CYCLOPS vs. Tpr Riddle of FALCON. This was the second time both have represented their Squadrons and for the second time they didn’t disappoint. Tpr Mdluli relied on his experience, winning the fight by unanimous decision.

The third fight of the evening was between Tpr Young of BADGER and Tpr Rai of FALCON, this was the first time both fighters had entered the ring. Young finished the fight on top producing a classy performance demonstrating how to use range to his advantage.

After the intermission, LCpl Hawke of FALCON fought Tpr Briggs of BADGER. This was LCpl Hawke’s second fight in as many years whilst Tpr Briggs entered the ring for the first time.

LCpl Hawke showed his experience in the first round, but it was Tpr Briggs’s power which proved to be the decisive factor and he claimed the victory by unanimous decision.

The penultimate fight of the night was between LCpl Martin of AJAX vs. LCpl Simpson of CYCLOPS. This was by far the most technical bout of the evening with both fighters showing their skill. LCpl Martin was named victor by the narrowest of margins.

Finally, LCpl Whelan, CYCLOPS took on Sgt Donnelly of FALCON in what turned out to be the most entertaining fight of the evening. Both fighters stood toe-to-toe trading blows in a high tempo bout. LCpl Whelan was named the winner, confirming CYCLOPS as inter-squadron champions.

HODSON’S HORSE 2019

Continuing from where they left off, LCpls Simpson and Martin, along with Tprs O’Neill, Briggs, Mdluli and Young were selected to represent The Royal Tank Regiment for the Hodson’s Horse competition. Martin, Simpson and Briggs all made it to the semi-finals but unfortunately all lost by split decision, with O’Neill, Young and Mdluli advancing to the finals. Tpr Young lost by split decision in the finals, whilst Mdluli and O’Neill dominated, winning in convincing fashion.

The RTR Boxing Team will now compete against the units of 12 Brigade as we prepare for the new season.

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ARTICLES

As plans to respond to the pandemic developed, numerous challenges emerged and the country practically moved to a war footing. Support to the national efforts against COVID-19 became Defence’s highest priority. All three services quickly established a COVID-19 Response Team, reinforcing the Standing Joint Commander (UK) (SJC(UK)) as Joint Commander for military activity within the UK. The troops on the ground in this scenario were the COVID-19 Support Force (CSF), which were tailored to the whole of Government response.

Defence personnel have been engaged at all levels of this rapidly evolving national effort, contributing to an extraordinary array of tasks. At its peak prior to this article, Defence had 20,000 military personnel at very high readiness as part of the CSF and 3,943 Defence military personnel were deployed outside of their normal duties. Tasks were broad and varied; medical specialists working in the NHS, general duties personnel assisting in the high-profile Project Nightingale hospitals, the National Testing Programme,

FIGHTING AN INVISIBLE ENEMY AT HOMECaptain K Mcilroy (Operations Officer)

The period before social distancing, donning a mask to enter a shop, and COVID-19 dominated conversations, feels like a lifetime ago. What started as an emerging story in the periphery of society soon evolved.

Soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment conducting a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit for the public at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton. Photographer: Corporal Anil Gurung / MoD Crown

backstage logistical, analytic, planning and commercial expertise. Defence also supported repatriations from overseas and delivered military support to the Caribbean Overseas Territories.

At times of crisis, the Government often calls upon the military to contribute to the national response due to their specialist skill-set and equipment. This is called Military Aid to Civil Authorities or MACA. The Regiment is historically well-versed in delivering, or being

Soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment conducting a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit for the public at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton. Photographer: Corporal Anil Gurung / MoD Crown

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trained to deliver MACA, whether that be flooding, foot and mouth, police augmentation, prison support, or more recently supporting the multi-agency efforts in response to the nerve agent attacks in Salisbury.

During early 2020 the Regiment was poised to enter a new training year, having recently resubordinated to 12 Armoured Infantry Brigade. Warfighting excellence and furthering our status as Mounted Close Combat specialists was at the forefront of our minds. However, once orders arrived for us to become one of the CSF units, we swiftly refocussed our efforts. We then began training for several likely tasks, implemented a robust call back and deployment plan and dispersed. The Regiment, now battle-prepared and mission-ready, awaited orders to deploy and fight the invisible enemy.

The orders came, thick and fast. Within days the Regiment had deployed liaison officers and planners across the UK into Government departments, within NHS national, regional and local structures and to numerous local agencies and resilience forums. Our planners offer a different perspective and an impartial challenge function to these processes. As quick thinkers and proven planners the Regiment’s liaison Officers were critical to their organisations. Every individual augmentee was extended in post, often several times, at the request of the organisation they were supporting.

Concurrently, the South-Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) Trust was under significant pressure due to COVID-19, with staff shortages across their frontline. SCAS have an existing

Soldiers from the Royal Tank Regiment conducting a COVID-19 Mobile Testing Unit for the public at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton. Photographer: Corporal Anil Gurung / MoD Crown

network of circa. 120 military co-responders, from all regions, who have completed the Emergency Response Driving Course and they stepped up to the challenge. The RTR supported the SCAS with one of the members of the Light Aid Detachment, who deployed to frontline shifts assisting SCAS Clinicians at Didcot Ambulance Station and the surrounding stations as required, to bolster numbers. During the 12-hour frontline shifts, Cpl Bates responded to 96 incidents with 47 being category one life threatening emergencies. His outstanding leadership, care and compassion was cited as a real force multiplier by his leadership team and crew during the deployment.

The largest contribution from the Regiment came in the form of delivering the Mobile Testing Units (MTUs) in Devon and Cornwall as part of the National Testing Programme. With Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) civil servants, the Army designed and deployed mobile testing units, the number of which significantly increased to meet demand with some 1,150 involved in their delivery. Military personnel also helped organise and carrying out tests within regional testing centres and couriered over 100,000 testing kits to care homes. As part of the wider effort the Regiment assumed control of the Devon and Cornwall Area of Responsibility from 42 Commando Royal Marines at the start of April until subsequently handing over the responsibility to a commercial solution on 31 July 20.

Devon and Cornwall cover 3,961 square miles, encompassing over 700 miles of coastline, 500 square-miles of moorland and over

13,500 miles of roads (6.6% of the total road length in England and Wales). Within this large geographical area, a resident population of 1.7 million live in 722,300 households who are generally older than the national profile (more people aged 65+) and therefore at a higher risk from COVID-19. The Regiment had its work cut out, especially measured against lockdown easing and the area’s population significantly increasing with tourists and second homeowners (not to mention the treacherous crossing of the River Tamar and its toll system).

The Regiment also had to contend with split accommodation locations, daily changes to site locations, daily pickups/drop offs of testing packs and a highly process-heavy reporting system to multiple organisations. Initially a composite Operations Group with a team from across the Regiment delivered this task under the leadership of CYCLOPS, followed on proficiently by AJAX. Throughout, all members of the teams were under intense public and media scrutiny and all performed impeccably. The Regiment’s people were extremely well-received for their professionalism and compassion. Several members of the public were compelled to express how impressed they were by sending letters to the Regiment, even highlighting individuals by name.

As the dust settles for the Regiment on an unprecedented year, the invisible enemy remains at large, the rumble of tanks and the return of black coveralls to Aliwal Barracks mark the return to warfighting excellence and reasserting our place as the Army’s premier Mounted Close Combat specialists.

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Globally the reactions of nations have spanned the full range of responses. From lockdowns to guidance, each has approached it differently. For the UK it has seen an epic shift in how life and business is conducted; changes in how we interact, socialise, travel and even dress.

For UK Defence, the coordination of Civil-Military affairs is conducted through the Standing Joint Headquarters, led by Commander Home Command. They are the lead for all UK and Commonwealth Operations. The formal process for government to request aid from the Ministry of Defence is through Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA). Requests must filter through a series of checks and authorisations, normally through to the Secretary of State for Defence. This process resulted in my own mobilisation in support of The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). MHCLG are the lead for local government issues within government. Within the MHCLG is the Resilience and Emergencies Division (RED), a regionally-aligned group that supports the Local Resilience Fora that were established as part of the Civil Contingencies Act ‘04. The individual forums hold a responsibility to provide a multi-agency response to a variety of events and are activated to provide local support as required.

The Merseyside Resilience Forum (MRF), where I was sent, is established within the Joint Control Centre (JCC), a joint Fire and Police building that is designed to provide tactical and operational command centre, as well as a designated multi-agency response room. The MRF is established on the Police and Fire regional footprints. This exposes one of the main issues with the multi-agency setups: the number of overlapping boundaries between the partners. Within the MRF there are five local authorities, but the NHS, ambulance, utilities, and transport areas all span into other, sometimes into multiple resilience forum areas.

The emergency services operate using the JESIP Principles (see image) when reacting to an event or crisis. They would be familiar to

COVID-19 RESPONSE: WORKING WITH OTHER GOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENTSCaptain S Walton

COVID-19. The threat of an influenza-type virus has been on the National Risk Register for years, yet when it came, we found our preparedness didn’t meet expectations.

anyone serving in the forces over the last two decades. These principles aid the services to work jointly and to share relevant information in a standardised format. Although progress has been made between the emergency services, there is less standardisation between other agencies. From a multi-agency perspective, this is great when it is an emergency service (Police, Fire, HM Coastguard), who deal with

incidents regularly, leading a response, but is different when being lead by another less experienced agency. In the case of COVID-19, the initial response (and therefore chair of the Strategic Coordination Group (SCG) was led by a health official (Public Health England / NHS).

On arrival I was allocated to Liverpool City Council and was embedded within the Emergency Planning Team. They were co-

Walton in Walton

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located with the local Coroner within the Coroners Court, a daily reminder of the reality of the situation we were in. The location with the Coroner had several benefits, as the head of the team was the lead of the Mortality Management group of the MRF, as well as being the regional representative on the Cabinet Office working group. My role was to assist in the planning of the response, focusing on local forecasting and capacity management. The Coroner was invaluable in learning about the intricacies of the system and helping with the legislative changes under the Coronavirus Act. When it came to forecasting the situation, information was scant. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies had a worst case scenario brief that was issued initially. However, this made for grim reading and we needed a more local understanding of how this might impact the area. The Coroner and his team were able to give context to a complicated process that required cooperation between NHS, local authorities and the private sector. Although the picture was still difficult reading, it gave us a good start point on where we needed to apply our scant resources.

As the response phase developed, and the reality of the impact the virus was having on

WEBSITE: WWW.JESIP.ORG.UK | EMAIL: CONTACT@JESIP.ORG.UK | TWITTER: @JESIP999

JESIP PRINCIPLES FOR JOINT WORKING

If the principles are followed then the result should be a jointly agreed working strategy where all parties understand what is going to happen, when and by whom.

The principles will often, but not always, be followed in the order in which they are presented.

SHARED SITUATION AWARENESS

Shared Situational Awareness established by using METHANE and the Joint Decision Model.

CO-LOCATE

Co-locate with commanders as soon as practicably possible at a single, safe and easily identified location near to the scene.

COMMUNICATE

Communicate clearly using plain English.

CO-ORDINATE

Co-ordinate by agreeing the lead service. Identify priorities, resources and capabilities for an effective response,

includingthe timing of further meetings.

JOINTLY UNDERSTAND RISK

Jointly understand risk by sharing information about the likelihood and potential impact of threats and hazards to agree potential control measures.

vulnerable populations became evident in the ever-reducing capacity across the region, support began to pour in. Personnel who were no longer able to work normally were seconded to support, vehicles and space were allocated in an effort to coordinate the varied parts of the mortality management process. An operations room was established in the JCC, with Police and Fire personnel engaging with individual mortuaries, the local authority cemetery and crematorium managers and the hundreds of funeral directors and undertakers in the Merseyside region. This was a huge undertaking and connected parts of the system that had never effectively interacted before. It also gave us a real understanding of the pinch points we had, in real time, and allowed us to ensure that we were providing a proportionate response.

Unfortunately, not all offers of help were appropriate, or even beneficial. A result of the regionally-led approach meant that nationally there were responses that were suitable locally, but unpalatable elsewhere. Offers from airports, ice rinks and food haulers all had to be vetted and implications understood. Other difficulties came about as a direct result of the virus. Years of optimisation and cuts to all agencies has left little-to-no depth in key

positions. Whilst this is the ideal (read cheapest) situation in peace, during the response we had issues with leaders and subject matter experts being unable to operate effectively at reach, working virtually or over the phone. Many of them fell in to a vulnerable category and were unable to operate, which highlighted a lack of trained and enabled deputies able to step up when required.

An inability to integrate digital systems was partially enabled by the Resilience Direct web platform, a truly excellent network that was developed to overcome the differences in accounts. However, it has fallen behind the well-developed collaboration and communication tools that have become standard in commercial networks today. This resulted in conference calls and email distribution lists becoming the default, a huge step back in capability that impacted the initial response at all levels once lockdown was instigated. This lack of digital integration may be familiar to some and is never easy to overcome.

The understanding of Civil Authorities about the capabilities of the military has increased dramatically over the past decade. Standing commitments, numerous smaller call-ups for specialist capability and annual training have steadily improved the relationship on both sides. Constant success has led to more requests from government, who know what capability they are getting. Furthermore, a continuous state of readiness has developed a new group of subject matter experts within the military to support these activities.

The most interesting part of any organisation is always the range of people employed within or associated with it. As alluded to above, the range of organisations involved with the COVID-19 response meant that there was no shortage of personalities present in the variety of meetings and actions that occurred daily. These people really made the time enjoyable and rewarding, bringing with them a huge variety of backgrounds and experience. The MACA task provided a unique opportunity to experience working within a local emergency coordination group and a chance to work with the emergency services. It provided a much longer period to be exposed to the workings of the civilian authorities and to understand a little more about the natures of such similar but different organisations to ourselves. I would like to thank all those I had the pleasure of working with.

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MOBILE TESTING UNITS – THE LIVED EXPERIENCE

However, due to the virus plunging the country into lockdown someone had to take the risk and go out there to help the country regain a sense of safety and security. This is why the Army stepped up and offered its soldiers to help share the burden with the NHS.

Our time as a Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) started on camp with a week of build-up training. We received briefs and practical demonstrations as to what we would be doing in our MTU and how to execute our task safely. We were also given specific guidance on how to interact with the general public and actions on for situations already experienced by other MTUs. We were also lucky enough to be provided with a fully kitted out MTU van which were in scarce supply, and spent most of a full day training on how to set it up, run it and take it all down. Once our week of training was finished, we moved to Wyvern Barracks, Exeter and began our month-long deployment conducting daily testing in Torquay.

Our first week was the busiest by far. Day one was our highest total, with 147 tests completed in six hours. Our daily average for the remainder

was slightly lower at approximately 100 tests, but some of our neighbouring units were only seeing ten or so people per day. Initially, it felt a bit overwhelming but the trial by fire was a great way to get us all confident and competent at the jobs we would be doing. The deployment as a whole went smoothly, but it was not without its challenges. Last minute taskings often deprived us of vital man-power and vehicles.

Our largest challenge by far was interfacing with the local civilian population in our testing sites. Our presence often disrupted the daily routines of many of the local populace, which at times caused a low level of confrontation. As our presence became more established with time, the individuals who were often most disruptive came to accept our presence, and became friendly and inquisitive. There was however a small minority who disrupted our task, crossing through cordoned off clean areas where testing was taking place, as well as attempting to record our activity on mobile phones and halt our activity.

Our other major problem was the gazebos that kept breaking in the wind. Fortunately we had smart thinkers in the troop who managed to

No one ever expected to be in Torquay handing out COVID-19 test kits when we signed up.

Trooper Archibald

take two broken tents and make one good tent. During our last week as a MTU we mentored the civilian contractors sent to replace us and helped them to get to grips with the testing procedure. They found that we streamlined much of what they had to do at the big testing hubs and rapidly adopted our best practice.

It wasn’t all work though of course. When we were rotated onto a rest day we got out as a troop and enjoyed some activities. We were able to go surfing, which for a group of people who’d never surfed before was more like being thrown about by the sea with the occasional splash of drowning. We went go-karting and, as most of the troop considered themselves the next Lewis Hamilton, it got very competitive. But most importantly we got out for some good meals down by the Quay in Exeter.

Overall it was not a hard four weeks. While our contribution was only a small one, it was satisfying to know that the combined efforts of the Armed Forces was providing the bulk of the UK’s testing capability and allowing individuals to get their lives back. For those of us who are yet to go on a tour or a deployment it was a refreshing change from normal work.

An RTR Mobile Testing Unit in action

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‘POWERING’ INNOVATION

The makeup of the Battlegroup Headquarters (BGHQ) has remained unchanged for over half a century. An amalgam of vehicles and tents to facilitate planning and execution has been the way for decades. The set-up works, but not on today’s battlefield.

Technology to find things has advanced a great deal further than the technology to hide from things. As such, we find ourselves operating in plain sight, no matter how hard we try to hide. So how do we mitigate the threat of being compromised? The answer is signature management.

The aim of the BGHQ this year has been to streamline where possible, to make the complex easier to collapse and build. In line with Commander Field Army’s direction, the intent has been to improve the resilience of Command and Control. Bringing innovative ideas into play has opened many opportunities for Command Troop.

The first key change is to remove the requirement for the Lightweight Field Generator (LFG). An unreliable and cumbersome item, the LFG is required to provide alternating current (AC) power to the HQ. This can be avoided by changing the power supply infrastructure to the HQ. Revolutionising the power structure to utilise direct current (DC) enables power scavenging and a much more efficient way of operating. A greater reliance on high frequency batteries, as a means of providing disposable power, will see the HQ operate more efficiently and with a smaller logistic burden.

EMILYCUBE 3000

This is where Zero Alpha Solutions Ltd come in. At the beginning of 2020, Command Troop trialled the EMILYCUBE 3000 – an ethanol-powered fuel cell, designed to monitor vehicle and radio batteries, recharging where necessary. This removes the need for the vehicle engine to run at all. The equipment has been proven to require ten times less fuel than

current methods of power generation, which would result in a considerable saving.

In addition, a larger variant, the EFOY12000, can be located within the BGHQ, silently providing power to all laptops, chargers and radios. Not only would this be more cost-effective in the long term for Defence, but the tactical benefits are clear.

Battlegroup, Brigade and division HQs occupy a large footprint, and with that comes a large heat and noise signature. By introducing silent fuel cells, the HQ can run as normal with no significant noise. With the fuel cells expected to be vehicle-mounted or held within the main tent, there is also a reduction in heat signature.

Once the DC infrastructure is in place, BGHQ will begin to look to scavenge power where possible. For example, when operating in the urban environment, a simple car battery could be used to provide power. The benefit of operating in this manner means less logistic burden and a more adaptive HQ.

The development of Challenger 2, to bring an aging platform in line with our peers across the world, is approaching the implementation stage. And yet, there is little focus on the working environment of those who make the decisions to employ these vehicles effectively.

Captain W Baker

To compliment the ingenious power solution, there is the requirement to overhaul the lighting system. Currently using bulky halogen strip lighting, a replacement has been identified in the form of LED strip lighting. This energy-efficient design, run from one HF battery, can provide instant lighting with no by-product. A new feature to dim light and change between red, green and white light, will have a positive effect on cognitive function and light discipline.

The combined effect of changing the design of BGHQ means that for the enablers, Command Troop, the set up and collapse is much more straightforward. This in turn will create a better working environment with a smaller footprint. On a human level, the benefits are clear. Without the constant drone of the LFG or vehicles running to charge batteries, sleep quality will improve and as such HQ personnel will not suffer from a degradation of cognitive function.

The EMILYCUBE 3000 can run silently for up to four days on ten liters of ethanol fuel

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The RTR BGHQ in the field

There are a vast array of applications for this equipment. Elements of this technology are currently in use with a number of Royal Signals units, along with 2 PARA. It is clear that this is the direction that Command Post survivability must go.

This type of innovation has been steered by the needs of the soldiers of Command Troop. The

burden of maintaining and moving LFG leads to shortfalls elsewhere. Saving effort in set up of BGHQ can lead to gains elsewhere. Instant lighting allows planning to be conducted simultaneously to set up of the HQ. This means fewer gaps in Command and Control, and a greater situational awareness for the staff officers.

LED strip lighting in BGHQ

The next steps for Command Troop involve testing various configurations of this technology to work out what the gold standard solution is for the Armoured BGHQ. Funding will hopefully follow, with implementation close behind, ideally in time for the Regiment’s deployment to Estonia.

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Ex COMBAT TEAM and TEAM SPIRIT are conducted back-to-back with a maintenance day separating them. As this course produces our own commanders, it is always of great interest to the supporting troops. Ex COMBAT TEAM and TEAM SPIRIT are conducted alongside the Armoured Infantry Course and sees exercising troops conducting Squadron/Company group actions.

Ex COMBAT TEAM was a week on Salisbury Plain Training Area, with the Squadron’s full complement of Challenger 2s (CR2) deployed. This saw students – a mixture of Cpls and 2Lts (newly-commissioned from RMAS) – get into the commander’s seat for the first time in a tactical setting. This was under the watchful eyes of the real-time commanders sat on the loaders side of the turret, ensuring the safety of the vehicle and crew but also mentoring the student commanders.

The exercise was a testing one for both students and the BADGER crews, conducted at a high tempo and in increasingly inclement weather conditions. The courses are conducted in strict adherence to doctrine and there was therefore no back deck sleeping, full thermal and visual camouflage was erected in our hides and shell scrapes dug each night – valuable lessons for the students and the BADGER crews alike.

The conclusion of Ex COMBAT TEAM brings with it the end of the mentoring phase of the pair of exercises and moves on to the assessment phase known as Team Spirit. This iteration of the course, however, was curtailed by the severity of the weather – a ban on heavy tracked vehicles exercising on the Plain was implemented on the final day, forcing the Squadron to return to Tidworth.

Banned from training on the area, this second portion of the exercise was moved to the Combined Arms Tactical Training (CATT) facility in Warminster. Training in the simulated environment removed the need for the real-

SUPPORT TO EXPERIMENTATION AND TRAINING – DEVELOPING FUTURE LEADERS

Early this year, BADGER Squadron were tasked with Support to Experimentation and Training (SET). This required us to provide our tanks and crews to two pairs of exercises: the first, Ex COMBAT TEAM and TEAM SPIRIT, supporting the Armoured Crew Commander and Troop Leaders Courses; the second, Ex INITIAL STRIKE and ULTIMATE STRIKE, supporting the Support Weapons School’s Anti-Tank Course.

Lieutenant P Larkin

A quick bonnet brief on Ex COMBAT TEAM

New crew commanders testing their skills in Copehill Down Village

time commanders but the Squadron continued to provide drivers – still a valuable training experience, as the simulated enemy hordes are much more dynamic in CATT than the Exercise Directing Staff on the training area.

Whilst Ex COMBAT TEAM and TEAM SPIRIT are nominally to train the student commanders in their new roles, they are still extremely

good training opportunities for the supporting troops. It gives new drivers a challenging and distinctive opportunity to build experience and knowledge of their role in the field. As for the real-time commanders, the fly-on-the-wall style of commanding provides the opportunity to observe and learn from mistakes that they may have made themselves.

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Awaiting the next task...

A BADGER crew and students on Ex COMBAT TEAM

With the Commanders’ Course in the rear-view mirror, the Squadron’s focus switched to the second of the two pairs of exercises – INITIAL STRIKE and ULTIMATE STRIKE – again conducted as a mentoring week followed by an assessed week. This time a troop of CR2s, in conjunction with a platoon of Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles from 1 YORKS, were to provide a dynamic and live enemy course.

This tasking entailed a single serial each day, increasing in complexity and challenge for the trainee Javelin crews, beginning with a route march for the assembled CR2s and Warriors through the Anti-Tank team’s matrix, escalating to defending against us making a river crossing and finishing with a night attack by the anti-tank teams against the armour in defence.

Both sides learnt some potent lessons about the other’s tactics and capabilities from these engagements over the course of the week, although on balance the tanks came off better…

Both Ex INITIAL STRIKE and ULTIMATE STRIKE were excellent training opportunities to test ourselves against a well-prepared enemy, but the nature of the programme also left room for the individual troops to conduct some fantastic low-level training in the margins of our commitment to the Support Weapons School. This included an afternoon working with the Urban Warfare Instructor Course running in Copehill Down Village. The urban environment provides a unique challenge and an abrupt change of scenery. Working with friendly dismounted infantry in close proximity to our vehicles in support of the raids they were conducting in the village was new to many of the crews.

Support to Experimentation and Training (SET) is a superb opportunity to develop both the students in training but also the supporting troops, and should be ruthlessly exploited for the training value on offer.

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GAP YEAR COMMISSION

It presented an opportunity to experience life as an Army Officer before university, in a sense to decide whether it was for me before I competed the regular commission. I was lucky to receive one of the 15 places on the scheme and reached out to the RAC to see if any unit was willing to take a Gap Year Officer. The RTR decided to take me on and I began my gap year with the Army.

I started the Commissioning Course Short at Sandhurst in September, where I spent my time learning the basics of soldiering and of being an Officer. Although short in length it was not short on content, with plenty of time dedicated to exercise, lectures and lessons. The course was a mix of Professionally Qualified Officers (doctors, padres, dentists and physios), reservists, international cadets and gap year officers. The complete mix of personalities and ages made for diverse but exciting platoons and it was great fun to watch most of the doctors hate every moment they spent in the field. The course was conducted over nine weeks and concluded with a commissioning parade attended by Prince Edward.

Following my time at Sandhurst, I came to Tidworth and began work as the Squadron Headquarters Troop Leader in BADGER. I joined the Regiment just after the Cambrai celebrations and spent a few days down in Lulworth watching the Challenger 2 (CR2) commanders course live fire; a great experience, which brought home just how powerful the CR2 is. On return, I got to take part in the Christmas celebrations and to revel in the Officers’ triumphant 3-2 win over the seniors in the football.

Over the next few months I got to grips with the job of troop leading – I learnt what BNAU (Bowman Network Access Unit FYI) stood for, how to do an armoury check and lots of things that six months before I wouldn’t have known where to start with. I was very lucky with my Squadron and my Troop, who patiently received my endless queries. During this period, I completed my Bulldog commander course – a great opportunity to get out on Salisbury Plain commanding a vehicle (and to enjoy a burger

in Warminster). I even got to take part in the CR2 crew commanders in February, playing enemy, hiding in woodblocks and learning how important boiling vessels (BVs) are to a mounted exercise! Sadly, the exercise was cut short by Storm Dennis and its accompanying track ban. However, it was genuinely one of my favourite parts of the year. In March 2019, COVID-19 hit and the Regiment began to rotate through dispersed work and OP RESCRIPT. As part of the Rear Operations Group, BADGER delivered Military Annual Training Tests (MATTs) for the Regiment. During this period, we also conducted distributed training with multiple

When people think of gap years most people think of exotic travel and adventure. Mine was slightly different; I came to Tidworth. In July 2019, I received a place on the Gap Year Commission programme with the British Army.

Second Lieutenant I Clarke

The author with members of BADGER

viritual quizzes and lessons. This was another great opportunity to expand my knowledge and gain a better understanding of tanks and the basics of mounted manoeuvre.

I have, despite the steep learning curve, really enjoyed my last nine months with the Regiment. It has not only been a fascinating experience, but it has also been an experience that has developed me personally and professionally. I hope that after university I can come back and continue one of the best jobs in the Army. So, although my gap year wasn’t travelling the far east – it certainly was an adventure!

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EXERCISE CHEVALIER ROYALE

This is the home base of our sister unit the 12ieme Regiment Blinde du Canada (12 RBC). 12 RBC are a Canadian armoured regiment equipped with Leopard 2s and Light Armoured Vehicles (LAV) II Coyotes (modified LAV-25s). The Regiment provides both armour and armoured cavalry.

CYCLOPS and A Squadron 12 RBC have maintained an active partnership over the last few years and this was the fifth exchange exercise in four years.

Ex CHEVALIER ROYALE was a unique exercise opportunity for CYCLOPS as we joined up with our comrades from 12 RBC for what was, in effect, a winter field training exercise. As a result, we learnt a lot about winter warfare. After a long and arduous journey – heavy snow storms across Quebec state led to a cancelled flight and a six-hour train journey – we arrived in Quebec to meet our Canadian counterparts. It didn’t take long to settle in and within hours we were taking part in a 12 RBC ice hockey tournament (turns out ice hockey is quite popular in Canada…).

We spent the following days familiarising ourselves with the Canadian issue winter combat equipment – clothing, stoves, snow shoes etc. – completing a crash course in winter warfare and passing weapon handling tests and simulation shoots with the C7 assault rifle.

The team then deployed with A Squadron into the field to practise survival and combat skills in the extreme cold. We were introduced to skijoring (being pulled along as a section by a snow mobile using a rope), frozen lake fishing and building, then living in quinzhees (snow houses). All of this was conducted in temperatures as low as -35°C. On the final day of the exercise we inserted onto a frozen lake in a Bell CH-146 Griffon helicopter and then conducted bush lane live firing, which involved moving through wood blocks in deep snow in pairs and engaging targets at varied distances. This was a superb range and it was fantastic to conduct it in such unique conditions.

In January 2020, a small element from CYCLOPS began the year by deploying to Valcartier Canadian Force Base outside Quebec City, Canada.

Lance Corporal C Davis

After the exercise week, we were hosted on a tour of Quebec City, visiting the fortress – La Citadelle de Quèbec – an historic site which still serves as an infantry barracks. We also visited the ice hotel and spent the Saturday skiing.

Week two of the exchange saw us back in the field for mounted training with the LAVs. The RBC focused on exercising reconnaissance, raid and security tasks. During the final weekend of our visit, 12 RBC hosted us in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, taking us around the Canadian war museum. We also had a chance to see Canada’s nightlife and socialise, and on the final day we ended our trip by exchanging gifts and awards.

We would like to thank all members of 12 RBC for their warm hospitality, giving us an amazing experience and dramatically increasing our knowledge of winter warfare. We look forward to working together through future exercises and deployments.

CYCLOPS soldiers on Ex CHEVALIER ROYALE

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The bush lane

Squadron Headquarters' quinzhee shelter

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EXERCISE IRON ACECOMPETITIVE MOUNTED GUNNERY ON SALISBURY PLAIN TRAINING AREA

The last mounted gunnery competition took place in late 2015, and it was time for a reboot. Due to budgetary constraints, and with a desire for equality across the teams, it was decided that the competition would only feature 30mm and 7.62mm firing; a bitter disappointment for the armoured units and one that should be remedied in the future. The competition was also part of an experiment seeking to assess if units could credibly conduct mounted live fire on Salisbury Plain.

Despite multiple setbacks, the event did go ahead, with enough crews, ranges and vehicles to make it worthwhile. However, as

commented by the GOC at the prizegiving, it was not necessarily about the crews, and who had won. It was more about testing the concept. Can one conduct a mounted gunnery competition on Salisbury Plain? With present infrastructure, the answer is not easily. A competition shoot must be the same for all parties, with robust infrastructure and a well-established and slick set of procedures. Lulworth and Castlemartin are well equipped for vehicles of all types to be pitted against each other, with permanent range staff, supported infrastructure and the relevant expertise on hand should anything extra be required.

Ex IRON ACE was born from General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd (UK) Division’s wish to reinvigorate mounted gunnery as a focus for the UK’s armoured division.

Captain M Winters

However, the potential for Salisbury Plain to be developed into a venue for live fire tactical training, on units’ doorsteps, is clear. With some investment in range infrastructure, targetry and staff, Salisbury Plain based units could conduct live fire training without the need to move vehicles to the coast. This would allow all Salisbury Plain based units to train with relative ease – an advantage that Germany based units have enjoyed for years. Hopefully, the required resources can be found to help make this concept become a reality.

Ex IRON ACE Competitive mounted gunnery on Salisbury Plain Training Area. Capt Matt Winters

Ex IRON ACE Template Carnage

Ex IRON ACE was born from General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3rd (UK) Division’s wish to reinvigorate mounted gunnery as a focus for the UK’s armoured division. The last mounted gunnery competition took place in late 2015, and it was time for a reboot. Due to budgetary constraints, and with a desire for equality across the teams, it was decided that the competition would only feature 30mm and 7.62mm firing; a bitter disappointment for the armoured units and one that should be remedied in the future. The competition was also part of an experiment seeking to assess if units could credibly conduct mounted live fire on Salisbury Plain. Despite multiple setbacks, the event did go ahead, with enough crews, ranges and vehicles to make it worthwhile. However, as commented by the GOC at the prizegiving, it was not necessarily about the crews, and who had won. It was more about testing the concept. Can one conduct a mounted gunnery competition on Salisbury Plain? With present infrastructure, the answer is not easily. A competition shoot must be the same for all parties, with robust infrastructure and a well-established and slick set of procedures. Lulworth and Castlemartin are well equipped for vehicles of all types to be pitted against each other, with permanent range staff, supported infrastructure and the relevant expertise on hand should anything extra be required. However, the potential for Salisbury Plain to be developed into a venue for live fire tactical training, on units’ doorsteps, is clear. With some investment in range infrastructure, targetry and staff, Salisbury Plain based units could conduct live fire training without the need to move vehicles to the coast. This would allow all Salisbury Plain based units to train with relative ease – an advantage that Germany based units have enjoyed for years. Hopefully, the required resources can be found to help make this concept become a reality.

Ex IRON ACE Template Carnage

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C-CBRN INNOVATION AT FALCON

Throughout the first quarter of 2020, FALCON embarked on a period of innovation to maximise the capability that the Squadron provides. Learning from the Regiment’s Hobart’s Committee process, and building on the previous work by Capt Lloyd, it has been possible to continue developing all aspects of Area Survey and Reconnaissance (AS&R).

Lieutenant N Warren-Miller

Our aim has been to generate a 24-hour capability with adjustable levels of assurance. Historically and doctrinally, AS&R does not operate at night and there have been significant challenges to overcoming this constraint.

The 13 Tp training period in the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) provided an opportunity to test the CBRN functions within the CATT software. This exercise showed that there is a detailed library of chemical agents and infrastructure that works well in CATT CBRN scenarios. We used Ex FALCON CATT to capture data for comparison against the modifications that came out from the innovation period. FALCON CRAWL saw the first experiments with conducting AS&R Close Target Reconnaissance (CTR) at night. Though difficult at first, the Fuchs crews became accustomed with using the limited night vision equipment and were able to complete CTRs proficiently. This has led us to begin conceptual development on all AS&R tasks in low-light conditions and the decontamination considerations that follow. During the innovation week held in May 2020, the Fuchs platform was modified using off the shelf equipment to improve situational awareness and stand-off capability. The results from this have helped to create a list of possible modifications and equipment, tailored to different operational scenarios and environments.

FALCON has also expanded innovation work to unmanned systems. In conjunction with Rheinmetall Canada, a CBRN detection capability is being developed for use on the Mission Master UGV. Using this semi-autonomous system, elements of detection, protection and resupply will be managed remotely. The same vehicle will be deployed by the RTR as part of Ex FIRST HUNT and we hope to use this exercise as a springboard for further UGV integration. Alongside the plans for using large UGVs, we have identified uses for medium and small unmanned systems for radiation detections tasks and situational awareness. We also aim to trial mini-unmanned systems for use in contaminated environments during the middle of 2021.

The final element of innovation at FALCON has been leading the integration of the Recce and Exploitation Team (RET) with our mounted AS&R capability. Using the opportunity presented by virtual training, discussions were held on the conduct of combined operations with 77 and 42 Squadron, Royal Engineers. This covered aspects like the carriage of RET equipment all the way to combined tasks in complex terrain. It is in this area that the dismounted and mounted roles fuse to become highly effective. We plan to build on this success in early 2021 and continue to advance the unique capability we hold through innovation and experimentation.

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As Major Gerald notes in his 1907 book, The Evolution of Tactics, ‘we have gotten into the fashion of talking of cavalry tactics, artillery tactics, and infantry tactics. This distinction is nothing but mere abstraction. There is but one art, and that is the tactics of the combined arms.’ The problem that Gerald observes is a long running one for the British Army. The Regimental system has many advantages; however, it also creates many organisational barriers to effective combined arms operations and training. The most obvious is that its tribal culture can often silo capabilities within Regiments and prevent the development of coherent combined arms teams.

In recent years, the natural tendency of the Regimental system has been amplified by the Battle Craft Syllabus (BCS), which provides an excellent low-level training curriculum, but one that is sadly single arm by design. As a result, Regiments often train alone, as a single arm, until the training or operational cycle forces them together. As we approach the Integrated Review, commentators have again raised the prospect of dropping the Regimental system and re-structuring the British Army around combat teams that are specifically designed to conduct combined arms and multiple domain warfare.

CREATING EFFECTIVE COMBINED ARMS TEAMS WITHIN THE REGIMENTAL SYSTEM

“Hitting the enemy with two or more arms simultaneously in such a manner that the actions he must take to defend himself from one make him more vulnerable to another.”

William Lind’s 1985 definition of combined arms tactics

Lieutenant M Dewis

This article argues that it is still possible to create effective combined arms teams, despite the Regimental system, but it requires focused effort and attention. The obvious way we can achieve combined arms competency is to conduct field training exercises in a Battlegroup (BG) context. However, as fewer units are getting the opportunity to train at this level, this article is going to focus on low-level, low-cost and low-resource ways of fostering combined arms cooperation, namely: affiliations, networking, combined arms courses, wargaming, tactical exercises without troops (TEWTs) and simulation.

As Bruce Tuckerman’s ‘forming - storming – norming – performing’ model demonstrates, teams need time together to grow, face up to challenges, tackle problems, find solutions, plan work and deliver results. These tools below should, collectively, enable units to develop the conceptual and moral components of combined arms teams and help to overcome the barriers presented by the Regimental system. Used correctly, they can help build combined arms teams ready to deliver the physical component of combined arms warfare when the time comes.

AFFILIATIONS: FORMING THE TEAM

Any team, in any sport or profession, benefits from repeatedly working together. Established affiliations between units, that endure over time, allow combined arms teams to go through the forming – storming – norming – performing process. However, the Army’s current obsession with changing its structure is, at present, making forming these long-term teams difficult. So what? Like any relationship, units must deliberately invest time to bring their teams together and should introduce affiliations at the lowest-level – the British Army should change its training policy to deliver this.

Too often on exercise, units have to imagine the role another capability would be playing – “if the Warriors were here” is heard all too often. A good first step could be to reform the BCS programme, so different arms are required to train together at the lowest level by policy. This would allow combined arms teams to do their forming – storming – norming – performing before major BG level training events, rather than on them. In a similar fashion, mounted firing periods, which are currently conducted as a Regimental activity because it is more efficient, should be run as BG or combined arms sub-unit (SU) firing camps.

Beyond this, we should also establish broader affiliations. When was the last time a Parachute Regiment soldier was in proximity of a CR2 firing its main armament? It was probably a while ago. Yet, if Russia invades Estonia tomorrow, then members of the Parachute Regiment, as part of the UK Very High Readiness task force, might be dispatched in a matter of days to reinforce the Enhanced Forward Presence BG in Estonia and find themselves working intimately with armour. This lack of exposure to different capabilities in such situations could have disastrous consequences. A solution might be to establish affiliations that reach beyond Brigade and Division structures

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to improve opportunities for units to train together and to improve their combined arms cooperation.

NETWORKING: BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIPS – FORMING AND STORMING

In the modern British Army, we operate at a fast pace of life, Regiments' FOE’s are busy and white space is at a premium. Relationships are important, but take time and investment to form, and for trust and understanding to develop a period of ‘storming’ – resolving disagreements and personality clashes – is often required.

Time spent getting to know other capabilities and personalities might look unproductive, but it is seldom wasted. Social networking, demonstration days, or even basic tabletop exercises provide opportunities for individuals from multiple capabilities and levels to get to know one another and gain each other’s trust. Whether this is a part of organised large scale training packages, or simply turning up just to add realism to an obstacle crossing for an engineer troop, it all helps, and we must resource it with time.

COURSES: LEARNING THE CAPABILITIES – NORMING

The British Army’s initial and subsequent trade training courses provide regular opportunities to develop combined arms understanding. Thankfully, this is an area where the British Army already does a pretty good job of creating a combined arms culture. The Armoured and Armoured Infantry Commander’s Tactics Course which, ten years ago were run separately, have been combined so that armoured and armoured infantry commanders train side-by-side. The Junior and Intermediate Command and Staff Courses deliberately employ students out of role to force them to become better generalists and to gain understanding of other capabilities. However, could we go a step further?

Rather than just training side-by-side, could crew commanders spend time in another role? A CR2 commander spending the day as a Section Commander or as a Fire Support Team Commander – seeing the constraints, risks and thought processes that their counterparts must deal with – would improve understanding and cooperation. If we can accept a sensible amount of risk in this area, the insight a

commander might gain from viewing an action through a different perspective could change the way they plan, execute and react in battle. Individuals at all levels should be encouraged to and should seize the opportunity to be employed outside of their normal remit and to develop their knowledge of other capabilities.

WARGAMES AND TEWTS: LEARNING THE COMBINATIONS – NORMING

Wargames provide a safe-to-fail environment which allows commanders to explore what works, and what does not. TEWTs allow commanders to visualize how their plan might be affected by real terrain. Worryingly, the use of wargames is often reserved for use in BG and above level planning process. But wargames offer benefits far beyond the planning process and should be used more regularly to improve commanders’ decision making, particularly in execution, and employed down to the sub-unit and troop/platoon level. We should also insert junior officers and NCOs into BG level wargames to gain experience in a combined arms context earlier in their careers.

Conducting wargaming more often and at a lower level helps to introduce junior commanders to combined arms capabilities and allows them to learn, from experience, the power of combining different weapon systems. An added benefit of wargaming is that it allows commanders ‘to see the whole board’, giving players more situational awareness than they would enjoy in real life situations, but also allowing them to see how capabilities interact and the role each plays in delivering an effect.

As the German Army proved in the interwar years, when you are short of resources, wargaming and TEWTs can provide an effective method for teaching commanders how to employ friendly capabilities in terrain and under conditions which maximize their advantage. Wargames and TEWTs are simple to run, and a single individual can represent an entire capability. We must make better use of them to help foster combined arms understanding.

SIMULATION: PRACTISING THE MOVES – NORMING TO PERFORMING

Much like wargaming, simulations give junior commanders the opportunity to practice combined arms warfare, but in real time. By its nature combined arms manoeuvre creates

complex movements and combinations that require time and practice to master. Simulation provides an excellent environment in which units can perfect these movements and combinations.

Simulations allow for fantastic after-action reviews – where observer mentors can literally fly around the battlefield and interrogate the actions of each vehicle or section. Simulations then, allow units to train for a variety of tasks and to perfect their tactics, techniques, and procedures before they ever step out onto a field training exercise – often improving their efficiency quite dramatically.

Capabilities like Unit-Based Virtual Training (UBVT) make simulations such as Virtual Battle Space 3 (VBS3) increasingly available at the SU level. With enough thought and preparation, this system can be used to deliver BG level exercises. These simulations, and even some commercial off-the-shelf alternatives, offer a risk-free way for combined arms teams to practise their skills, and even to develop junior commanders to act one- or two-up. Units can then progress to the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer (CATT) which still offers a fantastic training tool, as units get to conduct simulated missions inside booths which replicate their actual vehicles.

As this article hopefully shows, by using the above tools, it is still possible to create effective combined arms teams, despite the natural barriers created by the Regimental system, but it requires focused effort and attention.

CONCLUSION

This article has argued that it is still possible to create effective combined arms teams, despite the natural barriers created by the Regimental system, but it requires focused effort and attention. The ideas presented above seek to demonstrate how the British Army can hold on to the traditions and benefits of the Regimental system whilst building and nurturing effective combined arms teams within it. The application of tools including wargaming, TEWTs, simulations, affiliations, networking and combined arms courses can be used to allow teams to form, storm, norm, and begin to perform before they arrive at the increasingly scarce major training event.

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A YEAR ATTACHED TO CYCLOPS

I joined the Squadron at a busy time, and immediately deployed on a range package to Castlemartin. On arrival, an immediate issue presented itself: because I was not CHALLENGER 2 trained I was a little short of tank knowledge. Combined with the usual struggles of being a new troop leader, this meant that my first months involved a very steep learning curve. Fortunately, I landed in CYCLOPS, and with a lot of help from my Troop Sergeant and others, I steadily got to grips with my role as 10 Troop Leader. From here, the Squadron moved onto a battlefield study of Arnhem, which not only provided an interesting insight into the Op Market Garden campaign but gave me a greater understanding of armoured tactics.

I have been fortunate during my time with the Regiment to undertake paragliding adventurous training. This included a two-week course in Bavaria where we learnt the basics and progressed to our first solo flights. The Joint Service Mountain Training Wing in Bavaria is undoubtedly one of the Army’s best kept secrets; a fantastic facility in a wonderful location.

One of my prominent tasks during my time with the regiment was organising a two-

week ski package, allowing 32 soldiers to gain their ski foundation qualifications. This was a challenging exercise to arrange and execute and provided insight and knowledge into the processes involved with arranging foreign adventure training. Notwithstanding the testing planning phase, the moment we arrived in Val Thorens it all became worthwhile. The instructors and participants on the course got to work and despite a few hiccups, a good time was had by all – everyone learnt a lot and benefited from the course. I would wholeheartedly recommend organising similar activities if the opportunity arises, not just to new troop leaders but all ranks. I gained a huge amount of personal development and the effort was undoubtedly worthwhile.

Keeping with the cold theme, I was also fortunate to be able to participate in some arctic warfare training with the Canadian Army on Ex CHEVALIER ROYALE. This involved learning how to survive on exercise in -35°C which, despite being pretty unpleasant, was extremely interesting. We also partook in a small arms range package during our time and had a few bonus activities thrown in as well, such as some alpine skiing and a helicopter ride.

After commissioning into the Army Air Corps in April 2019, I was asked if I would serve with the RTR while I waited for my pilot’s course to start – an opportunity I readily seized. Working with the RTR, I reasoned, would allow me to work alongside individuals who shared my combat mindset and enable me to experience troop leading.

Lieutenant J Burke

Arctic warfare training with the Candian Army

Most recently I have been deployed on Op RESCRIPT in response to COVID-19, a task I expect to be my last at the RTR. I have been involved in running a Mobile Testing Unit in the South West. Through this I have gained valuable experience in providing services to the British public and working jointly with other government departments. Though by no means what I had expected for my first operational deployment in the army, I am glad for the opportunity to be utilised in the effort to defeat the virus.

With my time at the RTR drawing to a close, and the promise of a pilot’s course on the horizon, I can honestly say I have had a fantastic time with the regiment. I have been made to feel at home and part of the family both from soldiers and officers alike, and I will always be grateful.

Paragliding in Bavaria

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LADY BLACKER’S VISIT

The Officers’ Mess were fortunate enough to host Lady Blacker on 18 February 2020. This was her first visit to the mess since the death of her husband, General Sir Anthony Stephen Jeremy Blacker KCB CBE, who sadly passed away on 17 March 2005.

Lady Blacker was presented with a print of her late husband’s portrait, which hangs in the Officers’ Mess. This was the first time she had seen the portrait, and it was a great privilege for the Mess to host her and hear of her past experiences of the Regiment.

Captain P Last

The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jim Howard, presenting Lady Blacker with a print of the portrait of General Sir Anthony Stephen Jeremy Blacker KCB CBE

SSgt Francis Bernard Staveley, a tank fitter with 5 and 6 RTR who served with the Desert Rats, 7th Armoured Division, celebrated his 100th birthday on the 26 September 2020. He saw service in Egypt (El Alamein, Mersa Matruh, Tobruk, El Adem, Sidi Barani, Benghazi, Aghelia and Tripoly), Italy (Reggio, Monte Casino, Ancona, San Marino, and Bologna), and Northern Europe, finishing the war in Hamburg, Germany. He was one of the first 50 people enter Bergen-Belsen.

Apart from Francis’s soldiering skills, he was also the Regimental boxing champion and tells us he was once bundled in to a truck (in Palestine), driven to Baghdad for a boxing match (which he won), and then driven back! The photo titled ‘Monty’s Body Guard!’ shows two 6 RTR soldiers; Francis, on the left, with his great mate SSgt Gordon Ralph Jones, a driver.

100 NOT OUT!

Bottom far Left: Robert Staveley Father on the leftTop Middle: Robert and his presentsTop Right: Tankie cakeBottom Middle: Record of ServiceBelow Cake: Monty's Body Guard

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even the occupation of mines by the Taliban, remain barriers to real development in the industry. Mineral extraction will remain an attractive prospect to neighbouring countries such as China who may be prepared to play the long game.

China is the largest investor in Afghanistan’s industrial and transport sectors. Since the publishing of the belt and road initiative in 2013, China has sought to include Afghanistan in its plans. Estimates by the Chinese Government for two-way trade between Afghanistan and China for 2019 exceed $1.2 billion6. Not only do the Chinese seek opportunities to include Afghanistan in their upgraded transport network, they also want to invest in the industrial and mining sectors, having already secured a number of lucrative mineral sites. The scale of this investment is only likely to increase.

China has expressed no desire to become involved in Afghanistan militarily, although it may need to provide protection for their

REFLECTIONS ON AFGHANISTAN

I am currently serving as the Executive Officer to the Training Branch of the Ministerial Advisory Group – Defence, on Op RESOLUTE SUPPORT, Kabul. This job has allowed me a top-down perspective of the Afghan National Army and elements of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA). As the US forces in Afghanistan drawdown, with NATO likely to follow suit in the near future, the balance of influence between regional and world powers in Afghanistan is shifting. The next twelve months are likely to be very interesting; both from a Coalition and an Afghanistan security force perspective, but also from global stand point.

The US-Taliban agreement of the 29 February 2020 set the conditions for a staged withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan and has resulted in a halving of troop numbers1 across US force locations (8600 to 4100 by November 2020). This, along with changes in force structure due to COVID-19, has changed significantly the way that the NATO mission interacts with our Afghan partners. It is likely that Op RESOLUTE SUPPORT, or its successor, will reduce to a smaller footprint following the intra-Afghanistan negotiations. Troop numbers will play a big part in the Taliban’s negotiating stance.

Whatever the resulting coalition force structure, and however it is commanded or resourced, the influence of western nations on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (GIRoA) will diminish; not least due to a reduction in cash investment in its institutions and infrastructure. Afghanistan has received $15.2 billion from NATO2 since

Major M J Smith

2016, and $187 billion overall in military aid directly from the USA3. In the future there will be other countries who might seek to expand their influence in the GIRoA, both militarily and economically, including India, China, Pakistan, Russia and Iran.

As the US pivots towards home soil, the vacuum of influence left may be filled by other nations, particularly those within the proximity of Afghanistan’s borders. Afghanistan promises hitherto untapped mineral wealth, with a 2007 study suggesting that there are reserves of over 60 million metric tons of copper4. In addition to this, there are concentrated deposits of materials such as tungsten which are essential for the production of electronic goods. Some estimates value the total potential yield from mineral extraction at up to $1 trillion5, though mining at scale is still largely non-existent. The transport links to mines, widespread corruption and the security issues from the theft of equipment,

The Ministerial Advisory Group – Defence Training Team. Colonel Wilkinson (rear left), the Romanian advisor team (front), and Major Smith (rear right)

ARTICLES FROM ERE

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assets as they continue to invest heavily. Their relationship with the Taliban would suggest that they have nothing to fear, going so far as to invite a Taliban delegation to China7. This could be an indication that they are content to deal with both sides and suspect some future involvement of the Taliban in GIRoA.

Pakistan has recently begun talks with the Afghan Taliban and have republished UN sanctions on extremist forces inside Afghanistan. This is a strong statement given the closeness of their relationship with the Taliban over the period of the recent conflict, although they still receive delegations from both GIRoA and the Taliban. Even as relations improve through the imminent Afghanistan-Pakistan action plan for peace and solidarity, Pakistan seeks to create a buffer zone along the Durand Line to protect its border districts and to assert its dominance. This is manifested in the closing of check points and posturing along the border. Pakistan has vocalised a desire for peace and would benefit from stabilised economic relations with Afghanistan and would welcome the international kudos of playing a part in peace negotiations.

Turkey views itself as one of the principal regional powers in the Islamic world and has been heavily involved in Afghan politics since the 1921 Treaty of Friendship. They currently manage a series of bi-lateral arrangements with GIRoA and may seek to expand this as the NATO footprint reduces. Turkey currently partners the UK in mentoring Afghan Officer training and they also train, advise and assist the force which secures Kabul. Turkey could offer a longer term solution to provide military expertise to the fledgling Afghan government; they are a credible military power and are already present in-country.

In the years following the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan, there was a fractured government which struggled to gain coherence and implement real change. The Taliban profited from the demise of the Rabbani Government, as now the Islamic State – Khorasan (IS-K) work the cracks between Ghani, Abdullah and the Taliban. Parallels could be drawn with lessons from

Syria which suggest that, in the absence of strong government, extremism flourishes. There is a credible risk that one or more extremist organisations may seize total power in Afghanistan.

As the gentrification of urban centres, such as Kabul, continues there is an increasing divide between those who support the Taliban in rural provinces and those that choose to live a more westernised lifestyle in the cities. This has resulted in a lower tolerance for Taliban extremism, especially among the literate, digitally-connected urban youth. A 2019 study suggests that only 13.4% of the population have sympathy with the Taliban.8 This may mean that the Taliban needs to amend some of their core principles in order to garner popularity from a majority of Afghans in 2020.

As the influence and interest of western nations wanes, each of the regional powers has different commercial, political and military interests in Afghanistan and may be happy to settle for a hybrid peace. In any case, it is likely that GIRoA will adopt a more regional focus when planning for its future. This may see NATO increasingly take on the role of spectator in the future.

The Commander of the Unified Training, Education and Doctrine Command (UTEDC) attends a graduation ceremony and inspects the Guard of Honour. The demand for recruits remains high, but recruiting figures are strong and the training pipeline is robust. The Combined Arms Training Centre (CATC), Afghan National Army Officer Academy (ANAOA) and the National Military Academy (NMAA) are genuine success stories of the Afghan National Army

References

1 Gabriel Dominguez, 5 Aug 2020, ‘Trump confirms plans to further reduce US troop numbers in Afghanistan’, Janes

2 https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_8189.htm (accessed 1 Sep 2020)

3 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/12/09/world/middleeast/afghanistan-war-cost.html (accessed 1 Sep 2020)

4 Stephen G. Peters et al, 2007, ‘Preliminary Assessment of Non-Fuel Mineral Resources of Afghanistan’, US Geological Survey

5 James Mackenzie and Abdul Qadir Sediqi, 7 Oct 2018, ‘Afghanistan signs major mining deals in development push’, Reuters

6 H.E. Wang Yu, 28 Nov 2019, ‘Chinese Contribution to Afghanistan Obvious to All’, Chinese Embassy, Kabul

7 Farnham Bokhari, 6 Aug 2018, ‘China courted Afghan Taliban in secret meetings’, The Financial Times

8 Tabasum Akseer et al, 2019, ‘A Survey of the Afghan People, Afghanistan in 2019’, The Asia Foundation, p67

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We provide the voice of the solider into user-focused trials of in-service, planned and future capability. We’re also the conscience of the Army in assessing the good, the bad and the ugly of our platforms coming into service through extensive trials and development. It’s an incredible time with Warrior 2 and the Ajax variants in trials, and the Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme and Boxer waiting in the wings. This family of vehicles, or a combination of them, are of vital interest in the mounted close combat community. Challenger 3 and elements of the Ajax family are the future of the Regiment, creating a digital backbone to our formations that enables us to plug and play ever increasingly complex paired vehicles or accept and disseminate vital information and intelligence. ATDU has been a Tankie strength with Maj Brennan, Maj Bonner, RSMI Caldwell, WO2 Stafford and WO2 Tizard all recently on the team.

ATDU is more than just delivering capability – we play an increasing role in horizon scanning and spiral development of technological demonstrators that offer us a glimpse into the future of ground manoeuvre. Our capability Sprints programme looks into areas of Future Force Development, often in combination with other joint users. We do this through a close relationship with industry where we recognise military minds may not know what the art of the possible is with technology; but we can advise and guide industry in getting

their product closer to our needs. This year we will be looking extensively at Remote and Autonomous Systems and how to better hide, deceive and survive. Both these projects have included extensive use of artificial intelligence and methods to spoof AI either into false positives through decoys or inaccuracy through deception measures. The addition of the Dorset Innovation Park just down the road here in Wool will add a closer relationship with joint users exploring small UAVs with lethal and non-lethal effects. We remain a centre of excellence for engineering, improvised manufacturing and welding, working closely with The Tank Museum. This year we will add 3-D printing and additive manufacturing to our Engineering Branch, looking at how this could reduce logistic burden.

ATDU – VOICE OF THE SOLDIER, CONSCIENCE OF THE ARMY

The Armoured Trials and Development Unit (ATDU) sits at the heart of our modernisation and capability development efforts in the British Army.

Candidate and on-contract vehicles for mounted close combat. L–R: Warrior 2, Challenger 3, Ajax, Boxer

The Current Forces team exist to support operations and the Field Army with rapidly deliverable, cost-effective capability upgrades to support the solider. Major Tony McGann and his team of three RSMIs, including our own WO1 Caldwell, are closer to the Regiment’s own innovation efforts, but are tightly aligned to answering capability requirements from Service Inquiries, In-Service Support and urgent requirements. Recently we completed trials of fire-retardant clothing, making sure we had something that improved crew safety but would also support mounted close combat, alongside or without our vehicles. Our work with Light Cavalry has been a highlight, working on increased optics, night vision aids, safety enhancements for the driver and crew and mobility. All of this work directly supports operations in Estonia and Mali and resulted

Lieutenant Colonel R Page

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in an £18M contract for a Fused Target Locator array.

Closer to home we’ve been doing work on integrating Lithium Ion batteries (LiOn) into Challenger 2 to increase power capacity in the vehicle and support greater periods of silent watch. All of the additional systems we hope to integrate will be power hungry. It’s hoped LiOn may double what’s available to the crew with a far smarter power management system. LiOn application doesn’t stop there and a recent work strand looking at Toolkit 2025 brought in Makita and Milwaukee tools to see how we could make our tool kit closer to what we expect of air tools or an F1 pitstop crew. Initial trials have been positive with a time saving of over 50% for most crew tasks. The Current Forces team is your team and we hope to visit the Regiment on Op CABRIT to see how we can further optimise CR2 ahead of the LEP upgrade.

Our relationship with industry is certainly part of our USP but also a great reason to consider a posting to ATDU either in the Trials Troop, with opportunities from LCpl-SSgt, as an RSMI and head of trade, or an experienced user with plenty to give to trials and delivery of our new capabilities in the Ajax and Challenger teams. We’re privileged to get access to one-of-a-kind experiences, working with companies like Kraus Maffei Wegman (Leopard 2 and Boxer), ProDrive and the Aston Martin Racing Team, where we were the first to see and experience the build of their Dakhar Rally car – it’s all education!

Where does this leave us with the future and mounted close combat? For us at ATDU we see these programmes up close and the decisions associated with them, mainly through the proliferation of Tankies connected

to their progress! We should take comfort that many of the leaders guiding and advising these programmes do so with our core values of professionalism, solider skills and technical acumen – be they at Army Headquarters on the General Staff and SO2s, or down in the guts of trials with Matt Bonner, RSMI Caldwell and WO2 Stafford. Modernisation is not an event but a process. It is more than a platform; it is training, adaptation and thinking through what more can be done with the tool provided. The platforms will not be perfect, they will not be intuitive because they are new, novel and designed to be in-service long after I am retired. My final ask would be that we embrace them for what they are: the starting point of modernisation and a gateway to transforming into the future force. Just as the equipment I crewed throughout my time in the Army is a ‘sunset’ capability, we the older generation are too often prisoners of our own experience and bias. It’s now time for junior soldiers and officers to connect with and own their future through a plethora of platforms that are coming to close combat and the RAC today, not tomorrow.

Not all work work work – in pre-COVID-19 times ATDU Ski Adventurous Training

Toolkit 2025 in partnership with Makita – coming to Op CABRIT soon

Maj Williamson KRH, Maj McGann RDG, WO1 RSMI Grant SCOTSDG, CO ATDU and WO2 Stafford with the Le Mans 24 hour enduro race-winning car

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ARMOURED TRAINING IN CANADA – AN OUTGOING ØA’S VIEWPOINT

From the first time I set foot on the prairies of Suffield back in 2004 I knew that BATUS was a special place to train. Its sheer size, the variety of terrain – from wide open grassland to tight meandering coulees – and the extremes of weather (+35°C to -5°C in a 24-hour period) mean that commanding a single vehicle, let alone a troop, sub-unit or battlegroup was a challenging affair and required sound tactical acumen, excellent map reading skills and every member of the crew working together to ensure success.

EXERCISE CONSTRUCT

The training delivered at BATUS has evolved over the years from the pre Op ENTIRETY era of Ex MEDICINE MAN into the PRAIRIE STORM series of exercises that are used today. These 34-day long exercises build up each sub-unit (including Combat Service Support ones) through live fire until they are used to

working in a combined arms environment, where they are then placed onto the PRAIRIE CYCLONE series of combined arms ranges in a Battlegroup context; by far the largest scale and most complex and demanding ranges carried out by the British Army. All natures of ammunition from 5.56mm small arms to 155mm high explosive and air defence high velocity missiles are utilised, and as would be expected the CR2 plays a pivotal role.

Once live fire is completed, and assuming they are deemed fit to continue, the Battlegroup will move onto the Tactical Engagement Simulation (TES) phase of the exercise, known as PRAIRIE TEMPEST. This begins with the newly introduced Mission Zero validation phase where the Battlegroups are assessed on their ability to operate effectively by their Brigade commander. The Battlegroup then get to face up against a determined and capable, free thinking opposing force, known as Task Force

With my two years as Chief of Staff (callsign ØA) at British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) coming to an end, I have been asked to write down my musings on what I have learnt serving at the British Army’s premier armoured training environment, and point to lessons which might be appropriate for commanders of all levels when it comes to their time to deploy up the rattlesnake.

Four Tankies at the top – Col Marcus Evans (9) and Maj Rob Moseley (ØA) with Cpl Spencer (Z9) and Cpl Drury (ZØA) prior to Col Evans leaving as Commander BATUS

HANNIBAL (TFH), which is a Battlegroup minus operating on a variety of vehicles mocked up to look like Russian style equipment such as the T-90 and BMP-3. TFH operate using Soviet style doctrine and their effectiveness can be increased to provide a peer plus enemy force to test the Battlegroup up to the point of failure and beyond.

REFLECTIONS FROM TRAINING

Whilst COVID-19 has had an impact on training taking place in BATUS there have still been a number of Battlegroups passing through over my tenure and looking back, three main points of interest stick out:

1. Unit ethos and design. It was fascinating to see the impact that the background of the Battlegroup (and its commander) has on its style of operating; is it fast and loose with an emphasis on speed and taking fleeting opportunities, or does the Battlegroup adopt

Major R J Moseley

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a more measured and cautious style? Both approaches can (and did) lead to mission success but it was fascinating seeing the different styles of leadership and ethos playing out. It is not an oversimplification to say that the Armoured Battlegroups tended to move faster and with shorter planning cycles, and the Armoured Infantry Battlegroups tended to be more methodical and slower in the advance – but that did not necessarily mean it lacked the all-important momentum and simultaneity which can overwhelm an enemy just as easily as operating with tempo. Armoured Battlegroups are set up differently to that of an Armoured Infantry Battlegroup; they are smaller and more agile but lack the presence of the support company and the assets they bring to bear – JAVELIN is as good a surveillance asset as it is an anti-tank capability, the lack of integral mortars limiting the assured access to indirect fire and smoke, and whilst the value of snipers in an armoured battle has been questioned, the impact of a few well-aimed shots on the operating effectiveness of a Battlegroup or sub-unit headquarters cannot be underestimated. This lack of a support company has weakened the Armoured Battlegroup, but the reintroduction of the 2:2 Battlegroup (two armoured squadrons and

two armoured infantry companies) will once again allow the Armoured Battlegroup to flex its muscle in a way that has been denied over the past few years.

2. The strategic Cpl. Whilst the success or failure of the Battlegroup is often put down to the performance of the Battlegroup CO, his 2IC and the sub-unit commanders, the people that can really make the difference, and who can absolutely (and routinely) turn the tide of the battle, are the Cpl vehicle commanders. These soldiers are the quiet eyes and ears of the Battlegroup, often on a flank and not taking up the airwaves until they spot something out of the ordinary; a fleeting opportunity, a novel approach or even the enemy main body hidden in a coulee, These commanders need to have the courage to speak up and they should be listened to. All too often as a result of a congested net, a lack of conviction or sometimes a lack of trust, a potentially battle-winning moment is wasted and not realised until the After Action Review (AAR). A big takeaway from my two years is that every person in the Battlegroup is a sensor and their input could be the difference between defeat or victory – speak up and be heard; but pause and think before you press that pressel!

3. Our doctrine works – use it! There seems to be a reticence to follow our doctrine, and this is not a new problem. To quote Erwin Rommel, “The British write some of the best doctrine in the world; it is unfortunate they do not read it.” It is infuriating to watch Battlegroups attempt to come up with entirely novel and new approaches to deal with common threats – whilst I’m not encouraging slavishly following the text, at least use it as a base and then you should avoid making the mistakes of those that have gone before you. Our doctrine has been borne out of blood and it should not be simply discounted.

SUMMARY

BATUS has been a truly excellent posting for me, both professionally and personally. It remains the jewel in the crown of the British Army’s training areas and the proving ground of generations of armoured soldiers and commanders. Whilst COVID-19 has undoubtedly had an impact, it is hoped that it will be back up and running for 2021 and the RTR once again get to test their mettle on the dusty prairies of Suffield.

Battlegroup Headquarters in command – A Battlegroup Headquarters commanding the battle during Ex PRAIRIE CYCLONE

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Wherever You Serve, We Serve.

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Holt’s prides itself on understanding the complexities of serving in the military, the financial pressures this places on families; such as the flexibility to rent out your home whilst away on postings, the need to fit banking around diverse working patterns and how having a barracks and BFPO address can put individuals at a disadvantage when it comes to applying for credit.

To make life simpler, Wherever you serve, We serve; Holt’s offers direct access to your Relationship Manager for expert help and advice as well as having access to online and mobile

banking services. We participate in the Forces Help to Buy Scheme, offer a Mortgage Advisor service and financial health checksat a time of your convenience to help you manage your finances throughout your diverse career.

Holt’s has been serving the British Armed Forces for over 200 years, originally established in 1809. Over time Holt’s

has expanded its business providing banking facilities to the Armed Forces and their families – both Regulars and Reserves, and financial services expertise to Royal Navy Ships and Bases, British Army Regiments and Royal Air Force Stations.

Holt’s is proud of its long association and connection with the British Military, with dedicated teams supporting

all Ranks. We serve over 25,000 military personnel across the world, providing a service that understands the needs of junior ranks to the most senior officers and veterans.

The RBS Group, including Holt’s Military Banking signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2015 and were awarded the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2016 for the work completed in supporting the wider Armed Forces community.

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1920 – 1940 AND THE PRELUDE TO WAR

But before you read these two fine pieces it might be helpful to understand what had happened in the twenty years after the end of the Great War that led to the arguably sub-optimal situation that the RTR battalions found themselves in in 1940. This article describes the conceptual, doctrinal, and equipment developments that took place in the twenty two years between the end of the Great War and the fall of France in 1940.

After the First World War the Tank Corps reduced significantly and by 1920 it had contracted from over twenty battalions to just four, but this reduction in size did not stop the development of theories on how armour might be employed in future wars. Some Tank Corps ideas were almost science fiction, others evangelical. The Army hierarchy was more open-minded and forward-thinking than perhaps one might imagine and in Field Service Regulations (FSR) 1920 three main roles of tanks were described: close support

to advancing infantry, destruction of enemy tanks and to exploit a success. These are not that far removed from today’s roles of close combat in conjunction with infantry, shock action and aggressive mobile action to destroy enemy armour. But it would take many years until these roles were achieved in capability terms.

Fuller’s developing view that tanks could replace infantry was also held by another Tank Corps officer, Colonel George Lindsay. He saw mechanisation as a way to reduce the need for large numbers of expensive troops by investing in smaller numbers of (expensive) armoured vehicles. He proposed that an experimental force be formed to test out these new ideas. Not surprisingly this created considerable debate within the War Office, much of which centred on the inclusion or otherwise of mechanised infantry. One proposal was for an all arms grouping made up of tanks, armoured cars, field artillery,

This edition of the Tank Journal, issued 80 years after the RTR were in action in France at the start of the Second World War, has two excellent articles that cover the Regiment’s arrival at, and initial actions in, May 1940. In the first, Patrick Garret tells the story of his grandfather's service in the interwar years, and leaves Freddy Garret as second in command of 7 RTR, poised to deploy to France and deliver the Arras counter attack. In the second, Paul Macro tells the tale of 3 RTR’s valiant attempt to save Calais.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) G Davies

conventional (albeit motorized) infantry, sappers and signallers. Lindsay, however, had no interest in conventional infantry, even if they were to move in motor transport. He was firmly of the opinion that the experiment had to focus purely on the Tank Corps so that any experience would be concentrated in one organisation and thus not dispersed throughout an army whose regimental system he felt to be a stumbling block to reform. Lindsay, while having many good ideas as well as a few less-sound ones, had failed to read the mood music of the rest of the Army. It is true that while there remained some old school cavalrymen and infantrymen who were against any form of mechanisation, the majority of the Army was not against this move. What they did object to however, was the way in which a number of RTC officers thrust their views down everyone else’s throats!

The Experimental Force was formed on Salisbury Plain in 1927 and consisted of a battalion of Vickers tanks, a lorry-borne machine gun battalion, motorised field artillery, mechanised Royal Engineers and Signals units. CIGS made it clear that he wanted an armoured division but advocated a cautious advance. The experiments continued in 1928. Key outputs included the demonstration that armoured forces could be used to strike into the enemy’s lines of communications, while the main force attacked the enemy’s main force: it was the use of armour in this way that Liddell Hart saw as the future. In essence, the argument was one of manoeuvre versus one of attrition (which is of course a somewhat false choice). But the force was disbanded at the end of the year and so, ten years after the end of the First World War and only eleven years away from the German invasion of Belgium and France, the Army had made many advances but it still had no real idea of how to combine armour with other arms. Perhaps more importantly, it did not know how it was going to investigate the way forward.

In 1931 the experiments restarted, this time with four tank battalions organised into the First Brigade, Royal Tank Corps. While the scepticism of the Army Council remained, the trials were slowly having an impact on the wider Army as more and more people were being exposed to the possibilities of armoured

HISTORICAL ARTICLES

Wherever You Serve, We Serve.

From helping junior ranks open their first current and savings account, to providing a specialist overdraft geared towards your terminal grant for senior non-commissioned officers and officers at the end of their military career, Holt’s provides a specific and personalised service which is adaptable to meet the ever changing circumstances of military life.

Holt’s prides itself on understanding the complexities of serving in the military, the financial pressures this places on families; such as the flexibility to rent out your home whilst away on postings, the need to fit banking around diverse working patterns and how having a barracks and BFPO address can put individuals at a disadvantage when it comes to applying for credit.

To make life simpler, Wherever you serve, We serve; Holt’s offers direct access to your Relationship Manager for expert help and advice as well as having access to online and mobile

banking services. We participate in the Forces Help to Buy Scheme, offer a Mortgage Advisor service and financial health checksat a time of your convenience to help you manage your finances throughout your diverse career.

Holt’s has been serving the British Armed Forces for over 200 years, originally established in 1809. Over time Holt’s

has expanded its business providing banking facilities to the Armed Forces and their families – both Regulars and Reserves, and financial services expertise to Royal Navy Ships and Bases, British Army Regiments and Royal Air Force Stations.

Holt’s is proud of its long association and connection with the British Military, with dedicated teams supporting

all Ranks. We serve over 25,000 military personnel across the world, providing a service that understands the needs of junior ranks to the most senior officers and veterans.

The RBS Group, including Holt’s Military Banking signed the Armed Forces Covenant in 2015 and were awarded the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Gold Award in 2016 for the work completed in supporting the wider Armed Forces community.

Wherever You Serve, We Serve – For further information or more detailed enquiries please contact us on 01252 765622 or visit the Holt’s Website for more information on

www.holtsmilitarybanking.co.uk

78

formations. But some incorrect lessons were being learned. The RTC, ever keen to take any positives without perhaps rigorously analysing all aspects of the trial, felt that the combination of light, medium and close support tanks was the answer for all tactical situations and not just those encountered during the trials on Salisbury Plain. Due to their success, the RTC was on a high with its morale at a similar level. But had RTC confidence becomes RTC arrogance and was it having an effect on the rest of the Army?

The new CIGS in 1933, Field Marshal Montgomery-Massingberd, might appear from cursory inspection to come from the same conservative mould that his predecessors were cast from, but he was not without strategic vision. He felt that Europe still played a significant role in the future of Britain’s security and that Britain would need to help France in order to counter the threat from Germany. This required a British Field Force within which CIGS wanted significant numbers of armoured vehicles. He established a Tank Brigade under command of Percy Hobart and he became Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Corps that year, alongside Elles and Swinton. Hobart has been described variously as ‘the leading tactician in the RTC’ and ‘the most ardent and radical member of the RTC avant-garde’. Hobart brought experience from his time in command of the 2nd Battalion, drive and inspiration, as well as some flawed thinking.

Towards the end of 1934 the tank brigade was brought together with mechanised infantry, mechanised artillery, and supporting arms to form the Mobile Force. The cooperation between the tank and infantry brigades had been proposed to the infantry commander, Lindsay, in a letter from Hobart in 1933. What is not clear is how Lindsay, who it should be recalled less than ten years previously could not be considered anything but a tank zealot, and especially so at the expense of infantry, was given command of a mechanised infantry brigade, albeit an experimental formation. By the time his and Hobart’s brigades came together, their views were starting to diverge, Hobart maintaining the tank-only mechanised formations whereas Lindsay was proposing an all-arms grouping together with integrated air power. But although Lindsay appears to have been proposing what we now know as an Armoured or Mechanised Division, his view on how it would fight was still firmly rooted in his RTC upbringing; he saw the majority of the combat being conducted by the tanks on

their own. Yet again the thinkers had failed to develop their ideas unencumbered by their own prejudices.

CIGS was taken with the idea and ordered the formation of a Mobile Division. It contained two reconnaissance cavalry regiments mounted in armoured cars, a tank brigade, a mechanised cavalry brigade made up from two lorry borne battalions and a light tank regiment, two artillery brigades, a squadron of sappers, as well as combat service support elements. What is instantly noticeable is that the division contains no infantry! Part of the reason for this lack of infantry must be that, while on paper the division was seen as a new concept, the majority of the roles it was to be given were traditional cavalry roles and so rather than being an evolution of what went before, the mobile division was just a replacement for the cavalry divisions of old.

The mobile division was not the only change being made within the Army; much was happening within infantry divisions. The Army decided that there was a need for a formation that would be able to penetrate prepared enemy defensive positions before the armoured divisions could then exploit deep and rapidly into the rear. It had been correctly identified that any tank leading an assault onto an enemy defensive position would be subject to every single weapon system that the enemy possessed, including tanks. Infantry divisions would be given a battalion of RTC crewed infantry tanks, to be known as Army Tank Battalions, and grouped in peacetime into the

First (Army) Tank Brigade, which would have as their primary role the intimate support of infantry, primarily in the assault. To conduct this role, they would need a particularly well-armoured tank but would not need anything more than a relatively low top speed and so the idea of the infantry tank was (re)born. And that idea would be reinforced as a result of technical limitations.

By the mid 1930s the Vickers light tank was proving to be a popular machine, no doubt in part due to its good levels of reliability, but the light tank was – as its name suggests – poorly-armoured and -armed. It was however, in relative terms, cheap, and during the financial crisis of the early 1930s it was all that a peacetime government and army could afford in any great numbers. The danger of this approach is that it left the Army in a situation, if the transition to war was rapid, that instead of using the light tank purely as a scout vehicle, it would have to be used as the mainstay of the mobile formations and as a support vehicle, something it was patently not equipped to do. In order to try and rectify this situation the decision was made to attempt to increase the light tanks’ capabilities by adding additional armour, armaments and crew but this of course increased the weight of the tanks which not surprisingly had a detrimental impact on their cross-country performance. The parallel development of the medium tank made good initial progress in the late 1920s and the Tank Corps had high hopes for the 16-ton medium, which was intended to replace the Vickers Mediums Marks I and II which were starting

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to look slow and under-gunned. The Medium Mark III was, however, a relatively expensive machine and so the War Office started to look for cheaper alternatives and in the end only six were built. This was what Martell, then Assistant Director of Mechanisation in the War Office, describes as ‘a fatal mistake’. The alternatives to the Mediums, the A9 and A10 tanks that were under trial, were relatively under-powered and the need to maintain a suitable level of performance prevented any significant additions of armour and this therefore ruled out their ability to trade punches with other tanks.

And so, through the combination of developing ideas on how the Army would fight and the limits of technology, the twin track policy of separate infantry and cruiser tanks was formalised. Infantry tanks would be well-armoured and slow, able to advance and attack with dismounted infantry against well-defended positions. Cruiser tanks would be lighter and faster, and would exploit gaps in the enemy line and attack the enemy’s heart and brain. But neither would have an armament bigger than a 2 pounder, and Percy Hobart is the man who should take responsibility for this poor decision. He failed to acknowledge the threat that anti-tank guns posed (in fairness he was not alone in this omission) and he was very clear that there was no requirement for a gun larger than a 2 pounder, a suggestion that was accepted by the War Office. As a result, the opportunity to upgrade the size of the guns at some future point was removed.

In 1939, the Mobile Division was renamed the 1st Armoured Division and again restructured. Out went half of the infantry and some of the cavalry so that the new division consisted of an armoured cavalry brigade equipped with light tanks, a tank brigade equipped with mediums but designed to be equipped with cruisers, and a support group which held not only combat support and combat service support elements, but also the single infantry battalion that was left with the division. Why the Army Council reduced the infantry to such a small number is not entirely clear, but it could be deduced that by doing so they maintained the cavalry concept of tank warfare and at the same time acceded to the Tank Corps view of the independent role for the division. This is a key fact, not without irony. It is one of the few areas that the cavalry and RTC agreed upon, but it proved to be a very bad idea once war broke out.

With war approaching, the government finally approved a plan to provide money for the structures and much of the equipment that would be needed for service in Europe. The approval covered the provision of two additional armoured divisions and two infantry divisions that would be available for immediate deployment, to be followed by up to six more divisions, a mixture of regular and territorial forces, to deploy between two and six months later. This uplift would give the Army nineteen divisions available for active duty. Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia however, caused a change of plan and in March 1939 it was announced that the Army would grow even further to a total of six regular and twenty-six territorial divisions. The regular divisions would include 3 armoured divisions within the British Expeditionary Force and one in Egypt. A month later the Royal Tank Corps and the newly mechanised regiments of the cavalry where brought yet closer together with the formation of the Royal Armoured Corps and the RTC became the RTR. With these changes came the (sensible) decision that the infantry tanks of the Army Tank Battalions would be manned by the RTR, whereas the cruiser tanks of the Armoured Regiments would be manned by cavalry and the remaining battalions of the RTR.

In 1938, the RTC had formed six Territorial Battalions (40 – 45 RTC) based in Bootle, Oldham, London, Newcastle, Bristol and Leeds, all created from rerolling infantry battalions. A year later each of these battalions spawned a duplicate (46 – 51 RTR). All of the Territorial Battalions were allocated to the infantry support role and were organised into Army Tank Brigades, 3 tank battalions per brigade. So by Jan 1940 there were 20 battalions of RTR, 8 Regular and 12 in the Territorial Army, organised as follows (Table 1):

Table 1:

1st & 6th Bns 7th Armd Div (4th & 7th Armd Bdes) Egypt

4th Bn 1st Army Tank Bde France

7th & 8th Bns 1st Army Tank Bde Catterick & Perham Down

2nd, 3rd, 5th Bns 3rd Armd Bde Wiltshire & Hampshire

40th – 51st Bns UK

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The Commanding Officers of the eight regular battalions had all served in the Great War and between them they had 3 DSOs and 5 MCs; three of them had been with the Tank Corps at Cambrai. Commander 1 Army Tank Bde, Brig Pratt DSO MC, had commanded 24 Coy H Bn at Cambrai and was CO 8th Bn at Amiens.

And this brings us to 1940 and the German invasion of Belgium and France. In many ways the RTR were well prepared. They had feet in both the cruiser and infantry tank camps and had contributed to the conceptual and physical development of these capabilities. It had experienced leaders and well-motivated crewmen. But it is probably fair to say that they didn’t have the right tools (tanks) for the job, and as future articles will discuss it wouldn’t get the right tanks for a few years.

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2020's virus pandemic would have held few surprises for veterans of the Great War. The Spanish Flu that emerged in the final months of that conflict ultimately infected almost a third of the global population. When the guns fell silent, my grandfather, then 24-year-old Maj Freddy Garrett, was commanding a company of the Machine Gun Corps (MGC) on the Salonica front. The company war diary made scant mention of the historic moment; 'news of armistice with Germany received about 11am' was the only remark. But a month later it noted that though the health of the company was generally good, they did now have 'a few cases of influenza'. In fact, partly due to the declining immunity of a war-weakened population, insanitary conditions and the mass human movements of armies, Spanish Flu went on to claim 50 million lives globally, more than died in combat during the entire war.

History does have a nasty habit of repeating itself.

AGAIN & AGAIN (PART 1)by Patrick Garrett

Researching that history can also identify those characters who have exerted a disproportionate influence on one's subject. For my grandfather, that person was a politician by the name of Winston Churchill.

Freddy Garrett first seemed to slip into Churchill's 'orbit' when he participated in the North Russian Relief Force (NRRF). In spring 1919, the War Office had summoned 'volunteers' (the term was used loosely) for a mission to Arkhangelsk to manage the evacuation of more than 13,000 British and allied troops who had been deployed there in haste after Russia abandoned its Great War allies and cut a peace deal with Germany. It was almost disastrous for the remaining allies, as German troops were now released to fight on the western front. The allies responded, moving troops into Russia to prevent the Germans from gaining access to Russian ports and supplies. But when the Great War finally ended, those allied troops were left stranded in northern Russia for the entire winter as the Arctic seas froze. And if that was not bad enough, civil war erupted in Russia, making their exit even more perilous.

But Winston Churchill, since January serving as Britain's Secretary of State for War, also had an ulterior objective for despatching a relief mission. The NRRF would be used to intervene in the civil war by supporting the 'White' Russians in their battles against the Bolsheviks. Churchill despised Bolshevism and the threat it posed to the British Empire. As a minister for one of the Great War's victor-nations he summed up his position succinctly: “After having defeated all the tigers and lions, I don't like to be beaten by baboons.”

Participating in the so-called 'Intervention' saved Freddy from the ranks of the post-war unemployed. But it also introduced him to an unpleasant brand of warfare, a type in which one's allies were often only temporary. The relief force learned the hard way that 'loyal' Russian troops might, by tomorrow,

Despite months of preparation for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Arras in France this year, all plans went out of the window as Europe rushed into lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Author Patrick Garrett, grandson of a former 7 RTR Commanding Officer, observes history repeating itself…

be shooting from the enemy lines, and that much of the civilian population were, at best, indifferent to their presence. (British forces in recent decades have frequently found themselves in all-too-similar situations.) Although the evacuation was completed successfully, and Freddy was back in Britain by winter 1919, Churchill's strategic aim was not fulfilled. The White Russian forces were ultimately defeated by the Bolsheviks.

Back home, British units continued to be dissolved and their officers retired, but Freddy Garrett (though losing his wartime 'Major' rank) was selected to serve on. In 1920 the 8th Battalion Machine Gun Corps (MGC) sailed for a tour of duty in Secunderabad, India. Freddy's path would again cross that of the future PM. Winston Churchill had his own fond memories of Secunderabad. He had first visited the city in 1896 as a young subaltern competing in a grand regimental polo match. During the apres-match festivities he had met, and taken a huge shine to, the daughter of a senior local British official. But despite Winston's best efforts, including an elephant tour of the city, and a stream of very eloquent and charming letters, Pamela Plowden's heart was not to be won. (The pair however became and remained the best of friends.)

Lieutenant Freddy Garrett had limited opportunity for comparable adventures. In a precursor of more recent British deployments, prospects of a comfortable sojourn in the Secunderabad cantonment with plenty of polo and the chance to bag a tiger were shattered when fighting broke out in Mesopotamia, a territory corresponding roughly to modern-day Iraq. Britain now governed 'Mespot' under a League of Nations Mandate, but initial Arab enthusiasm at the ejection of the hated Ottomans, who had ruled over them for centuries, was rapidly replaced with frustration about the new 'guardians'. Easy availability of vast quantities of looted Turkish weaponry made for an explosive environment. Reinforcements were urgently required, but the now-downsized army struggled to muster forces in the UK. 'We are at our wits' end to find a single soldier,” Churchill warned his opposite number in the Foreign Office.

Freddie Garrett in the Machine Gun Corps, WW1

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The War Office opted to borrow troops from India and soon Freddy's machine gunners were despatched over the Red Sea to Basra, described in the Royal Tank Corps (RTC) journal of the day as 'barren, blazing and bloody.' Iraq would, however, prove a turning point in Freddy's career. With a shortage of men, and desperate stop-gap improvisation, troops were being thrown into unexpected and unorthodox roles. One RTC contingent arriving in Iraq from Bovington found themselves pressed into service as infantry. Meanwhile Freddy’s machine gunners, with no prior experience in mechanisation or armoured warfare, were given a crash course in driving and maintenance, and given a company of armoured cars.

That company later came under the command of George Lindsay who, as the first article in this section mentions, would go on to influence the British Army’s use of armour in the interwar years. When the Iraqi uprising fizzled out, Lindsay took the opportunity to experiment, pushing armour and mobility to their limits in the harsh desert conditions. The cars operated in conjunction with aircraft in support and supply roles, far from their bases. They made maximum use of radio, still a young technology, to extend the effective reach of the combined forces. These experiments provided a good foundation for tactical developments in the next war.

More immediately however, Lindsay’s ideas and ambitions dovetailed with Winston Churchill's. Having recently transferred to the role of Secretary of State for the Colonies, Churchill had inherited responsibility for Britain's Iraq policy. He never warmed to the country and would later remark, “I hate Iraq. I wish we had never gone to the place.” Churchill immediately sought ways to drastically reduce Britain's spending. By utilising aircraft and armoured cars in combination he hoped they could govern the vast territory using significantly fewer troops. Lindsay's experiments had also confirmed the viability of a regular Imperial air route to India, operating via secure transit aerodromes across the Middle East, and defended using the evidently capable armoured cars.

In 1921 Lieutenant Freddy Garrett formally transferred from the MGC to the Royal Tank Corps. (The two Corps in fact had historical

connections; the 'Heavy Branch' of the MGC had manned the first tanks in combat in the Somme in 1916 and had thereafter evolved to become the Tank Corps.) That same year Freddy's company shipped back to India – leaving their Rolls-Royce cars in the tender care of the RAF who would defend both the aerodromes and their surroundings. Freddy Garrett next spent a term at the British Army School of Education in Tamil Nadu – though jazz bars, dances and a spot of romance seem to have been a substantial part of the 'curriculum', as was typical in the fashionable Raj-era 'hill stations'. Afterwards he joined 7 ACC up in rugged Waziristan, barren tribal territory on the border with Afghanistan, where British authorities were locked in a perpetual conflict with the fierce local tribes, distant cousins and grandfathers of today's Taleban.

The Indian government had recently resolved to tame the tribes by extending access roads into their territory, thereby (hopefully) nudging them towards 'civilisation' and away from their tradition of criminal plunder. (However if that failed, and the robbery and attacks continued, the roads allowed for faster deployment of punitive army columns). It was dangerous, lawless territory and the road-building sappers could only work under the constant protection of patrolling armoured cars. Local tribesmen were also hired as a protective militia ('Khassadars') but cynics noted that it was more of a protection racket. After dark it was often these same tribesmen sniping at the British troops.

Freddy Garrett was back in Britain in spring 1924, almost a decade after his army career began. The politicians had made little progress towards the promised post-war 'land fit for heroes'. Unemployment was high, and the army made-do with wartime surplus equipment. Freddy joined 3 RTR in Lydd on the south coast. Kent promised a superior social life to Waziristan, but that season a measles outbreak put the camp into lockdown, and female guests were barred from attending their regular dances and musical nights. Later that same year Freddy was transferred to Bovington as an instructor, serving once again under the school's new head, Lt. Col. George Lindsay.

Though Winston Churchill had championed tanks and the pioneering armoured technology throughout the First World War, by 1924 when he became Chancellor of the Exchequer, Britain was broke. Churchill was therefore

responsible for introducing a policy dubbed ‘The Ten Year Rule’ which decreed that, based on the assumption that Britain would not participate in any major military conflict in the coming decade, defence spending would be set accordingly low. There would therefore be precious little budget for new tank developments. (The policy continued into the thirties, well past its 'shelf life'.)

In the struggle for a share of the meagre budget, the Tank Corps was frequently outmanoeuvred by the older branches of the service. The War Office failed to recognise the growing importance of mechanisation and armour. In 1929, for every £100 that the army spent on horse fodder, only £12 went on petrol.

Bovington’s armoured cars were, however, able to demonstrate their worth to the government in an unforeseen manner in 1926 as a General Strike threatened to shut down Britain. Some two dozen cars were despatched from Dorset to patrol the capital, escorting buses and food supply convoys. Thankfully, the Bovington contingent were never called upon to use their weapons against the pickets. ‘The very occasional remark from some crowd of unemployed was shouted usually more in humour than in anger; the one or two ejaculations from rather savage females reflecting upon the parentage of the military; the single glass bottle which burst like an egg, some yards behind the car it was aimed at,’ these, the Tank journal reported, were the only moments of tension.

During the General Strike, Winston Churchill took on an additional role, as editor of a new government publication. The British Gazette, with a circulation of up to two million, gave prominent coverage to the patriotic exploits of the armoured cars. Nonetheless, after his experiences in Russia, Iraq and India, where the Army were forced into impossible situations, policing civilian populations, with vague or contradictory rules of engagement, Freddy cannot have relished the situation in London, when the protesters were his own countrymen and women. (Given his Irish origins, he was also thankful to have avoided participation in the fighting in Dublin at the height of the troubles in the twenties).

During the 1930s, both Winston Churchill and my grandfather again experienced their lives being buffeted by events in far-off India. From 1929 onwards, Churchill held no ministerial office, having fallen out with his own party

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over its India policy. In January 1931 Winston resigned from the shadow cabinet. That same year Freddy Garrett, now with the rank of Captain, set sail again for Bombay and a five year posting in Peshawar, 'capital' of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Peshawar was a place Churchill knew pretty well. In 1898, he had journeyed there to wangle an attachment on a campaign – in the course of which he wrote a string of eye-witness accounts for the Morning Post. A subsequent book about the Malakand Field Force and its fearless leader, General Sir Bindon Blood, became a bestseller in Britain, and it no doubt assisted his later entry into politics. (Churchill's personal experience of war – in the front lines in both India and on the Western Front – distinguishes him from today's politicians who, though often quick to claim 'Churchillian' attitudes, have usually never worn uniform.)

The 1930s were to prove a difficult period for the Indian government, challenged by local opposition movements, and the ever-restive tribes. Just months before Freddy's arrival, two of the company's armoured cars were cornered in the narrow streets of Peshawar’s old town during a disturbance. One vehicle was set ablaze and a trooper murdered by the mob.

It was again this 'aid to the civil power' role that most soldiers so disliked. In the midst of a riot the military had their hands tied by rules and regulations and were not permitted to fire a shot until they had written orders from a magistrate. To make matters worse, the family of the RTC trooper killed in Peshawar was denied a military pension – because

technically the riot did not count as 'active service'. The commander of 1 ACC wrote to his Member of Parliament back in England and asked for help. That MP was, both fortunately and coincidentally, the ubiquitous Winston Churchill. The War Ministry agreed to make an exception.

One of Freddy's contemporaries described Peshawar as having “more iniquity to the square yard... than any other...with perhaps the exception of Kabul.” Rudyard Kipling referred to it as “the city of evil countenances”. In our own century the CIA reckoned Peshawar to be one of Osama Bin Laden's most likely hiding places. The city certainly did 'lie on the fringe of exciting things' and was regarded as a plum posting for officers, because there was a virtual guarantee of seeing active service. The famed Khyber Pass was only a half-day drive away through tribal territory. “Anybody who had a certain amount of ambition wanted to serve there,” remarked Field Marshal Auchinleck, who commanded the Peshawar Brigade during Freddy's time.

The climate was another feature of Peshawar which the British appreciated. Though the summer was blazing hot, the city had an elevation above one thousand feet and the winters were properly cold. European flowers – roses in particular – thrived in the climate and gardening became a competitive sport.

At the centre of the British community was the Peshawar Club with its vast horseshoe-shaped bar around which gathered characters who might easily have stepped straight out of the pages of Rudyard Kipling's Kim. There were the Army officers, the political agents, and the local British traders ('box wallahs' was the term) with chota pegs lined up on the bar. The Club was also home to the Peshawar Vale Hunt (PVH), regarded as one of the best in the Raj. Hunting was encouraged in the RTC as it was believed to give a man a good sense of ground, and Freddy Garrett was soon made the PVH's Honorary Secretary. The PVH was founded back in 1870 and the officers used to take the hounds along with them for some extra action whilst on campaigns. In Peshawar they hunted jackals, not foxes, and the connoisseur insisted they made for superior sport. ‘He is a quarry worthy of the finest pack of foxhounds and one could ask no better’, a history of the PVH insisted.

Another local speciality the British had taken to with gusto was the cuisine. Alongside the

century-old traditions of the Kabuli pulao, Kichrei and Ghatay Rujay rices, the mutton ribs, chops, kebabs and roasted Shinwari tikka lamb, the local chefs were continuously experimenting and inventing. Nothing less than Tandoori chicken, today regarded as an absolute British staple, was conceived by a Peshawar chef named Kundan Lal Gujral around the time Freddy Garrett was serving on the frontier.

There were now also some matters of the heart to settle. Sometime before his departure to India, my grandfather had met an attractive young lady whilst competing in a mixed doubles tennis tournament. From far off India he wooed Catherine Anderton by letter, and when he returned to England on leave in 1933 they were engaged and married. The couple returned to Peshawar together later that same year. Their first child, Christopher, would be born in India.

By the time Freddy and family set sail for England in late 1935, Winston Churchill had switched his attention from India to the worsening security situation in Europe. Adolf Hitler had become German Chancellor in 1933 and immediately began breaching the conditions of the Versailles Treaty with a 'secret' army and air force. (Even before Hitler, the Wehrmacht had conspired with the USSR to establish a secret, illegal tank development centre near the Soviet city of Kazan.)

While Freddy, Catherine and baby Christopher were at sea, ensconced aboard a rather luxurious Anchor Line vessel from Karachi, the November edition of the popular magazine Strand was causing a stink in Europe and America, with an article by Winston Churchill attacking German rearmament. The MP and author mused that though only time would tell what Hitler's real intentions were, ‘the great wheels revolve; the rifles, the cannon, the tanks, the shot and shells, the air-bombs, the poison-gas cylinders, the aeroplanes, the submarines, and now the beginnings of a fleet flow in ever-broadening streams from the already largely war-mobilized arsenals and factories of Germany.'

But ‘appeasement’ still remained British government policy – and in the few remaining years of interwar peace, Germany's lead in the arms race only widened. Hitler sent troops back into the Rhineland, unopposed. Home in England, Freddy Garrett joined 2 RTR in Farnborough. With their Vickers Medium Lt Col Robert Lindsay May 1923 - April 1924

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tanks, 2 RTR were regarded as one of the top battalions, in part due to the very high standards established by a recent CO, the legendary Percy Hobart. Although by 1934 Hobart had been promoted to command the 1st Armoured Brigade, 2 RTR's remaining officers were well aware that their former 'Spartan' leader would keep a close eye on 'his' battalion and would not tolerate any relaxation. Every year he had a chance to assess their performance in competition with other battalions during the exercise season on Salisbury Plain. ‘Hobo’ was a stickler for detail, and insisted that not only should all officers master the art of wireless telephony (no small thing in those days) but they should navigate from the 'difficult' quarter-inch scale maps. Anyone caught 'cheating' with a one-inch map was instructed to dismount his tank and walk home. Although Hobart was a formidable character, Freddy Garrett appears to have won his friendship and respect.

'Man management' was a full time job for the officers of 2 RTR, as the troopers' passion for 'mechanisation' sometimes got them into trouble with the civilian authorities. The men make quite regular appearances in archived Farnborough newspapers for offences involving speed, caution, and borrowed vehicles. There were certainly a few 'rough diamonds' in the battalion. Shortly after Freddy's time, five men from 2 RTR, clearly men possessed of a mechanical bent and 'problem-solving' skills, appeared in court charged with stealing a car and unlawfully removing a number of cigarette-machines from their wall mountings. Local police had apprehended the soldier-gang at night in Frimley Green, according to the charge sheet, ‘in possession of implements of housebreaking.’ Indeed, when a LCpl Cranfield left the battalion to join London's Metropolitan Police, the Tank journal wished him well and joked that they hoped that 'he will deal leniently with his old comrades should they happen to meet him in his official capacity in the future.' It was not an entirely implausible scenario.

In late 1936, Major General Swinton, RTC Colonel Commandant, invited Winston Churchill to be guest of honour at the annual Cambrai dinner. This was the first Cambrai gathering for Freddy since his return from India and he relished the opportunity to catch up with so many of his old comrades and rub shoulders with the senior officers and distinguished veterans. Churchill would have

been an added draw this year. Guests included Swinton, Elles, and Liddell-Hart and Lord Nuffield. The dinner was held at the Cafe Royal on Regent Street, a grand venue that attracted a celebrity clientele including Oscar Wilde, DH Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, Noel Coward, Rudyard Kipling, and HG Wells. Cafe Royal was also renowned for its extensive cocktail menu and billed itself immodestly as 'the finest restaurant in London'.

After the meal, Churchill addressed the black-tie gathering. The tank as a weapon, he said, had now “journeyed from dreamland into action, from action into history.” Now that the whole world was rearming (“even England”, he muttered testily) it seemed likely that the Tank Corps could look forward to “enormous expansion, under the grim and increasing pressure of world events.” It was a year since Churchill had published his diatribe about German rearmament, and well-oiled after dinner, and in the company of a sympathetic audience of military men he is unlikely to have pulled any punches.

In 1937 Freddy was promoted to Major. It had been nearly 20 years since he had first held that 'acting' rank during the Great War, evidence of how slow promotion had been in the constrained army of the interwar years. One of various perks of rank was more spacious accommodation at Pinehurst Camp. Fairview House overlooked the parade ground and tank parks and it was here, amidst the sounds of rumbling armour, bugle calls and marching boots, that the couple’s second son, Anthony, was born that same year.

In the summer of 1939 Freddy was posted to 7 RTR at Catterick in Yorkshire as second in command, under Lt Col Hector Heyland. This should have been an idyllic period. Freddy was fond of Yorkshire and its wild hill country and moorland. It reminded him of both family roots in Ireland and some of his more remote and desolate overseas postings. He'd been based in Yorkshire when he first met Catherine – and she was naturally delighted to be closer to her parents and family. As a hunter, there would be ample sport across the wide open countryside. But in Europe the clouds of war were again gathering.

In August, Germany and the Soviet Union signed a cooperation pact which gave the two dictators a free hand to carve up Poland and the Baltic States. Hitler also secured himself a neutral border to the east, and a

guaranteed supply of oil, coal, metal, mineral ores, fats and grain – essential elements for a wartime economy. As soon as the ink was dry, the German panzers roared into Poland. The Soviet Union followed up with an attack from the east. Later, the German and Soviet forces staged a joint military ceremony in Brest-Litovsk.

Freddy Garrett surely reflected on the parallels with the closing phase of the Great War, twenty-odd years earlier. But whilst my grandfather watched events with grave concern from Yorkshire, in a twist of fate I also had another family member closely involved with this tale of armoured warfare in Europe. As the panzers prepared to roll in, my great aunt Clare was on the Polish border as a 'cub' reporter for the Daily Telegraph, her first week on the job. She soon secured the 'scoop' of the century when she spotted Von Rundstedt's armour massing before the attack. A few days later she was able to provide an eyewitness report of the actual opening moves of the Second World War. Clare Hollingworth would spend the rest of her life following wars – and was a major inspiration for my own interest in military history.

Freddie Garretts wedding 1933

Major Freddie Garrett

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Patrick Garrett is the author of ‘OF FORTUNES AND WAR, the biography of pioneering war correspondent Clare Hollingworth (1911-2017)’ published in paperback and eBook by TwoRoads. Patrick's next book ‘AGAIN AND AGAIN, Freddy Garrett's life fighting Winston Churchill's wars’, will appear next year.

‘AGAIN AND AGAIN, Freddy Garrett's life

fighting Winston Churchill's wars’

Appearing 2021

In an effort to slow the German advance and relieve pressure on the British Garrison in Arras, the 1st Tank Brigade were ordered to attack south from Vimy Ridge into the flank of advancing enemy formations. Two Royal Tank Regiments, 4th Battalion and 7th Battalion, led the attack with 6th and 8th Battalions Durham Light Infantry following them up.

After spending the morning of 21 May moving up to their start lines, the 4th and 7th crossed their lines in the early afternoon and immediately became embroiled in 7th Panzer Division’s flank. A confused battle raged all afternoon, and many gallant individual tank actions took place west and south of Arras. The 7th were stopped a thousand yards beyond their start line, and the 4th were stopped in a killing zone south of

REMEMBER THE ARRAS COUNTER STROKE 21 MAY 1940

by Patrick Garrett

Eighty years ago today, the Arras Counter Stroke initiated a critical shift in the trajectory of the Second World War. The war was only nine months old and German forces had launched a major Blitzkrieg into Holland, Belgium, and France earlier in the month. The British Expeditionary Force had been forced back from their forward positions in Belgium, and a significant evacuation was being planned from Dunkirk.

Beaurains, created by the German flank guards antitank guns (including a battery of 88mm guns firing over open sights). By 1800 hours, with many casualties (as well as the deaths of both Commanding Officers) and heavy tank losses, the two tank battalions withdrew back to Vimy Ridge.

Nevertheless, the attack took German High Command completely by surprise – so much so that Hitler ordered a halt to all further ground advances while they took stock of the situation. This single stroke enabled crucial time and combat space for the British and Allied forces, unhindered by major enemy ground forces, to evacuate from Dunkirk.

Read more at: www.4and7royaltankregiment.com/1940-1941

We remember all those who fell that day eighty years ago

Back in Britain, the plans had rapidly swung into action for the British Expeditionary Force deployment to France, almost exactly as had happened a quarter of a century before. 4 RTR went in the first wave. Freddy's 7 RTR moved down to Warburg Barracks in Aldershot to await the arrival of their new weapons, Matilda 2 Infantry tanks, fresh from the factory. However, just as COVID-19 has postponed the 80th Anniversary event at Arras this year in France, that story and the events that followed will be continued in the next edition...

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On 10 May 1940 the “Phoney War” on the Western Front came to a sudden end as the Germans launched their invasion of France, Belgium and the Netherlands. 3 RTR was part of 1st Heavy Armoured Brigade. Since November 1939 they had been billeted at Fordingbridge in the New Forest. The Battalion, which came under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Charles Keller on 11 December 1939, consisted of 21 Mk VI Light Tanks and 27 Cruiser Tanks, largely A-9s, but with a few A-10s and a very few of the Mk1 A-13s. Recce Troop also had eight Daimler Dingo Scout Cars. The Battalion was expecting to cross to France, with the rest of the Brigade, to train with 1st Armoured Division at Pacy-sur-Eure in Normandy.

THE THIRD BATTALION, THE ROYAL TANK REGIMENT AND THE BATTLE FOR CALAIS, MAY 1940Lieutenant Colonel P J W Macro

Map 1: The Fall of France Phase 1: May 1940

The Squadron Leaders were Major Simpson (A), Major William Reeves (B) and Major F. V. Lyons (C). Captain Evered was OC of Headquarters Squadron.

On Sunday 19 May 1940, 3 RTR’s tanks were loaded onto transporters and taken to Southampton. Here, under the direction of the Regimental Second-in-Command, Major Mahoney, they were craned into the holds of the cross channel steamer SS City of Christchurch, the tanks at the bottom of the ship with the trucks and lighter vehicles above them. All the fuel tanks were emptied. All guns and machine guns were coated in thick mineral jelly. 7,000 gallons of petrol, in two and four gallon tins, was stacked into wooden boxes on the deck.

This narrative focuses on The Third Battalion, Royal Tank Regiment (3 RTR) rather than the infantry battalions and others involved in the defence of Calais. It is based on the report written by Lieutenant Colonel Keller on his return to England and other reminiscences of those involved. Space restrictions require it to focus on the battle south of Coquelles in the afternoon of 23 May 1940. This was the only occasion on which Keller was able to fight 3 RTR as a regiment. Thereafter, the actions were at squadron level or below in direct support of the infantry.

Across the Channel in France, units from General Guderian’s XIX Corps had occupied Amiens and secured the westernmost bridge over the River Somme at Abbeville. This cut off the British, French, Dutch and Belgian forces in the north from the rest of France. On Monday 20 May, a reconnaissance unit from the 2nd Panzer Division reached Noyelles-sur-Mer, on the coast about 10 miles north west of Abbeville, at around 2100 hours. Meanwhile, Lieutenant-General Brownrigg, the Adjutant General of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), appointed Colonel Rupert Holland to command the British troops in Calais and to arrange the evacuation of non-combatant personnel and wounded. The British contingent consisted of a platoon of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders who were guarding a radar site, the 2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA, 58th (A&SH) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA and the 1st Searchlight Regiment RA. The War Office ordered troops to be despatched to the Channel Ports as a precaution. The 20th Guards Brigade was sent to Boulogne. The 1st Battalion Queen Victoria's Rifles and the new 30th Motor Brigade (under Brigadier Claude Nicholson), were ordered to Calais.

Tuesday 21 May 1940 marked the British counter-attack at Arras by 4 and 7 RTR. The Third was on four hours’ notice to move and expecting to embark at Southampton for Normandy on either 22 or 23 May. As a consequence the pubs of Fordingbridge were busy as officers and men made final farewells that evening. Sergeant Bill Close was with his wife in the George and recalled that films were being shown at several locations including Salisbury.

At 2000 hours, Lieutenant Colonel Keller was enjoying a drink with his wife in a Bournemouth hotel. He was expecting an unhurried move to Cherbourg. However, his dinner was interrupted by a telephone call telling him to get the Third to Dover as soon as possible. He returned to Fordingbridge and set about rounding up the Battalion. Regimental Police toured Fordingbridge, Salisbury and Southampton instructing personnel to return to camp immediately. Recall messages were

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flashed onto the screens of all the local cinemas. Despite all the difficulties, all but ten men and an officer of 3 RTR’s 575 officers and soldiers were on a train to Dover by midnight.

On Wednesday 22 May 1940, Guderian gave orders for the 2nd Panzer Division to advance to Boulogne, with the 1st Panzer Division as a flank guard on the right, in case of a counter-attack from Calais; the 1st Panzer Division reaching the vicinity of the port during the late afternoon. The 10th Panzer Division was detached to guard against a possible counter-attack from the south.

At Dover, The Third was embarked onto the cross channel ferry PS Maid of Orleans. There was fog in the English Channel which cleared as the Maid arrived in Calais at 1315 hours. As one of the junior officers, Lieutenant R. W. McAllum later recalled, “all our tanks were left in their own boat. All of the personnel on another. If either had sunk the Battalion would have been useless.”

Fortunately The City of Christchurch arrived safely at 1600 hours. Despite difficulties persuading local and English dockers to work, unloading started, with much of the work being done by The Third’s soldiers. However, it took hours for each vehicle to be cleaned, have the mineral jelly removed from guns and to have radios fitted. Some radios and machine gun parts could not be found. Machine gun ammunition had been transported unbelted and the belts, because there were no filling machines, had to be laboriously handfilled. 2nd Lieutenant Quentin Carpendale recalled, “I remember the crews sitting on the sands thumbing rounds of ammunition into belts and thinking this was the most extraordinary way to go to war.” The troops were working throughout the night of 22/23 May. Bill Close remembered being grateful that he was in recce troop with its two-man Daimler Dingo scout cars. “Preparing them for operations was child’s play compared with rubbing down a cruiser with a handful of greasy rags.” As the tanks were made ready, RSM Stannard made sure they were crewed, although not necessarily matching each tank with its regular crew. Sergeant Stan Cox, expecting his new A-13 Cruiser, was instructed to take over an elderly A-9 close support tank. This was armed with the 3.7 inch mortar, but only smoke rounds were available; somehow the H.E. bombs had been left in England.

The Commanding Officer had been the first ashore and, after some time had found the Senior British Officer, Colonel Holland and his Headquarters. Here he had been informed that he would receive orders from the BEF General Headquarters. Through the afternoon he received a series of contradictory orders, first instructing him to support 2nd Guards Brigade at Boulogne and then that he should move to protect General Headquarters in St Omer. Keller therefore decided that 3 RTR should concentrate near Cocquelle, south west of Calais, as the unloading proceeded.

At dawn on Thursday 23 May 1940, KG Krüger, the lead unit of 1st Panzer Division, was just eighteen miles from Calais. Krüger was told that there was an opportunity to take Calais “by surprise” but also that a battle was to be “avoided under all circumstances.” This was realistic given 1st Panzer Division’s prime task was to reach Dunkirk and the division was tired and under-strength. Guderian’s plan was that 1st Panzer Division would push towards Gravelines and Dunkirk while 2nd Panzer Division captured Boulogne, but he was alive to the possibility of a quick victory at Calais and then swinging 10th Panzer Division past and onto Dunkirk.

Map 2: 3 RTR Action SW of Calais 23 May 1940

At 1230 hours 3 RTR was still not ready; Lieutenant Colonel Keller called a conference of the squadron leaders and told them that the Battalion must try and move by 1300 hours. The squadrons were still short of tanks so Keller

Lieutenant Colonel R C Keller CO 3 RTR

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Crewman belting up BESA ammunition (credit Tank Museum)

instructed composite squadrons be formed with an equal number of cruisers, retaining just one tank for himself. Because it appeared the Germans were enveloping Calais from the south east, he planned to try and pass ahead of them, hoping that the column already south east of Calais were only advance guards. He planned to advance via Guines and south of Ardes direct on St Omer. The country was difficult, being intersected with sunken roads, but there appeared to be several crossings over these. The Regiment moved off at about 1415 hours. All roads were congested with French Army lorries, refugees and marching troops all moving into Calais. These caused considerable delay. B Squadron led as an advance guard with A Squadron behind in reserve and C Squadron as right (western) flank guard from south of Saint Tricat

A troop of Mark VI light tanks led B Squadron, followed by three cruisers, Squadron Headquarters with two A-9s including the Squadron 2IC’s Captain Hugh O’Sullivan, and the remainder of the squadron probably in a mix of cruiser and light tanks. A Mark VI light tank, commanded by Sgt Jimmy Cornwell was the lead vehicle. Once they had passed Saint Tricat, two German light tanks were sighted 2.5 km away on the right (west) and as planned, C Squadron deployed to provide flank protection. About a mile south east of Hames-Boucres, Sergeant Cornwell thought he saw movement but the poor weather and the refugees did not help identification. As he was trying to get a message back, an A-13 raced past. Cornwell saw some muzzle flashes from the hedgerow to his front and the A-13 brewed up to become the first tank lost by 3 RTR. While Cornwell was trying to work his way round, 2nd Lieutenant Quentin Carpendale, also in the advance guard, left the road and moved his troop across open country to investigate, advancing on the column which was stationary and resting. Carpendale got to within twenty yards of the column before he realized they were Germans, who he suspected were as surprised to see him as he was to see them. A German officer fired a revolver at Carpendale as he turned in his tracks to escape. The squadron leader, Major Bill Reeves, noticed that Germans swung into action quickly once they had established that the tanks driving towards them were hostile. “It was very impressive to see the reaction of the German column on being attacked. They

very rapidly dismounted from their vehicles and got their anti-tank guns into action, and soon shots were whizzing past our ears.”

A little way behind Major Reeves and providing close support in his A-9 was Captain O'Sullivan. He sighted what appeared to be a large mechanized force advancing up the main road – “in my immediate view, at about 1,000 yards, there appeared to be seven to eight enemy tanks armed with the equivalent to our 2-pounder and accompanied by three lorries; the remainder of the force being hidden from our view by woods. On our mutual encounter, both forces appeared to hesitate for some seconds before opening fire. The German tanks were halted on the road and all in position behind trees. We were deployed on the fields and advancing towards them.”

Colonel Keller was unable to see the western flank because of the ground. He tried to get the flank guard out but they found this impossible, as the Germans had anti-tank guns in position and several heavy tanks on that flank. The CO recorded that 3 RTR’s shooting was very good but made no impression on the German heavy tanks. A German field gun put several tanks out of action. In all, 3 RTR knocked out three of the German heavy cruisers and two light tanks as well as three anti-tank guns and many of the lorries and transport. 3 RTR lost four light tanks and three cruisers and six soldiers were killed.

The battle lasted some three-quarters of an hour. It was a confused, chaotic and rambling affair in the open fields and on the by-roads and tracks between the village of Hames-Boucres and Grand St. Blaise, one kilometre down the road to the south-west. Keller then rallied the Battalion back behind the railway and had just ordered a squadron forward when a message from Calais was picked up saying a Brigadier Nicholson wanted to see him. Some reports claim Keller said, “Get off the air, I'm trying to fight a bloody battle.” Keller himself states he replied, “middle of battle what does he want – put on air”. Nicholson, however, refused to talk and asked for a map reference to meet, which he was given.

The CO accordingly moved the Battalion back into an area on the high ground south of Coquelles which was reached at about 1630 hours. Brigadier Nicholson arrived at 2000 hours and ordered 3 RTR back into Calais after dark. At 2115 hours, Keller moved back into Calais, and refuelled. A patrol of B Squadron Leader, Major Bill Reeves, in an A-13, and three light tanks, including Sergeant Cornwell was sent towards Marck. This got through to Gravelines, but lost communications with 3 RTR. After waiting some time Keller sent out another patrol which reported the road was held by the Germans at Le Beau-Marais.

Through 24 and 25 May, 3 RTR’s remaining tanks fought in support of 30 Brigade’s

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infantry. By 0400 hours on Saturday 25 May there were just three cruisers and four light tanks available. Nevertheless they continued to send out patrols in support of the infantry. Eventually, as tanks were knocked out, the surviving crews attempted to escape east along the beach to Dunkirk. This was complicated by having to cross the River Aa, but a number, including Lieutenant Colonel Keller, made it successfully and were then evacuated to the UK.

Calais eventually fell to the Germans on Sunday 26 May 1940 at around 1600 hours. Brigadier Nicholson and the remaining defenders were captured. Keller later wrote:

“I should like to pay a tribute to the young officers and men who were concerned in the

street fighting in Calais under conditions for which they had no training. Their spirit was magnificent and the work they carried out was excellent. They rendered the greatest service to the infantry defending the town. They came back from their patrols completely exhausted by the heat and the long hours in their tanks, and after a few hours rest were ready and eager to go out again.”

The impact of The Third’s actions was significant. Basil Liddell-Hart stated the operations of 3 RTR greatly influenced Hitler's controversial order to halt the Panzer Divisions along the River Aa instead of letting them advance on Dunkirk. Certainly 3 RTR and the Searchlight Batteries in particular diverted part of 1st Panzer from advancing on Dunkirk, and simultaneously prevented them from making an easy capture of Calais when it was lightly defended before the arrival of 30 Brigade. 10th Panzer Division had already been diverted from the advance on Dunkirk in response to the Arras counter-attack. When on 24 May Hitler told his generals to leave the destruction of the BEF to the Luftwaffe, the garrison of Calais, plus the naval gunfire, occupied the full attention of 10th Panzer Division for three

to four days when it might have done a great deal of damage elsewhere. The battle honour Calais, 1940 was hard earned by the Regiment.

Bill Close stated:

“After we'd taken stock, we estimated that out of a war establishment of 575 of all ranks, slightly more than half had returned, mainly from the B echelon – the fitters, armourers and drivers. Of the 100 or so men reported killed or missing, most were highly skilled tank crew members including many troop sergeants”.

The loss of experienced tank soldiers and troop sergeants would be felt keenly in the coming months. The CWCG lists 14 graves from 3 RTR soldiers in the Calais/Dunkirk area:

On 23 May 1940; Cpl Ralph Archer, Tpr Thomas Batt, Sjt Frederick Coppard, Tprs Frederick Ham, Charles Lewis and Herbert Ward.

On 25 May 1940, Sjt George Cheney, Also Cpl Douglas Girtley, Lt James Lyddon, Tprs John McMahon and John Price.

On 27 May Tpr George Barker.

Between 23 and 31 May Tpr Herbert Ward.

Between 24 and 29 May Tpr Richard Murphy,

Amongst the many taken prisoner was Tpr Denis July, captured on his 21st birthday on 24 May 1940. Denis was the gunner of a MkVI Light Tank; just last year he recalled that the tank had been shot up at night. The crew counted 29 holes in it the following morning. Denis was destined to spend the remainder of the war in captivity, including having to take part in the Silesia Death marches. However, he survived to enjoy his 100th birthday, as 3 RTR’s last Calais veteran. He passed away 12 July 2020. Tpr Denis July 1939 or 1940 (credit July Family)

Knocked out 3 RTR A-9 in Calais

Knocked out 3 RTR A-13 Cruiser in Calais

German Panzer crews examine knocked out Mk VIb light tanks of 3 RTR on the road south of Hames-Boucres

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BRANCHES AND SECRETARIES OF THE RTR ASSOCIATIONAssociation 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 0SUMeet 2nd Mon of each month at the the Brass House, 44 Broad Street, B1 2HP at 12 noon.

01922456798

Bournemouth & Poole

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

01202778551

Canadian Mr M Howkins, 369 5th Street SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A-0M7, Canada – mikethebrit13@hotmail.comMeet 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.comMeet 2nd Mon of each month at the Albion Club, North Street, Cheltenham, GL50 4DJ at 12 noon.

02075883177 07813276609

Bovington Mr P Rogers, 6 The Green, Kingston, Sturminster Newton, Dorset, DT10 2DX – paulrogers34@hotmail.co.ukMeet 1st Sat of each month (not Aug), at Broadstone British Legion, Tudor Rd, Broadstone, BH18 8AW at 7.30 pm.

01258817607 07828623948

Bristol, Bath & District

Mr R Owen, Hillcrest, Felton Common, Felton, BS40 9YN – rtrabristol@gmail.comMeet 1st Mon of each month at RAFA Club, Eastfield, Westbury on Trym, Bristol, BS9 4BE at 8pm.

07894164554

Cymru Wales Mr T Hunter, 4 Marshall Close, Llandaff, Cardiff, CF5 2QQ – terence_hunter@sky.comMeet 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 7ETNo monthly meeting.

01364 652769

Medway Mr R Hill, 6 Smith Road, Lords Wood, Chatham, Kent, ME5 8DR - royhill@talktalk.net Meet 2nd Fri of each month at The King Charles Hotel, Bompton Road, Gillingham, ME7 5QT at 7.30 pm.

01634201570

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

01512281561 07733435464

Hull & East Riding

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

01482812750

London Mr I Tompsett, 16 Rosecroft Close, Orpington, Kent, BR5 4DX – ianmtompsett@hotmail.com Meet 2nd Sat of each month (except Nov) at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, London, SW3 4SR at 2pm.

07714020244

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

01332883268 07740631426

Newcastle- upon-Tyne

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

07850542980

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

01706849368 07770688564

Oxford Col (Retd) B A C Duncan MBE, The Cottage, Milton, Banbury, Oxon, OX15 – indiancobra@btinternet.comNo monthly meeting.

01295720974

Preston Mr A Rigby, 4 Kilnhouse Lane, Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, FY8 3AA – alanrigby4@gmail.comMeet 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.comNo monthly meeting.

01043464479 07717456203

Plymouth Mr D Taylor, 69 Longview Road, Saltash, Cornwall, PL12 6EF – secretary@greenflash.org.ukMeet 1st Thurs of each month at the Plymouth Hoe Club, 1-2 Osborne Place, The Hoe, Plymouth, PL1 2PU at 7.45 pm.

01752847634 07887923041

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

01519287799

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

01700504846

5 RTR Mr K Nelson, 119 Digby Garth, Bransholme Estate, Hull, East Yorks, HU7 4NN - tankie@tankie.karoo.co.ukAnnual Reunion held last weekend in October at the Expanse Hotel, Bridlington, East Yorkshire, YO15 2LS.

01482835462

8 RTR Mrs M Folgate, 96 Upton Road, Bexleyheath, Kents, DA6 8LT - derek8rtr@aol.comReunion and AGM held in March each year at the Trouville Hotel, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 5DH.

02083060060

2/3/6 RTR Mr R Hall, 87 John Trundle Court, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8NE – ronhallrtr@gmail.comNo monthly meeting.

02075883177 07813276609

HOME HEADQUARTERS & ASSOCIATIONS

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HOME HEADQUARTERS & ASSOCIATIONS

Capt (Retd) Dean Hutton

There is the smell of fresh paint, new carpets and furniture as HHQ RTR has been spruced up over the past months. It’s a nice place to work, although

this year’s restrictions with COVID-19 have leant themselves to having to disperse with home working, a challenge that the team here have risen to with such ease. I would like to thank them all for their support through these trying times. With the team here busy supporting the Regimental Association it has been very clear that in my two years the good work carried out by the staff here is so very important. The 24 Branches of the RTR Association, each with their own identity, continue to do good things in their local communities, all of which have organised social events at the beginning of the year and have more in the pipeline for 2021.

While the social side of the Branches are outstanding, they have also been instrumental in identifying comrades or their immediate families who need support during the lockdown period, enabling Home Headquarters (HHQ) to either signpost them to the relevant agency or to assist with benevolence. There are still many RTR veterans who are not in the Association, as proved by the numbers on the new HHQ RTR Facebook page! If you would like more information about the RTR Association or our Branches please contact HHQ.

Like most of you, we all personally use different forms of social media and find that it’s a great means of keeping in touch and up-to-date with our friends and family. We have also found that sometimes as a means of passing information, especially amongst the RTR Association, many of whom may not use the same software or use social media at all, it can sometimes be a little hit and miss. The new Facebook page has helped and we are working on a new RTR Association website, to be launched sometime in November 2020. This will embrace further our ‘RTR Connected’ strategy and new ‘Stronger Together’ identity, which will draw more veterans in to their local Branches as part of our commitment here at HHQ. As part of the wider connection with veterans, we support the Regiment in producing a leavers’ pack, which signposts those leaving the RTR to their most local RTR Association Branch where they are going to live.

HOME HEADQUARTERS UPDATE

NOTICES 2021

Army v Navy Rugby MatchSaturday 1 May 2021

In 2019 the RAC Rugby representative contacted RAC HHQs late in the year for their requirements for a limited number of match tickets for the forthcoming year. It is hoped this will again take place later in 2020. 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 it 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 2021. If you are not on the retired RTR persons email distribution list please contact the Regimental Secretary who will add your name to the list.

The James Dewhurst TrustAims of the Trust:• To promote the undergraduate and

postgraduate education of descendants 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 dependant who will benefit from the grant, but we will accept applications from parents or guardians of the 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.

Applications:• 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:• Size 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:Applications 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.

RTR Officers’ Cambrai Dinner NightLondon, Saturday 13 November 2021The 2021 annual Officers’ Cambrai Dinner Night will be held in London on Saturday 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 2021. 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.

Finally, I would like to thank all our veterans, serving soldiers and retired, who donate into the One Day’s Pay Scheme or privately. This year we have dealt with a variety of general grants, ranging from emergency accommodation to orthopaedic furniture, light and heating fuel grants, Christmas grants to our RTR Chelsea pensioners and distributed 78 Christmas hampers. The total value of grants awarded by the RTR Benevolent Fund in 2019/20 was £77,313.91. I receive many letters and messages of thanks from those that you have helped, and they are always extremely appreciative for the assistance received. However, what has struck me the most is how many of those are even more grateful that the Regiment hasn’t forgotten them or their service, in some cases even after six decades – extremely humbling on my part.

RTR March to the Cenotaph DaySunday 14 November 2021

Timings and events are:

• Parade: 1030 – form up on Horse Guards Parade

• March off to the Cenotaph: 1050 • Parade dismissed: 1125• Transport to St Mary Aldermary Church: 1135 • Remembrance Service: 1200 – 1245• Reception at Vintners Hall: 1300• Transport to The Barley Mow: 1430

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Col – Brig

Col NJ Cowey MBE

Lt Col – Col

Lt Col WJL Waugh MBE

Maj – Lt Col

Maj S F Clarke Maj J D L Ferman MBE Maj J S C H Rimmer Maj L T Shearer

Capt – Maj

Capt P M Burgess MBE Capt K A HallsCapt M E HughesCapt R P MorganCapt S J RobertsonCapt J W F Stanton

Lt – Capt

Lt S BattsLt T GuylerLt R HornblowerLt R LloydLt K Moore (Dec 20)Lt N Warren-Millar (Dec 20)

2Lt – Lt

2Lt J Birtle2Lt A Buffham (Dec 20)2Lt M Dewis2Lt P Gash2Lt R Siebenaller2Lt C Wright

WO2 – WO1

WO2 (RSM) RichardsonWO2 MorrisseyWO2 CaldwellWO2 Williamson SSgt – WO2

SSgt CarrSSgt AbbottSSgt Tizard Sgt – SSgt

Sgt BethellSgt BoydSgt CosseySgt DaviesSgt SimpkinsSgt Thornton

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cpl – Sgt

Cpl BathgateCpl CareyCpl CartwrightCpl LuggCpl MacDonaldCpl PeggCpl RatcliffeCpl ReedCpl SkiltonCpl StringerCpl Townsend LCpl – Cpl

LCpl BettsLCpl ClunnLCpl CrossLCpl CunninghamLCpl GibbinsLCpl KingLCpl MelluishLCpl PurnellLCpl ReynoldsLCpl Taylor 070LCpl Webb

PROMOTIONS 2020

Brig I J Gibb CBE 22 February 2020

Capt L Stewart 04 March 2020

Capt C Miller 05 March 2020

Capt T P Nye 08 April 2020

Maj A T Holloway 03 April 2020

Maj W F J Holloway 11 April 2020

Capt S A Carrigan 15 April 2020

Maj R Blakey 04 October 2020

Lt Col R Livingstone 13 November 2020

Lt Col K J Forde 12 January 2021

RETIREMENTS

Tpr – LCpl

Tpr AbbottTpr AllenTpr BrockTpr CleggTpr GoughTpr HarropTpr HoldcroftTpr HuntTpr Jackson 679Tpr KynmanTpr OatleyTpr ReidTpr Terrar

VETERANS RAILCARD COMING SOONA Veterans Railcard is being launched in October ready for travel in November. The holder will benefit from third off most rail fares but an additional companion will also benefit, and up to four children can travel with the holder at a 60% discount. The Railcard starts at an introductory price of £21, saving £9 on the retail price until 31 March 2021. It will then retail at £30 a year from 1 April 2021 onwards. A three-year card will also be available for £61 instead of the usual price of £70. To find out more and to register your interest go to https://www.veterans-railcard.co.uk

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COMMISSIONED INTO THE REGIMENT

2Lt R Siebenaller 09 Aug 192Lt Daniel Saville 10 April 20202Lt Sebastian Shimmings 10 April 20202Lt Alex Graves 14 August 20202Lt Hepple December 20202Lt Lawrence December 20202Lt Nutland December 20202Lt Rees December 2020

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

WO1 M Caldwell MSM

LE COMMISSIONS

WO1 S A S Lassman 03 April 2020WO2 A G C Walton 03 April 2020WO2 B F Wood 03 April 2020WO2 D K Tucker 03 April 2020

COMMENDATIONS

Capt T Pasquale – GOC 3rd (UK) Division Commendation

BIRTHS Henry George Bonner, born to Maj and Mrs Matt Bonner

Poppy Ava Dowding, born to Tpr and Mrs Dowding

MARRIAGESCapt Edward Hall and Ms Charlotte Babidge

Tpr Hesling and Ms Katie McCoy

LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT MEDALS

WO2 Gavazzi LS&GC Medal (Army)

WO2 Mcpherson LS&GC Medal (Army)

Sgt Rayner LS&GC Medal (Army)

THE ROYAL TANK REGIMENT CAMBRAI 100 – COMMEMORATIVE MINIATURE STATUE

Description

Vivien Mallock, the sculptor who created the RTR Memorial in Whitehall, was commissioned by the Regiment to create a Cambrai 100 commemorative statue in 2017. This solid silver commemorative piece is 24 inches tall and depicts a Tank Corps officer encouraging a Challenger 2 crewman. This statue was presented to our Colonel-in-Chief at Windsor Castle at the RTR Standard Parade, an event on 25 April 2018. The bronze resin miniature pictured replicates the silver commemorative statue and is 15 cms high. The integral base has the text CENTENARY OF THE BATTLE OF CAMBRAI around the front edge.

Payment

Cheque payable to – RTR Benevolent Fund.

Or Bacs (preferred) – RTR Benevolent Fund, Sort 16-19-26, A/C 14850937, using your surname as reference.

Despatch

Orders will be sent by 2nd Class ‘Signed For’ post.

Ordering

These miniatures are a limited edition of 150 pieces. Available to purchase by pre-payment to RTR Benevolent Fund, HHQ RTR, Stanley Barracks, Bovington, Dorset, BH20 6JB. Total cost £85 including £5 p&p, available to UK Orders Only. Please place your order with Mrs Angie King at HHQ RTR on 01929 403448 or email Angela.King416@mod.gov.uk

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NEWS FROM BOURNEMOUTH & POOLE BRANCH

Our morale improved somewhat with the annual Ladies Lunch in January. The 2019 event had been our best attended Ladies Lunch. Well, 2020 totally smashed it. More than fifty people sat down. It was incredible, superbly organised again by Dave Roberts and Mick Everton. The location (Harbour Heights Hotel, Sandbanks) was perfect, the food was excellent, the entertainment outstanding, and the atmosphere brilliant.

Also in January, five members of the branch were invited guests of DREADNAUGHT and attended the Burns night supper in the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess at Tidworth. A great evening was had by all. We were picked up at our hotel accommodation and dropped off back again at the end of the night. DREADNAUGHT were excellent hosts and hopefully we can repeat the experience in the future. Things had picked up and it got even better when we had our best ever February branch meeting attendance figure followed by the best ever March attendance figure.

Then came COVID-19. In March, we had welcomed Dave Ellis from Weymouth as a new member to the branch, only to be informed later that he had died from the virus. A great shock to us all. Meetings were of course suspended due to the virus but in May 2020 we had our first virtual meeting, 20 members

online for a Zoom link up, and it worked really well, despite most of us being more T-Rex than technically ready. A second Zoom get together in June was again a great success, followed by more in July, August, and September. As this article is sent for inclusion in the Journal, we are hopeful that we will be resuming (socially distanced) physical branch meetings in October 2020, assuming the recently introduced Rule of Six does not knock us back again. Our annual programme of events has of course been decimated, with regular spring and early summer events such as ANZAC Day, US Memorial Day (both in Weymouth), Slapton Sands in Devon and Tankfest at Bovington all cancelled. The cancellation of ARRAS 80 was, however, probably the biggest blow in regard to functions and events.

The death in July of our last surviving Normandy veteran, Bill Stebbing, was another blow. We now have only one WWII veteran in the branch. This fine generation of outstanding men is fast disappearing.

On 15 August 2020, branch representatives joined with the RAF Association at the grave of Pilot Officer Cecil Hight of New Zealand. Pilot Officer Hight was a Spitfire pilot with No 234 Squadron RAF who was shot down and killed over Bournemouth on 15 August 1940. Although not RTR related, we were honoured

The year 2020 began badly for the branch with the death of our President Dave Clarke. His funeral at Bere Regis Church was very well attended, his passing was a great shock to members, and as a branch member of many years standing he will be sorely missed.

to be able to pay our respects and salute one of the “Immortal Few”. This graveside commemoration was reported on in both the Bournemouth Echo and the Stratford Press (New Zealand). Also on 15 August, we laid a wreath at the Burma Star Association memorial in Poole Park. This was of course the 75th anniversary of VJ Day. The wreath was laid by June Howell, the wife of Frank Howell – ex 3rd The Kings Own Hussars, and one of our longest serving branch members. June was the perfect choice, as one of her uncles was killed at Kohima.

On Sunday 6 September 2020, branch representatives laid a cross at the RTR memorial outside Bovington Tank Museum. This was in support of the Friends of the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient who were also laying a cross. This event was to commemorate Tpr Leonard Lewis Williams of 44 RTR who lost his life on 7 September 1944 near Ypres in Belgium. Whilst we were laying our crosses, poppy tributes were simultaneously placed at his

Cross and wreath laying

Annual Ladies Lunch The burns night five

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graveside in Cement House, CWGC Cemetery in Belgium, the Ashford Tank in Ashford, Kent, and in the Pas de Calais, France.

Following this we went inside the Tank Museum again to support the Friends of the

I was in Yorkshire at a military vehicle display day when I got the phone call. Two front row balcony seats in the circle at the Royal Albert Hall had been reserved for me.

These tickets were not for just any old gig, they were for the Last Night of the Proms, and I was going. How did I manage it? How did I get tickets for this bucket list event? Well, ordinarily you have to attend five proms to be able to apply for tickets for the last night. However, 200 tickets were available with no requirement to have attended any proms in 2019. You have to apply and have your name put in the hat in a postal ballot. So, I printed off the application, popped it in the post and promptly forgot about it.

The chances of success are slim; the person who sat next to me on the night had been trying unsuccessfully for 25 years, before in 2019 she finally got her tickets, whilst I struck gold on my first attempt. It took a few seconds for my brain to understand what the lady on the phone was talking about, I initially thought it was a phone scam, but when it clicked and I remembered about my postal application, a Cheshire cat type grin appeared on my face and I gleefully got my credit card out. Fortunately, I was in the event beer tent when I got the call, so after paying £130 for two tickets I needed a beer. In fact I used this as an excuse to have more than one beer.

On my return to Dorset a couple of days later, I casually told my partner I was booking a night for us in the Union Jack Club in September. Why, she asked. Something to do with having two tickets for the Last Night of the Proms says I. At the Royal Albert Hall? Yes! The look on her face, it was a picture. The tickets arrived a week before the event. Although I knew they would turn up there was always that slight doubt and worry that only evaporated when I had the tickets in my hand. Knowing I had a balcony seat it I thought it would make sense to have something to display so when

watching it on TV I could spot where I was sitting. But what could I use?

Come the day, we walked from the Union Jack Club to the Albert Hall. Outside was a mass of people, some dressed up in eccentric clothing, which is to be expected at the last night. So many of those attending though did not bring any flags and there were no flag sellers outside to solve the problem. What there was though was a large pro-EU group giving away EU hand flags, hundreds of them, and I saw many people take them, clearly simply to have a flag, any flag to wave. So, the massive EU support in the hall, well reported in the media, was not quite what it seemed to be. We had come prepared, though; we each had a Union Jack hand flag and I also had something I knew no one else present had.

We got into our seats, got ready for the show and I displayed my marker. People close to me were all asking about the flag I had displayed because it was so different from all the others around. It certainly was different; it was the brown, red and green flag of the Royal Tank Regiment. So, the concert? It was fantastic, I have watched it on TV but to be there, live,

BOURNEMOUTH AND POOLE – THE LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS 2019

By Tony Hart

Tank Memorial Ypres Salient as they laid a poppy cross and a book of Remembrance on the Cromwell Tank displaying the tactical sign of the Polish 1st Armoured Division. 76 years ago to the day this division was fighting to

liberate the town of Ypres. As of September 2020, we are hoping that the RTR march to the Cenotaph in November goes ahead albeit in restricted form, simply so that 2020 is not a total wipeout!

it was amazing. The first half was good, but of course Last Night of the Proms is really all about the second half and the must have music: Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory, Jerusalem. My throat was hoarse from the noise (I can’t really call it singing) coming from my mouth. Talk about getting carried away, I had goosebumps as I waved my Union Flag and murdered both Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory. Fortunately the noise was such that nobody could hear my tone deaf but very patriotic attempt. I had hoped my RTR flag would be highly visible. It was from the cameras sited high up; the problem was that during the show, the lights were turned down in the circle and my Regimental flag was not as visible as I’d hoped. It was if you knew where to look and were actually looking for it, but for some strange reason the TV audience were concentrating on the performers rather than my flag! The cameras at floor level did pick it up but only fleetingly and it was only partially visible, again if you were looking for it you would have seen it, but sadly it was never in your face. So maybe post COVID-19 I can try again, and next time take a bigger flag!

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COFFIN DRAPE

The Plymouth Branch now has its own coffin drape which can be used by the family or next of kin of any branch member free of charge. If postage is necessary, then the branch will cover this in both directions. Anyone needing to use the drape must contact the branch Chairman, Terry, directly. It is hoped that it will not be needed very often but none of us can predict the future, particularly in the current times.

UPDATE FROM THE PLYMOUTH BRANCH

The Plymouth Branch, like all others, has had a quiet year due to COVID-19. Pretty much everything we had planned has had to be cancelled and, at the time of writing, a decision has yet to be taken regarding the March to the Cenotaph in November.

BRANCH DINNER

Irrespective of whatever is decided regarding the Cenotaph, our November Branch Dinner has had to be cancelled for this year. Terry explored all options with The China Fleet Club but it was simply not possible to safely run the dinner under the COVID-19 restrictions. Any planning is therefore aimed at the 2021 dinner for which Terry is taking names for those interested in attending. The China Fleet Club are being very helpful and I believe all those that were confirmed to go this year will hopefully have their reservation carried forward into 2021. Terry will confirm this at a later date.

RTR GOLF

Since lockdown was lifted, this is one group who have been able to get out and enjoy doing what they love, particularly as this is away from any crowds and social distancing is relatively easy to achieve. Not to be outdone, many others have been covering the miles on various country walks.

Of course, the health of everyone has to come first so the cancelling of everything, although disappointing for many, was entirely necessary. We hope that by the time 2021 rolls in, things will have improved sufficiently so that we can re-plan.

Our membership remains high and the Branch Chairman is ensuring that everyone is being kept up-to-date via various communication channels. At this time, it is impossible to say when branch meetings will resume. However, this will be communicated once known.

Keeping within COVID-19 guidelines, some members have been able to support families who have seen loved ones pass away to the green fields during this difficult time and their efforts have been much welcomed.

BRANCH SWEEPSTAKE

The Branch Committee came up with the idea of a weekly sweepstake giving the members a chance of winning £25 each Wednesday based on the lottery bonus ball number for that day. This has been well received by the members and is running well, a bright spot in what is a difficult time for many people. If you have somehow managed to miss knowing about this, then contact Terry who will be able to advise if there are any spare numbers available.

The Plymouth Branch (a pre COVID-19 picture)

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SCARBOROUGH BRANCH CAMBRAI DINNER 2019

The 2019 Scarborough Branch Cambrai Dinner was held in the Craiglands Hotel, Ilkley on Saturday 2 November with 65 members and guests in attendance. Unfortunately, the attendance was slightly down on usual due to the illness of a number of our most loyal branch members.

The evening was a great success and it was once again encouraging to see some people attending for the first time and catching up with old friends after many years. Prior to the dinner the Branch held its AGM, at which we were given a most interesting regimental update from SSgt Tony (Russ) Abbott. Our thanks go to Tony and his wife for travelling all the way up north to join us.

It was also a real pleasure to welcome the Regimental Secretary Captain (Retd) Dean Hutton to the dinner and to him also we say a big thank you for making it all the way from deepest Dorset to join us. Throughout 2019 the branch had been actively fundraising to enable us to purchase a ‘Lest We Forget’ memorial bench for presentation to the town of Scarborough. We are pleased to say that the required total was raised and that allowed our branch president, Brigadier Ian Rodley MBE, to make a formal presentation of the bench to the Deputy Mayor of Scarborough, Mrs Roberta Swiers, during the evening.

The bench is due to be sited in the Scarborough Garden of Remembrance in the spring of 2020 (subsequently postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic). A mention and thanks must go to our branch secretary for his efforts with this project. We would also like to thank Major (Retd) Sandy Moriarty for his very generous donation of a superb painting of Harewood Barracks, Herford, which went on to raise a considerable sum at auction.

After some intense bidding on the night, the painting was bought by Grant and Jeanette Gibson for a very generous price. Our thanks go to all those people who donated to the bench fund and we look forward to seeing you in Scarborough at some stage in the future. As I write these notes we are just emerging from the full lockdown imposed due to COVID-19. Unfortunately, social distancing restrictions have forced the cancellation of both our 2020 Scarborough reunion and Cambrai dinner.

New dates have been set for 2021, which are the last weekend in June for the reunion (which is also Armed Forces weekend) and Saturday 6. November for the Cambrai dinner. Let us all hope that we will be able to gather safely for these events and once again enjoy the wonderful company of our branch members and guests. In the meantime, we send our best wishes to all of our serving and retired members of the Regiment and hope you stay safe and well.

Cambria Dinner Auction

Thanks to fundraising we were able to purchase a 'Lest We Forget' memorial bench

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CANCELLED AGM STILL PENDING

The 2020 AGM scheduled for April could not take place and at the time of writing still has not done so. Changes in the Committee that were envisioned went ahead and were ultimately sanctioned by the Branch President Lt Gen David Leakey until such time as an AGM can be held. Given the ongoing restrictions in place, it may now be held using Zoom.

UPDATE FROM THE LONDON BRANCH

It has been a very strange time for London Branch since COVID-19 reared its rather ugly head. London Branch has worked hard to engage members during this time and made the decision, following the lead of Bournemouth Poole and District Branch, to hold the monthly Branch meetings using Zoom.

While not all members are computer literate, it has enabled a core of members to remain in touch and for some continuity of regular activities. London Branch applied for and received a grant from HHQ to pay for a business licence which means that meetings can continue beyond the 40 free minutes that Zoom allows. Meetings can also be recorded for ease of minute taking and made available for those unable to attend to catch up later. Additionally, several informal chats and get-togethers at different times of day are being held with no formal agenda and are proving a success as they allow members who are friends to engage and see each other. Age has proven no barrier to using Zoom with the some in their 80s and 90s proving as adept as the younger members.

London Branch member's using Zoom to keep up to date

CAMBRAI 2019

November is always the busiest month for London Branch. It starts with the opening of the Field of Remembrance, Westminster Abbey, and continues through until the official Branch Cambrai Lunch.

On the Thursday before Armistice Day, Branch Chairman, John Durrant, and several other Branch members, represented the Branch at the opening of

the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. Fred Bolwell and Don Crasweller stood sentry at the RTR and RAC plots. On Saturday, a cold, wet day there was a good turnout for the planting of the crosses. The Branch were delighted to welcome a very smart contingent of Regulars from the Regiment under the command of Maj Paul Hartley who carried out the ceremony in a very efficient manner. Afterwards all retired to the Royal Hospital Chelsea for a very pleasant afternoon.

The RTR Cenotaph Parade on Sunday 17 November was a sunny and warm contrast. London Branch President, Lt.Gen.Leakey CMG CVO CBE, was in command of the parade which was carried out to perfection and a good number of London Branch Members participated or watched. As always it made one proud to be a member of this great Regiment.

On Wednesday 20 November several members of the Branch met for an informal lunch in Holborn. The Branch Cambrai Dinner on Saturday 23 November was well attended with guests of honour, Squadron Sergeant Major John Williamson, and Staff Sergeant Richard Lambe from BADGER who presented an excellent overview of Regimental activities. Branch December to March monthly meetings took place as usual and so did the annual 8 RTR reunion in Bournemouth. Then came lockdown.

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MARCH 2020 AND THE ANNUAL SPRING BOURNEMOUTH WEEKEND

Despite the concern about COVID-19 our trip to Bournemouth went ahead. A good number of people attended although there was some chopping and changing just before the weekend with late cancellations but also last-minute requests to attend. (No stress!!)

The much-loved church service and curry lunch at Allenby Barracks, Bovington which are so much a part of this weekend were regrettably, but understandably, cancelled. The Saturday evening ‘banquet’ however did go ahead with Major Paul Hartley, OC Badger as our guest. He gave an interesting talk on the current status of the Regiment and Army.

The weather wasn’t too bad, but it did rain on the Sunday during our outing to Weymouth, a hastily planned trip to replace the cancelled activities. We all went off in groups and had coffees and a wander around, bought countless umbrellas yet still got soaking wet. At the coach driver’s suggestion, we went to the Tank Museum for lunch as the café was open. We had a very enjoyable lunch there but only the men could go into the museum free; the ladies had to pay so we chose coffee and tea and more fun!

Our Poole excursion for coffee and a wander involved more fun and laughter. We were diligent in taking precautions against the virus; everyone wore gloves and regularly washed their hands. Despite the last minute changes, a really good time was had by all and we are so pleased that we made it in the nick of time before the lockdown.

BRANCH NEWSLETTER

The Committee agreed that the Branch Newsletter should be published monthly and increased to 12 pages. At the start of lockdown the Welfare Officer, aided by some Committee members and the Newsletter Editor, undertook to telephone members, commencing with those over 100 and working down through those in their 90s, 80s and on through the 70s. After just a few calls it became evident that these members had interesting stories to tell, and indeed wanted to talk. Some were isolated and alone, and these calls became a lifeline. Many of the calls were recorded or written up while these veterans spoke of their experiences and their stories are gradually being recorded in the Branch Newsletter. From every tale, whether it be from a long serving veteran, or someone who undertook their two years’ National Service, a passion and fondness of their time in the ‘tanks’ has emerged. Memories flooded down the telephone lines faster than we could write.

The age demographic of our 120 plus members is fascinating. Fortunately, the trend to slowly lose member numbers as our older members pass to the green fields has reversed and a younger generation (in this instance 60s and below) are finding the branch and joining. In September 2020 there were two members over 100 (one of whom is now 104 and very lucid), fifteen in their 90s, thirty-eight in their 80s, twenty-three in their 70s and twenty in their 60s. There are just over twenty members under the age of 60, something that must be rectified not just by London Branch but by all Branches or the tradition of branches will die out. Their service covers WWII, Korea and almost every RTR conflict or peacetime posting to the present day.

A positive benefit of including these stories in the Newsletter has been the responses that identify people in photographs, enlarge on the stories and also submit more of their own experiences. Much of this has never been documented until now.

SEPTEMBER – A DAY TRIP TO WHITSTABLE FOR LUNCH AT THE CRAB AND WINKLE

The planned trip to Whitstable for lunch at Peter and Elizabeth Bennett’s restaurant, The Crab and Winkle, dawned clear and sunny and off we went to Whitstable by foot, car, van and train to arrive in good time for our 1230 lunch. Peter Bennett is a 2 RTR Veteran and welcomed us warmly.

Decisions were difficult as there was so much choice. Prawn cocktail followed by fish and chips was favourite, then baked seabass, paella, cullen skink, oysters and I even saw a seafood platter. Several members are going back under their own steam for another visit.

There is no doubt that everyone was thoroughly pleased to have made the journey and it certainly provided a much-needed boost to morale. For several it was their first trip out or the first time they had gone anywhere that was further than a mile or two from their homes. The mood in the room lifted as everyone relaxed, enjoyed a thoroughly good meal and the chance to be in the company of people they had not seen for some time.

OCTOBER 2020

Pre-occupying London Branch is the likely effect of additional general or regional lockdowns on the planned October trip to Bournemouth. The Trouville Hotel has been incredibly generous in its approach and taken bookings without requiring any form of deposit. After the successful outing to Whitstable and the positive effects, all are hoping that it will proceed. The camaraderie and friendships that are engendered through Branch meetings are much missed. It is vital fear of returning to social interaction doesn’t condemn members to a solitary and lonely life. Of equal concern is the effect on the many events that take place each November and just how RTR Association individuals and their families will be able to participate.

Whatever transpires, London Branch are taking the approach to FEAR NAUGHT. We WILL overcome whatever is thrown at us in the next months. We will continue to hold Zoom meetings and to telephone members for whom a phone call can be a welcome lifeline.

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The Oxford Branch is clinging on by its fingernails with myself, Bruce Duncan, as Chairman/Secretary, six weeks short of my four score years being its youngest member. The last time we were all able to get together was for our Cambrai Lunch last November, when 10 of us (that's including wives) sat down to enjoy a delicious meal in the relaxed surrounds of the Cherwell Club in Kidlington.

RTR ASSOCIATION OXFORD BRANCH UPDATE

We no longer have a Standard Bearer, but I am the custodian of our Standard and have had the opportunity to parade it on 3 occasions this year. The first of these was a poignant event when members of the branch were virtual attendees at Fred Smallwood's funeral, at noon on 23 April, during which we paid our respects with a two-minute silence in our own home areas to mark his departure to ‘The Green Fields’. Fred was a stalwart Associate Member of the branch. A National Service veteran, he joined the RAC in 1948, undergoing basic training with 8 RTR in Catterick before serving with the Royal Scots Greys until his demob in 1950. Aged 90, and with underlying health conditions, he had been in a home

in Abingdon for several years when he fell victim to COVID-19. May he rest in peace.

The other two occasions were VE 75 and VJ 75 where, again, some of us observed a two-minute silence at 1100 hours. In my case, I paraded the Standard outside our village church with a good proportion of the villagers in attendance, all observing social distancing of course. One of my neighbours had earlier recorded the Last Post and Reveille at the Menin Gate which he played at the appropriate times on both these historic commemorations – a real bonus. On VJ 75 the Kohima Epitaph was very fittingly delivered by another member of the village who had spent his National Service

as a cipher operator with the Gurkha Signals in Malaya in the final months of the Malayan Emergency (1959–1961).

Perhaps the most active, and one of the most long-standing, members of the branch is John Walker (Ex 5DG), who lives in Oxford. For many years he has helped out as a volunteer at the nearby CWGC cemetery at Botley on a weekly basis and it was here that he commemorated VJ 75.

Due to the current rise in COVID-19 cases, I have had to make the painful decision to cancel our Cambrai Lunch get-together in November. I remain hopeful that we'll all be able to meet up again when we hold our annual Memorial Lunch in the summer.

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The 8th RTR Association will be holding their annual Reunion in Bournemouth at the Trouville Hotel on the 19–22 of March 2021.

Any other RTR members who would like to join us for this Spring Break will be more than welcome; reasonable rates of £49.50 pp for Friday and Saturday, and £45pp for Thursday and Sunday. If you only attend the Saturday evening dinner, the cost is £22.50. Some members start their weekend on the Thursday. On Sunday we hire a coach to transport members to Bovington for the church service and afterwards go 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 5522621.

The church Sunday is open to all Branches and serving officers and soldiers.

8TH RTR UPDATE

The Merseyside Branch in Castlemartin with Cpl Tucker

The current COVID-19 restrictions have resulted in our annual trip to the Castle Martin Ranges for the tank firing being cancelled.

We have enjoyed our previous trips, not only for the tank firing, which in itself makes the trip worthwhile, but actually being involved with the lads in the preparation, ammo bashing and the range catering delicacies, all brought back many memories. We also managed to find some time for a couple of social evenings which went down very well. During this get-together in the temporary Mess we were visited by OC AJAX and the Padre. The OC asked Paddy Carroll what he was drinking – Paddy said water, but the Padre had blessed it and turned it into Bacardi. The Padre made our day when he informed our group that that he was brought up in Liverpool, and that his father was a Vicar in the Toxteth area of the City.

We look forward to the next Firing Camp in 2021.

MERSEYSIDE BRANCH VISIT TO CASTLE MARTIN RANGES 2019

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RTRA Canada has 102 members. This group is now for those that reside in Canada. Six members of RTR Canada took part in the Remembrance Day Parade in Medicine Hat. Left to Right are Darren Goodchild, Lee Sanders, Jeremy Patton, Dan Tickle, Richard Clough and Mike Howkins, all ex-members of 2 and 3 RTR.

Ideas for a branch were discussed in November 2016 and the branch came into being on 24th February 2017, meeting at the Cypress Club in downtown Medicine Hat. There are 30 or so ex-Tankies living in Canada, but due to the many miles that separate us it is very hard for some to ever make it to a meeting or an event.

We have a page on Facebook called RTR Canada www.facebook.com/groups/RTRCanada/ which we allow all RTR members to visit and we have a closed group called RTR Association (Canada Branch) for meetings and business.

Meeting place is normally in the Medicine Hat Royal Canadian Legion #17 at 702 2nd Street SE Medicine Hat, T1A-0E1.

NEWS FROM THE CANADIAN BRANCH

L to R: Darren Goodchild, Lee Sanders, Jeremy Patton, Dan Tickle, Richard Clough and Mike Howkins, all ex-members of 2 and 3 RTR

CHELSEA HOSPITAL FOUNDERS DAY

Founders day was a little different this year. Our three RTR In Pensioners are well and active and appreciated the small gift we sent up with a letter from the Regimental Secretary for this special day.

General Sir Adrian Bradshaw KCB OBE DL stood in for the Duchess of Cornwall. The Pensioners were treated to a fine lunch of prawn cocktail to start and a sirloin steak to follow, which according to Fred, “was cooked to perfection”. This was followed by some wine from his fine selection, consumed privately in his bunk! The escape committee continues to gather pace…

Parading socially distanced

Marching to the chapelGeneral Sir Adrian Bradshaw KCB OBE DL meeting the pensioners

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Parading socially distanced

Marching to the chapel

FRIENDS OF THE TANK MEMORIAL YPRES SALIENT UPDATEBy Chris Lock

This particular ceremony was to remember those gallant tank crew members who fought and fell on 31 July 1917 during the third battle of Ypres. This is a special commemorative date in the Tank Corps and Friends remembrance calendar as it saw the largest amount of British armour deployed on a single day since inclusion.

We are proud to confirm the Regiment was yet again wonderfully represented by Lt Col Chris Hall RTR from SHAPE and overseen by Friends Vice Chairman Col Leon Symoens of the Belgian Defence Force. The Friends and TMYS Standard Bearers were again supported by the Standard Bearers of the Ypres Royal Entente, Trumpeter Mr Ronnie Loof and a delegation from the associated Passchendaele Motor Cycle Club who placed a wreath on behalf of Capt Clement Robertson VC and Gnr Cyril Sheldon Allen DCM.

On conclusion of the ceremony and following local COVID-19 guidelines, several attending members from the Friends of the TMYS attended dinner and the loyal toast of remembrance at the beautiful Old Abbey Hotel. Overall the entire event was clearly a magnificent success and we look forward to the next ceremony when further RTR and TMYS wreaths will be placed. Details to follow.

The Friends of the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient arranged a Tank Corps commemoration ceremony at the Tank Corp Garden of Remembrance in Poelkapelle.

And there I was at 20,000 feet without a parachute...

Ceremonial group

Ypres Entente Standard bearers march off

Post ceremony dinner. C19 guidelines permitting

Passchendaele Motor cycle club associated members

Lt Col Chris Hall RTR SHAPE 1

Col Leon Symoens Vice Chairman FotTMYS Master of Ceremonies

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“Hello – I wonder if you are able to tell me about my father who served in the Royal Tank Regiment in WWII? His service number was 190578 and I know he fought in North Africa, Italy and NW Europe (where he was injured, leading to his repatriation as 'dangerously ill'). Sadly, he died in 1966 and I know little of his service. I would be very grateful for anything you can tell me – or pointers where to find out more. Kind regards, Jon Alltree” Monday 11 May 2020.

His service number was 190578...

This type of message is typical of many that we receive on the enquiries form of the London Branch website. We get many more since the closure of the RTR Association HQ website. I deal with the enquiries to the best of my ability and often discover absolute treasure. This was no exception. Serendipity of the best kind. (Serendipity is an expression much-used in the world of libraries and research when a hunch or a bright idea takes you down a rabbit hole of wondrous findings – producing more than you would have ever thought possible.)

My first response was to ask for the name of 190578, Jon’s father. He came back with, “Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. My father's name was Herbert Stephen William (Bill) Alltree. I'm not sure of his date of birth but I think he was 48 when he died in 1966 so probably born in 1918 or thereabouts. I will ask other family and get back to you later if successful.” And it went on from there. He came back with Bill’s date of birth, along with a picture of a cartoon drawn by one of his father's contemporaries depicting him during the North Africa campaign, plus a picture of his father possibly taken in Cairo.

Bob (Swiniarski) spotted that the hat and badge were not what a Tankie would have worn – could he have been cavalry, we asked Jon? He replied, “I have a video tape (poor quality from super 8 film) of him riding horses with fellow soldiers – apart from the uniform (I think they were in uniform), it all seemed very relaxed and recreational. I have no idea where it was shot. So maybe a cavalry start. The service number and regiment came from www.forces-war-records.co.uk – an account I opened on Friday. It has five entries – dates of his commission (2nd lieutenant), the fact he was in Italy and North West Europe and that he was injured and repatriated as 'dangerously ill' in July 1944. Aside from this, all I know is that he served in

North Africa with the 8th Army before moving to Europe. He might have been seconded to a different unit or units. He was an acting Captain at some point. And he married the nurse who cared for him back in Shrewsbury. I also believe he was in the Territorial Army for several years after the war.”

“Dad never talked about his experiences and as I was only ten when he died, I never got a chance to find out more. My mother – his nurse – told me that he always missed the camaraderie of the Army.”

A fair bit of Googling revealed nothing at all and then I had the bright idea to ask Gareth Davies, who is so generous in his endeavours to keep us informed of RTR history, posting daily on his own, HHQ and several Branch Facebook pages.

SERENDIPITY AND HERBERT STEPHEN WILLIAM (BILL) ALLTREE

Gareth was back in a nanosecond with pure gold: “The name doesn't appear in the RTR War Diaries. It does however appear, in the form of Bill Alltree, in a diary kept by James Douglas Wilde who was 50 RTR then 44 RTR. Bill Alltree was in the Derbyshire Yeomanry before he moved to the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, and the photo shows him wearing the RGH cap badge. The RGH were split up in late ‘42 (maybe

When in doubt... Brew up

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early ‘43) and 2 Sqns fought as part of 5 RTR. The RGH were disbanded in 1943.

Gareth gave us contact details for the son of James Douglas Wilde and Jon Alltree emailed him to ask if there was any information about his father in the diary. In the meantime, Jon ordered a history of 5 RTR which he found on Amazon – 'Press on regardless: The history of the 5th RTR in WWII' – the blurb referenced the Africa campaign and the Desert Rats. He said, “My mother said he was a Desert Rat and I remember seeing a tea cosy with a jerboa cap badge on it many years ago. I don't know where

that is now – it may be that my brother has it or it may be lost. I will try to find out.” All of that by the close of Monday 11 May.

On Thursday 14 May I emailed Jon to let him know that BBC2 had shown Tankies: Tank Heroes of World War II that week and he replied the following day to say, “The timing of the BBC programme couldn't have been better – not only was I unaware a week ago that my father was part of the RTR (let alone the 'Filthy Fifth' as it was known according to the programme) but I hadn't even heard the term 'Tankie' until you used it in your email to me.

A FOOTNOTE:

Jon emailed me again in early June to say that after extensive searches he had found a photo album of his father’s with photos from his time in Egypt and Italy. Between us we identified several of the people named, found another reference to his father in the 3rd London County Yeomanry War Diary, plus an album of photographs in the Tank Museum taken by ‘Jimmy Sale’ (Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) World War Two, Sicily, 1943) which has some of the same photos that are in Jon’s father’s album. Jon’s brother sent him a picture of his father's medals 1939-45 star, Africa, Italy, France and Germany stars, Defence Medal 1939-45 medal and Territorial medal for efficient service – Jon said, “I think he must have gone to Germany after he recovered from his wounds (he was probably wounded in and around Caen if he was with the 5 RTR push to capture it, which I imagine he was). Dad married in early 1945 so might have gone back to fight after that. His wedding certificate shows that he was in 3rd County of London Yeomanry! It certainly seems as though he had a very active war!”

“I have read David Wilde's father's diary and will get back to him today. There are a couple of mentions of my father – his presence in the group of soldiers and his departure to the 5th, along with another lieutenant, David Giliat. Ironically, Googling the latter led me to the 5th RTR War diary and a few more mentions of my father (in and out of hospital a couple of times – maybe illness rather than wounding).

“Both the personal diary and the War Diary give a sense of the horror of the time the troops went through, but the BBC2 documentary really brings it to life (and sadly the death). The discussion of the tanks they had available is fascinating. The cartoon of my father looks as though he was in a Honey! I will apply for the official records from the MoD and see how I get on.”

I think that our lockdown conditions have given us the time to think and to act on things that have been in the back of our mind for days, weeks, months or years and finding family history is one of them. We all know that our parents who were in the forces and WWII didn’t really talk much about their experiences. I count my own Dad as one of them. So much lost knowledge and more so when the parent dies when you are young as happened in Jon’s case. I feel very happy and proud to be part of a process that has helped Jon find so much about his father in such a short time and give him a sense of just what those wonderful men (and women) did in WWII.

Sue Hill and Jon Alltree

Thanks are due to Lt Col (Retd) Gareth Davies for his part in the research and his prompt response to my query.

The cartoon of my father – Herbert Stephen William (Bill) Alltree

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You cannot imagine my shock when I made my last try calling the telephone number of a 90-year-old London branch member that I had rung several times with no reply. I feared for the worst. The phone was answered and I asked to speak to Alfred Knightley. “I’m his son,” was the response from John Knightley. I explained that I was helping my husband phone our 90-plus-year-old members and that we had noted his father was 90 in April. “No,” came the reply, “he was 100 in April.” Luckily I was sitting down. I am embarrassed to say I asked John twice if he was certain of his father’s birthdate! Our records had April 1930! His birth year is 1920.

John explained that Alf lives alone (with carers). His wife died in February, and he is hard of hearing. John just happened to be visiting his Dad to adjust his hearing aids. Timing is all – serendipity again. With the help of John guiding our conversation, I was able to get a little bit of background on Alf.

Alfred was in the Army for six years. He was conscripted in 1940 and started off in the Buffs, 3 RTR in July 1942, C squadron green tabs and was demobilised in June 1946.

He was in Africa as part of the 10th Armoured Division, but it didn’t

PHONING A 90-YEAR-OLD AND FINDING A CENTENARIANHAPPY BELATED 100TH BIRTHDAY, ALFRED KNIGHTLEY 3 RTR

make a difference really which division you were in, Alf told me, it was the same soldiers just changing the names around. Whilst in the Middle East he remembered going from El Alamein all the way to Tunis, sometimes driving their own vehicles and other times being lifted onto a tank carrier when the terrain was too mountainous. The photo below was taken in 1942.

Alfred’s brother George was a Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineer who went on to Italy, but Alf didn’t. He remembers that a couple of months later he re-joined his unit and being somewhere near Bayeux France but can’t

really remember the specifics. Perhaps in another conversation?

One story Alf told us was about being strafed and dive-bombed near El Alamein. He and his co-driver (Jock Hastings, the CO’s batman) were waiting in their truck for the breakthrough and a call to come with instructions. While they were there, they were dive-bombed by a Stuka and also realised they were in an un-cleared minefield. Alf said, “When we raised our heads

I looked at John and he said ‘You alright Alfie?’ I said, “Yes, how are you?” “Alright,” John replied. “Let’s have a brew.” So after being dive-bombed we brewed up a brew on our little stove in the 1500 hundred weight (Morris). Funnily enough while we were there an ambulance drove past and went over a mine and the occupant jumped out. It was

the only other vehicle we saw – but it wasn’t one of our Regiment and we never found out where he was from.”

Alf remembers being in Holland when his regiment went over into Germany. They liberated a village on the way (Helmond is recorded as being liberated by 3 RTR and the 23rd Hussars between 22 and 25 September 1944 – The Third tanks were clearing the western approaches to Helmond – Ed). Alf said that he went with his family to Helmond in Holland in 1975 on holiday and found the family that he had met in the war – they took them back to their house and were put up by them.

Alf also said “We were in Belgium during the German attempt to break through. We took part in the defence, then, when we broke through the Americans took over in Belgium and we carried on. After the war my wife and I stayed in two hotels in Belgium and 3 RTR were remembered quite well.” In Germany during the rehabilitation he remembered playing football at the YMCA and it being the one place where they could get a good meal.

A musician, Alf played the euphonium in a band in Aldershot comprised of RTR who were part of the Salvation Army. Photos courtesy of John Knightley.

I am so grateful that I made that one last phone call. Bob and I feel very privileged to have had the chance to talk to Alf and hear some of his memories. We hope you've enjoyed them aswell. At the time of printing, Alf sadly passed on 9 October 2020. Rest in peace Alf.

Alf (third from left in the front row) and his group May 1944

Alfred Knightley celebrating his 100th birthday

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FOOTNOTE FROM LT COL PAUL MACRO RE 3 RTR:

If Alfred joined C Sqn 3 RTR in July 1942 then he would have missed the Gazala battle but been in time to see action in Alam Halfa. It would be good to know what crew position he filled on the tank (which were Grants at that that stage). [See photo of Grants tank in article on Jon Alltree Page 10 – Ed] The CO was Lt Col Pete Pyman, and C Sqn Ldr was Maj Cyril Joly. Colin Franklin took over C Sqn for the El Alamein battle, which Alfred would also have been heavily involved in. Alfred was then obviously involved in the pursuit of Rommel through to Tripoli and Tunisia, at some stage of which Maj SM Johnson became C Sqn Ldr. Alfred obviously took part in the Normandy fighting (including Op Goodwood), The Great Swan – the breakout and advance to Antwerp and the British part of the Battle of the Bulge.

In the autumn of 1968 I bade farewell to the Fourth in Herford as the Regiment settled into the winter period of military hibernation. Unlike today’s frenetic activity, and apart from a foray to annual gunnery camp, the winter months in the British Army On the Rhine (BAOR) were mostly dominated by barracks life. The Regiment had been stationed in this Westphalian town since the late summer of 1966 and remained there in the reconnaissance role until 1969, when it moved to Hohne and saw service on the smoky Chieftain. During this period, I attended Number 208 Army Pilots Course at Middle Wallop and, on successful completion, found myself reporting for flying duties to the 3rd Carabiniers at York Barracks, Münster. Eight months later, in June 1970, the Carabiniers moved to Herford taking over from the 5th Inniskillen Dragoon Guards, the regiment which had followed on from the Fourth in Harewood Barracks.

A week after our arrival I was sitting at the bar in the Sergeants’ Mess enjoying a pint

THE SILVER TANKARD – A MYSTERIOUS TALE FROM FIFTY YEARS AGO

What lies hidden in grandmother’s loft? The answer is sometimes revealed on television programmes such as the Antiques Road Show. Gems are discovered in attics having lain undisturbed for years, even generations. Porcelain, paintings and various objets d’art come to light, sometimes quite by chance. One wonders on these occasions how they could have remained undiscovered or ignored for such long periods.

of beer. The Regimental Sergeant Major approached and said, “Sergeant Gater-Smith, I have a little surprise for you”. Now, when RSMs mention little surprises they are usually far from pleasant. On this occasion however, and despite it not being a celebration of my birthday, the surprise turned out to be a most generous gesture. With a big grin on his face he thrust a silver tankard into my paw. It was no ordinary tankard. To my astonishment I noticed the highly polished goblet was engraved with the Royal Tank Regiment crest with the Roman numeral IV, above which was the inscription, ‘WOs’ & SGTs’ MESS’. The RSM commented, “Since you are a 4 RTR man we thought you would appreciate drinking from it”. He then went on to explain how the object had come into his possession. On arriving at the mess from Münster he had decided to inspect the building. Together with the PMC, they poked around in every nook and cranny including the attic. Lo and behold, what did they find perched on one of the rafters there, but a grimy drinking vessel.

QUESTIONS AROSE

How long had it rested there, a year, or two or three? Who had put it there? Could it have been a solitary sergeant seeking solace in the gloom under the sloping roof? Had a member of the mess staff 'borrowed' the tankard for some illicit out-of-hours consumption and then, getting cold feet, placed it there for someone else to find? How come that, during the intervening period when 5 Innis DG had been occupying the building, this not unattractive item had remained aloof in the loft, untouched and attaining a dark patina?

Perhaps there is a reader amongst you who, awakened by these notes, can shed light on this mystery. Write to me care of the Editor and tell me your tale. Fear Naught, I will not reveal your identity.

A few weeks after this event, I was tasked to fly the Carabiniers’ Gunnery Officer to a conference in Hohne. There was time for me to drop into the Fourth for a spot of lunch. On entering the Sergeants’ Mess, I met the Regimental Sergeant Major, the late Eric Mann, and revealed to him the mystery of the silver tankard, adding that perhaps it should be returned to its rightful place behind the bar. He replied, “Spats, [my then nickname] it has been written-off. Keep it as a memento of your service with the Fourth”. Today, the tankard sits with others of its like in a cupboard. Occasionally, it is taken out, polished, filled with a refreshing beverage and angled to my lips for a thirst quenching gulp. It is a wonderful reminder of six very happy years serving with the 'Fourth' in Berlin, Aden, the Far East and Herford!

By Howard Gater-Smith

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The author, Dr Jonathan Hicks, a former St Cyres School Penarth headmaster, is also a military historian, author of four works of military history, two novels and many articles and has also played a key role in a wide variety of both World Wars’ commemorations. As you would expect, his book provides not only a meticulous and interesting biography of Wain, complemented by a large number of well-chosen photographs, but also the wider context in which Wain in the finest traditions of the Tank Corps, and its successor the Royal Tank Regiment, gave up his life to help the infantry that his tank section was supporting.

Richard Wain was born in 1896 in Penarth near Cardiff and came from a Victorian family which had gone in four generations from labourer to lawyer and Oxford graduate. His great-grandfather was initially a labourer, his grandfather a hotel owner and his father a lawyer and Oxford graduate. Wain himself went to St Bees, a prestigious public school, and intended like his father to go to Oxford. Aged 17 in 1914, he volunteered, and after

BOOK REVIEW: ‘VALOUR BEYOND MEASURE: CAPTAIN RICHARD WILLIAM LESLIE WAIN VC. THE TANK CORPS AT CAMBRAI 1917’

Every November, the fallen of the Tank Corps are commemorated at the CWGC Cambrai Memorial at Louverval near Cambrai by a moving ceremony, usually led by Philippe Gorczynski, that indefatigable guardian of the history and memory of the Tank Corps at the Battle of Cambrai. The Cambrai Memorial commemorates the 7120 missing of the Battle of Cambrai. During these commemorations, a wreath is laid below the list of the Tank Corps missing, which includes Captain Richard Wain VC.

Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) Geoffrey Vessey Holt (previously published in the Western Front Association Journal)

basic training he was commissioned. His battalion, 16th Manchesters, a Pals Battalion, took part in one of the rare successes of 1 July 1916. Wain was seriously wounded and demonstrated his bravery. After recovery he joined A Battalion, Tank Corp as it was forming in January 1917. A tank commander at Messines, he was a section commander by the Third Battle of Ypres. Dr Hicks then provides a useful description of the Battle of Cambrai, including from the German perspective. His analysis of Wain’s VC is objective and shows the problem of witness reliability.

Dr Hicks then looks at the three other First World War VCs, the crew of Wain’s tank and the other officers of his tank battalion. They were a remarkable and brave group including Capt Robertson VC and the 21-year-old (in 1918) Maj Richard Raikes DSO, MC and Bar. Finally, Dr Hicks looks at the memorials. In 2018 road works recovered part of Wain’s tank, which Philippe Gorczynski now holds. Dr Hicks’ book is a detailed and interesting study of Wain’s VC and sets his bravery in its context. Highly recommended.

Dr Jonathon Hicks, ‘Valour Beyond Measure: Captain Richard William Leslie Wain, VC The Tank Corps at Cambrai 1917,’ 2020 Yolfa, Talybont, £12.99, ISBN 978 1 912631 26 1.

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The career of Col Bruce Duncan, now Chair of the Oxford Branch of the RTR, started when he realised that he was not cut out to be an engineer in the Indian tea industry and so, having enjoyed his weekends as part of the Territorial Army, chose to follow the family tradition and join the Army. He enlisted into the RTR as a Tpr, applying for a commission on completion of his tough basic training at Catterick with 5 RTR in 1959. After finishing at Sandhurst in 1961, Bruce was commissioned into 3 RTR stationed in Detmold, Germany.

Along the way he encountered Capt Hugh Leach, who alerted him to the possibility of secondment, a route he would return to throughout his Army life – initially on his own and then with his family. This started an adventurous life in Brunei, followed by time in Sudan, Nigeria, Oman, Kuwait and then Jordan spanning a period of over thirty years, never directly with the RTR but always in some way deferring back to those early days.

Once I had started on the Brunei, Borneo adventure with Bruce, I found the book hard to put down. His writing brings to life the time he spent in each country vividly and I felt as if I was there with him. If you have served in any of these places or wondered about the different lives people have led in the Army, then this book is a must-read. It certainly is an adventure from start to end.

At almost 500 pages and at a cost of £19.99 it is worth every penny, more so as 50% of the royalties received by Bruce Duncan from each sale is divided between The Royal Tank Regiment Benevolent Fund and ABF The Soldiers Charity. The proportion is higher if you buy directly from the publishers (www.greenfinchpress.com).

Bruce Duncan, ‘The Loan Soldier: Adventures of a Military Man Abroad’, 31 July 2015, Greenfinch Press, £19.99 plus p&p, ISBN: 978-1-908663-23-8.

BOOK REVIEW: THE LOAN SOLDIER BY BRUCE DUNCAN

The Loan Soldier, as the description inside the front cover indicates, is indeed a multi-faceted narrative. It is at times part travel writing, a story of familial love and immense appetite for adventure, while simultaneously documenting the extraordinarily diverse career of a Tankie.

Captain (Retd) Dean Hutton

Col Bruce Duncan with his book

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111

Ashworth, Frank. Died 28 November 2019, aged 97

Barton, Capt Neville. Died 4 September 2020

Baston, LCpl Ian Baird (Baz). Died 13 May 2018, aged 59

Bishop, Brian. Died 19 May 2020

Bithell, Stuart John. Died January 2020

Boor, George. Died 21 August 2020

Burrow, John. Died 24 July 2020, aged 92

Clarke, Cpl Godfrey David. Died 29 November, aged 84

Coates, Tpr Adam. Died 25 April 2020

Court, Cpl Alfred John (John). Died 25 March 2020

Daldry, David Allan

Digweed, James Alfred (Jimmy). Died 14 January 2020, aged 96

Ellis, Dave. Died 10 April 2020

Fisher, Maj Dennis. Died 14 April 2020

Foot, Tpr Robert. Died 5 September 2020, aged 83

Foster, SSgt Andy. Died 1 May 2020

Greaves, Maj Steve. Died 1 August 2020

Greenham, Tpr Roger. Died 20 March 2020

Harwood, Sgt Robert Gerald. Died 11 March 2020

Hedges, Chares. Died December 2019

Herbert, Edward James

Hill, Sgt Stan MBE. Died 11 December 2019

Jaitay, Tpr Jeff. Died 14 July 2020, aged 68

Jerome, Tpr Steve. Died 25 April 2020

Jollye, Geoffrey. Died April 2020

July, Denis. Died 12 July 2020, aged 101

Kerr, Scott. Died April 2020

Knightley, Alfred. Died 9 October 2020, aged 100

Koldewey, Maj Richard Peter Neil (Crusher). Died 15 June 2020, aged 76

RECORD OF DEATHS

Mander, WO1 Chris. Died 29 December 2019, aged 60

Maxwell, Brig John P OBE. Died 30 September 2020

McGann, Sgt Patrick. Died 16 February 2020

McGlynn, Barry. Died 8 April 2020

Messenger, Charles. Died 20 March 2019, aged 77

Middleton, David. Died 28 December 2019 (Secretary Bristol RTR Assc)

Moore, Cpl Chris. Died 14 February 2020

Moore, Maj Mike JA. Died 24 December 2019, aged 79

Morrison, James. Died 16 April 2020, aged 56

Ogorkiewicz, Professor Richard. Died 24 November 2019

Owen, Cpl Jim. Died 7 May 2020, aged 85

Perrett, Capt Bryan TD. Died 16 June 2020, aged 85

Pink, Earnest Edward. Died 7 August 2020, aged 94

Potter, John. Died April 2020, aged 90

Shepherd, David. Died 2020

Smallwood, Fred. Died 14 April 2020, aged 90

Smith, Tpr Frank. Died 30 September

Smith, WO2 Tony. Died 29 December 2019

Smith, Vernon JP MBE. Died November 2019

Snell, Sgt Brian. Died 22 December 2019

Stebbing, Cpl Frederick William (Bill). Died 19 July 2020, aged 96

Sutton, Ivor MacDonald (Don). Died 10 September 2020, aged 102

Thomas, George. Died July 2020

Thornton, WO2 John. Died 10 December 2019, aged 68

Webb, Sgt Howard (Bernard). Died March 2020

Whiston, Jimmy. Died 4 March 2020

Wilkinson, Roderick (Manty). Died 27 April 2020

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OBITUARIESFrank Ashworth 1922 – 2019

Frank was born in Royton, near Oldham on 1 April 1922. On 2 September 1939, he was 17 and having joined the territorials was at a scout camp near Scarborough when a radio call went

out for all territorials to report to Headquarters. He duly reported at the Drill Hall in Oldham on 3 September 1939 and signed up for the duration of the war, despite being in a reserved occupation, as he considered it his duty to fight for his country.

He was assigned to 41 RTR and did his basic training with them before being sent to Bovington to do a radio course. Having passed with flying colours, he was made the Commanding Officer’s radio operator, but had to take an elocution course, as his northern accent could have identified him and his unit to the enemy.

When 41 RTR was sent to Europe early in 1940, Frank was transferred to 51 RTR, as he was still too young to be sent abroad. Shortly after joining, 51 RTR received the first Churchill tanks to carry out troop trials and identify any faults before full production was authorised. As a result, 51 RTR operated on the Churchill tank throughout the war.

In late 1942, 51 RTR departed from Liverpool on the Empire Pride, bound for Tunisia via Algiers. Frank volunteered to man the guns on deck, despite the weather, as he said that it was better there than being down below where everyone was being sick.

On 28 February 1943, 51 RTR went into action for the first time against two battalions of the Herman Goering Division supported by Panzers 3s. Frank was a gunner in Ajax Troop when they attacked what they called ‘Steamroller Farm’ and was in one of the two tanks that made a 1,400m dash across an exposed causeway covered by an 88 mm gun. The gun fired at a range of about 20 metres and grazed the turret, before the crew fled and Frank’s Churchill flattened the gun and then, to the surprise of the Germans, reached the summit of the pass. To do this, Frank’s crew

had removed the forward track protectors from their Churchills, which enabled them to crawl out of ditches, a tactic that Frank used throughout the rest of the war.

Later, 51 RTR was involved in the final push in Tunisia with 78th Infantry Division as they cleared the Béja–Medjez road on the run-in to Tunis and Frank stood proudly, with his crew, in front of his tank next to the saluting dais at the victory parade in Tunis on 20 May 1943. Following this, 51 RTR went into reserve in the desert a long way south of Tunis, almost being forgotten in the process, to the extent that their uniforms became rags and they all grew beards as they survived in the heat of the summer of that year.

51 RTR then joined battle again, landing at Salerno, collecting new tanks and moving up to take part in the battle of Cassino Ridge where they went through many skirmishes until the final battle at Cassino, where most of his squadron’s tanks were knocked out and many men were lost. 51 RTR fought with the Canadians on the Gustav Line and were awarded the Canadian maple leaf to wear as a battle honour. After getting past Cassino, 51 RTR were sent to the East of Italy and were involved in the battle of Corriano Ridge, where Frank lost many more of his friends.

It was during a lull, when he had taken some prisoners back to HQ, that he discovered a friend, Arthur Egerton, by his knocked-out tank. His snatch plug had not worked, and he jumped out. In doing so, he broke his back and was lying there, paralysed. Frank managed to rescue him with the help of some Germans who had surrendered to him. Sadly, Arthur had died on reaching HQ, but had asked Frank to write to his wife, which he did.

Later, having been hospitalised with a shrapnel injury to his knee, Frank was sent on leave to England in 1945 and went to see Arthur’s wife to find that she had died, and her sister had adopted Arthur’s daughter who was then about three years old. On this leave, by special licence, he also married Doreen. On getting back to Italy, although the war in Europe was over, no-one had told them and they did not even get a bottle of beer to celebrate! By this time Frank was in Austria on clearing operations and was demobbed in Klagenfurt in 1946.

After the war Frank returned to his old job of panel beating and made coaches, airplane parts for Vulcan bombers, and Aston Martin cars, all by hand. He and his wife Doreen had a daughter, Brenda, in 1947.

Doreen became very ill and Frank changed his job to driving so that he could look after his wife and child. Sadly, Doreen died in 1979. Meanwhile, Brenda had moved to Jersey where she married, eventually having three children. In 1980 Frank was very depressed and decided to sell up in England and go to Jersey where he became Assistant Manager of a small hotel. The manager, Maureen, had lost her husband the previous year and was struggling on her own.

After two years they married and lived a very happy life with all the family, by then three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. On a cruise round Italy with friends they went to Gradara War Graves in central Italy where they discovered Judith, Arthur Egerton’s daughter, had been 5 days before them, 60 years after her father died.

On returning home, Frank did everything to trace her, eventually getting assistance from the Salvation Army in Manchester, and Judith and her husband came to Jersey to meet Frank who was able to tell her all about her father and how he had died. She was over the moon and has not stopped telling people how wonderful Frank was to do that.

Frank was a quiet man of great courage, who would put himself out for other people. He always thought of himself as a ‘Tankie,’ but never wore his medals until Brenda and Maureen made him wear them one Remembrance Sunday. He wore them twice; he was such a modest man he did not want a fuss made of him. He died aged 97 in Jersey with his much-loved family around him, but his heart was always in Royton where he was born.

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Brian Bishop 1943 – 2020

Brian passed away to the Green Fields on 19 May 2020 after a short illness. Brian was born in 1943 into a family of six children. He was the youngest of his family. He married Barbara in April 1964 and had one daughter, Amanda, in 1971. He was blessed with three grandchildren: Charlotte, Mathew and Jonathon. Brian was a proud and well-loved grandfather and was an even prouder great-grandfather when his granddaughter had two girls, Lexie and Lottie.

He enlisted into the 1 RTR in January 1964 and after training was posted to Hohne in Germany to join A Squadron as a tank driver. Hohne in the early 60s was at the forefront of the Cold War with Russia. The Regiment, at the time, was heavily involved with training preparations and constant call outs to the defence lines.

The Regiment split up in late 1965 and reformed in December 1966 in Catterick where Brian ended his Royal Tank Regiment career in May 1967. Brian moved from the military to a civilian security career working for the Liverpool council and a variety of private companies. Brian’s military career was not completely over and in 1972 he combined his civilian career with the military by enlisting in the Territorial Army (235 Squadron Royal Corp of Transport) where he served for twelve years, finally opting for voluntary discharge in December 1984.

Brian was never without a smile on his face. He very often turned a possible problem into a humorous situation with his natural wit and personality. Brian was finally laid to rest on Friday 5 June 2020. He was a hugely popular member of the Merseyside Branch, and our members would normally have turned out in large numbers for his funeral. However, due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, we were limited in numbers. We managed to parade our Standard and eighteen members to see Brian off. His character and personality will be sorely missed at meetings and functions. R.I.P.

John Burrow 1928 – 2020

John Burrow, who served with 2 RTR in WWII, died on 24 July 2020, aged 92. He served on the Sherman Firefly, in which he took part in the burning of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. After being stationed in Germany, he came back to Bovington Camp and was a tank driving instructor. When he was demobilised, he attended Exeter University where he met

his wife, Joy who he was married to for 68 years. After university, he became a teacher, and then became headmaster of Westham school in Weymouth. He retired in Weymouth and enjoyed visiting the Tank Museum in Bovington with his family, especially on Tiger day. He leaves behind his wife of 68 years Joy, his three children Simon, Sally, and Jo, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Cpl Godfrey David Clarke1935 – 2019

Known as Dave or Knobby, Godfrey David Clarke was born in 1935 in Somerset. He was working on the bottling line at the Babycham production facility in Shepton Mallet when in 1953

he enlisted into the Army. By volunteering, instead of waiting to be conscripted, he ensured his pay was increased by a shilling (5p) a day. He was initially posted to 6 RTR at Portsmouth Barracks in Munster, but shortly after arriving was transferred to 4 RTR at Wessex Barracks, Fallingbostel, remaining there until his demobilisation in 1956. During his time at Fallingbostel, he managed to break his leg during a physical training session when the gym wall-bars he was climbing collapsed.

His return to civilian life was very brief, as he was recalled to the colours for the Suez crisis. Six months later he returned to civilian life for good. In the early 1960s he moved from Somerset to Dorset where he stayed for the rest of his life. He worked for Decca at Holton Heath, and when they opened a factory in Canada, they sent Dave to teach the new staff how to operate the machinery – a six-month commitment.

He and his wife Cecilia were living in Bere Regis when they joined the Bournemouth, Poole and District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association. Dave soon became the standard bearer and his skills were then noticed by the local branch of the Royal British Legion, who invited him to be their standard bearer too. He later became the branch chairman. He then reached the pinnacle of the branch hierarchy when he was appointed president in July 2010. He remained president of the branch until his death.

In recent years, he had some health issues, at one point receiving a heart pacemaker, but this did not stop him attending branch meetings and events. He was also a regular at the fortnightly get-together of the Wareham Veterans Breakfast Club. Dave was admitted to hospital in November 2019 where he was a model patient. Dave was suffering from sepsis and passed away peacefully at Dorchester Hospital on 29 November 2019, aged 84 years.

Alfred John Court 1922 – 2020

Alfred John Court, known as John, was an RTR tank commander.

John trained with 60th Training Regiment, RAC at Tidworth and Bovington Camps in

1941-2 and served with 3 RTR in North Africa and North West Europe, 1942-1945.

He had an early interest in aviation and engines, but when registering for military service in Guildford he was rejected by the RAF, so chose the RAC. John took great pride in his drill during training. During his driver training at Tidworth Camp, he had his first experience of an A9 Cruiser tank, took his tank driving test and formed his opinion of the Matilda and other tanks. John considered British tanks to be easy to drive but lacking armament. He recounted the driver’s view from different types of tanks and the random selection of tanks used during training, as well as the use of Lloyd Carrier.

John was a trooper with 3 RTR in North Africa, 1942-1943 and joined his first crew in Egypt as part of 8th Armoured Brigade. On joining his unit in the desert, he learned the intricacies of driving in soft sand and the comparison between Lee and Grant and Crusader and Sherman tanks.

John took part in the Battle of El Alamein when he endured attacks by German Junkers Ju87 Stukas, night attacks illuminated by parachute flares, being lost in desert at night, the sight of a falling bomb seen from a tank, as well as effects of hitting a mine.

After the move to Mersa Matruh he arrived at the Mareth Line and engaged with Italian M-13s. He then moved to Tripoli and was

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bombarded by artillery at Enfideville, Tunisia, before moving along the coast south of Homs and Alexandria, Egypt where he embarked the Nieue to travel from Egypt to England. At one stage they were attacked by friendly aircraft…

By then an NCO with 3 RTR in the UK, in 1943-1944 he was posted in Newmarket, Bridlington, and was then sent to train Polish tank drivers in Scotland. He was involved in taking defective tanks to Wool, and then moved into barracks at Aldershot where he was on standby.

When posted to Normandy as a driver with 3 RTR, he was in action at Hill 112 and then deployed for Operation Goodwood. John remembered the ground heaving from artillery barrage and German mortar opening fire during their advance, the sight of dazed Germans surrendering, crossing the Caen-Falaise railway and the many aspects of the battle. He talked of aspiring to command a tank, night movements, and hospitalisation in an American hospital in St Lo, from which he was transferred to the British hospital in Bayeux, then discharged.

In 1944–1945 he returned to his unit in the Netherlands and then went on to Brussels. John spent a period as NCO with 778 Car Company, Royal Army Service Corps in Germany in 1945 and also undertook guard duties at the Detention Centre, General Headquarters and at an ammunition factory at Minden. He was in charge of rations at Bergen-Belsen Displaced Persons Camp.

After the war John married Vera and had a daughter. John had the most modest childhood and upbringing. He worked as a gas engineer, a family tradition. After this he ran a lawn mower business for a while and worked as a groundsman. John then became a carer for his wife Vera. After her death, a chance meeting in the sheltered housing block of Chelverton Court resulted in his long-term friendship with Ena Azzopardi.

John loved to travel and undertook many trips covering the Arctic, the Amazon River and Australia – and those are just the places he went which start with the first letter of the alphabet!

John had 19 medals, including his belated Legion d’Honneur, which tell their own story, as no doubt do the tapes recorded for posterity at the Imperial War Museum. But all of it wrapped up, so to speak, in his words:

“After all, I was only doing my job.”

A small family group said their farewells to him at Putney Vale Crematorium on 15 April 2020.

John Court left a legacy in the form of 15 recorded Oral History tapes at the IWM. These can be heard on https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80015583.

James Alfred Digweed 1923 – 2020

James Alfred 'Jimmy' Digweed, believed to be among Plymouth's last surviving D-Day veterans, died peacefully on 14 January 2020 at the age of 96. James’s family have paid

tribute to the proud Normandy veteran who carried out his duties extremely well and was popular amongst his fellow men. James's son, John Digweed, paid tribute to his father and said that while he's known by many for his efforts in the war, outside of his service he was the most amazing man. John said he and his four siblings were raised solely by their father as their mother died in the 1960s, and even though James worked hard, he did a great job of looking after his children and his grandchildren. James was born in 1923 in London and was called up to serve in February 1942, at just 18 years old. James, known by many as Jimmy, started with the Royal West Kent Regiment, before moving on to the King's Own Lancashire Regiment and later 3 RTR. He landed in Normandy and headed towards Caen, where he experienced fierce fighting with 3 RTR.

Eventually, Caen was liberated from the Germans during Operation Epsom in July 1942. James then travelled eastwards where he took part in Operation Goodwood in July 1944, which saw 6000 casualties and 400 tanks damaged. His regiment helped capture the Germans in the Falaise pocket, where 50,000 Germans were captured in the Battle of the Falaise Gap. James continued with his regiment through France into the Belgian border, continuing on to Antwerp, which was liberated in September 1944. 3 RTR then moved to the Ardennes region, occupying Dinant in support of the Battle of the Bulge. 3 RTR then ploughed on to Flensburg, Germany, near the Danish border, where the Germans finally surrendered. However, James's tank was hit

and his comrades killed. James was badly burned and received hospital treatment, but after being discharged, he was sent back into action with another tank crew. One of the most horrific elements of James's military career was being one of the British servicemen who helped liberate Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945. But even after this, James continued to serve, providing security for the Nuremberg trials. Later, James was awarded the Chevalier (knight) Legion d’Honneur, the highest French order of merit. He was also popular amongst his fellow men and had an outstanding personality. He was one of the founder members of the Plymouth Branch RTR Association, and was an active participant until his health no longer allowed him to take part. He will be loved and missed by all his family, friends and comrades.

Major Dennis Fisher 1932 – 2020

Dennis was born on 9 June 1932 in North Kensington, London. He joined 6 RTR as a National Serviceman in 1952 in Munster after spending a brief period at Catterick, instructing. At the

beginning of 1956, 6 RTR were posted to Tidworth and while they were there took part in Op Musketeer (Suez invasion). At the time, Dennis was a Troop Sgt in B Squadron. The following year the Regiment moved to North Africa and had squadrons detached to Cyprus at various times. In 1959 Dennis was posted to the Mons Officer Cadet School as an instructor and then returned to Regimental duty two years later when the Regiment, now 3 RTR, were in Detmold. In August 1963 the Regiment moved to Catterick to become the RAC Training Regiment and Dennis found himself instructing in the Signals Wing. At the beginning of 1964, 3 RTR moved to Fallingbostel and during their time there Dennis was promoted to SSgt in Recce Troop. In early 1968, 3 RTR moved to Tidworth and whilst there Dennis became the SSM of C Squadron and did a UN tour of Cyprus. On return he picked up the appointment of RQMS (Main) and carried out this job through until the Regiment moved to Wolfenbüttel. In 1971, he was promoted to WO1 and moved to the RAC Centre at Bovington to become part of the RAC Work Study Group. In 1974 he was commissioned and returned to Regimental duty with 3 RTR in Fallingbostel

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where he carried out the role of Assistant Adjutant and Intelligence Officer for a tour of Northern Ireland. On return from Northern Ireland he became the RSO until sometime during 1975 where he took over the job of QM(T) and promoted to Captain. He was to do this job through the rest of 3 RTR’s time in Tidworth and the move to Paderborn. At some time during the time in Paderborn he was promoted to Major. In 1983 he was posted to Dusseldorf where he carried out the job of OC Troops Dusseldorf Station, which he did until he left the regular Army in 1985. He was then fortunate to get a job as a PSAO working for one of the companies in the 5th Battalion Royal Anglians (Steelbacks). He did this job until he reached retirement age. During his time in the Army, Dennis qualified as an instructor in parascending and windsurfing. He is survived by his wife Ann and children Andy, Denise and Ian.

Brigadier John Pollock Maxwell OBE 1932 – 2020

John Maxwell was born in 1932, the youngest of the four children of Surgeon Rear Admiral and Mrs Joseph Maxwell. He was educated at Charterhouse 1946–50 and the Royal Military

Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) 1951–53. He joined the Army in 1951 as a rifleman in the Rifle Brigade, prior to entering RMAS, as was the custom in those days. On commissioning, Maxwell joined 7 RTR in Hong Kong and remained with the Regiment until it was amalgamated with 4 RTR in 1959. He was to remark in later years that this period with 7 RTR was among the most formative of his life, certainly the friendships he made then endured until his death.

In 1959 Maxwell volunteered for loan service as Second-in-Command of the Ghana Reece Squadron. It was whilst in Ghana that he met and married his wife Bridget, the daughter of Sir Francis and Lady Astley. On his return from loan service he embarked on that sequence of regimental and staff appointments that are the stepping stones of the career officer. In every case his appointments were of the first rank and included Adjutant of 4 RTR, Commander of the Berlin (A) Squadron 1 RTR. He commanded the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) in Iran unit before returning to the British

Army on the Rhine as BRAC at HQ 1 (British) Corps. He commanded 1 RTR when it was the resident armoured car regiment based in Omagh, Co Tyrone, during the 'Troubles'. The Duke of Abercorn was heard to remark that the Regiment was the most effective that he had seen in the role. Maxwell was subsequently awarded an OBE.

Maxwell's staff appointments were equally impressive and included DAA & QMG in Aden, Military Assistant to General "Tubby" Butler – the Corps Commander, OS at the Staff College and finally Assistant to General Bernie Rogers, Supreme Allied Commander Europe. Maxwell was a graduate of the Army Staff College, Camberley, and the Canadian National Defence College. In 1983 he decided to take early retirement from the Army to pursue a successful and widely-travelled second career as a Partner with MaST, the management and training organisation, until 1994, when he retired for a second time.

John Maxwell was a typical example of the best type of Royal Tank Regiment officer. Exceptionally professional himself, he therefore demanded the highest standards from others. However, he always had the time and the inclination to play hard both on the sports field and in the social sphere; there are now not many who remember his performance as "the Bebop Bishop of Bow" on the Troopship to Hong Kong or indeed a dawn return to Hahne from the Reeperbahn in order to dismount the Guard.

A gifted all round sportsman and athlete he represented the Ironsides, 7 RTR, 4 RTR and 1 RTR at hockey. He remained an excellent tennis player, skier and a useful golfer well into old age. A skillful worker with wood and picture frames he also became a very competent artist in later life. John Maxwell developed his lifelong interest in amateur dramatics in retirement both as a director and actor. He also researched his family history with the aid of newly-learned computer skills. All-in-all he and his wife Bridget enjoyed a very fulfilling retirement in Suffolk.

There are many who experienced his concern and practical support in times of personal difficulty or distress and it is for this thoughtful humanity that he was so widely admired. He was very active in retirement and took a lively interest in national affairs, as his periodic letters to The Times attest, as well as regimental affairs. Like so many he deplored the decimation of the Regiment in recent years but typically redoubled his energetic support

of the numerous Old Comrades' functions and reunions which he enjoyed attending.

His widow and two sons, Robert and Simon, survive him.

Robert Harwood 1955 – 2020

Robert Harwood was born in Shiphay, Torquay on the 2 April 1955. After finishing Torquay Grammer school for boys in September 1970, he went to work for Halfords Ltd,

eventually becoming the under-manager. He enlisted into the Army on the 10 April 1972 and joined 3 RTR on the 13 August 1972, serving as a tank crewman in several Squadrons. Eventually, he entered the Regimental training wing where he specialised in Armoured Fighting Vehicle recognition and also helped the training wing Warrant Officer, Ron Aqualina, in developing the Aqualite system for tank engagement. While at the training wing he designed a method of training for tank crews in recognising foreign vehicles from all over the world. For all his hard work he was awarded the RTR Meritorious Service Certificate in 1983. He served with the Regiment in Germany, Tidworth, Canada and Northern Ireland, where he was awarded his General Service Medal in 1974/75. He was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1987 and it was presented to him at the Lulworth Gunnery School. He became a Regimental Gunnery Instructor while serving with the Regiment and, due to his enthusiasm, was given the chance of becoming a Schools Gunnery Instructor (SGI) at Lulworth Gunnery School, which he accepted. He left the Regiment to become a SGI in 1985 where he was well-respected and obtained the rank of Sergeant. He completed his terms of service with the colours and left the Army on 26 April 1988. Sadly, after a long illness and waiting for a transplant for several years, he passed away on the 11 March 2020 at his home in Torquay, in Devon. He was a member of the Plymouth Branch RTR Association and when possible attended the monthly branch meetings and even attended the annual branch Cambrai dinner. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends from the association. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, only family members

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Denis July 1919 – 2020

Denis was featured in Tank Vol 101 2019, page 54 when a surprise visit took place on the occasion of his 100th birthday in 2019. As a valued Veteran of 3 RTR, he was visited by members of the

Regiment and London, Bournemouth and Poole Branches of the Association. Denis says that it was a very great honour for his service to be commemorated by a march around his square by the RTR. He was delighted when Lt Col Paul Macro honoured him with a beautiful cushion embellished with the Regiment's logo and colours.

His family say Denis had a wonderful life, and his courage and strength were undoubtedly shaped by his unique experience with the RTR. He was born in British Guyana where his father was General Manager of the railways. His mother was of French descent and born and brought up in Belgium. She met his father in Guyana, where Denis was one of four children.

When in the UK, his brother Jack joined the Army and Denis decided to follow him. They joined up at Bovington, where Denis was recommended for a commission. Denis was captured in Calais on his 21st birthday (24 May 1940), when a German soldier uttered the infamous phrase: "for you, Tommy, the War is over". 3 RTR formed part of the 30th Armoured Brigade, along with three other regiments. Their role was to try and slow the German advance. Despite the odds being heavily against the 30th Armoured Brigade, for four days they tied up two entire German armoured divisions which otherwise would have been turned against the British Expeditionary Force.

Denis endured a terrible march across France with hardly any food to sustain him. During the march, he was informed that his brother Jack was coincidentally on the same march (neither of them had known). When he arrived at the camp, a German soldier pinched Denis's emaciated flesh, and slowly shook his head, as though to say that there was no chance of

were permitted to attend his funeral. It was agreed with the family that a memorial service will take place at a later date on Dartmoor, where his ashes will be scattered to honour a friend and veteran of the RTR. Rest in peace in those green fields, Robert. Fear Naught.

Denis surviving. Throughout the war, the two brothers took care of each other and helped to keep each other safe. They saved up food rations for each other's birthdays, traded cigarettes for food and helped to keep their clothing safe when one or two prisoners, desperate to keep warm, attempted to steal extra clothing. Throughout the war, they managed to survive when Red Cross parcels arrived, and by trading the arduous job of chopping up rocks in a quarry, with easier jobs as a pharmacist (Denis) and tailor (Jack).

At the end of the war, Denis was part of the death march and endured terrible conditions during this arduous march, until rescued by the American GIs. Temperatures dropped as low as 34 degrees below freezing. Denis was 5 stone when finally rescued at the end of the war.

One touching story from his imprisonment 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 Jack helped each other enormously in Stalag VIII-B, 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.

Amazingly, Denis was in London on 24 May 1945, aged 26 years of age, celebrating the end of his dreadful time as a prisoner of war in Stalag VIII-B Lamsdorf, Silesia. He stated that he saw the Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret who were joining in with the celebrations.

One of Denis's favourite stories was of the time near Calais when he rolled down the bank and fell upon what he thought to be an uncomfortable rock. Miraculously, it turned out to be a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne which he shared with a fellow soldiers (Denis drinking the lion's share)! Ever since then, Denis celebrated occasions with a glass of Veuve.

Denis demonstrated just how wrong the German soldier was who shook his head at Denis's emaciated physique by achieving the grand age of 101 and two months. Denis was pretty confident that he has outlived that soldier who gave him no chance of survival! On 24 May 2020 Denis’s health was fading but he was able to celebrate his 101st birthday with a glass of his favourite tipple, Veuve Clicquot.

Denis left three daughters and two grandsons and a legacy of his life in the form of a video recording of his memories. An edited version

is available, which is relevant to his days with 3 RTR, including training at Bovington, being captured near Calais, time as a prisoner of war in Silesia and the parade RTR Home HQ organised for his 100th birthday in 2019. It is a beautiful tribute to Denis and also an insight into some of the hardships all of those brave men endured.

https://vimeo.com/427780913

Major Richard Peter Neil (Crusher) Koldewey 1944 – 2020

Richard commissioned into the RTR on 30 July 1965. Having passed P-Company, he served as Troop Commander with the RAC Parachute Squadron before attending Army Pilot Course No. 219. On successful completion of this course, he was posted to 664 Aviation Squadron, Farnborough as a Scout Pilot. Richard transferred from the RTR to the Army Air Corps as a Captain in 1974 and took command of the Sioux Fight with the resident cavalry regiment in Omagh, Northern Ireland. He was promoted to Major in 1976 and served as a direction staff in the Junior Division of Staff College until 1979. He went on to command 664 Squadron Army Air Corps in Minden before retiring from the Army on 1 June 1981. One of his close friends and comrades said, "Richard was one of those rare individuals who was able to get the best out of everyone, and everyone respected him."

Richard leaves behind his wife Helen, two daughters in the UK and two sons in the USA. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.

Charles Messenger 1941 – 2019

Charles Messenger, who has died aged 77, served in the Army for 20 years before becoming a full-time military historian and defence analyst.

Charles Rynd Milles Messenger was born at Fulmer in Buckinghamshire on May 11 1941 and educated at Marlborough. After attending Sandhurst, in 1961 he was commissioned into 2 RTR. On the recommendation of Sir John Keegan, the eminent military historian, he then went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read History.

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After rejoining 2 RTR, he served in Germany, Libya and Northern Ireland. In 1977, he commanded a squadron which was sent to the Province. A senior officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary had complained that the Provisional IRA was behaving with impunity on his territory, known as the South Derry Murder Triangle. BADER Squadron, led by Messenger, was tasked with supporting the security forces there.

Four months of vigorous and varied patrolling by night and day, on foot or in vehicles, in the towns and the countryside, transformed the situation. There was a number of bad incidents but the Provisional IRA went to ground and to the relief of the local people the area became comparatively peaceful. After retiring from the regular Army, Messenger served in the Regiment’s volunteer reserve for the next 13 years and finished his part-time service in the rank of lieutenant-colonel.

In 1980 Messenger retired from the regular Army and embarked on what turned out to be almost four decades of writing. Concentrating primarily on 20th century warfare, his books included ‘The Battle of Britain’ and ‘World War 2 in the Atlantic’, yet it was in the land domain that he largely focused. He wrote ‘The Art of Blitzkrieg’, ‘Commandos’ and ‘The Tanks: The History of the Royal Tank Regiment 1976-2017’.

‘Call to Arms: The British Army 1914-1918’ was widely regarded as his masterpiece. It was as if he identified himself with the lost generation of that conflict, for he seemed to have an extraordinary empathy with those who had taken part, reinforced by an expert’s knowledge of the fighting on the Western Front.

Messenger also wrote acclaimed books on the Northern Ireland Troubles and the British infantry regiments, together with a number of campaign histories. He was a fine biographer, too, writing, for example, ‘Hitler’s Gladiator – Sepp Dietrich’ and’ The Last Prussian – Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt’.

His books were well received and he established a reputation as a soldier-scholar of penetrating accuracy, great industry and versatility.

Apart from his writing, Messenger was much in demand for conferences and talks. His engaging and effervescent style won him many friends and admirers across all age groups and, as a battlefield tour presenter, his command of battle terrain, tactics and technologies and vivid commentary held his audiences captivated. A

generous and entertaining host, he had a fund of good stories which he enjoyed sharing over a glass of wine after a long day.

He also wrote and helped to direct a number of television series on 20th century history and participated in several historical analysis studies for the Ministry of Defence. In 2000, working with Major Sir Michael Parker, he provided much of the historical, military input for the Royal Millennium Military Tattoo 2000, held on London’s Horse Guards Parade.

He was a member of the Army Records Society, the British Commission for Military History, the Society for Army Historical Research and the Western Front Association.

Charles Messenger married, in 1968, Anne Falconer, who survives him with their son and two daughters.

Major Michael Moore 1940 – 2019

Michael (Mike) joined 4 RTR and went on to become a Sergeant.

He spent some time in Borneo and was also stationed in Berlin when the wall went up in 1961. He may have

extended the Cold War by several years when (as he once recounted to his son Lawrence) he raised a cup of tea that had recently been passed up to him from within the tank, to a Soviet tank commander on the other side of ‘The Wall’, which initially was a series of anti-tank barriers. The Soviet soldier apparently took one look and slammed down the tank hatch and disappeared inside. Dad spoke later to his CO, and the CO explained that the Soviets did not have tea-making facilities in their tanks.

He married in 1966 at The Tower of London, as his wife-to-be’s father was a Yeoman there. Mike earned his officer commission, passing out from Mons in April 1969, and went on to reach the rank of Major and eventually joined the Military Police. As part of close-protection duties, he was present at the third G7 Summit in London, May 1977, with James Callaghan and Jimmy Carter.

After retiring from the Army, he remarried and worked in the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority in their emergency planning department.

Mike eventually emigrated to Spain where he enjoyed amateur dramatics, including directing and starring in several sold-out shows at the Benidorm Palace.

Professor Richard Ogorkiewicz 1926 – 2019

The Tank Museum is sad to announce the death of the former Trustee of the Museum, President of the Friends, and writer and consultant on Tanks and AFVs, Richard Ogorkiewicz.

Richard Ogorkiewicz was born in Poland, the son of a Polish Army Officer. When Germany invaded in 1939, the family escaped to Romania and then France, where in May 1940 the escape from the Nazis had to be repeated and Dick arrived in England, a teenage boy without a word of English. After three years at a Scottish school (where he was awarded the English prize) Dick went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College in London. He stayed on at Imperial – teaching and researching – before working for both Ford and Humber looking at gas turbine engines. In 1957 he returned to Imperial to teach, but also research into the area he found particularly interesting – Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs). His interest and knowledge in the subject led him to be invited on a number of government boards and committees, such as the Defence Scientific Advisory Committee, and in 1979 he started a long association with the Military College of Science, Shrivenham, in 1988 being invited to be their visiting Professor. Having resigned from Imperial in 1985 he became an active consultant to a number of companies on armoured vehicles. He sat on the technical advisory board of General Dynamics alongside Sven Berge, designer of the S Tank, Dr Philip Lett, designer of the Abrams and Major General Israel Tal, designer of the Merkava. He also helped a number of countries such as Australia, Singapore, Turkey and Brazil start their own AFV manufacturing.

Dick wrote on the subject of AFVs throughout his career – his first article was published in the Royal Armoured Corps Journal in 1948. He helped Basil Liddell Hart with his history of the Tank Regiment, ‘The Tanks’, and wrote

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a number of volumes on the development and use of tanks and armoured vehicles. His two volume ‘Technology of Tanks’ published by Janes in 1991 is now eagerly sought after and fetches eye watering prices on the internet. He had a long association with the Tank Museum, using the archive and library in his studies and with his wide travel and contacts, helped source vehicles for the collection. He was made President of the Friends in 1987 and was proud that the membership expanded – the Friends being an important source of funds and volunteers for the museum. He became a trustee in 1993 and his wide breadth of knowledge on the subject, along with his judicious and pithy advice, meant he was a trustee that was listened to with respect.

In 2011 he began transferring his extensive correspondence, archives and books to the Tank Museum. He and his wife Jocelyn were great practical supports of the museum too. When Dick gave up driving, he gifted his Toyota to the museum and it is still being used. When museum staff had to attend meetings in London they could park at his London house and often found a sumptuous tea awaiting them on their return. Dick’s last book, ‘Tanks – 100 Years of Evolution’, was printed in 2015 and has been re-printed in a number of languages. It has reached a much wider audience than his previous works and shows the authority and knowledge of a kindly man who was genuinely an expert in his field.

Jim Owens 1934 – 2020

Jim passed to the green fields on 7 May 2020 after a long illness. Jim was born in 1934 and enlisted into the RAC in April 1951. His enlistment records stated his date of birth as 1933 not 1934, so he was actually still an under-aged 16, not 17, on his enlistment and posting to Korea.

Jim was our last Korean Veteran. During his service in Korea he was literally blown out of his tank driving seat when a mortar round dropped into the tank turret, killing the rest of his crew. Jim survived after a stint in a Japanese hospital.

Jim was awarded the Korean and UN medals in 1953. He ended his regular service in 1956 and continued in the Reserve Service until 1967. Jim continued his attachment to the RTR with the 40/41 RTR Territorials in Liverpool,

and later on became involved with the RTR Association Merseyside Branch. In 2008, the membership of the Merseyside Branch had dwindled due to the passing of the WWII RTR veterans and the numbers were down to single figures, to the extent that the Merseyside Branch was in danger of folding. Jim held the position of Branch Secretary at that time and with a couple of younger RTR veterans, was instrumental in the revival of the Merseyside Branch to its position today as a successful, popular branch with a membership of over 40.

Jim ended his days as President of the Merseyside Branch, from which he will be sorely missed.

Jim was finally laid to rest on Thursday the 14 May 2020. He was a popular, well-respected member of the Association by HQ RTR and all of the younger generation of RTR veterans. It was a great shame that Jim could not be given the send-off he so deserved. We managed to give Jim as good a turnout as we were allowed to, under the COVID-19 circumstances, with the Merseyside and Sefton Branch standards on parade, along with a good number of RTR veterans and association members. Jim will be sorely missed as our president and our senior Tankie veteran. Farewell Jim. RIP.

Captain Bryan Perrett 1934 – 2020

Bryan was born near Liverpool in 1934 and after a fairly conventional upbringing, attended Liverpool College. After working for a while for a cattle food manufacturer he was soon called up for his national service. He joined the 17/21st Lancers serving in Germany, after which he returned to civilian life and became a management trainee.

Whilst in London he joined the Westminster Dragoons and decided to enter the world of insurance with Lloyds of London. He left London and returned to work in Liverpool with a firm of insurance brokers and not wishing to leave the military world, joined the 40/41st RTR based in Manchester and Liverpool and was promoted to Capt. After this, he remained with the Army Reserve attached to 1 RTR.

It was then that he started writing his first book, ‘Fighting Vehicles of the Red Army.’ Many more books were to follow and a military contact of Bryan’s told him that First Gulf War Allied Commander ‘Stormin’ Norman had one of Bryan’s books on his desk!

During the Falklands War and the First Gulf War, Bryan was a defence correspondent for

Frank Smith 1942 – 2020

Frank passed away to the green fields on 30 September 2020 after a long illness.

Frank was born into a family of three children in 1942. He married Sheila in 1972 and adopted her two children, Lawrence and Deborah. They went on to have three more children, Sarah, Jacqueline and Jennifer. Frank and Sheila were then blessed with 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He loved nothing more than spending time with them, often accompanying them on days out and holidays.

He enlisted in 1 RTR in January 1960 and after training was posted to Munster in Germany to join C Squadron as a tank driver. The Regiment moved from Munster to Hohne in 1961 and Frank was involved in the training and exercises as a Radio Operator/Tank Driver in 11 Troop C Squadron.

In 1963 Frank moved to Bovington Training Depot in the UK, having switched from

the Liverpool Daily Post. His writing flourished and in all, produced over 70 books on various topics of military history. During the time he became acquainted with numerous serving and retired soldiers, from privates to generals. One in particular, General Wimberley (who commanded the 51st Highland Division in North Africa) he recalls fondly.

Another of his books, ‘The Czar’s British Squadron’, included a foreword by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh who had known Oliver Locker-Lampson who commanded the Squadron. A history of the Royal Hampshire Regiment would later receive a foreword by Princess Diana who at the time was Colonel of the Regiment.

An extremely modest man, he had a wicked sense of humour but also a great love and interest in military history – and a huge fund of stories about his experience.

He was married to Anne and they had a long and happy marriage. He has now passed on to the green fields and will be greatly missed by his friends and comrades from the RTR Association who will remember him with great affection.

His funeral was attended by family, friends and comrades from the 40/41st RTR and the Preston Branch of the RTR Association who also provided a small Honour Guard with the Association Standard.

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driving tanks to driving heavy goods vehicles, where he spent the next two years before his discharge in January 1966.

Apart from his military skills, Frank excelled as a Regimental bantam weight boxer with a number of wins to his name. Frank moved from the military to a successful civilian heavy goods driving career in which he was a transport manager. Frank was an extremely popular member of the Merseyside Branch and will be sorely missed by all. He will be even more missed for his caring efforts as the Branch Welfare Officer for the last ten years. Frank spent many hours over the years monitoring, checking and keeping us up-to-date with the progress of members suffering from medical problems and in some cases mental hardship.

Frank was finally laid to rest on Tuesday 13 October 2020. Our members would normally have had a huge turnout for his funeral. However, due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, we were limited in numbers. We managed to parade our Standard and a good number of members to see Frank off. His character and personality will be sorely missed at meetings and functions by all members of the Merseyside Branch. R.I.P Fear Naught.

WO2 Tony Smith 1926 – 2019

Tony was born in 1926 and joined the Army in 1946. He trained at Ranby Camp, Retford, Nottingamshire as a tank operator on Cromwells and Churchills.

He went on to join 8 RTR in Egypt in 1947/8 where they were equipped with Mk 4 Sherman tanks. After 10 months the Regiment was moved to Rottersley Park, Wolverhampton. From here Tony was sent to Bovington to be trained as a signals instructor. Shortly after his return from this post, the Regiment were sent to Catterick as the training Regiment for three years.

In 1953 he was promoted to Sgt, the Regiment had moved Paderborn, been equipped with Centurion tanks and the Cold War was the focus of activity. Tony was then posted to the equipment wing of the Armoured Trials and Development Unit at Bovington. Following this he went back to the Regiment, who were now

in Fallingbostel, and was promoted to SSgt (SQMS). This was soon followed by a posting to Chertsey and then back to the Regiment where he was promoted to WO2 and took up the position of B Squadron SSM. At this time, they were at Fallingbostel. Finally, he was posted back to Tidworth where he finished his service after 22 years with the colours.

After leaving the Army, he frequently attended 8 RTR reunions at the Trouville Hotel.

Vernon JP Smith, MBE 1940 – 2019

Vernon was born in Barbados in 1940. He attended school and after various experiences as a joiner, French polisher and kit man for the local cricket team, he fulfilled his

childhood dream to become a soldier. As a boy he saw family and friends in the Volunteer Force and loved to watch war movies at the cinema.

In May 1962 Vernon was sworn into the British Army and shipped off to Catterick Camp in Yorkshire. As a tank gunner, paratrooper and missile crewman in the Parachute Squadron RAC he served in Bahrain, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Libya and Yemen. He was awarded the General Service Medal and demobilised from the Army in May 1968.

Now a civilian, Vernon soon turned his hand to a career in welding. After passing exams in welding and management, he became a lecturer at Hackney College in 1981. As a skilled welder, Vernon went on to run the Welding Section at the East Surrey College for 10 years, from which he took early retirement.

Not satisfied with serving his country and inspiring youngsters in colleges, Vernon took on a number of voluntary positions: Crisis at Christmas, Merton Vision, Morden and Merton Guild, the Magistracy, Independent Monitoring Board and Streatham Youth and Community Trust.

At the Streatham Youth and Community Trust he was a voluntary youth worker for 21 years, and Chair of the Trustees for nine years. He ran six London marathons in the 1990s and raised over £15,000 for various charities.

Vernon was appointed as a magistrate at South Western Magistrates' Court in 1991. He became Chair of the Bench five years later, Vice Chair of the Bench for a further year, as well as joining the Bench at Balham Youth Court and becoming its Chair in 2000. On top of all this he was appointed to the Independent Monitoring Board at Feltham Young Offenders institution, was its Chair in 2001 for two years and its Vice Chair on two other occasions. Vernon further volunteered as a mentor on the Operation Black Vote Magistrates' Shadowing Scheme in 2004.

In December 2007, Vernon's commitment to community was rewarded with the presentation of the MBE from Prince Charles, for his work at Feltham. In 2011, Vernon enjoyed another visit to St James' Palace where the Queen presented new colours to 1 and 2 RTR.

This is a great example of a life well-lived. Not only did Vernon manage to achieve his childhood dream by the age of 28, he then selflessly pursued the inspiration and empowerment of others. To colleagues on the Bench he was always the voice of reason. To the youngsters he taught, he was an example of commitment and hard work. To me, he was a kind and considerate mentor. During our time on the Magistrates Shadowing Scheme, there was no area that was off limits to me: observations, meetings and social gatherings. He gave me a full experience of what it was to be a magistrate and I'm so grateful to Vernon for the effort he made for me. In 2005, I became a magistrate and sat on the Bench for ten very enjoyable years.

When I reflect on my experience of Vernon so far, I recognise that he is extremely persuasive. Some people shout. Some bang the table and others may manipulate. I have been in the company of many good people who make important decisions about the lives of others: in Court, at Downing Street and in Parliament. Whilst I was on the Shadowing Scheme, I witnessed racist language being used about a defendant. I remember feeling indignant at the time. However, once I decided to report what I had heard, I felt very supported by Vernon.

What sets him apart is the quiet and very deliberate way he listens to everything being said. He then leaves a little gap, just in case there is more to be said, and then does one of two things. He will ask a question that is so insightful that you wonder how he managed to get ‘there’, or he will offer words of wisdom

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Sgt Brian Snell – 2019

Sadly, Brian died suddenly at home on 22 December 2019. Brian enlisted into the Army in 1968 to the Army School of Music at Bovington. In September 1970 Brian was posted to the

Rhine Staff Band at 4 RTR in Hohne and his principle instrument was the cornet.

In 1971 he was posted to Kneller Hall, Royal Military School of Music until 1972 when he returned to the Rhine Band in Hohne and subsequently to Catterick in 1973. During his service he also had tours with 1 RTR in Tidworth, 3 RTR in Tidworth and Paderborn. Brian terminated his service in 1985, attaining the rank of Sergeant. He was a strong member of the band and was very well-respected.

He leaves a son, his partner, a grandson and extended family.

that just blow you away. Later on, in my magistrates' career, I was confronted with racist language being used in the Retiring Room. I took a very deep breath before I responded in a way that helped this particular magistrate understand that his words were unacceptable. He thanked me for pointing this out to him. My time with Vernon taught me how to conduct myself on the Bench with dignity and respect, even in the face of racist language being used.

Vernon, we at Operation Black Vote salute your courage, your enthusiasm, your consistent willingness to engage in the growth and development of others, particularly at a time when black men continue to be negatively portrayed in the media. Thank you for your service.

Bill Stebbing 1923 – 2020

Frederick William (Bill) Stebbing was born on 28 September 1923 in Bury St Edmunds, the fifth child of Frederick and Alice Stebbing. Bill was slightly outnumbered by his four sisters, Doris,

Alice, Margery and Joan. He attended Culford School, but out of school he would often help out at the family business (his father was a baker and owned a bakery). He was 16 when WWII erupted and he became a fire watcher, armed with a fire bucket and pump, ready to deal with any incendiary bombs. He was of course still helping out at the bakery at the same time.

Bill was conscripted into the Army in 1942, and he was keen to drive vehicles, so was pleased to join the Royal Armoured Corps. He began his basic training at Boyce Barracks in Aldershot and did his RAC training at Barnard Castle in County Durham and at Bovington. Following the completion of his trade training, he spent a frustrating time at Bovington waiting for a posting to a regiment. He eventually got his posting and joined the 24th Lancers in Bridlington. He was thrilled, even more so when they moved south, not too far from his home.

He was one of a group of soldiers from the Regiment sent to collect six specialist tanks.These were Crusader Tanks, armed with twin 20mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft cannons and were used to protect the Regiment from enemy fighter bombers. Bill’s tank developed a mechanical fault and once repaired, the mechanics wanted it to go on a test run. Bill told them he knew an excellent test route. So off they went, straight to Bury St Edmunds, straight to the family bakery where Bill showed mum and dad his new ‘company car.’

The 24th Lancers were in the second wave of the Normandy Landings. Some, including Bill, arriving at Gold Beach about two weeks after D-Day. As we have seen, his role was to protect the Regiment from enemy fighter bombers. However, very few were ever seen. The main threat to Bill and his comrades was the ever-present danger of artillery and mortar fire which could, and often did, arrive suddenly and without warning.

Despite the seemingly historic title, the 24th Lancers were in fact a newly-formed (1940) hostilities only regiment and as such were likely to be one of the first to be selected for disbandment if required. This happened at the end of July 1944, the soldiers being sent to make up the numbers in other depleted regiments. Bill joined 5 RTR and helped man a number of Sherman and Cromwell tanks as a spare crewman. He then became part of the permanent crew in another specialist tank. This vehicle was a Cromwell tank fitted with a 95mm Howitzer. There were two per Squadron and were often used to fire over the Squadron’s tanks at dug-in targets, so the forward tanks did not have to give their positions away by engaging in direct fire. They were also used to provide smoke screens. Bill remained with 5 RTR for the duration of the conflict, ending the war in the city of Hamburg. Shortly after hostilities ceased, he went on an NCO course and was promoted to LCpl and later Cpl. He returned to the UK in 1947 as part of a detachment escorting German POWs to camps in the UK. He did not return to Germany and was demobilised shortly afterwards.

Bill returned home and resumed his position at the family bakery. It was in Bury St Edmunds that he met Joan Grainger and they married in September 1948. He eventually took over the bakery from his father. With the creation of larger businesses, including bakeries, the small independent players found it difficult to compete with the giants and Bill made the very difficult decision to sell the family business. He continued as a baker but was now working for somebody else. Bill and his family moved to several locations in this capacity and in the 1960s arrived in Bournemouth, where they stayed.

Bill was a long-standing member of the Bournemouth and Poole District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association. Even in his later years he was an almost ever-present attendee at the branch monthly meetings. He twice represented the branch at Buckingham Palace garden parties and participated in the D-Day 75 celebrations in Poole in 2019. He was our last surviving Normandy veteran and all branch members were thrilled and proud when he visited HHQ RTR to receive the Legion d’Honneur (Legion of Honour) medal awarded by the French Government to the surviving Normandy veterans.

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Bill died on 19 July 2020 from natural causes aged 96. His wife Joan predeceased him in 2012 after 63 years of marriage. He is survived by his children, Chris, Tim, Richard and Caroline and his foster son Paul, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Ivor MacDonald (Don) Sutton 1918 – 2020

After a short illness, Don passed away peacefully at his home in Ravenshead on Thursday 10 September 2020.

Don was born in Bath towards the end of the

First World War. His father came from Creswell in Derbyshire and had a transport business. His mother came from a well-known Bath family who had the only brass foundry in the West of England. He was educated at the City of Bath Boys School and the Bath School of Art. After taking his matriculation, he was indentured as an apprentice at the Bath Cabinet Makers and served his time making reproduction period furniture.

In 1937, together with some of his pals, he joined the North Somerset Yeomanry, attracted by the uniform, the annual camp and the £5/year bounty. The North Somerset Yeomanry was a Territorial Army Cavalry Unit. The training consisted of nine months of riding school, all arms training on rifle, pistol, sword and lance and also on the Vickers Machine Gun, mortars and mountain battery guns.

In 1939 they were mobilised and sent first to Nottinghamshire to acquire riding horses and then to Palestine via France, landing at Haifa. Don undertook ‘policing duties’, which involved patrolling with the Palestine Police to prevent the Arabs moving hashish down to Egypt and searching for arms and explosives in the Jewish kibbutz.

The collapse of France saw Vichy France, under General Petain, throwing in its lot with Nazi Germany. Syria then aligned itself with Vichy. To counter the threat to British oil supplies, Don and his unit rode for 36 hours into Syria to take part in the battle of the Litani River by attacking Maza Ridge. After three days of hard fighting, the French surrendered.

The Regiment returned to Palestine after the victory parade. Within a month all the 30,000

horses and equipment were taken away. Half were sent to the Indian Army and half to Russia, via Iraq and Iran. Don never did get over parting with his beloved mount Trygo. The Regiment was transported to Egypt and given six weeks training on all kinds of armoured vehicles. Don was retrained as a radio operator in what eventually became the 4th Air Formation Signals (North Somerset Yeomanry). In this capacity the Regiment fought in the campaign in North Africa, supporting Desert Air Force. Don went into action against the Italians under General Wavell as part of the 7th Armoured Division of the 8th Army. He started out in a Crusader tank before going on to a Grant tank. He recalled that some Italians put up a fight, but mostly they ran or surrendered and in all, approximately 30,000 were captured.

The situation changed with the arrival of Rommel and the well-equipped Germans. The British, including Don’s unit, were forced back as far as El Alamein. There, General Montgomery had constructed defences in depth and on the 23 October 1942, the Second Battle of Alamein started. The barrage which preceded it was the biggest since the First World War. Don recalled that for the first mile, no Germans were left alive. All had been killed by the barrage.

From then on it was all advance for 1000 miles, pursuing the defeated Axis Army across Libya. During one battle, Don was wounded in the leg by mortar fire. Following the defeat of the Germans, they went back to Tunis to take part in the invasion of Sicily. Don landed at Marsala on the western tip of the island and fought through Ragusa, Syracuse and Catania towards Messina. He then took part in the Allied invasion of Italy, fighting up the eastern side, and was involved in taking Augusta, Taranto, the important port of Bari and an airfield at Foggia. From there he went up as far as Pescara, before being withdrawn and sent back to England to take part in the invasion of Normandy. Don received a second wound, in an arm, due to mortar fire during this campaign.

On the 5 June 1944, his unit embarked at Dover and Don landed on Gold Beach at Arromanches on D-Day+1 as part of 30 Corps. He joined the battle for the strategic town of Caen. The job of Don and his detachment was to maintain contact between the front line and Bomber Command, calling up air strikes where needed. After the break out he was part of the

encirclement of the Falaise Gap, eventually meeting up with the Americans. From there he went south towards Lyon and then across to Strasbourg where he crossed the Rhine on a pontoon bridge constructed by the Royal Engineers. From Strasbourg he went north and eventually ended up guarding an RAF mobile radar site in a small village to the west of Ulm called Blaubueren. He also had a brief spell in Austria as part of the army of occupation.

Don did not speak of the horrors that he must have witnessed, but in later life he did suffer from flashbacks. His was, without doubt, a long and hard fought war. He was a true hero.

Following demobilisation, he trained as a teacher at Leeds and became the first Headmaster at Thieves Wood School in 1957. He served there for 24 years until 1981. On his retirement, he and his wife Betty, whom he married in November 1947, moved to Ravenshead. Sadly, Betty died in March 2007. They had no children. He was a popular and active member of Byron Probus for many years. He excelled in his lifetime hobby of photography, building a darkroom in his garage, taking wonderful pictures on his many trips to Scotland, a country he absolutely adored. He was one of nature’s gentlemen, never complaining and always had a kind word for everyone. To the usual enquiry, “how are you Don?”, right up until a few weeks before his death, his answer would always be, “better than I ought to be”. He surprised the medical profession because he had no record of ever being prescribed medication and his first admission to hospital occurred when he was 99 years old.

In 2016 Don received the award of Chevalier de Legion d’Honneur given by France in recognition of his part in its liberation. However, Thursday 11 May 2017 was a very special day for this 99-year-old D-Day veteran when he was officially presented with the medal by the French Consul, M. Lafontaine.

His personality and dignity endeared him to all who were fortunate enough to meet him and he will be sorely missed by both his friends and neighbours.

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