FROM THE SECOND
Lt Col M H Evans
This is my fifth and final set of notes ‘From the Second’, after a thoroughly enjoyable 19 months in command. It has been a real privilege to lead the extraordinary people we have in this outstanding Regiment. It gives me great pride to confirm that following Op HERRICK 13 the Regiment gained 3 x Mentions in Despatches (Maj Cameron, SSgt Upham, Tpr Ross) and 7 x Joint Commander’s Commendations (Maj Ashbridge, Lt Pilsworth, SSgt Baker REME, Sgt Roberts, Cpl Excell, LCpl Faulkner REME and LCpl Marshall). Our final two Homecoming parades, celebrating 10 tours in the last 8 years, were fantastic events: the sun shone and crowds of thousands packed the pavements in both Maidstone and Putney, where we were awarded the Freedom of the Borough.
As I prepare to hand over to Lt Col Jason Williams in April 2012, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to our many recent successes.
2 RTR is now back into its core business, re-learning how to fight as an armoured Battlegroup on CR2 and CVRT. The culture of aggressive armoured manoeuvre is alive and well. We have reformed NERO, with fresh blood bringing new vigour to the QM, QM(T) and MT Depts. We have a new, elite Recce Tp, and the reformed Comd Tp has some real talent. In the Squadrons, the focus is on Tp and Sqn level training, on gunnery, and on dismounted skills. There is a palpable sense of purpose and pride as we move into 2012 with the preparations for the Regimental Range period and our split deployments to BATUS.
Looking to next year, EGYPT will be detached to 1RRF BG. Accepting the risk of exacerbating a trend of detachment from the Regiment, the Sqn is the best trained and the most prepared to deploy first. 2 RTR BG keeps BADGER, CYCLOPS and NERO for ‘Ex PRAIRIE THUNDER 2’ with ‘X’ Coy 1 RRF, plus ‘A‘ and ‘R’ Coys and the ‘Fire Sp Gp’ from 4 RIFLES, ‘E’ Bty 1 RHA, ‘52’ AES 22 Engrs and more. FALCON has secured the prestigious and enjoyable COEFOR Tank Coy task, so will fight against both 1 RRF and 2 RTR.
Beyond that, 2 RTR will deploy force elements on Op HERRICK 18 in April 2013, one of the last (foreseeable) deployments to Afghanistan. This is a good goal for all our training, and an overdue opportunity to deploy as part of 1 Mech Bde. Indeed, I have been arguing strongly that 2 RTR needs a Battlegroup deployment, as the last time we deployed a BGHQ and Echelon in command of our own BG was in 2003! Just as 2 RTR prepares for Op HERRICK 18, it gives us all great delight to see our brothers in 1 RTR freed from the RAF and part of our neighbouring Brigade, preparing to deploy a MASTIFF Sqn on Op HERRICK 16.
It has not been all work in 2 RTR. We have invested in our sports, and the major teams are now burgeoning, with some closely fought contests and well-attended fixtures for our rugby, football and hockey teams. Lt Eaton, SSgt Upham and Sgt Newberry led the 2 RTR team to another victory in the demanding 1 Mech Bde Festival of Sports ‘SuperStars’ competition, and we came 2nd overall on the day. We sent over 200 soldiers to Snowdonia for some exciting Adv Trg, where they experineced some unseasonal sunshine. Five teams took part in the infamous Ex Cambrian Patrol: Lt Pete Eadon and his EGYPT team should be congratulated on their impressive Silver Medal. As I write, we have deployed 2 RTR teams on the Army Novice Ice Camp, to Nordic Skiing, to Alpine Skiing and to Army Snowboarding championships.
The Officers’ Mess has been busy hosting an array of external speakers, our attached Battlegroup officers, seemingly all the various General Officers in our Chain of Command, and following a great night in the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess, our own Seniors. We had the opportunity to visit the Jutland Dragoons in Denmark, where we learned a great deal about Leopard 2 (and some Danish drinking songs!). We have also had the inevitable churn of personalities. I would like to welcome Steve Williams in as NERO, with Tina. We say a sad farewell to Frankie and Andrea Hackett, who leave us after decades of selfless service laced with good humour: we’ll miss that ‘Sid James’ laugh. We wish our rogue Cavalry Ops Officer, Will Jerabek, good luck in the cut and thrust of civvie street; and good luck to Ed Hodgskin who has landed on his feet in the dreaming spires of Oxford.
Most importantly, on behalf of the whole Regiment, we bid farewell to WO1 (RSM) Mark Towell and his lovely wife Jo, as they move on from the Regiment. RSM Towell has epitomised the professionalism, courage, fitness, and canny vehicle-handling skills that makes this Regiment the best on armour. We welcome WO1 (RSM) Designate Pat Burgess, and Lisa to the top of the Regiment.
This Cambrai has been very special for me: my first and last in command and on parade in the UK with the whole Regiment formed up in black coveralls, nursing hangovers from a thoroughly enjoyable weekend in London and the tank-park-parties of the night before. Reviewing what I wrote on assuming command, it is clear that back then the SDSR threatened the role of tanks in the future British Army. Indeed, I stated that we in 2 RTR should exploit our position to advocate strongly for armour. It transpires that our advocacy has been effective: at our Cambrai parade in Tidworth, the ‘Director Combat’, Brigadier Maciejewski (replacing DRAC and DInf), stated unequivocally that the British Army would need heavy armour in the Future Force 2020, and that 2 RTR was renowned in the Army as experts, and innovators, in Mounted Close Combat.
I can only delight in that sentiment, and I wish everyone in the Second the best of luck for BATUS 12, for Op HERRICK 18, and for the many years beyond. Fear Naught.