It has been a busy Training year for A Sqn so far.  We started back in April with the Regimental Troop Tests where the Sqn naturally took the trophy for Best Mounted Troop. In May we conducted some WMIK Driver and Commander training as well as heading down to London for Creative Mind and Cavalry Memorial Parade. June saw the Sqn deploy to STANTA, in preparation for the Regimental FTX in July where the Regiment deployed to Salisbury Plain and conducted a Regimental level Screen prior to a Raid on a bridge over the river Berril.

We also got the news in the summer that the Regiment would be converting from Land Rover WMIK to Jackal in 2018 and 19. A positive move Jackal is a significantly more capable vehicle which crucially is also used by our Regular counterparts enhancing interoperability immeasurably. This meant that the focus of the rest of the Training Year would be changing to Jackal training as quickly as possible.

A Sqn naturally took the lead in this, organising a course with the SAS training up 22 drivers and commanders from across the Regiment in August. The Courses Camp in September was the next step, with Gunners being trained on both HMG and GPMG firing from the Jackal and Drivers getting their Category C licences.

In October we took a break from Jackal conversion to deploy dismounted to STANTA for an Urban Warfare exercise, the newest version of the TES kit and a living enemy from the RDG allowed us to make the exercise a challenge at all levels and develop the SOPs for Light Cavalry operating in this environment. November saw the Sqn head up to Newark for Remembrance Day, especially poignant on the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

The Sqn took a bit of breather in December but still managed to organise not only a Christmas Party but also a charity event. This event picked up 74 homeless people and provided them with showers, medical checks, haircuts, foot care, new clothes and a Christmas Dinner before dropping them back off in Nottingham.

With 2019 we focus back on to Jackal Conversion, with a second Courses Camp taking place in January and February, the Sqn we also be running a Regimental Potential NCO Cadre over this time. All of this training will culminate in May and June with Ex Yeoman Overlord a two week long Regimental exercise on Salisbury Plain and Normandy.

Maj Simon Hallsworth

OC A(SRY) Sqn RY