Welsh Guards Magazine 2016
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101 years ~ 1915 - 2016 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE 2 0 1 6 Cymru Am Byth WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE 2016 COLONEL-IN-CHIEF Her Majesty The Queen COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales KG KT GCB OM AK QSO PC ADC REGIMENTAL LIEUTENANT COLONEL Major General R J Æ Stanford MBE REGIMENTAL ADJUTANT Colonel (Retd) T C S Bonas BA ASSISTANT REGIMENTAL ADJUTANT Major M Browne BEM REGIMENTAL VETERANS OFFICER Jiffy Myers * REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ Contact Regimental Headquarters by Email: [email protected] View the Regimental Website at www.army.mod.uk/welshguards View the Welsh Guards Association Website at www.welshguardsassociation.com Regimental Veterans Officer [email protected] * AFFILIATIONS 5th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment HMS The Prince of Wales 1 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE 2 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE CONTENTS Forewords Battlefield Tours Regimental Lieutenant Colonel ............................................................... 4 Saint Charles de Percy ............................................................................. 79 Commanding Officer ................................................................................. 6 Operation Somme Reflect ...................................................................... 80 1st Battalion Welsh Guards Exercise Somme Dragon ......................................................................... 81 The Prince of Wales’s Company ............................................................... 8 Centenary Pilgrimage to The Somme .................................................. 82 Number Two Company ........................................................................... 12 Regimental Battlefield Tour ................................................................... 86 Number Three Company ......................................................................... 16 Headquarter Company ........................................................................... 18 Other Articles Support Company .................................................................................... 22 Off to the Races ......................................................................................... 89 Regimental Band Honouring the Regiment’s Sportsmen ............................................... 90 Edinburgh Tattoo Down Under ............................................................. 25 Town Remembers its Fallen Sons ......................................................... 91 FA Cup Final ............................................................................................... 27 The Welsh Guards Collection ................................................................. 92 Thiepval Memorial ................................................................................... 27 The Association Battlefield Tour ............................................................ 94 Distribution of Officers ....................................................................... 30 The Llanelli War Memorial ...................................................................... 96 Distribution of Warrant Officers ..................................................... 32 Gilbert Priddy - 100 Not Out ................................................................... 97 Honours and Awards ........................................................................... 33 Walk On Wales 2016 ................................................................................. 98 Battalion Training South Wales Police Charity Boxing Event ............................................ 99 Contemporary Operating Environment Force .................................. 34 Regimental Veterans Officer Report ........................................... 101 From Platoon Commander to Staff Officer ......................................... 40 Exercise Immediate Response ............................................................... 42 Welsh Guards Association Mortar Platoon Cadre .............................................................................. 45 Secretary General’s Report .................................................................. 103 Battalion Sports Cardiff Branch Report ............................................................................ 103 Welsh Guards Polo ................................................................................... 46 East Glamorgan Branch Report .......................................................... 104 Welsh Guards Boxing .............................................................................. 48 Llanelli Branch Report ........................................................................... 105 Welsh Guards Enduro Team .................................................................. 57 London Branch Report ......................................................................... 105 Welsh Guards Officers’ Mess Ski Trip ................................................... 59 Merthyr Tydfil Branch Report .............................................................. 106 Mont Ventoux Cycling .............................................................................. 60 Midlands Branch Report ....................................................................... 107 Exercise Welsh Pyrenean Bull ................................................................ 60 Monmouthshire Branch Report .......................................................... 107 Adventure Training Montgomery and Shropshire Branch Report .................................. 109 1st Battalion Scots Guards Ski Trip ....................................................... 64 Round the Island Race ............................................................................. 66 North of England Branch Report ........................................................ 111 Bavaria ........................................................................................................ 67 North Wales Branch Report .................................................................. 113 Regimental and Battalion Events Ogmore Branch Report ......................................................................... 114 St David’s Day ............................................................................................ 68 Swansea and West Glamorgan Branch Report ............................... 116 Pembroke Town Rallies Again ............................................................... 69 Welsh Guards Reunited Branch Report ............................................. 118 The Oratory School CCF Inspection ....................................................... 70 Welsh Guards Association Darts and Shoot .................................... 124 Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Visit .................................................. 71 Annual General Meeting ...................................................................... 126 HMS Prince of Wales – Affiliates’ Day ................................................... 72 Forecast of Events .............................................................................. 129 Centenary Wood at Coed FFos Las ....................................................... 74 Remembrance Sunday 2016 .................................................................. 75 In Memoriam ........................................................................................ 130 Front Cover: Guardsman Watters, Lieutenant Lewis and Sergeant Hedges in the Cemetery at Saint Charles de Percy. Back Cover: The Battalion Boxing Squad, Household Division Champions 2016. CONTENTS 3 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE Major General R J Æ Stanford MBE, Regimental Lieutenant Colonel FOREWORD he past twelve months have seen a period of success as well as change for by the Regimental Support Team in North Tthe Battalion, the Band and the Regiment more broadly. The only constant and South Wales, addressing the medical in the Army of today is change and we can expect to see more changes in the downgrading of Guardsmen and reducing coming months as the structure known as Army 2020 is refined to enable the the numbers leaving. All this takes a lot of Army to field a properly structured war fighting division. work which often goes unrecognised behind the scenes but without it we would The current Army structure is not an Intelligence, Surveillance and not survive. optimised for this especially when new Reconnaissance (ISR) Company. A huge Another aspect of Regimental life which cutting edge equipment comes into amount of training has taken place to merits comment, is the depth of talent that service in the coming decades. This will ensure the right people are trained on a currently exists in the Regiment. A Field have an effect on the Battalion and I am wide range of vehicles and weapons as Marshal, three serving Major-Generals, confident we will be the beneficiary; more well as learning the tactical drills such a nine Lieutenant Colonels of whom three of this once we know the detail of any battalion requires. In order to achieve this are presently in command, three other announcements. There are also potential a great deal of time has been spent on Lieutenant Colonels already selected for changes ahead for the terms and exercises on Salisbury Plain and elsewhere, future command, three Lieutenant conditions of service for our men, and including in Kenya for No 2 Company, Colonels at the Advanced Command and potentially women, in the future.