SUMMER 2021 FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE Foreword by Colonel of the Regiment In late March, the Integrated Defence ■ 1 YORKS will build on their 20 years of and Security Review unveiled a armoured infantry experience and blueprint for a modernised Army; an convert to a new role with operational Army that is more effectively matched focus. Details of this role will be to the threats, digitised, expeditionary announced in the Autumn. and able to underwrite ambition for ■ The future of 4 YORKS will be shaped by ‘Global Britain’. Over the next 5 years, Reserve Force 2030 plan which will be the Army will embark on significant announced later this year. Our intent is transformation. The purpose of this to extend the reserve footprint and ■ Brigadier ZR Stenning OBE transformation as CGS observed is ‘to shape our recruiting, training and career continued need to care for each other. With regain operational advantage, development to better integrate our events in Afghanistan rapidly changing, it is exploiting technological innovation to reserves into the new roles undertaken more important than ever that we take the establish a credible advantage over our by the regular battalions. time to look out for the welfare of our existing and potential adversaries.’ As a We will embrace the opportunities operational generation past and present. For participant in helping define Defence afforded to us in a positive and pragmatic many, serving in Afghanistan and Iraq will and the Army’s future strategy for the way, ensuring that our three-battalion have been a career highlight; but, for all of us next decade, I believe that we will structure remains intact and that we it will have had a lasting impact. As a family emerge from this transformation with a continue to progress as an agile, forward- Regiment, we must continue to support relevant and more dangerous Army. leaning regiment, re-energised with new those who served on operations and their The precise details of the changes roles and challenges. families, guiding them to the most across the entire Army are still being On an individual level, every soldier and appropriate and best help available. This developed. What I can tell you is that the Officer will retain significant opportunity newsletter and future publications will Yorkshire Regiment will be at the for varied employment across their contain detailed lists of support and how to forefront, helping drive a new and more careers including operational deployments access them. RHQ will remain the focal lethal Army. This will include: and maintaining a balanced family life. point for co-ordination but it will take not only ■ 2 YORKS becoming the Army As your new Colonel, it will be an the Regimental Association, but the whole experimental force following their return honour to help lead the Regiment through Regimental family to look out for each other from Cyprus in Summer 2022. This is an the changes and opportunities that will and communicate the love and support that exciting proposition and will place the present themselves. I know as Yorkshire is needed for those most in need. Battalion at the forefront of future folk, we will grasp the opportunity to Could I ask that as you enjoy this tactical, technical and procedural spearhead the Army’s Experimentation Summer, you stop and think of those you development for the entire Army. The programme and we will continue to lead know need reassurance or support, those Battalion will be reinforced by other the way in armoured and mechanised you may not have heard from in a while – attached arms and industry and will have infantry capability, superbly supported by and that you contact them. It will make a current and future weapons and a well recruited and trained reserve. I will huge difference. We looked out for each equipment to experiment with. The ensure that you are all kept abreast of other and our families on operations; so, Battalion will be based initially in Chester updates on roles and locations as they are we must continue to do this at home. working to the Land Warfare Centre. promulgated by Army Headquarters. Thank you and best wishes to you all. I would like to finish by focusing on the ‘Fortune Favours The Brave’ www.army.mod.uk/yorks 1 1st Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment It’s been a busy few months in many ways for the battalion, with a spread of activity and commitments planned, but not all of them going ahead, thanks in the main to a local outbreak of COVID. Unfortunately, the Inter Company patrols competition at Otterburn had to be cancelled as a consequence, but thankfully, life at Catterick is rapidly getting back to the ‘new normal’. Earlier in June we were privileged to host a visit from Minister of State for the Armed Forces James Heappey MP, a former officer in the Rifles, followed by some individual and Warrior live-firing at Castlemartin. July also saw Corunna and Quebec Coy undertake core Armoured Infantry training on Salisbury Plain. They were joined by ■ Recce Troop from the Kings Royal Min AF visit in June Hussars for the final part of the re-run of the COVID impacted Inter-Coy ARU Community 7s at the end of July, summer battlecamp, cementing a Patrols competition, this time on beating the Royal Welsh 26-5. 1 YORKS partnership that will prevail throughout Dartmoor in November! players also made the ARU 7s team – A the rest of the year culminating in The opening of the rugby season has big well done to all the players. deployment on Op CABRIT in Estonia. brought some well-earned success to Finally, congrats go to Pte Work, We now look forward to Ex IRON manager Scotty Maunders and both the recipient of the Yorkshire Agricultural STORM working with the KRH battlegroup Rugby League and Army Rugby Union Society trophy for 2021 and also to Pte in October, followed by a Sniper Cadre in (ARU) teams. The Bn team were Runners Harriman, the 2020 recipient who were the Autumn, culminating in the 12Bde up in the Army Rugby League Yeomans both presented with their trophies at the Shooting Competition in November and a Cup and winners of the ARU North 7s and July Great Yorkshire Show. ■ Pte Work and Pte Harriman at GYS ■ Rolling replenishment on Salisbury Plain ■ 1 YORKS ARU 7s winners www.army.mod.uk/yorks 2 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment Undaunted by the rising Cypriot temperatures, 2 YORKS has continued to deliver its span of operational commitments while also commencing trials and experimentation as the Army’s Enhanced Light Forces Battalion. The maintenance of a company and the CO’s Tactical HQ on very high readiness for regional contingencies, the continued protection of various strategic assets in and around RAF Akrotiri and the provision of the Bahrain UK Naval Force Protection Platoon have remained key operational outputs. In parallel, all specialist weapon cadres have been conducted utilising the unique training environment and assets that exist ■ in Cyprus. Coupled with the arrival of a Pte Baker enjoying the view while being inserted onto task by 84 Sqn RAF in Cyprus as part of the Reconnaissance Cadre suite of cutting-edge equipment such as the new A3 rifle, the ARILLS thermal at the forefront of light-role warfighting community. Winning the Cyprus sight, Digitalised Situational Awareness, development and are fast becoming the operational shooting competition, seeing and Robotic Patrol Vehicles, 2 YORKS are focal point for Defence’s light-role combat off stiff international competition, has only reinforced that interest. This experimentation will increasingly take centre stage with the Battalion also due to receive Unmanned Aerial Systems, new night vision and upgraded Remote Autonomous Systems. As a way-marker to the Battalion’s future role announced in the Integrated Review as the Army’s only Prototype Warfighting and Experimentation Battle Group, soldiers recognise that they are increasingly the architects of how we will fight and win in the future. However, Cyprus is not all operations and military training. Sport has returned with 2 YORKS winning CBF’s annual Sports Competition. The Battalion is also entering a Nordic ski team into the Infantry championships later this year and is looking forward to an inter-company Boxing night to be held outdoors later this Autumn. With no shortage of volunteers wanting to step into the ring, it’s set to be a fabulous evening. ■ Putting the new A3 rifle and ARILLS thermal sight through its paces on the ranges in Cyprus. A key enhancement of our lethality www.army.mod.uk/yorks 3 ■ Ex Yorkshire Attack 4th Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment The past few months have proven to be weekend in Wathgill including hosting be hard-work and on the completion of a challenging yet exciting time for 4 the Deputy Commander of the 1st (UK) the dry phase every deployed soldier will YORKS. April saw Corunna Company Division. conduct some form of Adventure Training. run Ex YORKSHIRE PATROLS, an All three weekends were designed They will have the opportunity to take part Inter-Coy section level patrols with the upcoming Annual Continuous in varied activities including Coast- competition that tested our soldiers Training (ACT) in mind. The Battalion will steering, sea kayaking and mountain ability to move, fight, call for fires, deploy to Kirkcudbright in September on biking. On return to Yorkshire and heading manage casualties and administrate Ex YORKSHIRE STRIKE. This will provide into the Autumn, the Battalion will themselves whilst under time pressure. another stern test for the team who will concentrate on the upcoming Platoon-plus It also coincided with Brigadier plan, conduct and participate in Live Fire mobilisation to Kenya, continuing our Jackson’s last ‘field’ engagement as Tactical Training (LFTT) up to Section level terrific recruiting effort and with luck, a Colonel of the Regiment.