WREGEIMLENSTAHL MGAGUAZAINRE 2D01S 1 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE 2011 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 Brigadier R H Talbot Rice REGIMENTAL ADJUTANT Colonel (Retd) T C S Bonas BA ASSISTANT REGIMENTAL ADJUTANT Major (Retd) K F Oultram * 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 * AFFILIATIONS 5th/7th Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment HMS Campbeltown 1 WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE CONTENTS FOREWORD WELSH GUARDS AFGHANISTAN APPEAL ADVERTISEMENTS ................................................ 95 Regimental Lieutenant Colonel ......................... 3 The Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal By The Commanding Officer WELSH GUARDS COLLECTION ................ 100 by Col Bonas ................................................................ 53 1st Bn Welsh Guards ................................................. 4 Charity Golf Day ......................................................... 57 WELSH GUARDS ASSOCIATION 1ST BATTALION WELSH GUARDS Ride of Respect ........................................................... 60 ASSOCIATION BRANCH REPORTS The Prince of Wales’s Company ........................ 5 Cardiff Branch .......................................................... 102 Number Two Company ........................................... 8 BATTLEFIELD TOURS ................................... Number Three Company .................................... 10 The Battlefield Tour 2011 .................................... 63 East Glamorgan Branch 103 Support Company ................................................... 12 Llanelli Branch ..........................................................104 ASSOCIATION EVENTS Headquarter Company ........................................ 17 London Branch ....................................................... 105 Association Golf ........................................................ 65 REGIMENTAL BAND Merthyr Tydfil Branch ........................................ 106 Remembrance Sunday In Pictures .............. 67 Band Article .................................................................. 29 Midlands Branch ................................................... 107 REGIMENTAL BAND EVENTS INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES Monmouthshire Branch ................................... 107 Band of The Welsh Guards A Village in Chelsea ................................................. 69 Montgomeryshire and Adventure Training ................................................. 32 Welsh Guards Training Key Element .......... 72 Shropshire Branch ............................................... 108 9/11 Ten Years On ................................................... 33 Life Down Under ....................................................... 73 Kyaking in Capel Curig ......................................... 33 North America Branch ...................................... 109 Commemorative Service at Well Done The Baaand ......................................... 34 North of England Branch ................................. 110 The Royal Wedding ................................................. 35 St Mary’s Church ....................................................... 73 Stockport Branch ................................................... 111 To Tweet or Not To Tweet .................................... 36 A Visit to North Wales Branch ............................................. 111 Saint Charles-de-Percy Normandy .............. 74 DISTRIBUTION OF OFFICERS ........................ 37 Ogmore Branch ...................................................... 112 Sailing with the Thorneloes .............................. 76 DISTRIBUTION OF Wales Forever Exhibition .................................... 77 Pembrokeshire Branch ...................................... 114 WARRANT OFFICERS .......................................... 39 London Marathon ................................................... 79 Swansea and HONOURS AND AWARDS .............................. 40 Founders Day .............................................................. 81 West Glamorgan Branch .................................. 116 BATTALION EVENTS Cavalry Barracks Hounslow ............................. 82 Welsh Guards Reunited Branch .................. 117 1st Bn Welsh Guards Rugby ............................. 41 Brownlow Cup 1962 .............................................. 84 St Davids Day ............................................................... 44 WELSH GUARDS ASSOCIATION RFA Sir Galahad Remembered ....................... 84 The Royal Wedding ................................................. 44 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING .................... 120 The Great Kindrochit Quadrathon ............... 85 The Freedom of Pembroke ................................ 46 The Freedom of Bridgend ................................. 48 The Royal Visit to Kuwait ..................................... 88 FORECASTS OF EVENTS 2012 .................. 122 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff ............................ 49 Director of Music Scales New Heights ....... 89 IN MEMORIAM ..................................................... 123 BATTALION TRAINING/OPERATIONS Welsh Guardsmen at Glanusk ........................ 91 PMAG Cadre ................................................................. 50 Care and Valour ......................................................... 92 1ST BN WELSH GUARDS Preparing Number Three Company ........... 52 Welsh Guards Rugby Reunion Dinner ....... 93 PICTURE PARADE ............................................... 124 Front Cover: Battalion Rugby Squad and Coaches, Winners of the 2010/2011 Army Rugby Cup, with the Commanding Officer Lt Col CK Antelme, the Quatermaster Major Bowen and Regimental Sergeant Major Roberts (99) 2 CONTENTS WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE Brigadier RH Talbot Rice, Regimental Lieutenant Colonel FORE WORD rom an Army perspective, 2011 has been a challenging year. Having navigated in maintaining membership levels and through the Strategic Defence and Security Review last year, further savings attracting new blood. But branch activity F remains strong and it was good to see another exercises were necessary to achieve the Government’s strategic goals, and you successful Association battlefield tour took place will have heard that the outcome is that the Regular Army will reduce to around in September to Belgium and France. A great 90,000 by 2015, and to around 82,000 by 2020. In addition, difficult decisions deal of hard work is put in by the Association have been taken on funding for future equipment projects; like other Government Secretary General and branch committees to keep the Association alive and well and I am employees our pay has been frozen for 2 years; and there is pressure on pensions enormously grateful to them all for all that they and allowances. Defence, like other areas of Government, is taking difficult do and for the time they give up. decisions in order to make its contribution to balancing the national budget. We continue to enjoy excellent relations with our freedom Cities and Towns and throughout However, if anyone concludes that all might be for the last three years, the convincing win Wales and the warmth in which we are greeted doom and gloom, they would be very wrong. against 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh was a means a very great deal to us all. I am delighted The Army’s focus on preparing troops for the tribute to the enduring spirit and capability of that the Regiment was given the freedoms of the challenges of Afghanistan has been continually the squad. Although the Battalion Football Team County of Powys and the County Borough of refined over the past couple of years, and the were not quite able to achieve the same feat, Bridgend in the Summer, adding to the many we quality of the training they now receive is they nevertheless reached the Infantry Cup Final already have the privilege of possessing. unequalled. Likewise, troops are better – a significant achievement. equipped than they have ever been for the Looking ahead, 2012 will rightly be dominated by I am delighted that our Regimental Afghanistan challenges of operations; and money continues the Battalion’s tour in Afghanistan. I hope that as to be spent on improving accommodation and Appeal has been so successful and an article many as possible will attend St David’s Day on 1st other infrastructure. Over the past year the about it is included in this issue. First of all, I March in Hounslow to wish them well as they Battalion has been at the leading edge of those would like to express my very sincere thanks to will deploy imminently thereafter. We will also taking full benefit of those training, equipment the many members and friends of the Regiment ensure that the 30th anniversary of the Falklands and accommodation improvements. I can say who have so generously supported the Appeal. Campaign is properly marked. Further ahead, with absolute honesty that at no time in my The funds raised have made a real difference in discussions are already taking place on how we military service has the Battalion enjoyed better helping our bereaved families and wounded. should celebrate our Centenary Year in 2015, but organised training, better personal equipment, Although we have reached our initial target of we already have firm plans to publish a or better soldier