WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE BATTALION EVENTS Millennium stadium game Welsh Guards Squad 2012-13 This is something of a privilege for both us and the Royal Welsh 1. LSgt Quamuri and will continue on an annual 2. LSgt Dwyer basis. It gives our boys a great 3. Gdsm Walters chance to play on the hallowed 4. LSgt George (Captain) turf and an extra piece of silver 5. Gdsm Bilton ware. This year saw us missing eight key players from what 6. Sgt Soko can only be described as our 7. LSgt Sanigar first choice team. This was now 8. Lt Evans a chance for our young guns to 9. Gdsm Devise Capt Bardsley enjoying some of the Les Contamines back country gain some experience and also 10. Gdsm Groves allow me to gauge the enemy EX COCKNEY CYMRU: 11. Gdsm Tyres for next season. We lost 15-7 Battalion skiing trip to but great things came from it, 12. Gdsm Evans 35 Les Contamines, France not least our young ones 13. Gdsm Buretini by Capt BHN Bardsley stepping up to the plate and 14. Gdsm Nambukibuki now the Royal Welsh going 15. LCpl Nuku n Friday 8th March 2013, under the command of Maj away with false hope. Bring on Launders, a proportion of the Battalion deployed for 2013/14 season. 16. LCpl Walters O two weeks to the resort of Les Contamines in France. 17. Gdsm Davies 05 Army Caps 18. Gdsm Soko The first week was enjoyed by arrived on the first day 2010 LSgt Dwyer Number 2 Company and combined with bright 19. LSgt Lewis 88 2011 LSgt Dwyer Number 3 Company, the sunshine - conditions could 20. LSgt Hiscock second week by the Prince of not get much better. The six 2012 LSgt Dwyer 21. Sgt Lewis 29 Wales’ Company and Support instructors: Major Launders, 2013 LSgt Dwyer, LSgt George, CSgt Geen, Sgt Skitt, Sgt Eccles, 22. Gdsm Carter Company. In total 80 members LSgt Hiscock, Gdsm of the Battalion participated in Sgt McCovoy and Sgt Harriot Nambukibuki 23. LCpl Jane the trip, with abilities ranging (HAC), all did a sterling job in improving each and every 2013 Gdsm Buretini (sevens) 24. Gdsm Cray from complete beginner to a man. In doing so everyone 25. Gdsm Classbe few seasoned professionals. Army A 2013 achieved either the basic ski 26. LSgt Devine The snow gods were on the proficiency or for those that Gdsm Bilton 27. RQMS Ryan Battalion’s side. Twenty had skied before, the advanced Army development centimetres of fresh powder ski proficiency. 28. Sgt Scarf squad 2013 29. LCpl Lodwick Lt T Evans 30. LSgt Rowlands Gdsm Evans 35 31. Gdsm Fullman Gdsm Carter 32. Gdsm Davies 11 Gdsm Groves Capt Baldwin (Rugby Officer- Selected Infantry Coaching Coach) staff 2013-14 season WO2 Radford (Coach) Capt B Baldwin Sgt Prosser (Coach) WO2 Radford LSgt Devine Sgt Prosser (Conditioning coach) LSgt Devine LSgt Hayton Admin NCO L/Cpl Austin educating Capt Bardsley in Après Ski BATTALION EVENTS 49 BATTALION EVENTS WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE Maj Launders taking full advantage of the snow conditions The victorious Jamboy 2 boat at full tilt The Guardsman brought the Jones who at the grand old age Welsh sprit in abundance to of 48 completed his very first THE PRINCE OF WALES COMPANY – the Bars and clubs of Les weeks skiing. As much as he Eton Dorney Dragon Boat Contimines, and took the ski enjoyed it, and his terrible Racing Festival hard, play hard mentality to a jokes we greatly appreciated Lt T Hutton whole new level. However with by all, we are not sure he will the excitement and promise of be going back in a hurry due to ragon Boat Racing is an up and coming sport in the fantastic skiing the following the physical and mental toll it DUK. Fiercely competitive, it pits teams of ten men and day, the 07:30 muster parade took on his body. was never missed. A special women against each other in minutes of water borne thank you must go to Sgt Scaff The Battalion is always under fury. It is a test of skill and endurance, but more than this, and Sgt Skitt who did a pressure to send a small skiing of timing and most teamwork. fantastic job making sure the team to compete in the Infantry G4 side of the expedition ran skiing competition instead of The modern sport has its roots company realised that this in an ancient folk ritual of could be a fantastic without a hitch. using the funds for an contending villages held over opportunity to build team expedition such as this one. A few exceptional characters the past two thousand years spirit and take part in a However, this trip has again came to light throughout the throughout southern China, as physically tough exercise justified the decision to send 80 exped, the first being an opportunity for community whilst representing the Guardsman Sambuca (Harding people for a week to get valuable celebration and bonding. Battalion in a public forum at 53) who made his soul experience that would usually the same time. Teaming up Teams of up to ten people crew purpose to buy everyone in Les cost our civilian counterparts a with his platoon commander, thirty foot long, narrow, flat Contamines a shot or two. It is small fortune. The two weeks they were able to acquire bottomed, canoe style boats a shame that his skiing ability were both a great success and generous funding from the with a helmsman at the rear did not match his level of thoroughly enjoyed by all. Bring Regimental Trustees and put a and a drummer at the front. generosity. The second is Padre on next year. team together. With the crew The sport in the UK has been spaces oversubscribed, a ‘row- dominated by corporate teams off’ selected the men who who regularly attend Dragon would form the crews, with the Boat Racing festivals as team remainder coming to support. building exercises and days Twenty eight men of the Prince out, bringing in ringers to give of Wales’s company travelled themselves a competitive to Eton on the 3rd July with advantage over their rivals. high spirits but little idea of One such event was forecast what to expect. The day was for the 3rd July 2013 at Eton fantastic. With the weather Dorney lake, promising a full holding and bar open, crews day of competitive racing, with were able to enjoy the racing up to twenty different crews, from the Eton Rowing Club each vying for the title. boathouse with its fantastic In a moment of inspiration Sgt facilities. Clay pigeon shooting Gdsm Saunders re-living his recent wedding Scarf of the Prince of Wales’s and other activities were also 50 BATTALION EVENTS WELSH GUARDS REGIMENTAL MAGAZINE BATTALION EVENTS commented that with no prior This sort of event brought all experience, our two teams had members of the teams been able to win by working as together. From those who had one, as a team in unison. shared the experiences of Herrick 16 to the new draft Following the trophy and men of the company. A whole medals presentation the event day spent away at this type of was finished off by a fantastic event, achieves much of what gourmet BBQ and drinks that we desire to see in our soldiers; ran into the evening. The team work, physical fitness interest taken by the other and determination, as well as teams in the Battalion and being fantastic fun and wider Army was met with providing good morale. relish by the men of the I know all who took part on the company who showed a day are grateful for the fantastic public image of the opportunity to compete, and Welsh Guards answering are therefore thankful to the questions and socialising with trustees for their backing of the the other teams. teams in entering the event. LSgt Lawrence proudly displays the Dragon Boat winners trophy on all day for those who could on The Queen’s Birthday ORATORY SCHOOL CCF find the time. Parade two weeks previously, Lt J P Marsden rowing in time came naturally. It soon became apparent that The high level of fitness, team the competition was fierce, or some time informal links have existed between spirit and determination and crews decked out in their Fthe Oratory School CCF and the Welsh Guards. In displayed by all rowers, set team kits looked raring to go. recognition of this, and to mark their centenary year, it formidable times, eventually With no prior experience of was agreed that the CCF would re-affiliate to the Welsh qualifying both team for the Dragon Boat Racing on our Guards from the Rilfes. part, the teams from EDF in finals. their matching kits, and the The Final was first past the The first Oratory School CCF school site resulted in a fall in body-building Acton Refinery post. For the two Welsh Guards camp took place in Tidworth in numbers. By 1967 the CCF team posed the greatest crews it was a race between 1913 and the CCF continued to revival was well underway competition. What they hadn’t ourselves. We had had run throughout both World however, and by the early Wars with many of the boys realised however, is that it is fantastic instruction through 1970s sections of the Royal always the Red Dragon that from the school serving with our qualifying races from our Navy and Royal Air Force were gives a lead….. distinction in these periods, professional helmsman, a set up.