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Second to None
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Second to None
(The Coldstream Guards Newsletter)
Edition 4
April - May 06
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HAPPY SAINT GEORGE’S
DAY!!!!
Regardless
of the fact that this issue will not be coming off the press
until mid-May, we have decided to turn it into a St Georges Day
special, because we are the Coldstream Guards and we can do what
we want! After all, we are the original and the best.
Hopefully, you will find this latest issue of SECOND TO NONE
even more informative than the previous editions as life in the
Regiment is now busier than ever.
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OPERATION MONCK’S RETURN
This is the
title of a week-long recruiting surge due to be launched by the
Battalion between 12-18 Nov 06. It will focus on South and East
Yorkshire, particularly Doncaster, Hull, Goole, Beverley, Selby,
Market Weighton, Driffield, Howden, Thorne, Bridlington, Hornsea,
and Sheffield. The surge will tie in a rugby tour, charity
boxing and dinner night, along with attendance at cenotaphs
throughout the area and performances by the Corps of Drums.
There will be detailed media coverage and posters/fixture lists
will be on display locally well in advance. Full details of the
surge will be posted in future issues of SECOND TO NONE and all
local Coldstream Associations are kindly asked to give their
support to the 40 strong team when it deploys to the region in
the late Autumn. Spread the word… come Autumn, forget the
Yorkshire Regiment and get your heels together because the boys
are back in town!
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NEWS FROM NUMBER 7 COMPANY
MARCH AND SHOOT VICTORY FOR THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS
The
Regiment is celebrating a treble victory in the London District
March and Shoot Competition this month. The top three teams were
all Coldstreamers, with teams from the 1st Bn grabbing 3rd and
2nd places and No.7 Coy storming to victory and grabbing the
winners trophy. This is a sound demonstration of the Commanding
Officers intent that the Regiment should ‘move fast and shoot
straight’.
A QUEEN’S COMMENDATION FOR THE COMPANY SERGEANT MAJOR
Company Sergeant Major John Sheard, No.7 Company, was
recently awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in
recognition of his efforts in Iraq during the serious rioting of
19th September 2005 in Basra. Leeds lad CSM Sheard was then the
CSM of No.2 Company and throughout the afternoon of 19th
September, he held the Company together during four hours of
continuous rioting despite soaring temperatures of 50 degrees.
The Company were on the receiving end of intense petrol bombing
and stone throwing, as well as being targeted by intermittent
small arms fire. Despite the appalling scale of the public
disorder, No.2 Coy held their line in true Guardsman-like
fashion, with discipline, courage and outstanding leadership
being displayed throughout by all ranks. The CSM is warmly
congratulated on his well deserved award.
ST GEORGE’S DAY CELEBRATIONS
No.7 Coy, being free of duties for the day, took the
opportunity to indulge in the traditional St Georges Day
Festivities. Each Platoon wore fancy dress according to a
Platoon ‘theme’ and took part in a potted sports competition on
the main square of Chelsea Barracks. Exactly what the many
civilian passers-by thought of it all we’ll probably never know!
The Knights of St George
The Damsels in Distress (Scarier than the dragons!)
Some very tame looking Dragons
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ST GEORGE’S DAY TRIVIA
WORDS FROM THE GREAT BAR-ROOM PHILOSOPHERS…
“Every morning when I wake up in England, I feel as though I’ve
won the roll-over in the great lottery of life!”
CSM Roffey, HQ Coy (after his 5th pint!)
............................
THE ESSENTIAL ST GEORGES DAY
FILMS
HENRY V (Kenneth Brannagh’s version)
THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN
WATERLOO
DAMBUSTERS
MUSIC
ELGARS POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE No.2
JERUSALEM
RULE BRITTANIA
VIVALDI’S ‘SPRING’ FROM THE ‘FOUR SEASONS’
I VOW TO THEE MY COUNTRY
THE STANDARD OF ST GEORGE
THERE’LL ALWAYS BE AN ENGLAND
THE LEGEND OF ST GEORGE
Like many ancient stories, the Legend of St George is shrouded
in mystery, but it is generally accepted that St George was an
officer in the Roman Army who was put to death by the Emperor
Diocletian for failing to renounce his Christian faith, despite
undergoing the most horrific torture.
Of course, the most famous story about this heroic figure is
that of St George and the Dragon. Although the dragon is nothing
more than colourful embellishment by medieval story-tellers, it
is claimed that the historical St George did actually rescue the
daughter of the King of Libya from an exceptionally large and
very hungry crocodile, slaying the fearsome beast in the
process. HOORAH!!!
In the 13th Century, King Edward III of England ordered that St
George should be adopted as England’s Patron Saint and that the
Cross of St George should be the central motif of the newly
established Knightly Order of the Garter. In addition, George
also has the distinction of being the Patron Saint of Soldiers.
But why do we celebrate St George’s Day and what lesson does the
Legend of St George teach us?
Well, for starters, although we take our regimental title from a
small town in Scotland, the Coldstream Guards are in fact an
English regiment. Raised as part of the New Model Army, our
first engagement was against the Scots at Dunbar on the 3rd
September 1650. As a regiment, we celebrate St George’s Day to
reaffirm our status as an English institution. But the Legend of
St George and the Dragon has a deeper lesson for us all, for it
is the ultimate tale of victory by good over evil. In the
details of St George’s martyrdom, we are taught a further
lesson, one that every Coldstreamer should remember. Always be
true to your cause and never forfeit your integrity, regardless
of threats or temptation. Be steadfast in adversity and never
admit defeat in anything that you do. Fight on regardless, to
the last round and the last man if necessary; set the example
for others to follow. Never say can’t, never say won’t, never
say die. Finally, at the risk of plagiarising the late, great
William Shakespeare, always remember…
GOD FOR ELIZABETH, ENGLAND AND
SAINT GEORGE!
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MUSICIANS AND MACHINE GUNNERS
MAKE SOME NOISE WITH THE CORPS OF DRUMS
Drummers
were traditionally employed within companies and were used to
pass orders on the battlefield by drum signals. During the 19th
Century, drum signals were gradually replaced by bugle calls.
The Drummers are thought to have been formed into a Corps of
Drums around 1872 as part of the Cardwell reforms. Since then,
the Corps of Drums have become renown for their musical ability
and their tactical ability alike. Established for 28 Drummers
and a Drum Major, the members of the Corps play side drums, bass
drums, flutes, symbols and bugles. All members are referred to
as Drummer, regardless of the instrument that they play.
The Corps of Drums form an integral part of the Battalion and on
the battlefield they constitute the Machine Gun Platoon,
equipped with the 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun which can
be used in either the light role or sustained fire role. In the
future, the designation will change to Fire Support Platoon when
the Corps of Drums take on strength the new Automatic Grenade
Launcher to boost their battlefield ‘punch’. Machine Gunning is
a tough business and members of the MG Pl need to be
fit and robust due to the weight of the weapons and ammunition
that they carry.
When not on exercise or operations, the Corps of Drums provides
the Battalion’s musical support for Queen’s Guard Mount, Guards
of Honour, etc. In addition, daily routine in barracks is still
marked by bugle calls. Frequently, the Corps is asked to conduct
musical displays at farewell dinners for 22 year men about to
leave the Army or for public relations and recruiting purposes.
Versatility and high standards in both Machine Gunning and
musical ability are the haul marks of the Corps of Drums.
For more information on becoming a member of the Corps of
Drums/Machine Gun Platoon, speak to Drum Major Taylor via your
platoon and company chain of command.
The Corps of Drums in Ceremonial Role
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THE MILAN IS NO MORE!
By Sgt R Kilvington – Anti Tank Platoon
The British
Army has now decided on a replacement for the reliable but
somewhat out dated MILAN medium range anti-tank weapon system.
The replacement is an “off the shelf” system already in service
with the United States Armed Forces which has been proven on
operations in Iraq (where on one occasion it was so effective
against a convoy they thought it was an air strike) and
Afghanistan.
It was for this reason that I found myself on the first ever
JAVELIN course held at the Infantry Training Centre Warminster
in early 2005. After the normal start standard assessment tests
and good old Combat Fitness Test we found ourselves thrown
straight in the deep end to learn the weapon system. It was
apparent early on that this is an excellent system which should
more than meet the British Army’s requirements for the future.
It delivers longer range, greater lethality, significantly more
powerful optics and a lighter load for the Infantryman. The fact
that it has the best passive ground mounted surveillance system
on the battle field means it is more than an Anti – Tank system:
it is a stand off, precision attack weapon, with an anti-armour,
secondary target and 24 hour surveillance capability.
In layman’s terms this means:
The range has been increased out to 2500m improving the anti –
armour capabilities.
Its greater lethality means it will defeat both any current and
projected armour up to around 2012 with a single shot
capability.
The improved optics means you can identify targets up to 2km and
detect them out to 4kms (however I personally detected targets
up to around 7kms) further to this it can look straight through
battlefield smoke, camouflage nets and vegetation.
Additionally it has a “fire and forget” capability, meaning once
fired it will lock onto its target so the firer can be back in
cover long before the missile finds its target.
Another improvement is that once fired the missile goes straight
up in the air then back down hitting the target on the top (the
weaker part of a tank) which again improves its lethality, and
the list of improvements go on.
From all this we can see how effective it will be, but where
does that leave us as a platoon? Well, we are due to take
delivery of the weapon to the Battalion in the forthcoming
months after which we will convert the platoon to the new
system.
This conversion will take the form of a cadre to be carried out
before the Battalion deploys to Kenya. Prior to this the MILAN
trained NCOs within the platoon will attend a “train the
trainer” package at the Infantry Training Centre Warminster
where they will be converted the system.
During the cadre the Guardsmen will learn how to use the system,
along with the low level tactics to be employed which will
include the construction and skills required to operate in
various types of Observation Post. They will also be instructed
on how to use the JAVWES exercise aid, which is similar to the
equipment used on TESEX.
The Cadre will culminate in a platoon level exercise and each
member of the platoon carrying out the “gunner skills tests” to
make them a qualified JAVELIN operator.
The future for the platoon will be both challenging and
exciting. Due to the system’s excellent optics I foresee the
platoon carrying out as many O.P. operations as we will Anti
Armour operations.
Anyone interested in joining the Anti-Tank Platoon who would
like more information should contact either WO2 Waller or Sgt
Kilvington on ext 2665, having spoken to their chain of command
in the first instance.
The new JAVELIN system on display and during test firing.
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CORNISHMEN JOIN UP IN DROVES
CORNWALL’S
BIGGEST EXPORT COMMODITY IN 2006 LOOKS SET TO BE COLDSTREAM
GUARDSMEN!
These six Cornish lads all enlisted into the Regiment on the
same day.
Pictured from left to right are:
Rear rank: Matthew Cutting, Andrew Richards, Richard Payne.
Front rank: LSgt Beau Taylor (ACIO Redruth), John Lenny, Ben
Ambrose,
Mikael Nippard, Maj Stone (ACO Redruth)
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MAJOR GENERALS INSPECTION 2006
On Tuesday 25 Apr 06, the Maj General Commanding the Household
Division, Major General SJL Roberts OBE (Formerly Irish Guards)
conducted his biennial inspection of the 1st Battalion
Coldstream Guards. The inspection came just one week after
Easter Leave, a week which had been swallowed up by the London
District Skill At Arms Meeting. Despite the last minute arrival
of some specially fitted tunics and the compressed preparation
time, the inspection went without a hitch and the Major General
passed the Battalion as being fit for public duties. He
concluded his visit by addressing the whole Battalion, during
which he presented 3 Joint Commanders Commendations to
Coldstreamers who had distinguished themselves in Iraq last
year.
The Battalion Staff are inspected.
Sgt Jackson, the Pioneer Sergeant, complete with Beard, Axe,
Apron, Gauntlets and Sword. Some outfit, eh?
The Late Entry Officers cutting a dash in their bicorn hats!
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COLDSTREAM SPORT
By Sgt Sawyer APTCI - 1 Coldm Gds
The last
six weeks has been a busy sporting period and has culminated
with the return to the Battalion of the Lawson Cup Athletics
Trophy (back to where it belongs!) Below are some snippets of
what has been going on in tandem with Spring Drills, Major
General’s Inspection and the London District March and Shoot.
POTTED SPORTS
On a fun note, the first event to occur has been the
Battalion Inter-Company Potted Sports competition, which
happened in and around the gymnasium at Victoria Barracks. Each
company entered three teams of ten men. The afternoon saw people
bouncing, jumping, falling, throwing, rolling and balancing in
an attempt to be crowned the victors. Needless to say, it was a
well received and enjoyable afternoon for all and made a
refreshing change from the hectic activity of recent weeks.
ORIENTEERING
The Battalion Orienteering Team has been active and have
shown a presence at the majority of regional and Army events
that have been held recently. Under the supervision of Maj
Mayhead (Coy Comd No.2 Coy), the team has grown in size and
ability. An in-depth report will follow in a forthcoming issue.
ATHLETICS
The first event to take place as part of the Commanding
Officers Shield Competition was the Battalion Inter-Company
Athletics Competition, held at the Army Athletics Stadium in
Aldershot on 27 Apr 06. This was to be the first Battalion level
athletics competition for some time and was used as an
opportunity for selecting the best team to take part in the
London District Athletics Competition. Each Coy put together an
A & B string to compete for the trophy and subsequent points
towards the Commanding Officers Shield. With venue, equipment,
works party and officials all set (not to mention the weather),
the competition was started!
The day produced some excellent individual results and a very
well contested competition, as proved by the final scores. The
competition was tied three ways going into the final 4 x 400m
Relay (worth double points), so there was everything to fight
for. Support Coy eventually lifted the trophy after drawing on
points with No 2 Coy which resulted in a count back of the most
first places.
After a trawl of the Battalion competition results it was
possible to select a strong team to enter the London District
and Lawson Cup Championships held at Battersea Park, Millennium
Stadium on the 03 May 06. On arriving it was clear to see that
the preparation and support of all Battalion personnel in
putting the team together was justified. The Battalion went on
to win in fine form with many individual first places being
awarded. The Lawson Cup has not been held by the Battalion since
1999.
The Battalion have now also qualified for the Semi Finals of the
Army Athletics Championships to be held at the Army Athletics
Stadium, Aldershot on the 21 July 06.
A very happy Commanding Officer with the Battalion Team and
Lawson Cup
RUGBY
The Battalion Rugby team have also been active and were
successful in reaching the Semi-Finals of the Army Sevens which
were held in Aldershot on the 27 Apr 06. This was a well fought
competition which will undoubtedly provide the basis for a
strong team, come next season! Among the fixtures planned for
next season are matches with civilian clubs in Hull, Goole and
Doncaster as part of Operation MONCK’S RETURN, the recruiting
surge in South and East Yorkshire between 13 – 18 Nov 06.
Anybody interested in joining the Battalion Rugby Team should
contact Sergeant Nick Jackson in the Signals Platoon.
The team in action at the Army Sevens in Aldershot
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Second to None
The Regimental Newsletter
for the
1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Produced by the Coldstream Guards Regimental Recruiting Team
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