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Second to None
(The Coldstream Guards Newsletter)
Edition 9
Feb - Mar 07

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UP, UP, AND AWAY…IN THE ALPS



COLDSTREAMERS SPEND CHRISTMAS ON THE PISTE
The festive period is regarded as a time best spent with loved ones around log fires and dining room tables covered with turkey and gammon spreads. For the men of the Coldstream Guards Alpine ski team it was an entirely different story.
The team spent the festive season in the French Alps training, preparing for and competing in the Infantry, Divisional and Army Alpine Ski Championships. Alpine Skiing in the Army is gaining in popularity and the Regiment has managed to take full advantage of this.



This year’s team made up of two Officers, two Lance Corporals and one Guardsman who achieved a good set of results. The team included Gdsm D Pickard, LCpl N Straney, LCpl M Rees, Lt S Green and Capt T Davidson. Not only did the team benefit from the world class instruction and training but also managed to indulge in the many delights of the ski resorts of Val D’Isere and Serre Chevalier.
Unfortunately the team will not be competing at this year’s championships due to operational commitments. They are however certain to return at the end of 2008 for two months of working and playing hard.
 

AROUND THE HOUSES – 1st BATTALION


In position on the Mall, ready for Her Majesty and the President of Ghana.

February and early March have been a period of heavy activity for the Battalion, with 140 members of No.1 Company Group participating in African Thorn whilst the remaining companies have continued to take on the lion’s share of public duties in London and Windsor. The peak of activity came on 13th March when the President of Ghana conducted a State Visit to Britain. The Battalion deployed five half-companies of street liners and a large Guard of Honour for the occasion. Lucky old No.1 Coy, got back from South Africa just in time to take part!

With the State Visit successfully completed, the Battalion soldiered on with its final few guards before finally hanging up their greatcoats on 17th March. The Battalion then swung almost instantly into pre-training for Afghanistan. Much of the training has been conducted at Company level and below, although certain specialists have had a run out, such as the entire Staff of Battle Group Headquarters who took part in the Combined Arms Staff Trainer and the Regimental Aid Post who conducted a procedural run out on 19th March.
The usual sweep up of CFTs, PFTs and APWTs created a constant background hum as the various companies and platoons threw themselves into Collective Training level 2. After the disjointed environment of public duties, the opportunity to gel together as sections and platoons was a welcome change. At the time of going to press, the potential snipers are now in their final three weeks of training at HDPRCC, whilst the JAVELIN Platoon are throwing themselves into dry training in camp using both drill launchers and the simulator.


You can always be sure of a warm welcome at the Regimental Aid Post!

Large numbers of soldiers from across the Battalion are away on various courses, from Category ‘C’ (HGV) Driving Courses to Forward Air Controllers Courses, whilst the Signals Platoon are currently running a Combat Communicators Course on Dartmoor. Very shortly the Team Medic Courses and Pashtu language training will kick in, whilst the bulk of the Battalion will be preparing for Exercise Druids Dance and Wessex Warrior. Somewhere in the middle of all this, the Battalion will squeeze in 10 days leave.

Afghanistan is now the main focus of the Battalion and the prospect of the tour has attracted several re-joiners from civilian life along with a number of reservists who have volunteered to mobilise with their old Regiment for the duration of the operational deployment.


The JAVELIN Platoon is put through their paces on the Barracks Green.
 

WHO’S WHO?

Current personalities of the 1st Bn Coldstream Guards and No.7 Company


Lt Col GCC Waters



Maj G Bartle-Jones



Capt CMJ d’Apice



WO1 P Carr

Regimental Sergeant Major Designate
WO2 A Johnson (due in appt 10 May 07)



WO2s B Dart and M Quinton



Maj D Hall



WO2 D Claydon



Capt A Jasinski



WO2 J Sheard

Regimental Administration Officer
Capt M Casey AGC

Orderly Room Quartermaster Sergeant
WO2 S Clarke AGC

Unit Welfare Officer
Capt R Paterson

Unit Welfare Staff
CSgt A Brady UWOSNCO
LSgt O'Connor D

Mechanical Transport Officer
Capt P Dale

Mechanical Transport Colour Sergeant
CSgt R Plews

Regimental Careers Management Officer
Capt G Stevenson

Regimental Recruiting Warrant Officer
WO2 N Hicks

Company Commander No.1 Company
Maj L Webber

Company Commander No.2 Company
Maj H Rosen

Company Commander No.3 Company
Maj Charles

Company Commander Support Company
Maj J Brinn

Company Commander HQ Company
Maj R Howick

Company Sergeant Major No.1 Company
WO2 D Gibson

Company Sergeant Major No.2 Company
WO2 S Wright

Company Sergeant Major No.3 Company
WO2 D Roffey

Company Sergeant Major Support Company
WO2 R Wright

Company Sergeant Major HQ Company
WO2 A Jones

Operations Officer
Capt Bailey

Operations Warrant Officer
WO2 J Boisson

Company Commander No.7 Company
Maj Styles

Company Sergeant Major No.7 Company
WO2 J Flynn

Company Quartermaster Sergeant No.7 Coy
CSgt A Cox
 

ONCE A COLDSTREAMER, ALWAYS A COLDSTREAMER

OBJECTS OF THE COLDSTREAM ASSOCIATION

1. To maintain an organisation whereby the principle of “Once a Coldstreamer, always a Coldstreamer” be sustained.

2. To bring to the notice of the Regimental Headquarters any case deserving of assistance from Regimental Funds which are at the disposal of the Regimental Lieutenant Colonel.

3. To assist members who are leaving or who have left the Regiment to obtain employment.

4. By collective efforts on the part of Branches and by individual effort on the part of members, to obtain recruits for the Regiment.

5. To organise meetings of members of each Branch, including its Annual Dinner, Memorial Parade and Social Events.

If you are a member of the One Days Pay Scheme, you are a member of the Association. If you would like to become a member of your local branch (all listed below) then speak to your CSM who will in turn brief RHQ.
RHQ will get the Branch Secretary to write to you welcoming you to the branch and listing the dates of the monthly branch meetings and social events. If you are home at the time, you can attend these; serving members are always extremely welcome. You will normally get a chance to swap war stories with the non-serving members and update them on life in the Regiment. A part of your one days pay contribution will be given to the branch you elect to join to assist with its work. The remainder is kept in the Coldstream Guards Charitable Funds, which are used to assist Coldstreamers Past and Present who might require financial assistance.

Membership of the Association is extremely useful, especially after you leave the regiment, but the Association can only survive if it is fully supported by serving members. You get out what you put in. If you are not yet a member of the One Days Pay Scheme and would like to join the Association, speak to your CSM who can arrange it through RHQ.


THE BRANCHES OF THE ASSOCIATION
London
Doncaster
Birmingham
Manchester
Sheffield
Exeter
Newcastle
Leeds
Plymouth and Cornwall
Bradford
Hull
Dorset and West Hampshire
Leicester
Gloucester
Sunderland
Bristol
Reading and Oxford
York
Sussex
Aldershot
Liverpool
Watford
Norwich Essex
North East Lancashire
Huddersfield
Shropshire
Yeovil and Taunton
Bath and District
Ashington
Middlesborough and District
Coldstream Sub Branch
Suffolk King’s Lynn
Windsor and District
Isle of Wight
Canada Branch
 

TRADES IN THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS

THE TAILOR’S SHOP
Another trade hidden away in the back ground is Tailoring. The Tailor’s Shop is part of the Quartermasters Department. The team currently working in the Tailor’s Shop are LSgt Temple, LCpl Mitchell, LCpl Gayler and Gdsm Parrish who all work under the watchful eye of the Master Tailor Sgt Jones who has recently taken over the appointment from Sgt Ross. All Tailors are sent on the All Arms Tailor Basic Course and the All Arms Tailor Advanced Course at the Defence College of Logistics.

Both these courses are accredited to City and Guilds providing a recognisable qualification outside the Army. There are postings outside the Battalion as well, LCpl Sloan works at Regimental Headquarters in London and LCpl Knox works at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick.

Images below show The Master Tailor and his team at work.

















 

Second to None
The Regimental Newsletter
for the
1st Battalion Coldstream Guards
Produced by the Coldstream Guards Regimental Recruiting Team