News

News Archive

News Archive

Op Herrick 6: Life in the Rear Party
5th June 2007

The Rear Party, commanded by Major Ed Kennedy, is in fine fettle as it keeps the home fires burning in the absence of the main body of the Regiment. With C Squadron returned FROM Afghanistan the Rear Party has received a welcome boost in numbers, giving it some extra freedom FROM the constraints of guard commitments to crack on with training, sports and a number of public relations events.

C Sqn Afghanistan - Mid Tour Update
7th February 2007

Greetings to all supporters of C Squadron  - ‘The Legion’ The Light Dragoons.

Light Dragoons to Deploy to Afghanistan in March
1st February 2007

Today, 01 February 2007, the Secretary of State for Defence announced that the Light Dragoons will deploy to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 6.

Exercise Kush Dragon, Salisbury Plain, 13-25 January 2007
25th January 2007

The Regiment’s pre-deployment training culminated in a Brigade level exercise on Salisbury Plain in January. The exercise involved nearly three thousand members of 12 Mechanised Brigade and other attached units. The exercise was designed to test the Brigade at all levels. B Squadron conducted numerous operations allowing the fine-tuning of those skills that they have been practising on previous exercises. There was support for the Squadron FROM many assets including Apache helicopters, fast-jets and a RAF Nimrod.

Vehicle Ranges, Castlemartin, Wales, 2-15th December 2006
15th December 2006

Part of our pre-deployment training before Operation Herrick 6 was conducted on the Castlemartin Ranges in early December. B Squadron spent two weeks firing their vehicles CVR(T) Scimitar in a cold and windy corner of Wales. Scimitar is equipped with a 30mm Rarden cannon and a coaxially mounted General Purpose Machine Gun which make fearsome combination! The two weeks started as static firing as a single vehicle during the day, through to night firing, working up to exercises involving four vehicles on the range firing and moving ensuring that ‘the enemy’ had to keep its head down at all times. By the end of the Ranges the vehicle crews had proven that they were well up to the job and are a force to be reckoned with whatever the conditions.

Pre Deployment Training 16-22 November
22nd November 2006

As part of our build up training in preparation for our deployment to Afghanistan this spring, the Regiment took part in Exercise Helmand Dragoon on the Stanford Training Area, Thetford, Norfolk. This was a Combined Arms exercise with support FROM the Army Air Corps, the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Royal Engineers to ensure that the training was as realistic as possible.

Balaklava Celebrations 2006
25th October 2006

Balaklava is the main battle honour of The Light Dragoons. The first VC to be won by The Light Dragoons was won that day by L/Sgt Malone, for rescuing an officer of the 17th Lancers. The day after the charge the Regiment could muster mounted 2 officers and 8 other ranks from what was hundreds prior to battle.

C Sqn deploy to Afghanistan - Oct 06
18th October 2006

C Sqn deployed to Afghanistan on the 18 Oct 06 alongside the Royal Marines (3 Commando Brigade).  The capabilities that a full armoured reconnaissance squadron bring were greatly appreciated by the Royal Marines during the build up training which started in february 06.

Ex Druids Dance and Wessex Warrior
9th October 2006

Exercise Druids dance and Wessex Warrior took place over the dates 17 Sep - 07 Oct 2006. This was to be the first time the Regiment had trained as a Battlegroup since returning FROM Iraq the same time last year. Build up for the exercise started in March with troops training at the Combined Arms Strategy Trainer (CAST). The next phase of training was an exercise at the Combined Arms Tactics Trainer (CATT) in june, where computer simulators replicate the various vehicles crewed by The Light Dragoons. The realism of these simulators shows when enemy are spotted and the heart beat quickens and the palms get sweaty prior to an engagement.

Visit of the Colonel-in-Chief 8 - 9th July 2006
9th July 2006

King Abdullah II Bin Al Hussein made his second visit to Robertson Barracks on the weekend of 8-9th July 2006.  As he landed by helicopter, he was welcomed by the Colonel of The Regiment, The Commanding Officer, his ADC and subsequently inspected the honour guard dressed in Hussar uniforms.  Throughout the visit he was accompanied by HRH Prince Rashid bin Al Hasan and HE Timoor Daghestani.

Final Cricket Update
23rd February 2006

The Light Dragoons were justly proud of their performance against the Bombay Gymkhana Club 1st XI.  On a ground on which the first-ever Test Match between England and India was played in 1933, the home team reached 250 all out with Troopers Cameron and Moralee each taking 3 wickets and Richard Jelf taling 4 catches behind the stumps.  In their reply of 193 for 9 (in 40 overs), Trooper Moralee also scored the first 50 of the tour - a memorable achievement for the youngest player in the Light Dragoons’ team.

Cricket in India - Mumbai Update
20th February 2006

After two games in five days in Delhi , the Light Dragoons cricket team boarded the night express to Mumbai to travel nearly a thousand miles on a rail journey lasting more than sixteen hours.   Despite HAVING had little sleep on the train, the team made a good start against the Bombay Gymkhana Club – the most exclusive cricket club in town. Eventually the Gymkhana Club (who were playing their 1st team) were bowled out for 250 with Troopers Cameron and Moralee each taking 3 wickets.

Old Boys Cricket Club (New Delhi) v LD
15th February 2006

On the third day of their tour of India, the Light Dragoons played their first game – and lost their first wicket off the very first ball!  Their batsmen recovered to post a score of 195 for 6 in their allocated 30 overs.  Corporal Jamie Bower and Lance Corporal Adam Knox shared a second wicket stand of 103, each of them scoring 41.

Exercise Lions Challenge - Skiing
10th February 2006

Exercise Lions Challenge 2006 , the British Army Alpine Skiing Championships, held in Serre Chevalier, in the Haute Alps region of France , over the period 25 January - 03 Fe b ruary 2006. These are the thirteenth Army Championships to b e held in this resort. Overall political clearance has b een o b tained b y secretary AWSA Alpine.

Light Dragoons dust off their whites for tour of a lifetime
7th February 2006

The 20 cricketers from the Light Dragoons will play matches in Dehli and Mumbai as well as paying a visit to the Light Dragoons' sister regiment, the Indian 1st Horse (Skinner's Horse) at Hisar, in northern India.

Colonel of the Regiment visits Iraq
12th September 2005

In early September the Colonel of the Regiment, Lieutenant General Sir Roderick Cordy Simpson OBE, CB visited The Light Dragoons in Iraq. General Cordy Simpson stayed with the Regiment in Camp Smitty for three days during which time he was hosted by The Light Dragoon CO, Lt Col Robin Matthews.

LD vs AMTG ASHES
23rd July 2005

Sporting fixtures have always been part of Military life, whether it be football in the trenches or cricket at Gallipoli, and the conflict in Iraq has proved no exception to that rule. This summer, as fate would have it, both the Australian and British Armies found themselves serving together in Al Muthanna Province, about half way between Basrah and Baghdad. The province itself is about the size of Wales, with approximately 80% of that area being desert, inhabited only Bedouin and Camels.

Desert Ashes
19th July 2005

As you would naturally expect, when British and Australian soldiers are serving together in such circumstances, the subject of cricket is never far from peoples minds. The two units have therefore undertaken to play a Desert Ashes Series in parallel to The Ashes.

Celebrity visit to Camp Smitty
10th June 2005

On Wednesday 08 june three celebrities arrived at Camp Smitty to meet the Regiment. Former footballer and “I’m a celebrity get me out of here” star Neil Razor Ruddock models Jo Guest and Leah Newman received a warm welcome FROM The Light Dragoon soldiers. The former footballer looked fully at home especially after being given a jacket with his name on by WO2 Ruddock who claimed to be a distant cousin twice removed on his mother’s side.

The Regiment deploy to Iraq
21st May 2005

Three squadrons, HQ, B, and C depoyed to Iraq in April on Op Telic 6 where they will remain for six months.  They are part of Task Force Eagle which is a combined British and Australian force.  Prior to the tour all soldiers underwent an intensive training schedule which included firing the 30mm canon, firing weapons FROM the top of a moving vehicle and rehearsing anti ambush drills.  The training continues whilst in Iraq keeping so everyone is kept up to date.