The Light Cavalry
Having gone past the
Editor’s deadline for the Spring Journal it was impossible to include two sad passings from our number, just before last Christmas: Bob Lamble and John Palmer, two well-known and well-liked Light
Cavalrymen. Bob died suddenly, at his desk, running the business that has
supplied us, and most of the rest of the British Army, with the impossibly
expensive accoutrements that we wear in Full Dress. We always had a
preferential price from him, and his expertise in the minutiae of matters military
was greatly valued. John was always a
great supporter of the Light Cavalry, and a founder member. As with everything
to do with the
One of the many
advantages of joining the Light Cavalry is that you can be assured of a fine
send-off when the time comes to shed the mortal coil. For Bob, in the sleepy
Under our guidance, on
25th February young men from the Active Unit again enjoyed a
day’s hunting with the Cotswold Hunt.
This is reported on elsewhere.
The buzz-words in the New
Year were twofold. Rome, where some of us planned to watch the Pikes at work with the
Guardia Svizzera, and where the transport was Light
Cavalry co-ordinated (except where the Italians got involved, when it very
definitely wasn’t anything to do with us!).
The OIC Transport,
More importantly, for
us,
For some time there
has been uneasiness in the ranks. As we sat and quaffed our pints, and pulled on
our pipes, or cigars, or drank our port, we knew we were lacking something in
our lives. Eventually someone was bold enough to actually raise the topic.
Girls! Now let it be said there are many
of us that enjoy a trim ankle, and that sort of thing. Most of us have wives,
some of us have mistresses. The very rich ones, apparently, have both. We have
Caroline, without whom we could not cope, taking marvellous care of our
stables. We have excellent helpers, our supporting riders, most of whom are
ladies, and jolly useful they are too, when it comes to something like the Lord
Mayor’s Show, when they ‘pretty up’ the horses for us; and indeed they added
glamour to our display in Cornwall . We are an equal opportunity employer; we
even have our token ‘disabled’, in the form of Sandy Rogers, who tells us he
will be completely ‘sound’ when the other hip is done. But what we wanted was a ‘jolly sort of girl’
who could be a ‘bloke’, be ‘one of us’, to slap on the back, and that sort of
thing. You know what I mean. (All too
painfully clear. Ed.)
So anyhow, it was
decided to get one. (We thought that one, to start with, would be wise.)
But where would we find someone who would want to listen to war stories, and the like, bore with the best of them and drink
whisky on a par with the Quartermaster Sergeant.
Only
one place. The Squadrons of the
Regiment. (No wonder the LC is so
popular.)
We put out feelers,
trawled though the Squadrons, and eventually we got down to a short list, and,
after much persuading, Trooper Lenore Russell (HQ Sqn) volunteered to be the
first female (sorry, Lady) Light Cavalry ‘guinea pig’. Of course, it is not
quite an open door. She was summoned to an interview, which was probably
tougher than any she had experienced before, and probably more politically
incorrect. But after due deliberation we were able to persuade her that it
would be a good thing. She is a great asset to the Light Cavalry, particularly
on account of being about half the age of most of us. She rides enthusiastically and well and is
keen to parade with us, whenever her other military duties allow – indeed,
making the effort to come on the Cornish visit.
Enthusiasm for
equitation on our horses, at
A
note of caution. Learning to ride requires effort and commitment,
and that means coming regularly, and working hard. Only eight of the fifteen who started the
first course were Passed Out. Try
harder. No - try much harder, Gentlemen.
There are possibilities of some Active
Unit members being allowed to ride out regularly, exercising from Knightsbridge
Barracks with the Household Cavalry, a
great privilege given only to a few. But first, you have to have passed off our Cavalry Course to apply.
That’s the one after the Novice Course.
Don’t miss the chance! A rare opportunity. But
you have to be able to ride, properly, and turn up regularly, and get out of
bed on a Sunday morning, to learn how to do it. So you do not disgrace our Regiment.
More positively, a
number of young army cadets from
The mounted duties
that we perform - with the ever present support of those, dismounted, who
endure a long day in the Royal Box - at Smith’s Lawn, had some interesting variations
this year. The first, the Queen’s Cup, was commanded by the Cornet; the
Coronation Cup, by the Lieutenant; and the Cartier, by the Officer Commanding, each
officer with the trumpeter in close attendance, as ever.
On the Queen’s Cup,
having his first mounted parade with the Light Cavalry, William Murray { 3 Sqn}
had his name taken: not for idleness, but it seemed that his friends had
collected the right bits of kit for him, shined them, and put them on him correctly.
He was awarded ‘Best Turned Out Trooper’! Well done.
What fun dressing up is!
At the Cartier Polo,
the Household Cavalry had absented themselves due to a technical hitch; well,
that was how it was described to us! So
it fell to us to carry the national flags for the two teams. As the
Our Ladies Night, a
warm night, as ever excellently organised by David, was well attended, and it
was pleasing to see several young soldiers there; we must be doing something
right. But we lacked the presence of the next Lady Mayoress, whom we usually
meet on this occasion. We understand that she and the present Alderman below
the Chair will be dining with us in September.
These notes are being
finalised as we return from the Chertsey Agricultural Show
where once again the Light Cavalry put on a dashing
display of Skill-at-Arms. We now look forward to our Annual Inspection, in
mid-September, this year by GOC London District.
Parish notes: Graham Oxenham is announcing his engagement to Kim –
congratulations to both.
Make much of your
horses.
Sartorius