Dec 11 - Royal Gibraltar Regiment Celebrate A Busy Year
The Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) say that it has been a busy and productive year for them.
A statement from the Royal Gibraltar Regiment is as follows:
"In January 2018 the RG were deployed to Bahrain to provide the Force Protection Platoon for the newly built Naval Support Facility in the Middle East. The facility was officially opened in April by HRH Prince Andrew the Duke of York and General Sir Chris Deverell, Commander Joint Force Command. Throughtout the year the RG have continued to provide the force guarding element for this strategic support facility and will continue to do so until April 2019.
"Aside from the Bahrain commitment, I Company have been kept busy on a number of exercises and deployments. The year started with Lieutenant Garcia Magrath being deployed to the Antarctic Sea as part of HMS Protector’s complement as a Translator and Logistics Officer. This invovled spending 4 months as part of the Ship’s Company whilst it conducted its patrol. Lt Garcia Magrath also took part in the search for ARA San Juan, unfortunately the search was eventually called off.
"The remaining members of the Company deployed on Ex JEBEL TARIK 18, to the Longmoor and Hythe ranges in the UK. The aim of the yearly overseas exercise is to maintain the Company’s readiness to deploy world-wide by completing annual marksmanship training and rehearsing manoeuvres at Platoon and Company level.
"Members of I Company also completed a number of courses and sporting events, the most notable being when LCpl Lamb was voted Top Student during his All Arms Commando Course, arguably one of the most physical courses in the military. Back here in Gibraltar I Company was kept busy guarding a number of visiting vessels, most notably HMS Queen Elizabeth which docked outside the MOD estate. This resulted in members of the Company working in close liaison with GDP and RGP officers. Members of HQ Company also deployed to the UK to conduct some marksmanship training. This involved a week of training on the ranges and the firing of all service weapons.
"This year was also particularly busy with the Ceremonial programme and included extra gun salutes fired for the Royal Birth of Prince Louis and the supersession of CBF. Even so the RG took the time to re-condition the Gibraltar Defence Statue, located in Casemates Square. The statue was re-dedicated at a ceremony on 4 Jul and was attended by John Cortes, the Minister for Heritage and Louis Pereira, a member of the original Gibraltar Defence Force, the RG’s forefathers. HQ Coy have also been busy with its own achievements. This has included success for the Explosive Ordinance Disposal team with LCpl Hall receiving Top Student award during his Convention Munitions Disposal Course, a course which is renowned as having a high failure rate.
"B Company have been equally busy. Aside from their annual marksmanship camp in the UK, members of the Company have also deployed on Exercise Northern Strike, a 3-week package with 3rd Battalion of The Princes of Wales Royal Regiment over in Michigan USA. Members of the Company have also been conducting a number of operations within Gibraltar in support to the regular elements of the Unit; these have included gun salutes, duties protecting visiting vessels and taking part in a number of parades. In addition to their daily commitments they have also supported events such as the Med Step challenge, a 24-hour combat fitness test (marching with 25 kilos), and the Clean Up the World Gibraltar event. All of which have demonstrated their commitment to both their military tasking and the wider community.
"Throughout the year the RG have had great success in a number of sporting fields. LCpl Rogers was elevated to elite athlete with the Army after a great performance in the tri-service marathon, a first for a soldier in the RG. The RG footballers have had a great season, with 5 players being consistently selected to represent the Infantry football team and Cpl Fortuna was selected as the Captain of the team, another first for the RG. The rugby players have also had a great year with a number of players being selected to represent Gibraltar and Sgt Cook recently being selected to play for the Infantry.
"The Band of the RG have not been idle either, participating in a number of high profile ceremonies, both here in Gibraltar and in the UK. They have recently returned from Exercise Barbarian Horn which saw them play in the Royal Hospital, the National Army Museum and London Bridge Station as part of the Armistice celebrations. The Band have also been heavily involved in a number of other non-military events in support of the wider community.
"The year has ended with two new members of the RG being selected to represent the Infantry Training Centre in the Canada patrol, where they achieved a Bronze medal. One of the new members, Pte Webster Valero achieved another first for the RG when he was given the award as Best Soldier in the entire ITC intake, a fantastic achievement by any standards!"
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