~ Bedfordshire Army Cadet Force 
Basic- Country Code ACF History DT FC
Badges of Rank MC SAA Shooting FA
Three-star- MC
Basic
Country Code
Britain has its own unique country code. It isn't legally binding, however it does give good advice on how to care for the countryside. Its ten points are:
1. Guard against the risk of fire.
2. Fasten all gates.
3. Leave no litter.
4. Safeguard water supplies.
5. Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
6. Keep dogs under control.
7. Avoid damaging fences, hedges and walls.
8. Keep to footpaths across farmland.
9. Take care on country roads.
10. Respect the life of the countryside.
The ACF can trace its beginnings to 1859, when it was formed to counter the anticipated French invasion, which didn't materialise. The cadet movement continued though, thanks partly to the work of social reformer Miss Octavia Hill who saw the benefits it gave young people. By 1860 there were 8 cadet units in schools. By the time of the Boer War (1899) there were 50.
In 1914, the first World War, there was a big expansion of the Cadet Force, the War Office took over the administration, and continued until 1923 when control and administration reverted to the Territorial Army Associations. In that year 1923, the government ceased to recognise the Cadet Force, taking away all financial support.
Trying to keep the Cadet Force alive and at the same time to get back government support, brought about the formation of the BNCA (British National Cadet Association). By 1932 the BNCA had gained recognition and achieved some measure of success, and was allowed - under the guidance of the Territorial Army Associations - to run the Cadet Force.
Shortly after the start of the Second World War (1939 - 1945) saw a massive expansion of all the Cadet Forces, not only the Army Cadet and Sea Cadets, but included the formation of the Air Training Corps. By 1942 the War Office - known today as the Ministry of Defence - took over the administration of the ACF once again, giving it support again. At the end of the war in 1945, the BNCA changed its name to the ACFA (Army Cadet Force Association) who today are responsible for the guidance of the Army Cadet Force and through many committees act as advisors to the Ministry of Defence and other Government bodies on all matters connected with the ACF.
Today there are some 43000 cadets in 1700 detachments country-wide. The cadet training centre is based at Frimley Park, Surrey, London. The Colonel-in-chief of the ACF is Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh.
Badges of Rank
The cadet NCO (non-commissioned officer) ranks are as above in order of increasing seniority: Lance Corporal and Corporal (also known as Lance Bombadier and Bombadier within the artillery), Sergeant, and Staff Sergeant. Adult Instructors begin with the rank of Sergeant. All adult ranks supercede cadet ranks.
The warrant officer ranks, held by adult instructors and the most senior cadets, are as above in order of increasing seniority: Sergeant Major (warrant officer class two), Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (also a warrant officer class two), and Regimental Sergeant Major (warrant officer class one).
The commissioned officer ranks that appear in the Army Cadet Force, slightly less than the amount that appear in the Regular Army, are as above in order of increasing seniority: Second Lieutentant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, and Brigadier. They are typically held by adults over the age of 35.
Cadets should know the reasons for the giving of compliments.
Compliments are paid as a sign of mutual trust and respect. The main form of compliment is the salute, which is given by cadets to officers and lower ranking officers to higher ranking officers upon meeting. The person being saluted then salutes back. Uncased military colours, cenotaphs and the remains of the deceased at a funeral procession are all saluted, and a salute is given during the sounding of the last post at a remembrance day parade.
When alone cadets should salute all commissioned officers, including those out of uniform, unless the cadet is not wearing a beret. In this case they would stand to attention before greeting the officer. Warrant officers are not saluted. When part of a squad the person in charge will salute after calling the squad to attention.
Saluting with the open hand indicates friendly intentions and dates back to the middle ages when travellers raised their hands to each other to show they held no weapons, and knights on horseback displayed their hands to other knights that they didn't wish to challenge.
Other forms of compliments are the eyes right and eyes left, the firing of guns, and the present arms done with a rifle.
Fieldcraft Principles of camouflage
The principles of camouflage are SHAPE, SHADOW, SURFACE, SILHOUETTE, SPACING, and MOVEMENT. They are what give us away to the enemy while out in the field. We use personal camouflage to work against our shape, surface, and silhouette giving us away.
The unnatural shape of the human shoulders and head stand out in the field. Cadets pack foliage matching the surroundings into the epaulettes on a combat jacket and the loops on webbing near the shoulders to break up their shape. The outline of the head is also eliminated by wearing a camo hat and placing foliage all around its circumference. In doing this the body's silhouette also becomes less recognisable.
The pink surface of the face stands out in the daytime and shines in moonlight. This is countered using camouflage cream in shades of green and brown which makes the face less visible out in the field and prevents it from shining. Cadets wear DPM (disruptive pattern material) uniform to allow their body to blend in with the surroundings.
The casting of obvious shadows is avoided simply by bearing in mind the position of the sun when moving around or taking up position near areas of cover.
Spacings of cadets within patrols that are too regular can draw unwanted attention. In the natural landscape there are no large numbers of trees or bushes found exactly spaced apart. To avoid looking unnatural patrol spacings should be staggered and varied.
Movement is picked up by the human eye very easily. For this reason cover is used whenever possible when out on patrol, and sentries in static positions remain completely still. In addition, when illuminated by flares cadets should freeze before slowly going to ground rather than immediately fleeing.
A map is a bird's eye view of the ground scaled down in size to fit on an easily handled piece of paper. Official maps of the UK are produced by the mapping agency Ordnance Survey. OS maps are topographical, meaning they show the rise and fall of the land and its height above sea level.
Maps are cared for by being kept folded in a concertina shape, which also allows the map to be folded with only a small part of it visible, by only marking them with pencil, and by keeping them out of the rain.
Maps are only accurate close to time at which they are made, as new buildings and roads are always being built and destroyed. The older a map, the less it can be relied upon.
Cadets are required to draw a basic street map for basic map & compass.
The following are the rules for safe handling of weapons.
1. A weapon is never to be pointed at anyone in fun (as a joke).
2. A weapon should always be handled so that it is pointing in a safe direction, and as such there would be no danger if a round were accidentally fired.
3. When taking charge of a weapon that hasn't been under your direct supervision, you must first inspect it to ensure that it is clear.
4. When handing a weapon over to someone, you must first show them that it is clear, and when being handed a weapon, you must insist that they do the same.
5. Never rest the muzzle of the weapon against any part of your body.
6. Weapons must be in an unloaded state when travelling by vehicle or non-tactically on foot.
7. Cadets should never use a weapon unless trained in it's use and under supervision.
For basic skill at arms cadets should be able to name and understand the use of the main parts of the GP rifle, including the safety catch, trigger, trigger guard, cocking handle, muzzle, barrel, foresight, handguard, butt pad, pistol grip, bolt release catch, holding open catch, TMH locking pins and sling loops.
Cadets should also be able to correctly take charge of and clear a GP rifle that hasn't been under their direct supervision.
The following marksmanship principles are used to improve standards of shooting.
1. Position and Hold- the weapon's position should be correct and your hold on it firm enough to support the weapon.
2. Natural pointing- a weapon should be held such that it points naturally at the target without any undue effort.
3. Sight Alignment and picture- the alignment of the sights, and the sight picture should be correct.
4. Shot release and follow through- the shot should be released without disturbing the position, and the same postion kept for the next shot.
For the basic shooting syllabus cadets fire the 22. Rifle on a 25m range.
An incident involving casualties should be managed according to AMEGA, or ASSESS, MAKE SAFE, EMERGENCY AID, GET HELP, and AFTERCARE.
ASSESS- the situation should be calmly assessed and any dangers to you or the casualty should be identified. These might include electrical appliances near water, sharp objects, fire, vehicles, bystanders, etc.
MAKE SAFE- any identified dangers should be dealt with. This may involve unplugging electrical appliances, removing sharp objects, removing sources of ignition, fuel or oxygen to prevent fire, stopping traffic and asking drivers to display hazard lights in the case of road accidents, or getting rid of bystanders. Once the situation is safe the casualty can be dealt with.
EMERGENCY AID- help should then be given to the casualty. This should preferably be done by a trained first aider before the arrival of more qualified aid. Emergency Aid involves clearing a casualty's airways, checking their breathing and circulation and then giving CPR if necessary, before placing them in the recovery position.
GET HELP- dial 999 or 112 or ask someone to do this for you if you are going to administer first aid. Details such as what has happened, where the incident is taking place and who is involved should be conveyed to the emergency services. If you are alone without communications with an unconscious casualty who isn't breathing CPR should be performed once before going to get help.
AFTERCARE- details of all treatment you gave and the condition of the casualty should be given to the emergency services once they have arrived. Arrangements should be made to return any of the casualty's personal belongings that you may have taken into custody.
One-star
Military Knowledge Structure of Beds ACF
Sharnbrook Detachment Commander- SI Prudham A Company Commander- Major Knapman B Company Commander- Major Thurgood C Company Commander- Major Fitzpatrick County Commandant- Lt. Col. Watson Cadet Executive Officer- Major Taylor Cadet Training Officer- Major Howard RSM- SMI Clarke
B Company Detachments: Sharnbrook, Kempston, Bromham, Wootton, Cranfield, Harrowden
The drill movements for one-star level are: marching, halting, the about-turn, marking time, eyes left and eyes right, saluting to front, left and right, and changing step, all in quicktime (whilst marching).
At one-star level a cadet's turnout should be of a quite high standard, e.g. polished boots.
Within an Ordnance Survey (OS) map's marginal information is the map's title (the area it shows), the date it was produced, the sheet number (each area of the UK has a different number), the scale, the Grid-magnetic angle (GMA), the three distance scales, and lots of conventional signs.
The map scale may be 1:25000, 1:50000, or 1:63360. These are known as representative fraction scales, and show the ratio between the size of the map and the size of the area it shows. A 1:25000 map would be more detailed (more 'zoomed in').
The distance scales along the bottom edge of the map are those of kilometres, statute miles (the miles you're used to) and nautical miles (longer miles used nationally for air and sea travel- if you imagine the Earth's equator as a 360 degree circle, and divide each degree into sixty 'minutes', each minute of arc is a nautical mile). Straight line distances measured on the map with a ruler or distances measured along roads using string or a pencil and paper can be converted into kilometres, statute miles or nautical miles using these scales.
Conventional signs are picture symbols used to represent different buildings, roads, woods, etc. Pretty much everything on the map is a conventional sign. Cadets should know most of the more important conventional signs without having to refer to the key.
The GMA is the difference in degrees between grid north and magnetic north.
There are actually three types of north- grid, true and magnetic north. Grid north is the direction of a grid line which is parallel to the central meridian on the national grid, and true north the direction of a meridian of longtitude which converges on the north pole. A simpler explanation is that if the earth is spherical like a football, grid north is where a map's grid lines would meet near the top of that football, and true north is the highest point on that football (the north pole). Unfortunately grid lines don't meet exactly at the north pole due to the way the world is mapped, but they come very close, so for all intents and purposes grid north and true north can be thought of as the same thing.
Magnetic north is where compasses point to. The Earth acts like a giant magnet and compasses point to the magnet's north pole, called magnetic north. Since the Earth's magnetic field is inclined at an angle of about 11 degrees from the axis of rotation of the Earth, magnetic north is also different to true north. The difference is given by the GMA, which is an angle which varies depending on where you are in the world. This angle is added on when converting grid bearings to magnetic bearings (bearings are part of two-star map & compass) and taken off when going the other way. Also, since the Earth's core is molten, the magnetic field is always shifting slightly. This means that the GMA itself varies. It varies annually, and for each year between the present and the date the map was made this annual deviation needs to be taken away or added onto your adjusted grid bearing depending on whether the magnetic field happens to be shifting East or West.
Cadets are also required to be able to plot and use six-figure grid references, which are six-digit numbers giving a point's position on the map. They are accurate to within 70 metres.
The purpose of first aid is to provide immediate treatment to a casualty before the arrival of more qualified aid, like a doctor or ambulance. The principles of first aid are to protect a casualty's life, prevent a casualty's condition from worsening, and promote a casualty's recovery.
Incident management- DRABC
D (Danger) - cadets should assess an incident for dangers to themselves and the casualty before proceeding.
R (Response) - the cadet should then test the casualty's response by shouting at them, shaking their shoulders, pinching their ear, etc. If a casualty fails to respond the cadet should go on to A, B and C.
A (Airway)- the cadet should then clear the casualty's airway by placing the one hand across the casualty's forehead, the two forefingers of their right hand under their chin, tilting their head back, opening their mouth, and removing any obstruction.
B (Breathing)- The cadet should then, keeping the head tilted back, place their cheek above the casualty's open mouth while looking down the casualty's chest. This should be done for at least five seconds. In this position they will listen for breathing, feel for air on their cheek and watch to see if the chest rises and falls. If the casualty isn't breathing two rescue breaths should be given immediately by exhaling deeply into the casualty's mouth while tilting the head back and pinching the nose. Each rescue breath should take six seconds to give including time to watch the casualty's chest rise and fall and listen and feel for the casualty beginning to independently breath again. If the casualty is breathing any injuries should be treated before placing the casualty in the recovery position.
C (Circulation) - After giving two rescue breaths the cadet should, for ten seconds, examine the casualty's face and body for any signs of life which would indicate that the casualty has circulation (their heart is beating). This includes colour in the face and lips, and movement/twitches in the face or body. If signs of life are present rescue breaths should be given at at rate of then per minute until the arrival of more qualified aid. If signs of life are not present (pale white face, motionless body) compressions should also be carried out on the sternum at the bottom of the casualty's ribcage. Fifteen compressions followed by two rescue breaths repeated five times should be carried out before checking again for signs of life. This sequence of checking for signs of life, and carrying out rescue breaths and chest compressions accordingly is known as CPR, or cardio-pulmonary resucitation. Its purpose is to fill the lungs with oxygen, and manually pump the heart to get this oxygen to flow around the body in the blood. CPR works as the air we exhale is 16% oxygen, and chest compressions can mimic the action of the heart.
For one-star first aid cadets should also know how to put a casualty in the recovery position, how to fit a triangular bandage (sling) to immobilise a casualty's arm fracture, and what simple, compound (also called open) and comminuted (also called complicated) fractures are (also included in two-star, see below).
Two-star
Military Knowledge History of the 9th/12th
For a hundred and eleven years, from 1603 to 1714, England was ruled by the Stuart dynasty (royal family). Queen Anne Stuart was the last member of the Stuart dynasty to rule England, because after she died in 1714 her cousin George I came to power and he was a member of the Hanover family. The reason her cousin King George I came to power was because Queen Anne had no children, and her other relatives were all Roman Catholic. Under the act of settlement that was passed by parliament in 1701, only protestants were allowed to rule the country, not catholics. George I was protestant, so he became heir to the throne.
This decision was not popular because it ended the Stuart dynasty and many people thought that the Stuart family were given the divine right to rule the country by God. In 1715 a Jacobite rebellion took place, in which the Jacobites (the name given to supporters of the Stuarts) attempted to overthrow King George I. The 9th and 12th regiments of dragoons (heavily armoured infantry soldiers) were two new regiments formed by the King in the same year to defend his rule. The rebellion failed and the Hanover dynasty still rules today, despite being renamed twice, because Queen Elizabeth is a direct descendant of King George I.
The 9th dragoons were raised by Major General Owen Wynne and the 12th dragoons by Brigadier Phineas Bowles. Both men were veterans of Marlborough's wars with distinguished records of service. Marlborough's wars were the wars fought by John Churchill, first duke of Marlborough, one of the finest English Generals of his generation. One of the wars he fought in was the war of the Spanish succession, in which the Battle of Blenheim, one of the most important battles in history and the battle that B Company is named after, took place in 1704. Owen Wynne and Phineas Bowles would likely have fought in the Battle of Blenheim.
The 9th and 12th dragoons were garrisoned in Ireland until the 1750s. In 1793, when Great Britain declared war on France, the 12th were sent to the Mediterranean to the Papal states (the Pope's states) to provide stability. Their conduct their so impressed Pope Pius VI that he presented some of the officers with gold medals at the Vatican. They were also presented with the regimental hymns, which are still played today.
In 1801 the 12th dragoons fought in General Abercrombie's campaign in Egypt 1801 saw the 12th participating in General Abercrombie's Egyptian campaign during which Colonel Archdale, the Commanding Officer, led an assault at Boukir Bay in Egypt, going on to defeat Napoleon's veterans for the first time, capture the city of Alexandra and lose his right arm.
On the march to Cairo a large French column surrendered to the 12th and 26th Light Dragoons, and in 1802 the 12th returned to England to be honoured with royal authority to bear on its guidons (a type of standard) and appointments the battle honour 'sphinx'. It was their first battle honour. The 9th and 12th would go on to gain a combined total of around a hundred battle honours.
In 1811 both regiments sailed for the Spanish Peninsula to reinforce the Duke of Wellington's army. After the retreat from Spain to Portugal, under very severe conditions in the winter of 1812, the 9th had lost so many men that Arthur Wellesley decided that they should return to England to recruit, regretting that he 'should be deprived of the assistance of these brave troops'. The 12 stayed behind and fought in the operations which resulted in the great victory at Vittoria in 1813, and the subsequent operations up to the end of the campaign in the South of France in 1814.
On news of Napoleon's escape from exile in the Spring of 1815 the 12th were sent to the Netherlands to form part of the Allied Army. They executed a brilliant charge at Waterloo in support of the Union Brigade, but suffered very severely in the withdrawal, losing a third of their men in just ten minutes.
With victory and stability in Europe, the 9th and the 12th both took their parts in the Pax Britannica of the Imperial Age. They were re-designated and re-armed as lancers in 1816; the lance was to become the scourge of native troops. The 9th saw early service in India while the 12th fought in the Kaffir War in South Africa. During this campaign a detachment of the 12th was aboard the ill fated troopship Birkenhead which sank off the South African coast with few survivors. The story of the troops who paraded on deck as the ship went down was read to the Prussian Army on the order of the Prussian King as an example of military discipline.
The 12th lancers travelled to the Crimea during the Crimean War of 1854-1856 to reinforce the cavalry who had taken part in the Charge of the Light Brigade, including the 17th lancers.
During the Indian Mutiny of 1857-8, the 9th won their nickname 'The Delhi Spearmen', given to them by the mutineers themselves. The regiment was also awarded with no less than twelve Victoria Crosses during that campaign alone- more than many regiments have ever been awarded- and received the unique compliment of a 21 gun salute as they sailed from India. Both regiments had been in India from the outset, the 9th being the only regiment to be present at the three major actions of the campaign; the Siege of Delhi, the Relief and the Siege of Lucknow. They were described by a comrade in arms as, 'the beau ideal of all that British cavalry ought to be in oriental countries'. The 12th, meanwhile, had formed part of the Saugur Field Force, which helped pacify Central India. In 1879 Lord William Beresford of the 9th won the Victoria Cross for gallantry in the Zulu Wars.
Both regiments fought in the South African War of 1899-1902. They took part in the Relief of Kimberley, the most brilliant cavalry exploit of the War, and the operations which resulted in Cronje's surrender at Paardeberg. At Diamond Hill, the last pitched battle of the war, where both Regiments were again engaged, the Earl of Airlie, the Commanding Officer of the 12th was killed after leading a charge which saved two guns of Q Battery RHA. The 9th provided Lord Roberts' escort for his state entry in to Bloemfontein. He said, 'I know they have always been a splendid regiment'.
The regiments served on the Western Front throughout the Great War, 1914-18. The 9th/12th Lancers now celebrate the Mons/Moy weekend each year in July, which commemorates the last occasions on which both regiments charged with the lance. The advent of the Great War witnessed Captain Francis Grenfell and a party of the 9th help to save the guns of 119 Battery Royal Field Artillery. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for 'gallantry in action against unbroken infantry at Audregnies, Belgium on the 24th August, 1914, and for gallant conduct in assisting to save the guns of the 119th Battery Royal Field Artillery near Doubon the same day'. On the 7th September, 1914 Lieutenant Colonel David Campbell led a charge of two troops of B Squadron of the 9th and overthrew a squadron of the 1st Guard Dragoons, the only lance versus lance action of the Great War, and on the 28th August C Squadron of the 12th made a most successful charge against the 1st Guard Dragoons supported by the fire of A and B Squadron, J Battery RHA and the Scots Greys. For the remainder of the War the Regiments fought as infantry because barbed wire, machine gun and trench warfare heralded the end of the horse on the modern battlefield. The 12th swapped their lances for the Rolls Royce Armoured Cars in 1928, while the 9th remained horsed in India until 1936, before becoming a light tank regiment. The old titles were maintained to demonstrate the unchanging role of the cavalry in spite of the changing equipment. "Still the Same Spirit!" was the cry on mechanisation, and all the traditions remained unchanged.
On 16th October 1939 the 12th, equipped with their armoured cars, landed in France, soon followed by the 9th on the 20th March 1940. On 10th May the 12th was the first regiment to cross the Belgian Frontier. During the retreat they covered the withdrawal of the BEF, at one time holding a front of forty miles between Ypres and Nieuport. In his despatches, Lord Gort wrote, 'without the Twelfth Lancers only a small part of the Army would have reached Dunkirk'. The 9th were in action in the Somme area and were later all but surrounded at St Valery.
The 12th sailed for Africa with the 1st Armoured Division in September 1941, leaving behind a detachment that shortly after Dunkirk had been sent to act as a mobile guard for the Royal Family and members of the Cabinet. Both Regiments served with the 8th Army throughout the Desert and North African Campaigns. The 9th played a leading part in the Battle of Alamein: Corporal Nicholls of B Squadron was personally congratulated by General Montgomery for knocking out nine enemy tanks in one day.
The 12th were the first British troops to link up with the Americans in Tunisia in April 1943. In 1944 both Regiments landed in Italy. The 12th were first in action as infantry in the Castel di Sangro area to the East of Cassino in April, while in September the 9th saw action at San Savino in the battle for the Gothic Line.
Employed as infantry during the winter of 1944, the 9th Lancers Group formed the Spearhead of the 8th Army in the breakthrough to the River Po in the Spring of 1945, while the 12th headed the advance of the 2nd New Zealand Division. B Squadron was the first to enter Venice at the end of April. When the war in Italy ended on the 2nd May, the 12th was in contact with the Yugoslavs at Trieste.
In the post-war period, the Regiments served in Palestine, Malaya and Germany. On their return to England in 1947, the 9th were stationed at Edinburgh for two years before moving to Detmold in Germany where they remained until their return to Tidworth in 1960. In 1951 the 12th sailed for service in the Malayan Campaign where they spent an eventful three years on security duties fighting communist terrorists. The 9th were greatly honoured when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother became Colonel-in-Chief of the Regiment on the 1st June 1953.
On their return from the Far East, the 12th were sent to Germany where they remained until 1959, when they moved to Cyprus for a year, before returning to England prior to amalgamation. On the 11th September 1960, both Regiments marched to Church at Tidworth for the last time and, as a plaque in the Garrison Church records, 'Here on the 11th September 1960, 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) was formed by 9th Queen's Royal Lancers and 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) coming together before God. It is not the beginning but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished which yieldeth the true glory'.
Shortly after its formation, the new regiment moved to Northern Ireland where both its parents had started their careers almost 250 years before. In September 1962, the regiment sailed from Southampton for Aden. Equipped with armoured cars they were engaged in security duties in the Aden Protectorate and the Trucial Oman States for a year.
With troubles in Ireland once again, C Squadron deployed for a four-month emergency tour of County Armagh late in 1972. B Squadron followed in May 1973, and in January 1975 the whole Regiment went to Gough Barracks, in the City of Armagh, for a four month tour. By November 1977 they were back in Tidworth, with C Squadron permanently detached to the Sovereign Base Area in Cyprus. While there, troops served in the infantry role for six months with the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in Belize and the 3rd Battalion, The Light Infantry, in Cyprus.
The 5th May 1979 provided the first opportunity in nineteen years to present the Regiment with its new guidon. The ceremony was performed by the Colonel-in-Chief, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, on the Tidworth Tattoo ground. The old Guidons of both parent Regiments were laid up in St Michael's Garrison Church, Tidworth. Shortly afterwards the regiment moved to Germany where, in November 1980, it took up duties as the 1st Armoured Division's Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, fully equipped with the tracked combat vehicle reconnaissance family (CVRT) with which they are still equipped today.
On Tuesday 21st June 1988 the regiment re-affirmed its close ties with the city of Derby, exercising its right to march through the city. Whilst at Wimbish, three squadrons were sent on separate six-month tours to Cyprus as part of the United Nations peacekeeping force, a popular posting amongst the soldiers. Various members of B Squadron also served in Belize as the Armoured Recce Troop for six months. The regiment took part in the ninetieth birthday celebrations of the Colonel-in-Chief, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother during the parade in London.
Recently the 9th/12th have served in the Gulf War (1991), Bosnia (1992), Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2002) and Iraq (2004).</