Foreword
This publication has been produced by a volunteer soldier of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry (RWxY) to give a full picture of a modern Army Reserve (AR) regiment . In this case, the regiment in the spotlight is the only reserve armoured regiment in the British Army today, the Royal Wessex Yeomanry, and as such has a unique role. That role is to train reserve soldiers as Challenger 2 tank crewmen in order to provide resilience and reinforcement to the three regular armoured regiments, whether it is on exercise or operations.
Life in the Army Reserve is all about being flexible and dealing with challenges, not only in a military environment but also in the civilian world. To promote teamwork and enhance confidence and leadership skills, there are many opportunities for soldiers to undertake adventurous training, both at home and abroad. This takes people out of their comfort zone and makes them focus, not only physically, but also mentally. Of course, the skills learnt are transitional to civilian life, which makes the soldier a more valued and capable employee.
In the following pages, you will read about all aspects of part time volunteer service with the Royal Wessex Yeomanry including its history, training, sporting opportunities and, most importantly, our people. If, after reading this publication, you feel inspired to gain more knowledge about the Regiment or the Army Reserve, please get in touch using the contact details or via our Facebook page ‘The Royal Wessex Yeomanry’.
I hope you enjoy the read…..
Lieutenant Colonel C. S. MacGregor
Commanding Officer
Royal Wessex Yeomanry