by the sea, walking our 2 dogs Sprocket and Storm, holidays in our caravan and travelling abroad and skiing. As an army wife, I have turned my hand to many different jobs and roles and am looking forward to using my experience in this next chapter. I have already been fortunate to have attended the Governors’ Review at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and will also be involved in future events such as the opening of the Field of Remembrance in Westminster and of course the annual Cenotaph Parade in Hello All! Well, I’m normally not one to blow my own trumpet, but I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce myself properly as the new Media & Events Coordinator for HHQ RTR. My name is Lisa Burgess and I have been an RTR wife for 28 years, married to Pat who joined the Regiment back in 1992. He is still serving and is currently based in Bovington at the CIS School. I was lucky to have been chosen to take on this new role and am really excited to be involved with the organizing of the many events, parades and such that is offered to the RTR and the wider Regimental family. I recently moved from Glastonbury to Lulworth and enjoy spending time HHQ RTR Media & Events Co-ordinator KEEPING TRACK Newsletter of HHQ RTR SEPTEMBER 2021 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Lisa Burgess Events Co-ordinator HHQ RTR Ex 1RTR~Lt Tony Pyatt hits 105th Birthday !! We were fortunate to visit Tony for his 103 rd Birthday back in 2019. Tony reached 104 in 2020 but we were not allowed to visit. He is 105 in September, a remarkable achievement!! Tony served with 1RTR as the RSO and landed on Gold Beach on D Day +2 1944, he met up with the rest of 1RTR after leaving his landing craft with no map (someone had borrowed it), his driver asked which way sir? Just head for the noise was Tony’s reply! HQ was in an orchard a mile or so from the town of Bayeux. Throughout the subsequent months the battle to take Caen progressed with difficulty, with 1RTR taking many casualties from the German Royal Tiger and Panther Tanks. Tony’s CO Lt Col Pat Hobart Commanded the Regiment for the remainder of the war and on to Berlin. HHQ RTR would like to wish Lt Pyatt a very Happy and Healthy 105th Birthday. London. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the course of the coming year. I hope you all enjoy this ‘new’ Newsletter — if anyone has anything they would like to contribute, then please email articles and photos to: [email protected]‘Til next time.. Take Care and Stay Safe. Lisa
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Transcript
by the sea, walking our 2
dogs Sprocket and
Storm, holidays in our
caravan and travelling
abroad and skiing.
As an army wife, I have
turned my hand to many
different jobs and roles
and am looking forward
to using my experience in
this next chapter.
I have already been
for tuna te to have
attended the Governors’
Review at the Royal
Hospital Chelsea, and
will also be involved in
future events such as the
opening of the Field of
R e m e m b r a n c e i n
Westminster and of
course the annual
Cenotaph Parade in
Hello All!
Well, I’m normally not
one to blow my own
trumpet, but I thought I
w o u l d t a k e t h i s
opportunity to introduce
myself properly as the
new Media & Events
Coordinator for HHQ
RTR.
My name is Lisa Burgess
and I have been an RTR
wife for 28 years, married
to Pat who joined the
Regiment back in 1992.
He is still serving and is
currently based in
Bovington at the CIS
School.
I was lucky to have been
chosen to take on this
new role and am really
excited to be involved
with the organizing of the
many events, parades and
such that is offered to the
RTR and the wider
Regimental family.
I recently moved from
Glastonbury to Lulworth
and enjoy spending time
HHQ RTR Media & Events Co-ordinator
KEEPING TRACK Newsletter of HHQ RTR
SEPTEMBER 2021 VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1
Lisa Burgess
Events Co-ordinator
HHQ RTR
Ex 1RTR~Lt Tony Pyatt hits 105th Birthday!!
We were fortunate to visit Tony for his 103rd Birthday back in 2019. Tony reached 104 in 2020 but we were not allowed to visit. He is 105 in September, a remarkable achievement!!
Tony served with 1RTR as the RSO and landed on Gold Beach on D Day +2 1944, he met up with the rest of 1RTR after leaving his landing craft with no map (someone had borrowed it), his driver asked which way sir? Just head for the noise was Tony’s reply! HQ was in an orchard a mile or so from the town of Bayeux. Throughout the subsequent months the battle to take Caen progressed with difficulty, with 1RTR taking many casualties from the German Royal Tiger and Panther Tanks. Tony’s CO Lt Col Pat Hobart Commanded the Regiment for the remainder of the war and on to Berlin.
HHQ RTR would like to wish Lt Pyatt a very Happy and Healthy 105th Birthday.
The RTR Battlegroup has successfully completed it's pre-deployment training for the
upcoming Estonia deployment.
CYCLOPS have been deployed at Lydd & Hythe Ranges preparing for the 12 Bde
Operational Shooting Competition. The Sqn has enjoyed rifle, pistol and grenade training.
OP CABRIT | BADGER have been getting out and about around Estonia, providing a
presence at Victory Day parades and public events. A key part in the mission to reassure our
NATO allies, as well as a great opportunity to see the country.
IT'S COMING HOME | CAV CUP Great 3-0 win in the final, against a strong QRH
side!! Both teams fought hard, giving it their all, right up to the final whistle. After 5 years
the cup is finally back where it belongs (The RTR trophy cabinet).
AJAX Sqn gathered in remembrance of the 20th anniversary of a tragic training accident on Salisbury Plain, which led to the death of Lieutenant Paul Syred and Corporal Michael Paterson from A Sqn, 1 RTR. We will remember them.
Variety is the spice of life: over the last few weeks as well as completing Pre-Deployment Training for Op CABRIT 9, DREADNAUGHT Sqn have also found time for some adventurous training and sport.
Well done to the RTR E-Sports Team, who recently beat the KRH 3-1 on War Thunder in an intra-RAC match!
FALCON RUN | Crews from FALCON Sqn have been honing their C-CBRN skills on Ex Falcon Run, practicing Route and Close Target Recces on suspected chemical agents. Operators are able to take samples for further analysis to understand and mitigate the immediate risk.
FOR UP TO DATE NEWS, FOLLOW THE ROYAL TANK REGIMENT ON
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/RoyalTankRegt
Field of Remembrance ~ Westminster
There are still some tickets available to attend the 2021 Opening of the Field of Remembrance in
Westminster. Please contact Lisa at HHQ RTR for further information.
National Arboretum ~ RTR Plot given a late spring clean
Volunteer Alex Hamilton has been busy at the National Arboretum, tidying up the Alrewas - RTR plot. The flag pole has
been moved as it was too near growing trees and the plot has been given a general tidy up. A fantastic job done by Alex.
Thank you.
Forthcoming Events
FIELD OF REMEMBRANCE
Thursday 11th November 2021. The 2021 Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey will be officially opened on Thursday 11 November at 11am. Limited tickets available from HHQ RTR. Please apply to [email protected].
CAMBRAI OFFICERS’ DINNER
Saturday 20th November 2021. This year will be held at Vintners’ Hall, London. Tickets are £75.00. Pro-forma available from [email protected]. Open to Serving and Retired Officers only.
2021 RTR MARCH TO THE CENOTAPH, CHURCH SERVICE, VINTNERS’ RECEPTION
Sunday 21st November 2021. Meet at Horseguards Parade at 10.30am for those Members wishing to march. The Regiment and Members will parade to the Cenotaph, followed by a short service and then on to Whitehall where the Parade is dismissed. Members are then invited to the annual Church Service at St Mary Aldermary Church, Watling Street, London. After the service Members are invited to attend a lunch Reception at The Vintners’ Hall, just a short walk from the Church. Tickets for the Reception are £25 and available from [email protected]. Those not wishing to attend the lunch may go to The Barley Mow Pub on Horseferry Road, or disperse in their own time. Open to ALL Officers and Soldiers, Serving or Retired., and their Guests.
CHURCH SUNDAY & CURRY LUNCH
Sunday 20th March 2022. The annual Church Sunday and Curry Lunch will be held at the Garrison Church, Bovington on
Sunday 20th March at 11am. ALL Branch Members, Serving Officers and Soldiers are welcome to attend the Service and
Curry Lunch. For those attending the 8 RTR Reunion in Bournemouth, a coach will be booked to take Members to Allenby
Barracks for the Service and then all guests are invited to the Officers’ Mess for a Curry Lunch after. Please contact:
Saturday 30th April 2022. The Army v Navy match Committee will not be releasing tickets for sale until early 2022. Further details will be released in due course.
BATTLE OF CAMBRAI 105th ANNIVERSARY
Work will soon begin planning the 105th Anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai, which will take place in France. Further detail will follow soon.
Following my recent visit to the Tank Museum in Bovington, I was moved by the words of Cpl Bill Stebbing, former 5 RTR, being interviewed for a short video. I
felt it fitting for him to be my first ‘Tankie in Time’, a short vignette of Tankies past.
Bill Stebbing was born on the 28th Sep 1923 in Bury St Edmunds. Aged 16 when war
was declared, he was called up for active service in 1942. Initially trained in Aldershot, he
was glad to be joining the RAC, happily thinking that was something to do with cars.
After tank driver training on Covenanters and Crusaders at Barnard Castle, he moved to
Bovington to complete crew training. He was first posted to the 24th Lancers in
Bridlington, to drive a modified Crusader tank in the anti-aircraft role equipped with
twin Oerlikon cannons. In late May 1944, as part of the 8th Independent Armoured
Brigade that included the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, the Sherwood Rangers and
the 24th Lancers, Bill’s Troop moved to Southampton to prepare for D-Day on the 6th
June. The 24th Lancers were scheduled to cross the Channel on D+5. However, storms
in the Channel delayed the crossing until D+11 to then arrive on Gold Beach after the
loss of four of his best friends. On landing, Bill’s Troop deployed to a field, where in his
words “they had a pop at any aircraft in sight”. After the assault on Caen, the Regiment saw heavy fighting in the advance, with
significant casualties taken due to Tiger tanks. Bill was then posted to an Armoured Delivery Squadron prior to his posting to 5 RTR in
Holland. In the Regimental Waiting Area, Bill was tasked to drive the Squadron Leader’s liberated Citroen car, which resulted in the
occasional enjoyable evening in a local town. As 5 RTR finally advanced, Bill was a co-driver on both Shermans and the Cromwell
tanks equipped with the 95mm howitzer gun. During the American action, the ‘Battle of the Bulge’, Bill and many others were taken
forward to act as infantry. He well remembers digging slit trenches in the frozen ground. Firmly back on a tank, Bill’s Troop in 5 RTR
were then active in the advance on Hamburg. During these actions, Bill also clearly remembers: being engaged by an 88mm at Rethem;
supporting the Monmouthshire Regiment against SS units around Bremerhaven; and the constant attacks from Focke-Wulf 190 fighter-
bombers, with one near miss beside his tank. On the 3rd May 1945, 5 RTR entered Hamburg. In the period after the German
surrender on 7th May, Bill attended an NCO Cadre course in Hameln to be promoted to Lance Corporal. He then rejoined 5 RTR as a
Driving & Maintenance Instructor in the rank of Corporal. Finally, in 1947, Bill returned to the UK escorting German POWs from
Bielefeld to disembark at Harwich, after which he was demobbed aged 24. Happily, after what Bill describes as a ‘lucky war’, he married
Joan Granger on the 2nd September 1948. Bill was a member of the Bournemouth, Poole & District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment
Association. Bill sadly died on 19th July 2020 aged 96.
From HHQ RTR
JAMES DEWHURST TRUST
If your child is off to Uni next year, they may be eligible from a grant from the James Dewhurst Trust to assist their education. More information available from RTR HHQ. Cut off date for 2022/23 applications is September 1st 2022.
I very much hope you have all enjoyed our First Edition of ‘Keeping Track’. Any feed back would be greatly received. Also, any news, events, photos or articles that anyone would like included in the next issue, please send them to Lisa at: