LQ18: Lowland Quarterly Issue 18

31.01.2025
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Chief Executive’s Welcome

Welcome to Lowland Quarterly 18. Everything depends on the outcomes of the Strategic Defence Review, whether it be for our Reservists, our Cadets, or indeed our Association itself. We therefore await the publication of the review with very keen interest. We hope that the recent announcement that the Ministry of Defence is to invest £9 billion in our submarines programme heralds even more positive news to come. Meanwhile our Lowland Reservists and Cadets continue to serve our Nation and communities to the very best of their abilities. The articles to follow are testament to that.

Ayrshire Reservist Joins NATO Forces in Estonia – Operation CABRIT

soldiers in trenchesLowland Reservists are currently mobilised in Estonia as part of Operation CABRIT. Contributing to NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in the region, Op CABRIT sees British troops leading a multinational Battlegroup in order to enhance Euro-Atlantic security, reassure our allies and deter our adversaries. The Royal Dragoon Guards (a Cavalry Regiment of the British Army) is currently leading the Battlegroup in Estonia and has fully integrated the Reservists who have been mobilised. We caught up with one such Reservist, Lance Corporal Sam Coughtrie, an Ayrshire lad, who is thriving on deployment and making the most of every opportunity. When asked what his mobilisation highlights were, Sam said:

Christmas lunch for troops in Estonia‘It’s all been really good, but I loved Christmas dinner. We had big long tables, good food, a few beers and loads of laughs. Another highlight was getting to train in the trenches and wooded areas with the Gibraltar Regiment. It was super high-energy, but the skills gained were second to none. 

‘A bizarre moment was sitting in the back of a Warrior tank with the lads when it was -15 degrees. Let’s just say a bit of spooning was necessary to keep warm, so that was a bit surreal. We did a Cold Weather Operator course, and that showed us how to survive in the field; including how to build a fire, a shelter, kill a chicken and cook it.’

Read the interview here

The CARAs 2024 – Ten Winners Revealed

Ten Cadet Force Adult Volunteers from across the Lowlands of Scotland have received a prestigious award from the young people they work with for their contribution to the Cadet Forces. The Cadet Adult Recognition Awards (CARAs) give us an unparalleled opportunity to engage with both CFAVs and Cadets, introducing a new generation to the work of Lowland RFCA and growing our network of those on the ground. One winner said: ‘Many thanks for the incredible support, you guys have truly transformed my life.’ To find out more about the awards, click here. If you’re looking for some ‘feel-good’ moments, do take a look at the show below.

The King’s Birthday Gun Salute

guests pose at castle in front of gunsLast November Edinburgh Castle welcomed guests of Lowland RFCA for a Royal Gun Salute (RGS) to mark His Majesty The King’s birthday. The guest of honour at this year’s RGS was Dame Katherine Grainger DBE CBE, who serves as Honorary Colonel of 215 (Scottish) Multirole Medical Regiment, Army Reserve. Dame Katherine’s link to the medical Regiment gave Lowland RFCA the opportunity to invite guests with a particular interest in Scottish healthcare. Many guests from across NHS Scotland were invited, including its COO John Burns. With ‘healthcare’ as the theme of the day, Lowland RFCA were pleased to invite Cadet representatives to speak about the way in which young people from across Scotland are upskilling in this area. To find out more about the event, click here.

Autumn Update from the Lowland UOTCs

officer cadets pose in fieldIt’s been great to see so much going on at Glasgow and Strathclyde UOTC and City of Edinburgh UOTC during the autumn term. As well as lectures, seminars, labs and exams, the students have managed to fit in a great plethora of UOTC activity. One particular highlight was Exercise Cambrian Patrol, which saw Officer Cadets complete a 48-hour course covering more than 60km with 25-35kg of equipment on their backs. Students were also invited to take part in Exercise Mudmaster, a British Army off-roading championship hosted here in Scotland by 154 Scottish Regiment RLC. This gave the Officer Cadets a unique, albeit muddy, opportunity to hone their driving skills. 

Lowland Cadets to the Rescue

Remarkably, or perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised, we have two heroic Cadet tales to share with you this quarter. The first details the first-aid interventions of West Lowland Battalion ACF’s Cadet Corporal Caulder.

Cadet stands and poses for photo in front other CadetsDuring a journey home on the bus Caulder became aware of an incident involving the bus driver and quickly came to her aid. Whilst trying to fix the bus, the bus driver had impaled her finger on the vehicle’s wiper blades. Despite the distressing nature of the injury, Caulder identified himself as First-Aid trained and stepped in to assist, alongside two other passengers. Praising Caulder for his actions, the bus driver shared on Facebook: ‘My finger had gotten impaled onto one of the window wiper blades whilst I was cleaning the windscreen. Martin (Caulder) stayed and supported my arm for around an hour whilst I was stuck to the front of the bus until my work sent out an engineer. Then, after the window wiper was removed from the bus, he sat with me and held the wiper blade whilst it was still stuck in my finger for another good while until the fire brigade took over. He has a lovely nature, and I would be so proud to have him as a son.’ 

Cadet Corporal Bunch shakes hands with Glasgow & Lanarkshire Battalion's Honorary Colonel Mike Edwards as he receives his Royal Humane Society AwardThe second valiant tale came from Glasgow and Lanarkshire Battalion ACF’s Cadet Corporal Bunch, who has recently been recognised with a Praiseworthy Award from the Royal Humane Society for his life-saving actions.

Lieutenant Amy-Jo Battersby, who was Calum’s Detachment Commander at the time of the incident, commented:

‘Cpl Bunch’s actions prevented further injury following the collapse of the casualty (his father) and subsequent seizure around dangerous equipment. He promoted recovery by ensuring emergency services were called, seeking advice before moving the casualty and monitoring him for 90 minutes using equipment that was available to him. Cpl Bunch’s actions demonstrate not only that he is a calm and confident Cadet, but also exemplifies leadership under pressure and being capable of administering First Aid, even when faced with the personal challenges of a family member being seriously ill. They also demonstrate that the training offered by the Army Cadet Force has the capacity to develop young First Aiders capable of saving lives.’ Read the full story here.

Lord-Lieutenant Awards in Glasgow City Chambers

Family and naval reservist poseSeven Reservists and two Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) have been formally recognised by the Lord-Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow for their diligence and dedication to service. The ceremony, which took place at Glasgow City Chambers on Tuesday 14 January, saw the recipients receive Lord-Lieutenant’s Certificates of Meritorious Service. 

602 Squadron’s Flight Lieutenant Alexander McKenzie was delighted to have been nominated for the award: ‘Reserve Service has provided me with so many different opportunities, from civic duties in Glasgow to NATO courses in Germany and international exercises in Malaysia and Singapore. The possibilities really are endless with a career in the Reserves.’ Full story here.

A Flurry of Excitement – Skiing with the Reserves

reservists in ski suits on slopeThe weather in Scotland has been more than a bit chaotic over the last few weeks, so it’s been great to see that some of our Reservists managed to get away to sunnier – and snowier! – climes in France. Thirty-four members of Glasgow and Strathclyde UOTC took to the slopes of Val d’Isère for Exercise SKI CHALLENGE 25.

Meanwhile, Reservists from HMS Dalriada and HMS Scotia were busy showing off their skiing skills over in Les Deux Alpes as part of the 2025 Royal Navy Ski Championships and Snowsports Festival. This brought Regulars and Reservists of all skiing competency levels together to build on their skills, test themselves at a competitive level and, by the looks of the photos, have a brilliant time while doing so!

External Scrutiny Team Report 2024 Published

The external scrutiny team’s annual statutory report 2024 provides an in-depth and independent assessment of the state of the United Kingdom’s Reserve Forces. This report, mandated by the Defence Reform Act 2014, offers a detailed evaluation of Reserve Forces’ capabilities, recruitment, and infrastructure. To see the top recommendations and access the full report, click here.

Dates for your Diary

 

The Scottish Military Ball

Saturday 24th May 2025 at the Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh. The 2025 Ball beneficiary charity will be Military vs Cancer. Click here to buy tickets and to find out more.

The Scottish Veterans Awards

There are just three weeks left to nominate a Veteran for the Scottish Veterans Awards. To find out more about the awards and categories, click here

Lord-Lieutenant Awards

We’re pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2025 Lord-Lieutenants’ Awards are now open. The Lord-Lieutenants’ Certificate of Meritorious Service is a highly prestigious award presented to Reservists, Cadet Force Adult Volunteers and Defence civil servants who have gone above and beyond in the course of their duties, thanking them for their exceptional service and unfailing commitment. Click here to find out more about eligibility criteria and to access the online nomination form.

Our Highlight Reels…

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Lowland RFCA (@lowlandrfca)

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Lowland RFCA (@lowlandrfca)



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