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Yorkshire’s Reserve Infantry. Frequently deployed, our Yorkshire and Teesside-based Reserves participate in, support and lead, some of the most challenging and demanding activities the Army Reserve undertakes. From delivering on operations, to training with key Allies and contributing to UK Resilience with commitment and compassion.
This is my first opportunity to write this foreword as Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion, having taken over at the start of February this year. I would like to thank everyone in 4 YORKS and the wider Regimental family who have made me feel so welcome. I am delighted and honoured to be taking over this post and I have been impressed and enthused in equal measure by all I have met. There is a palpable sense of purpose and professionalism in the Bn that is infectious. I would also like to single out my predecessor, Lt Col Will Blackhurst, not only for the thorough handover he provided me, but also for his hard work and leadership in delivering a Bn in such good shape. Will leaves command to take over as SO1 Plans in the Collective Training Transformation Programme in Army HQ, and all in the battalion wish him the very best in his new role.
There have been several highlights from the last six months that are worth briefly touching upon here and are covered in more detail in the company updates. The first is to commend the Bn for their commitment across Yorkshire and Teesside over the Remembrance Weekend. The Bn supported major parades in Huddersfield, Middlesbrough and Hull and numerous other smaller events. The support we provide is really appreciated by our communities and has real effect in maintaining awareness of the Regiment and engaging with key personalities. This was followed in December by a hugely successful Christmas weekend that was expertly planned and executed by WO1 (RSM) Christopher Edley. The culmination of the weekend was Corunna Coy being crowned as Champion Coy having wrestled the title from Quebec Coy. A huge congratulations to all who took part.
I attended my first Bn training weekend in Strensall in February for Ex YORKSHIRE SPIRIT. The weather was cold, but the welcome was warm, as the Bn conducted vital training that will lay the foalionundation for the year ahead. It was a real pleasure to be able to address the Bn on parade for the first time, and in case anyone missed it, I emphasised two key themes; a focus on warfighting, and the need to maximise recruiting. If you are a member of 4 YORKS, you will no doubt hear this again (and again) from me over the coming weeks and months.
Looking ahead, the key event in the coming year is our Annual Deployment Exercise in Michigan in August. We will deploy 120 reservists to conduct a fantastic exercise in a great location with unparalleled levels of resources alongside the New York National Guard. It is also the first opportunity since 2019 to exercise at Coy level and we will deliver a training experience that will be remembered for years to come. This opportunity comes hard on the heels of our recent deployments to Oman and Kenya and is exactly the sort of event that our reservists sign up to do: demanding, realistic and well-resourced training in exciting places across the globe.
Out other commitment this year is a small team who will mobilise for eight months to train Ukrainian soldiers alongside our international partners. This is such a worthwhile activity and will undoubtedly prove to be immensely rewarding for the 4 YORKS soldiers involved, and I would like to thank all our people who have volunteered for this operation.
I am really excited about the next six months for the 4th Battalion, there are some great experiences coming up, not only the deployment to the US and Op INTERFLEX, but also countless other ways in which we can make a real difference. I am looking forward to be able to write in the next journal about the way in which our soldiers have seized every opportunity presented; because, as we all know, ‘Fortune Favours the Brave!
Take a look at what our Yorkshire and Teesside-based Reserves have been doing.