by Lieutenant C W A Ross
Officer Commanding Number One Platoon
The Prince of Wales’s Company
On 9 May 17, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards sent a team to support the 10th annual Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) Open Evening. The event took place on the parade square in front of Armoury House and on the Artillery Garden.
1st Battalion Welsh Guards Recruiting Stand.
The aim was to engage a multitude of individuals and organisations, with previous events attracting up to 3,500 people, including Regular, Reserve and Cadet Units, military charities, University Officer Training Corps, veterans and members of the public. The event directly supported Recruiting Group’s Operation FORTIFY and HQ London District’s Civil Engagement and Employer Engagement initiatives, as well as increasing public and employer awareness of the military, maximising recruiting opportunities.
Gdsm Felton explaining his role as a Sniper to Prince Michael of Kent.
The team from Battalion was bolstered by the Recruiting Team, led by WO2 Davies 96 and Sgt Jury. They deployed to The City of London with all of the eye catching kit which comes with a Light Mechanised Infantry Battalion. Sgt Powell and Gdsm Felton from the Sniper Platoon provided a specialised aspect to the evening, whilst LCpl Frost and Gdsm Thomas 07 from the Prince of Wales’s Company were responsible for educating all those that attended on the various capabilities of the Foxhound.
Displays from the Military Working Dogs, the HAC Band and the Army Air Corps Apache helicopter attracted a diverse audience and in doing so enabled the recruiting team to educate the public, promote the Battalion and highlight our exciting forecast of events.
Sgt Powell with a potential future recruit getting accustom with the Sharpshooter.
The evening was a great success and all those involved worked extremely hard to make sure that anyone that showed an interest in Battalion life and the job as a whole left well informed. A special thank you to the Recruiting Teams for travelling from Wales in order to support the evening.