HONOURS FOR LOCAL SOLDIERS

In the first honours of King Charles reign, five local soldiers received awards.

For Selfless Commitment to bereaved parents, Corporal Hollie Davis, Royal Army Medical Corps attached to the Royal Tank Regiment was awarded an MBE

In 2020 Hollie suffered a devastating tragedy when her son, aged only 20 weeks, died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Despite her unimaginable grief, she has used her experience and her extraordinary leadership qualities to help others who have faced similar tragedy.

In March 2021 Hollie created the Army Child Bereavement Network, which grew to 65 members in its first week, and so she broadened the network to become a pan-Defence initiative, allowing her to support service people during one of the most difficult times of their lives

Throughout all of this Hollie has remained a dedicated soldier and has deployed in support of numerous operations, exercises and activities with Cyclops Squadron,

On learning of her aware, Hollie said: “I’m so shocked I don’t have words. I’ve had lots of tears but no words. It still hasn’t really sunk in. I don’t know who nominated me, and because you don’t know that, you don’t expect to ever have that phone call. I’m speechless!”

Also awarded an MBE was Corporal Pardeep Kaur, The Royal Logistic Corps attached to the Royal Welsh for her work with the British South Asian Committee

Brigadier David Colthup for four years Director Operations; Army Recruitment and Initial Training at Upavon was made Commander of the Order of the Bath

Major General Simon Graham, late KRH and currently Director of Reserves, at Andover has been made a Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (CB) as has Lieutenant General James Swift, Chief of Defence People who Commanded 2 Royal Welsh and in 2018 was Commander 3rd Division

ESTONIA UPDATE

After a Christmas break which included a visit by PM Richie Sunak, a Christmas cake competition and a multi-national boxing competition  coordinated by The King's Royal Hussars, with 24 soldiers from the UK, Poland, Slovenia, Latvia, Czech Republic and Estonia, it was work as usual as they deployed onto the ranges in sub-zero conditions.