Lance Corporal John Livingston, 36, from Plymouth and his Challenger 2 Main Battle Tank crew have made regimental history, whilst serving in Estonia as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP).
The four soldiers normally based with the Royal Wessex Yeomanry in the South West of England are believed to be the first fully formed crew from the British Army’s Armoured Reserve Regiment, to serve on Operations since the Second World War.
The last time a reservist tank crew from the regiment’s antecedent units deployed was almost 80 years ago in 1944, when the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry were deployed to Italy and took part in the advance on Rome.
John, who lives in Mutley, achieved the historical milestone whilst deployed with the Royal Tank Regiment Battlegroup on Operation Cabrit, the name of the UK operational deployment established to demonstrate that the Alliance stands united, to respond to any threat to the security of the Baltic Sea region.
Originally from Oxford he has been with the Yeomanry for seven years, his only other overseas tour was to Germany last year. Explaining his role on the 72-tonne tracked vehicle, he said:
“As the operator, I lower the ammunition into the gunner so he can fire at the target. I also help out and assist the commander, listen to the radios but quite possibly the most important job is making sure everyone has hot meals and drinks.”
The part time soldier who has been working alongside the Danish, French, and host nation Estonian forces continued:
“I work for the Theatre Royal Plymouth, in a front of house capacity, receptionist and stage door keeper. I’m part of two different worlds, on the one hand the performing arts and theatre is something I’ve always loved, and then to come out here and do something completely different, to be part of the British Army is an amazing feeling.”
The Royal Wessex Yeomanry formed in 1971 through the amalgamation of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, and the Royal Devon Yeomanry were joined in 1999 by the Dorset Yeomanry and in 2014 by A Squadron of the Royal Yeomanry.
When asked about being part of his regiment’s history in their 50th Anniversary year, he said:
“To serve on operations is something I’ve always wanted to do, to serve on operations as part of the first Reservist tank crew since the Second World War that’s something special. To do it as part of our regiment’s anniversary just adds to the significance of what we are doing out here.”
