Welsh Cavalry sharpen marksmanship in live-fire training

Soldiers from 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards have completed a week of live-fire marksmanship training in Cumbria aimed at maintaining combat readiness and weapons proficiency, according to the British Army.

Personnel from B and C Squadrons deployed to the Warcop training area, where they practised firing drills from multiple positions, including prone, kneeling and standing. The activity was intended to reinforce accuracy, muscle memory and confidence across individual and collective shooting skills.

Trooper Alan Fayle said the focus on fundamentals remained critical to operational effectiveness. “Every soldier needs to be able to shoot and shoot well – that’s why this training is essential. Every shot you take on the range builds the skills that could save lives when it counts.”

The training also allowed soldiers to refresh skills that may degrade over time. Range Conducting Officer Second Lieutenant Ivan Hanbury said sustained time on the ranges was key to reversing skill fade. “Some people won’t have fired a pistol before, others may not have fired a pistol in a few years, so skill fade happens. To be lethal on operations you need to be able to do this, so these ranges are really beneficial.”

According to the regiment, the package included progression from individual marksmanship through to pairs fire and manoeuvre and section-level drills, linking shooting accuracy with communication and coordination under pressure.

Major Steph Shallow, Officer Commanding C Squadron, said the ranges underpin both individual and team effectiveness. “Range training is the foundation of military readiness – it’s where individual marksmanship skills are developed, and team effectiveness is built.” She added that “every shot fired reinforces not just our marksmanship, but our ability to work as a team where clear communication and mutual support become automatic.”

The training cycle also includes firing from Jackal vehicles, reflecting the regiment’s reconnaissance role. The Welsh Cavalry operate a range of weapon systems, including the SA80 Individual Weapon, pistols, General-Purpose Machine Guns, Heavy Machine Guns and Grenade Machine Guns, primarily mounted on the Jackal platform.