Post by aghart on Jun 14, 2016 20:43:27 GMT
19 people were present for the June 2016 branch meeting. A minutes silence was held in memory of Col George Forty who died recently. Minutes of the May branch meeting were carried. Members were reminded of the two forthcoming Armed Forces Day parades, one at Weymouth and another at Burton (Christchurch). Members were also reminded of the Parade and Church service in Poole on 12th June to celebrate the 90th birthday of HM the Queen. The Branch Standard was paraded at this event. (see image)
Further details and expected numbers of those attending the RTR families and Association day at Tidworth on 2nd July were sorted. Application forms for the Cambrai Lunch at Bovington on 18th November were available to members. The discovery of and the subsequent cleaning of a previously unknown WWI Tank Corps grave in Poole Cemetery was announced to the branch membership. (Another one has since been discovered) It was agreed that the branch secretary would investigate a branch "sign" that could be placed on the outside wall of the Ex Servicemens Club to help advertise the branch. The Gloucestershire, Berkshire & Wiltshire Regimental Association (Bournemouth Branch) have already got a sign up which does look good, so, anything the infantry can do? The secretary confirmed he would be absent for the July meeting as he is on holiday.
The Chairman then closed the meeting and introduced the guest speaker, WOII Terry Dove, Light Dragoons, is the chairman of the new Bovington Branch of the Royal British Legion.
Many will recall that there was a Legion branch for many years but it sadly closed some time ago. With the opening of the Clouds Hill pub in Bovington ( there is a much larger civilian population in Bovington now) no thought was given to a legion branch. The Clouds Hill pub did not succeed and has now closed down. With no community focal point for the population of Bovington (Military and Civilian) thoughts turned to the possibility of forming a new branch of the RBL and with it a branch club. Serving soldiers have taken on the main roles initally with the hope that locals can move into them eventually. The Dorset County branch has now been closed down and most of the members (including me) transferred to the new branch. This has given the Bovington branch a large membership base which has allowed it to progress to the next phase, a branch club! Plans are well advanced to take over the now defunct Clouds Hill pub site and open it as the new RBL club. A brewer (Greene King) has shown interest in helping, my immidiate thought was "hmm Abbott Ale, excellent" Virtually all the criteria needed to open the branch and club have been met so it looks like "Thunderbirds are Go!"
Terry's presentation was well received and lots of questions were asked. We wish them well in their new venture. If you are not a member of the RBL and have no local branch near you, or do not want to belong to a local branch, then why not consider joining the Bovington branch? your subscriptions will help this fledgling group, it will provide another watering hole whenever you visit Bovington, it will allow you to bid for tickets for the Festival of Remembrance at the Albert Hall and finally, your Legion membership card will allow you to visit any Legion Club if you are visiting anywhere in the UK.
Fear Naught