Post by aghart on Nov 7, 2018 20:30:03 GMT
10 members present for this monthly branch meeting, a low figure but there is a reason. A group from the branch are representing the RTRA in France and Belgium over the Remembrance weekend, and they left for the continent yesterday, the day of the branch meeting.
As well as the Regimental march, the branch stood for the US national anthem, in respect to our guest speaker.
The minutes of the October 2018 branch meeting were carried. Dave Roberts gave an interesting description of his trip to the Great War battlefields with the Not Forgotten Association.
The Canadian wreath laying service was discussed, copies of the articles in the Bournemouth Echo and Brandon Sun (Canada) were available to view. Members were reminded that the branch standard would be paraded at Poole Park on Remembrance Sunday and a branch wreath will be laid by the President. A list of the WWI commemeration events being organised by Poole Borough Council was available to view.
Members were warned of road works near Westminster on the day of the RTR march to the Cenotaph. Those going to the Cambrai Lunch in Bovington were reminded that it has been requested that veterans wear the Brown/Red/Green Regimental tie for the group photo, rather than individual "tribal" Regimental ties. Volunteers were requested for the Solent Boat trip on Monday 17th December with the Not Forgotten Association. Members were requested to ensure they get their Ladies Lunch returns in on time. It was confirmed that the Weymouth Armed Forces Day parade for 2019 is on Sunday 23rd June. Finally, Members were reminded to bring food for the December social meeting.
The Secretary then closed the meeting and introduced the Guest Speaker.
Lynwood Newman, a resident of Weymouth, is a retired Master Sgt in the US Air Force Police, who served in SE Asia during the final stages of the Vietnam War. He did spend "3 hours" in Saigon, otherwise his service was at a US Air Base in Thailand, close to the Vietnam border. He explained who was based at his airbase, the equipment used, including large numbers of vintage Skyraiders, propeller driven strike aircraft, which were used in large numbers as they were cheaper than jets and still very effective. Political correctness was evident at the base, .50 Browning machine guns were taken off vehicles and retuned to the US because they were "too deadly". Instead they were issued M60 7.62mm machine guns. They would of course still tear you to bits if you got caught in a burst of fire, but you would be torn to shreads in a "less deadly" fashion, and so that was deemed ok.
Also local Thai military personnel helped create "intelligence files" and assisted with the interpretation of this information, "but" were barred from seeing the final article! "US eyes only" There was no real danger of cross border Viet Cong attacks on the base, but nothing could be taken for granted, so security was very tight. They had a visit from the Thai King and his wife, all went well on the base and the Royal couple left safely by air for Bangkok, A Thai politician on a seperate helicopter went down in "suspicious" circumstances.
He also served in Italy and the UK. He has been back to Italy, lives in the UK, but has never had the urge to return to SE Asia.
His presentation was well received by those present.
A very good meeting.
Fear Naught.
As well as the Regimental march, the branch stood for the US national anthem, in respect to our guest speaker.
The minutes of the October 2018 branch meeting were carried. Dave Roberts gave an interesting description of his trip to the Great War battlefields with the Not Forgotten Association.
The Canadian wreath laying service was discussed, copies of the articles in the Bournemouth Echo and Brandon Sun (Canada) were available to view. Members were reminded that the branch standard would be paraded at Poole Park on Remembrance Sunday and a branch wreath will be laid by the President. A list of the WWI commemeration events being organised by Poole Borough Council was available to view.
Members were warned of road works near Westminster on the day of the RTR march to the Cenotaph. Those going to the Cambrai Lunch in Bovington were reminded that it has been requested that veterans wear the Brown/Red/Green Regimental tie for the group photo, rather than individual "tribal" Regimental ties. Volunteers were requested for the Solent Boat trip on Monday 17th December with the Not Forgotten Association. Members were requested to ensure they get their Ladies Lunch returns in on time. It was confirmed that the Weymouth Armed Forces Day parade for 2019 is on Sunday 23rd June. Finally, Members were reminded to bring food for the December social meeting.
The Secretary then closed the meeting and introduced the Guest Speaker.
Lynwood Newman, a resident of Weymouth, is a retired Master Sgt in the US Air Force Police, who served in SE Asia during the final stages of the Vietnam War. He did spend "3 hours" in Saigon, otherwise his service was at a US Air Base in Thailand, close to the Vietnam border. He explained who was based at his airbase, the equipment used, including large numbers of vintage Skyraiders, propeller driven strike aircraft, which were used in large numbers as they were cheaper than jets and still very effective. Political correctness was evident at the base, .50 Browning machine guns were taken off vehicles and retuned to the US because they were "too deadly". Instead they were issued M60 7.62mm machine guns. They would of course still tear you to bits if you got caught in a burst of fire, but you would be torn to shreads in a "less deadly" fashion, and so that was deemed ok.
Also local Thai military personnel helped create "intelligence files" and assisted with the interpretation of this information, "but" were barred from seeing the final article! "US eyes only" There was no real danger of cross border Viet Cong attacks on the base, but nothing could be taken for granted, so security was very tight. They had a visit from the Thai King and his wife, all went well on the base and the Royal couple left safely by air for Bangkok, A Thai politician on a seperate helicopter went down in "suspicious" circumstances.
He also served in Italy and the UK. He has been back to Italy, lives in the UK, but has never had the urge to return to SE Asia.
His presentation was well received by those present.
A very good meeting.
Fear Naught.