Post by aghart on Apr 5, 2023 11:06:04 GMT
17 people sat down & 8 on Zoom for the April 2023 branch meeting.
Members were informed of the funeral on 20th April 2023 for ex WO Colin Mowbray 2 RTR at the Harbour View Crematorium at Lytchett Minster. Neither the Chairman or Secretary is able to attend so the call went out for volunteers. The recap of activity included the wreath laying in Bournemouth (Lawson 105) a presentation to Poole Sea Cadets and an RAF funeral ( a call was put out to the veteran community for people to attend).
Members were reminded of the remembrance service at West Lulworth on Saturday 15th April, and the plan to retire to the Castle Inn for refreshments afterwards. It was confirmed that the branch would be represented at the ANZAC Day service in Weymouth on 25th April 2023. Members were informed that due to a clash of events we would not now be travelling to Slapton Sands for the Exercise Tiger service.
It was announced that Dave Roberts & Mick Everton have been allocated tickets for the Founders day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The branch BBQ will be held on Saturday 12th August 2023 at the Ponderosa ( Frank Howell's Garden). It was confirmed that our Flagship event, the Ladies Lunch will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024. The location is the RNLI College in Poole.
With no further business the meeting closed and the guest speaker was introduced.
John Colton is a retired RTR officer and is a trustee for the Royal Armoured Corps Benevolent Trust. He was the project manager for the creation of the newly rebuilt RAC Memorial Room at the Tank museum. He explained the 3 aims of the trust
1. To provide support for those RAC veterans who are in need
2. To promote the "espirt de corps" by funding expeditions for serving soldiers
3. To honour the 12,619 men who have died in service with the Royal Armoured Corps since it was formed.
His presentation dealt with number 3 on the list. The RAC Memorial Room was a non discript room that 99% of the 230,000 visitors to the Tank Museum did not even notice when they were visiting the site. He was charged with rebuilding the room, bringing it into the 21st century, making it a memorial worthy of the name , and giving it the "WOW" factor. He went into detail regarding the constraints he had to work with regarding the space he had to work in and the other exhibits. He had us all amused with the story of the father & son team working on the frame of the new room. He told us the story of the centrepiece ( Comet Tank Crew) of the room and how it was important to show all the books with the names of the fallen. It has now been digitalised and is inter active. He showed the video that runs constantly in the new exhibit which tells individual stories of some of those lost. It was an enthralling presentation which had everyone engrossed, so much so that we forgot to take any photo's. I have been to the Tank Museum recently and seen the new completed RAC Memorial Room, it is outstanding, visually striking, and instead of a non descript room that no one noticed when they passed it, it is a masterpiece and I defy anyone to walk past it without going in. It has the "wow" factor, Job done.
Although there are no photo's, the link will hopefully take you to the video I took when I visited the new RAC Memorial Room about 10 days ago.
www.facebook.com/tony.hart.549/videos/186515610828821
Members were informed of the funeral on 20th April 2023 for ex WO Colin Mowbray 2 RTR at the Harbour View Crematorium at Lytchett Minster. Neither the Chairman or Secretary is able to attend so the call went out for volunteers. The recap of activity included the wreath laying in Bournemouth (Lawson 105) a presentation to Poole Sea Cadets and an RAF funeral ( a call was put out to the veteran community for people to attend).
Members were reminded of the remembrance service at West Lulworth on Saturday 15th April, and the plan to retire to the Castle Inn for refreshments afterwards. It was confirmed that the branch would be represented at the ANZAC Day service in Weymouth on 25th April 2023. Members were informed that due to a clash of events we would not now be travelling to Slapton Sands for the Exercise Tiger service.
It was announced that Dave Roberts & Mick Everton have been allocated tickets for the Founders day Parade at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The branch BBQ will be held on Saturday 12th August 2023 at the Ponderosa ( Frank Howell's Garden). It was confirmed that our Flagship event, the Ladies Lunch will be held on Saturday 20th January 2024. The location is the RNLI College in Poole.
With no further business the meeting closed and the guest speaker was introduced.
John Colton is a retired RTR officer and is a trustee for the Royal Armoured Corps Benevolent Trust. He was the project manager for the creation of the newly rebuilt RAC Memorial Room at the Tank museum. He explained the 3 aims of the trust
1. To provide support for those RAC veterans who are in need
2. To promote the "espirt de corps" by funding expeditions for serving soldiers
3. To honour the 12,619 men who have died in service with the Royal Armoured Corps since it was formed.
His presentation dealt with number 3 on the list. The RAC Memorial Room was a non discript room that 99% of the 230,000 visitors to the Tank Museum did not even notice when they were visiting the site. He was charged with rebuilding the room, bringing it into the 21st century, making it a memorial worthy of the name , and giving it the "WOW" factor. He went into detail regarding the constraints he had to work with regarding the space he had to work in and the other exhibits. He had us all amused with the story of the father & son team working on the frame of the new room. He told us the story of the centrepiece ( Comet Tank Crew) of the room and how it was important to show all the books with the names of the fallen. It has now been digitalised and is inter active. He showed the video that runs constantly in the new exhibit which tells individual stories of some of those lost. It was an enthralling presentation which had everyone engrossed, so much so that we forgot to take any photo's. I have been to the Tank Museum recently and seen the new completed RAC Memorial Room, it is outstanding, visually striking, and instead of a non descript room that no one noticed when they passed it, it is a masterpiece and I defy anyone to walk past it without going in. It has the "wow" factor, Job done.
Although there are no photo's, the link will hopefully take you to the video I took when I visited the new RAC Memorial Room about 10 days ago.
www.facebook.com/tony.hart.549/videos/186515610828821