Branch Meeting.
30 people sat down and 19 linked in via Zoom for the October 2024 branch meeting.
In the Green Fields section, we remembered Pam Curry a former member of the branch, Rod Cod ex 3 RTR and Viv Lawson wife of Marty Lawson and known to virtually all the 1 RTR folk sat down and on Zoom.
We welcomed new members Peter & June Gibbons who travelled from the New Forest to attend their first branch meeting. We also welcomed two visitors, John Evans & Evie Irving from the Wimborne (RTR badged) Detachment of the Army Cadet Force.
Minutes of the September branch meeting/2024 AGM were available to view.
Recent activity was limited in that we cleaned an RTR grave in Cerne Abbas, we visited Tom Gulliver a housebound 4 RTR veteran and 15 of us attended the Veterans breakfast at the Foundry Arms in Poole.
Forthcoming activity includes laying a wreath in Bournemouth (80th anniversary of death) and replacing the Moreton Bench wreath with a new donated wreath.
Volunteers were requested to help man the RBL Poppy stand in the Dolphin Centre Poole 26th October - 9th November.
The branch agreed to contribute £150 to help pay for the Remembrance Day reception Buffet in the Centenary Club.
It was announced that the Cambrai Lunch at Bovington on Friday 29th November would now be in the form of a Curry Lunch rather than a sit-down dinner. It will be preceded by a short Drumhead service in the Garrison Church.
Members were reminded to get the Ladies Lunch returns to the organisers before the cut-off point.
The secretary confirmed that the branch update for the next edition of the Regimental journal had been submitted. He also informed everyone that the publication of the journal will be in March 2025.
It was agreed to provide a wreath for Keith Humphries to lay at the Broadstone remembrance service in November where he will be the Parade Marshal.
It was confirmed that the guest speaker for November will be David Willey, curator of the Tank Museum. The subject is yet unknown, but experience tells us it will be fantastic, and experience tells us to expect a larger than average audience.
CAMBRAI LUNCH UPDATE
I was informed this morning that the drumhead service will begin at about 17.30hrs followed by the Curry meal in the WO’s & SGT’s Mess. So, the Curry Lunch is an evening event!
Following the end of the meeting we introduced the guest Speaker Stuart Wheeler the Tank Museum historian. Stuart gave the second part of his “The use of Armour in Burma during WWII” presentation.
In part one last year Stuart detailed the 1942 retreat in Burma highlighting the role of 7th Armoured Brigade consisting of 2 RTR & 7th Hussars. Part two was about the events from 1943 up to the liberation of Rangoon in 1945. He told us about 146 Regiment RAC (9th Bn Duke of Wellington’s Regiment) and their Valentine Tanks in the Arakan in 1943. This was the Regiment of Captain Tom Moore although he did not join the Regiment until later in the Campaign. 146 RAC only had 8 tanks at this time and suffered in the Arakan action. This led to a famous phrase about tanks in the Jungle “The more you use the fewer you lose”
Stuart went into detail about the almost invulnerable Japanese bunkers, how they were built and especially how quickly they were built. He explained how the arrival of M3 Lee/Grant tanks and their 75mm main guns helped develop tactics to overcome the Japanese bunkers. These tanks were considered unfit for Europe but were ideal for Burma and were more than a match for any Japanese Tank. They were considered by many to be superior to the M4 Sherman in Burma because they had two guns and were therefore more flexible.
It was a brilliant presentation made even better by the inclusion of Pathe news reels showing armour in Burma. There was so much more, too much for me to give a complete account of this excellent view of the Burma campaign and the often-overlooked importance of tanks in achieving victory.
Fear Naught
