Branch Meeting.
40 people were sat down with another 20 on Zoom for the April 2025 branch meeting. The physical presence did include several Royal Marines Association members who had accepted our invite to attend and listen to the guest speaker.
It was confirmed that the Regimental Journal had been published and that two branch copies were in circulation. Members were informed that application forms for those who wished to subscribe to the Journal were available.
The Chairman gave an ARRAS 85 update. The recap of activity included Reg Fox’s funeral (£140 was raised for the branch from donations on the day) and the RTRA sponsored church service & curry lunch.
Forthcoming activity. Members were reminded of ANZAC day in Weymouth on 25th April 2025 where the branch standard will be on parade and a branch wreath laid.
Members were informed that we had not received information regarding the proposed Exercise Tiger commemoration in Portland.
It was confirmed that Tommy Hallam & Mike Everton had been allocated tickets for the Not Forgotten Garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2025.
VE DAY 80. The branch Chairman & Secretary would lay a wreath at the War Memorial in Poole Park at 11am on 8th May 2025. The Potteries care home (location of a regular veteran’s breakfast) have an event at 1400hrs. The Chairman (with branch standard) & secretary will be attending a VE Day 80 service at the Buckland Road Baptist Church in Parkstone at 19.00hrs on the 8th May. Branch members were invited to join them. Various Cadet units will be present.
The proposed wreath laying in Poole Park on Saturday 10th May 2025 is now NOT happening. Members were informed that on the 10th May 2025 there is an all-day VE Day 80 music festival on Weymouth beach. We are also gaining access that day to a charity pleasure boat (MV Freedom) that will provide boat trips for veterans into Weymouth Bay with the possibility of spotting Dolphins. Those interested were asked to put their names forward.
The date for planned visit to the Houses of Parliament has been confirmed as Tuesday 17th June 2025 staring at 10.10hrs. It was announced that there will still some vacant places.
The guest speaker for May 2025 is Mike Stevenson who is giving a “Road to War” presentation which will act as an introduction to the visit to Arras.
It was confirmed that the October 2025 branch meeting will be held on the first FRIDAY (3rd October) to accommodate the guest speaker.
Lonnie Squires ex Royal Marines brought along interesting items regarding his father’s service in the Battle of El Alamein which was available to view.
The meeting then closed, and the guest speaker was introduced.
Major AL is the Officer Commanding, the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group (ASG) based at Stanley Barracks, Bovington. He gave us (and our Royal Marines Association visitors) an excellent presentation on the ASG, its history, current actions and likely future.
The ASG is not new to the Royal Marines. It was first created in WWII and the Marines were equipped with the Centaur IV with its 95mm close support gun. Centaur is a relative of the Cromwell Tank. It was used to great effect during the Normandy landings and beyond, supporting the ground troops as they advanced.
In more recent times The Royal Marines use the Hagguland BV all-terrain vehicle, mainly in Norway, but also in the Falklands. The BV was not armoured, and it became obvious that a more well protected vehicle was needed so the “Viking” was born. The Viking was used in Afghanistan where it’s base armour and added armour were a godsend. It still suffered from IED’s which is why the Warthog was developed.
Warthog was not however amphibious and so did not replace the Viking post Afghanistan, the amphibious Viking allows the Royal Marines to come from the sea and project inland quickly. It was interesting to hear that due to the drone threat dispersal was now the name of the game, reduce the size of the targets and reduce your losses. This of course is something the Royal Armoured Corps was doing 40 years ago in BAOR with “Troop hides” and squadrons only coming together for the battle before dispersing again. We were ahead of our time, but we didn’t know it.
AL told us that the ASG is its own entity and will support the Royal Marines anywhere in the world. He suggested that the “high north” is still the future main ground for the Royal Marines and the ASG. This is not being so much of a threat of a Russian ground attack like the old cold war days, since now both Sweden and Finland are onside, the conventional defence of the arctic is now much stronger. Now, the effect of climate change is beginning to open new arctic maritime trade routes, and the race is on to ensure they are and remain secure, and it is the highly mobile and specialised units like the Royal Marines who will be the main ground assets.
The mighty Viking is however coming to the end of its days, and a new multi-national vehicle will soon enter service.
There was a lot more, but I have had to leave a lot of sensitive stuff out so only those present get the full monty.
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| CENTAUR |
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| HAGGULAND BV |
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| VIKING |
Fear Naught
