Annual Report for 2008

Our Branch Visit to Jaguar Castle Bromwich

Branch members were the guests of Jaguar Cars, courtesy of Stratstone Jaguar in Derby, where one of the members had bought a new car. Stratstone very kindly provided a coach to take 19 members to the factory in Castle Bromwich.

On arrival, we were given an introductory presentation which highlighted the strong links between the factory and the military. These links dated back to the days of World War II when Spitfire and Lancaster aircraft had rolled off the production lines.

Nowadays however, the facility is the home of the latest in the range of Jaguar Cars – the XF which had recently been introduced into service amid much press acclaim.

After a video outlining the design and marketing philosophy behind the car, we were escorted in two parties around the plant. We saw all aspects of vehicle production from creation of the body through assembly of the drive train and the final assembly of the car.

At the conclusion of the tour we were given time to look around the 2 display models in the showroom and to peruse items in the shop for those who wished to take home a souvenir of their visit.

We travelled back in the coach and those who had driven their colleagues to Stratstone’s customer parking and left their cars there were delighted to discover they had been given a free valet while they were away!

 We rounded off our day out by adjourning to the Rolls Royce Club in Derby for a buffet and a few beers, a chance to relax and discuss what we had seen during our visit and for some, to try to figure out how to own one of the new “leapers”.

2008 Annual Dinner

Planning began in earnest in early June for the 2008 Annual Dinner. David Marshall (Dinner Secretary) met with the Mess Manager of the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess and the Station RSM to discuss our return to use the Mess facility for our Annual Dinner.

Thanks to the generosity of the RSM and his Mess Committee we were offered a grant to the Branch, this kind gesture enabled use to confirm our booking for November 14th.

Work then progressed to agree the menu options and circulate these to our members. We issued official invitations to the Camp Commandant, Adjutant and RSM and their partners, our Honorary Chelsea Pensioner – Fred Brunger and, as our principal guest for 2008, – Brigadier (Retd) Tony Ball CBE – the Corps Secretary. 

We managed a success rate of just less than a 50% on our invitations with the Camp Commandant, Adjutant and their wives having previous engagements. Fred Brunger felt he could not turn down a trip to the Caribbean, and apologised for declining the invitation (very strange??).

 We were, however, delighted to be able to welcome Brigadier Tony Ball and RSM WO1 Neil and Mrs Caroline Waters. We were similarly delighted when Fred Cooper, a long term member of the Branch and founder member of the Corps, (who had landed on the beaches in Normandy), agreed to attend on the “Top Table” in honour of his service with both the Corps & Association.

We also welcomed a group of approximately 10 colleagues from the RAOC with whom we maintain close relationships between the Associations.

Grace was said by Father Brentnall, 80 members and guests sat down to a superbly cooked and well presented supper accompanied by various hand selected wines.

After the Loyal Toast and a toast to our Colonel in Chief, our President – Lt Col (Retd) John Woodall gave a summary of the Branch’s year and proposed a toast to the guests.

As RSM Waters had been scheduled to leave Chilwell early in 2009, we took the opportunity to present him with a crystal decanter and a bouquet of flowers to his wife Caroline, to thank them for their tremendous support to the Branch during his tenure.

After a short address, RSM Waters handed over to Brigadier Tony, who responded formally on behalf of the guests and gave us an update on the Corps’ activities and outlook – all of which was very positive.

After we had left the dining room, Tony Bunce and Dusty Miller ran a highly successful raffle where the first prize was a DAB Radio.

All the subsequent reports that were made both formally and informally, indicated that the evening had been a resounding success and everyone who had attended, had thoroughly enjoyed our major annual event.

As always thanks are given to all the volunteers who helped set the room up prior to the dinner and to issue the challenge for the 2009 dinner – follow that!!

Annual Branch Delegates Conference
Bailleul Sgts’ Mess – 5th July 2008

Brig (Retd) Jim Drew CBE (Chairman of the Executive Committee) opened the meeting and thanked delegates for their attendance. After apologies were noted, the minutes of the previous meeting were approved with 1 amendment.
Actions arising were addressed next which included adjustment of the annual reporting cycle to be from 1 July – 30 June; notification of Branches to apply for recruiting grants (Derby/Notts had done this prior to the meeting and had received their grant); notes on etiquette were to be printed on Reunion tickets; wishes passed to Director of Music; feedback on (Derby/Notts) Welfare records proposals was still outstanding; good response to marchers for the Cenotaph Remembrance Parade.

After a quick review of the Association Annual report, there was considerable discussion regarding recruitment with individual delegates putting forward creative ideas on how to improve recruitment at Branch and association levels.

Col Richard Bennett ( Regt Col) gave an update on progress for the REME Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA)Alrewas. The grand Opening date was still unknown as it would depend on the diary commitments of our Col in chief – Prince Philip.

Association Secretary – Capt Andy Anderson gave an overview of the Branch reports which generally showed Branches to be in good heart and following an interesting and diverse programme of events and activities. He followed that by a review of the 2008 Annual reunion which was agreed to have been a success with a few reservations regarding the organisation of Saturday's breakfast and the price / quality of wines. He explained that there had been a £21,000 overspend due to accommodation & meals which had been pre-booked but subsequently not taken up.

There then followed a discussion of the merits of various venues in Scotland for the 2009 reunion..

The Secretary reported that the Association central Website is now up and running –www.reme-association.org.uk

David Marshall ( Derby Notts) gave an overview of Project Santa and solicited support from all Branches.

Brig Drew informed delegates that the Association Handbook was in the process of being updated and amended and then brought the meeting to a close, and noted that this would be Andy Anderson’s last meeting in the role of secretary, and thanked him for all his efforts during his tenure. Andy responded and thanked all the branches for the support he had received. Next meeting to be first Saturday in July in Bailleul Mess.

Project Santa by David Marshall

The idea came about as a result of David Marshall, our Branch Treasurer and Vice Chairman, surfing the Internet to find a way to send parcels to Iraq at Christmas 2007.

Several options were available but these were largely led by local newspapers and radio and were focussed on primarily members of infantry regiments who have a tendency to recruit geographically.

As the Army’s technical Corps, REME recruit nationally and so there was no one to “lead the charge” to get Christmas Parcels for REME soldiers.

There is however, The REME Association, with 40 branches spread across the UK – so, the germ of the idea developed.

At the time the project was fired up – January 2008, it appeared that British troops would have completed their mission in Iraq and hence Project Santa was “Let’s mobilise the branches to each send 10 parcels to REME soldiers in Afghanistan”. And so it evolved.

David spoke with the Association Secretary & the Regimental Colonel, he and Andy Anderson contacted the OIC Post & Communications in theatre – we looked at the most efficient way to get the parcels to the REME troops, we needed dates, dates that would  ensure we did not snarl up other Christmas mail.

We needed to know what the criteria was concerning the size and weight of the parcels, to attract free postage.

Contact points in theatre were established and then we pressed the“GO” button.

This resulted in a mail out from RHQ to launch the project in the middle of the year. A briefing paper was sent to each branch indicating some Do's and Don’ts regarding the contents that would and would not be accepted.

RHQ printed insert labels to ensure that we presented a unified “Association” image, but left space for individuals to write their own messages of support.

All of these were sent out along with Custom’s Declaration forms and pre-printed address labels to the nominated REME Soldier focal point in both theatres.

This was followed up by a short presentation at the Delegates conference in July.

By now support was growing and we had moved from a target of 400 parcels to receiving approx 560 pledged parcels – this was getting embarrassing!!

Well, the solution soon became apparent – all the predictions that we would have left Iraq in 2008 were clearly not going to happen, so, it was easy, extend the project scope to include all REME troops there too! – the revised target became over 700 parcels.

The support for the project continued unabated, there were Church groups, PROBUS groups, a town council, REME TA soldiers on their annual camp, REME Reserve Officers’ dining club, member’s friends, even a ladies slimming club wanted to show support and loyalty to our (REME) troops in theatre.

At the Branch level shops were making donations to individuals. In the Branches, each was given freedom as to how they raised the money to buy, beg or borrow the parcel contents. One of the appealing things about the parcels, I hope, was that each one would be different – other than the general guidelines mentioned earlier – it was up to individuals as to what was included.

In the end we probably collectively sent around 800 parcels to all ranks REME in Iraq & Afghanistan. As leader of this project I can only say how rewarding and humbling an experience it was in terms of receiving such a collectively fantastic response.

I am sure that we have raised the profile of the Association in the eyes of our serving colleagues and, last but by no means least, have helped sustain our colleagues in theatre in some small way.

Bell Foundry visit March 2008

 Taylors Eayre & Smith Ltd, Bell-founders are the largest bell-foundry in the world and one of only two in Britain. They have been casting bells here for over two hundred years and they cast the Great Paul bell in St Paul’s Cathedral, which at over 16 tonnes is the largest in the British Isles. The ancient Chinese were casting musical bells over 3,500 years ago. Our visit began in the museum where we were introduced to the wide variety of bells and bell making history.

On entering the foundry one is immediately aware that very little has changed here over the past two centuries, and it represents a unique opportunity to see skills and procedures which have hardly changed with the passing years. Casting a bell calls for a high degree of accuracy at all stages of its production in order to obtain purity of timbre in the finished bell. The slightest irregularity or fault may ruin the bell completely. The company provides a complete service and constructs the wooden bell-wheels, stays and sliders in the joinery shop and bell ropes are also made on site.

We were given a pre- tour insight by our guide in the museum who explained how a bell is made, the different types and their uses. Church bells were first cast in this country by monks from about 800AD. They are usually cast in bronze –‘bell metal’ – an alloy of 23% tin and 77% copper. The critical temperature required is to-day measured by instruments and a controllable furnace, the crucible is maneuvered by crane. It is astonishing to think how this temperature was achieved and maintained using ancient methods? We were very fortunate to witness the casting process during our visit an operation which occurs less frequently in modern times. The company operates a servicing facility which forms the bulk of their current work load. During preparation of a casting, which takes several days, moulding material, or loam, is made from high clay content sand with chopped hay and horse manure for binding, and is built up by hand. Once the bell is cast cooling takes about three to four days. The Great Paul bell cast in 1888 took two weeks to cool! (The casting template is still on-site)

Bell inscriptions and dates are cast into every bell, motifs and dedications are prepared separately and the ability to spell backwards is essential. Every bell produces more than one note when struck; the main note is the loudest. The overall sound is also made up of ‘harmonics’ – very important notes which affect the tone of a bell as do all musical instruments made up of various combinations of harmonics. An expert ear is required at this stage and a vertical borer to remove metal during tuning is used. In past times the hard and brittle metal was taken off by hand using a chipping hammer.

Loughborough is famous for its Carillon of 47 bells played by a Carrilloneur  at a clavier, each bell carries a dedication to the fallen of the First World War. The Memorial erected in 1923 is a tower rising to a height of 87ft which also houses the Regimental Museum of The Leicestershire Regiment. The visit was organized by Eric Chamberlain and suggested by Bill Andrews. We are grateful to both gentlemen for an unforgettable experience. A brilliant day out!

If you wish to visit the Foundry, have a look  at theirwebsite for more information.