Page 85 - Bugle Autumn 2023

ASSOC & WELLBEING
A Peninsula in the South Seas or is it the other way round?
Recently, I had the pleasure of hosting several serving Fijian Riflemen for a meeting, at the regiment’s beautiful and historical RHQ in Peninsula Barracks, Winchester. It was well attended and proved very useful in discussing the potential appetite for
a Fijian branch of The Rifleman’s Association including ways to achieve this given the spread of serving and veteran Riflemen across the UK.
There is much to be celebrated culturally within a potential Fijian branch of TRA, which may be based around an existing centre, but could also possibly float across the regions to meet the geographical reach of everyone. There is still much to cement but the appetite is definitely there, and I look forward to identifying opportunities for this to become a reality.
PEGASUS BRIDGE
This year’s D-Day celebration was the perfect opportunity for Lt
Col (retd) Baz Melia and me to visit Pegasus Bridge; it’s place in regimental history is well documented but to see it first-hand really does focus the mind to the successful execution of a daring plan, against the odds, with great courage.
We also took the opportunity to visit several of the Normandy landing beaches and view the newly opened British Normandy Memorial at Gold Beach. Additionally, and of note, this was the perfect opportunity to start planning in earnest for The Rifles Association visit in 2024, which will be the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
to see it first-hand really does focus the mind
RIFLES The Bugle 85
THE RIFLEMAN’S ASSOCIATION (TRA)
Earlier in the year I took up the role of Associations and Wellbeing with the objective of bringing all RIFLES veterans, as well as forming and antecedents, together. Generally speaking, veteran involvement can be hit and miss, and it is clear there is a lot of hard work to be done to get everyone to buy into the concept – but I hope that over time it will happen, and individuals will reap the benefits.
well-attended, with a thriving social event calendar. The branches in the NW, Central and Southern regions are still a work in progress. Much of this is down to a combination of factors including the strength of antecedent regimental associations. How does RHQ turn this around? First and foremost, advice was sought from the former RIFLES Command Serjeant Majors and Rifleman’s Adjutants to get a good read out from various generations of RIFLES veterans, as to what may perhaps be the way forward.
RIFLES veterans are trickling into the branches
into the branches, but that is not enough and RHQ is looking at ways of getting out there to engage with veterans and harnessing existing vehicles they use to engage, under their own steam. The benefits of more frequent engagement are well-known to many but perhaps not appetising to younger veterans, without incentive; this is the challenge faced.
Growth of branches of The Rifleman’s Association has historically been pedestrian at best, with the NE branch being the most
It is clear that RIFLES veterans are trickling