Page 35 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

Millbank Branch Corps Day
20 March 2016
On a bright but chilly Palm Sunday morning a group of 65 Millbank members and friends arrived outside the Tower of London for our annual Corps day service at the Chapel Royal of St Peter and Vincula. This was a change from our normal venue, the beautiful chapel at the Chelsea Hospital, which is being lovingly restored as part of an extensive building renovation programme.
We were ushered into the West gate entrance (which clearly stated no entrance which in itself is always very exciting!) and were invited to form into ranks of three behind the uniformed officers and soldiers.
Our Standard was carried high behind the band of the Queen’s guard and we were greeted very enthusiastically by The Reverend Canon Roger Hall MBE who was waving branches of palm. The traditional handmade palm crosses were distributed to everyone present.
Roger Hall proclaimed that he was delighted to have so many nurses and we marched proudly to the chapel
entrance. We were, of course, also by now a tourist attraction and cameras were flashing all around us. The service was a beautiful and traditional sung matins. Colm Carey, master of music, led the choir and the singing was joyous. It was an honour and privilege to be there.
We then travelled across to Braganza Street for our traditional AGM and curry lunch with raffle.
The AGM started with the acknowledgment of the sad passing of our member Diane O’Brien. We stood for a minute’s silence to pay our respects. The AGM continued with a briefing about the proposed changes to the Corps and we discussed the future of the QAs in light of the imminent changes.
The curry lunch was a splendid affair, which also included a vegetarian curry too. The usual raffle followed and soon the day was over.
Alison Browne
THE GAZETTE QARANC
33
BRANCH NEWS
Scottish Branch
Membership now stands at 91 members; the oldest celebrated her 99th birthday in May. Seven new members have been added this last year. Representatives of the Association attended the National War Memorial Service, the Opening of the Garden of Remembrance, and laid the QARANC wreath at the Remembrance Day service at the City Chambers in Edinburgh. The annual lunch again held in October at the Royal Scots Club was well attended.
Following our AGM in May, Mrs Mary Kenyon, Chair of the Falkirk, Stirling and Clackmannanshire branch of SSAFA, gave an overview of the role of SSAFA and how it
Scene 8 provided by David Rowlands and used with his permission.
has changed over the last few years.
On 7 Oct last year, as a guest of Maj Jean Thornton,
the Secretary attended the Scottish Parliament for the unveiling of a painting named ‘Service’ by David Rowlands, Military Artist. This coincided with the Battle of Loos where some 35,000 Scottish soldiers took part.
The painting demonstrates the close connections shared between the Army and Scottish Society, since the outbreak of the 1st World War to present day and also the relationship between the Army in Scotland and its Parliament.
Twenty two scenes document the century of Scottish soldering. Scene 8 depicts the 9th (Scottish) Division, Casualty Clearing Station at the Battle of the Somme where nurses from the QAIMNS and RAMC doctors attend Scottish soldiers.
The painting was commissioned and funded by donations from the various regiments, trusts, associations and individual members of the Army family in Scotland. It is proposed that the painting will tour Scotland prior to being returned to the Parliament Art
Collection.
Should ‘Service’
be visiting your
area you should take the opportunity
to go and see it.
Isobel Gibson, Secretary.