Page 18 - Chiron Calling Autumn 2019

RAVC Reservist educates schoolchildren By LCpl Anthony Crocker
101 MWD Sqn
At the end of the school year, LCpl Anthony Crocker, a schoolteacher and Head of Humanities from Bristol, led a Battlefield Tour with 29 students and 4 staff to Ypres and the Somme. Whilst this included a large amount of content for their GCSE, there was also the chance to reflect and remember the sacrifice of soldiers from all nationalities in the war. This was evidenced by both the Allied Cemetery at Tyne Cot, which includes four German soldiers, and the German cemetery at Langemarck, which comprises the bodies of two Allied soldiers. The scale of the war as evidences on both the Thiepval and Menin Gate memorials, coupled with the stories of the tunnelling companies and the great sacrifices made by all left a lasting impression on all participants.
The students went through an intensive 3 days schedule, visiting the following memorials and museums;
• The Yorkshire Trench and Dugout • The Thiepval Memorial
• The Menin Gate
• The Somme 1916 Museum
• The Lochnagar Crater • The Beaumont-Hamel
Newfoundland Memorial
• Tyne Cot Cemetery
• The Essex Trench and Dressing
Station; Famous for the location of the writing of “In Flanders Fields”.
• Langemarck German Cemetery • Ypres Western Front Museum LCpl Crocker teaches at a school
in a very deprived area, and many of these students simply would not have this opportunity if it was not organised for them. This included the application for funding and aid from various different agencies in order to make this trip a reality. To put this in context, 70% of the students had never before left the UK, and for one student the trip over on the Eurostar was their first ever ride on a train!
As well as being a teacher, LCpl Crocker is a reservist in 101 MWD Sqn. He also plays rugby and competes in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Editor’s note, just another example of how Army Reserves play their part both in the community and in the RAVC Reserve. ‘Twice the Citizen’ Well Done Cpl Anthony Crocker!
16 CHIRON CALLING
The RAVC Benevolence exists to help those in need. Be it those who are still serving or those who have served and their dependents are entitled to seek assistance from the RAVC Benevolence. Whereas different criteria have been set in the past, such as only the regular serving and ex-serving members who have completed Phase One training, served at least one day in the Regulars and only the Reservists who have had an operational deployment are entitled to benevolence, now all cases are considered on their need. The RAVC Benevolent Fund has a committee who are also members of the RAVC Council. Unless a benevolent case can be considered within the Regimental Secretary’s delegated authority, cases are considered by the Trustees at irregular intervals.
To have a sense of belonging is probably the most important factor that drives Regimental Benevolence. As we join the Army and a respective Corps we all acquire a sense of belonging when we join. In belonging to this community we benefit from a powerful sense of mutual support, of comradeship and of obligation to others in the regimental family.
• Assistance with funeral expenses for the wife of an ex-serving member.
• White goods for a serving member who had gone through a divorce.
• Financial assistance for an ex-serving member with an autistic child.
• Furniture for a flat for an 84 yrs old ex-RAVC National Serviceman.
• Financial help for someone whose
son was seriously ill.
• Financial help in setting up home for
someone on a medical discharge. Regimental Amenities is another section of RAVC Benevolence where supplementary grants are made for activities like adventurous training pursuits, the Annual Corps Reunion and all other key events in the Corps calendar such as the Corps Centenary in 2018, the annual morning service at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, Remembrance week, insurance for chattels and events, Memorials, Prizes for best students on Phase 2 Course and the RAVC Association website. During the present year we have also made grants for one of our Veterinary Officer who was selected for international pentathlon trials in China with the prospect of being chosen for the National team for the 2020 Olympics. We have also made another grant to a reservist to offset her personal cost for being selected to represent Team England in Roller Ball in
The RAVC Benevolent Fund generates its income primarily from the voluntary contribution from regular serving members through the Day’s Pay
Scheme (DPS). Funds
are also raised from
annual donations from
the Reservists and
Association members,
and dividends from
investments. On rare
occasions we also
receive a small legacy
from past members.
Request for support
from the RAVC Benevolence must be processed through a SSAFA, Royal British Legion or Officers’ Association case worker in the first instance. Having completed a ‘Form A’ at an initial interview, the caseworker will forward the request to the RAVC Regimental Secretary who will prepare the case for the RAVC Benevolence Trustees.
Upon receipt, a Benevolence case is recorded and a file is raised by the Army Medical Services Benevolence Manager at the Headquarters AMS. When processing a benevolent case, various factors are considered, and these include; the urgency of the help needed, number of young children affected, if the client is a home owner, weekly income and expenditure, savings, debts and the kind of help that is being asked for. All information on an individual are treated in the strictest of confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018.
On average, the RAVC Benevolent Fund considers between 10 and 15 case a year. We processed 14 cases in 2018 when over £10,000 was made in grants. Some examples of the grants made were for:
RAVC Benevolence
By the RAVC Regt Sec
'To have a sense of belonging is probably the most important factor that drives Regimental Benevolence'
the World cup in India. Additionally, £2000 is donated to the Army Medical Services Sports Union (AMSSU) as the RAVC’s annual contribution for all recognised sports by the AMSSU, including, football, rugby, skiing, sailing, free fall parachuting, show jumping, canoeing and athletics in order that RAVC members are allowed to take part in these
activities at a higher level.
As we have to rely on the monthly
voluntary donations from our regular serving officers and soldiers through the Day’s Pay Scheme and the annual donations from our Reservists, it is imperative that all serving members subscribe to the DPS. Soldiers on their Phase 2 course at the Defence Animal Training Regiment are given the opportunity to join the DPS at the end of their course. The Officer Commanding 101 Military Working Dog Squadron always includes a briefing on RAVC Benevolence to the Reservists in the Squadron prior to asking them to making an annual donation to RAVC Benevolence.
Finally, the Regimental Secretary relies on the RSMs of the Regiments to conduct an annual 100% check of their personnel to ensure that everyone is registered on the DPS.