Page 103 - RSDG Year of 2023

SOUTH WEST OF ENGLAND BRANCH
The South West Branch continues to build, focusing on the One Regiment Concept. In 2023 this theme has been continued with past and present members of the Regimental Family coming together. We have also continued to concentrate on the cost of living crisis to ensure that we know who might need some support.
The Committee has continued to grow. A serving member, Major Larry Lamb, has joined it, while Lieutenant Colonel Mick Mick Lillie has become the Deputy Chairman, and Major Ronnie Whiteside and Mr Alan Carcary have also become members.
Our Gathering in 2023 was held in a new venue and we would like to thank the PMC of the Bovington Garrison Officers Mess for allowing us to use the Mess and for the excellent dinner that they provided. It is likely that we will continue to use this new venue next year after spending many years at the Royal Wessex Headquarters. We are extremely grateful to the present and past commanding officers for the excellent support that the Royal Wessex gave us for very many years.
We were delighted that we were able to attend the Cenotaph Parade again this year with the Branch providing a number of the attendees. This is always a great event and we encourage as many people as possible to take part. Our retired Chairman, Lieutenant Colonel Mike Oliver, must have been one of the oldest on parade – congratulations to him. We would also like to congratulate him on the presentation of the Nuclear Test Medal which arrived just in time for the Cenotaph Parade – some 70 years after the event.
We continue to research the best way to keep everything together and we are looking to try to hold a family day in the south for the wider Regiment possibly combining with other Armoured Corp Regiments. Our Annual dinner will return in 2024 and will be held in Poole on 29 June.
The Bovington Gathering
EAGLE AND CARBINE 101
In the bar at the Bovington Gathering
In the bar at the Bovington Gathering
Lieutenant Colonel Mike Oliver on Horse Guards on Remembrance Sunday