Page 121 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
RLOCA and Branches
The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own) Old Comrades Association (RLOCA)
On a cold Whitehall winter’s morning nearly 5 years on from the amalgamation of QRL with 9/12L, forming the Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths’ Own), I was honoured to find myself marching with approximately 100 Veteran Lancers (VL) from all the antecedent Regiments of Lancers and a former Serving Royal Lancer.
It was this realisation that took me back to December 2016, 18 months post amalgamation, when our then Col of the Regiment invited me to become Chairman of the Royal Lancers Old Com- rades’ Association (RLOCA) – a privilege that I was delighted to accept. I determined that I would do all I could to ‘unite’ our VL as one under the banner of the Royal Lancers while protecting antecedent heritage and tradition. Now three years on, I believe that the leadership of our VL community provides a unified and near optimal approach to supporting our VLs and their depend- ants within the RL Charitable Objectives of Remembrance, Net- working and Benevolence.
This year I have been extremely grateful to our Col of Regiment Col (Retd) Richard Charrington for his leadership and guid- ance; Home Headquarters and the Regimental Secretary Martyn Pocock, for his tireless support; Charitable Chairman Maj Gen (Retd) Robin Searby and Trustees; the Commanding Officer, RSM and Regiment for all their support to our Association and their kind invitation to the outstanding Regimental Weekend; my own Committee and Branch Chairmen, all of whom have provided superb day-to-day support to our VLs worldwide.
I am particularly grateful to our Committee Secretaries Capt (Retd) Robert Millar and Lt Col John Pearce Vice-Chairman 9/12L for their personal support and advice to me as Chairman. Also, my sincere thanks go to the antecedent Vice Chairman: Maj (Retd) Chris Knight, Vice-Chairman 16/5L; Capt (Retd) Rick Dzierozynski, Vice-Chairman 17/21L; Capt (Retd) Adam Westwood, Vice-Chairman QRL and Treasurer. I also sincere- ly thank our Liaison Members: Dick Boorman, CCOCA; Maj (Retd) Phil Watson, Assistant Regimental Secretary; Capt (Retd) Mick Holtby, Museums; Judith Bergstrand, Dependants; Capt Joe Cassidy RL (Serving Regiment), and YW Steve McMenamy, HM Tower of London Warder.
From the bottom of my heart I thank our Chairmen who are outstanding leaders of our VLs across our nation’s regions; they are: Dick Boorman, Tim Constantino, Ron Cross, Stephen Hop- kinson, Ian Pothecary, Craig McIntyre, Maj (Retd) John Sewell BEM, Gary Bagnall, Alf Smith, Clive Bergstrand, Des O’Connor, and Andrew Carlton. I would also like to thank Liz Draper for her incredible leadership and support in running the Weymouth Dinner for 26 years – we wish Liz a happy retirement.
To our Branch Members, I say thank you for all that you do in supporting our multitude of events. I am privileged to meet many of you around the country and I thoroughly enjoy sharing news. Thank you for your continued support.
Without the Committee and Branch Chairmen’s support all that is done day-to-day to ensure support within our charitable ob- jective remit would not be possible. Everyone is a volunteer and
Cenotaph Parade 2019 A day when Veteran Lancers of the RL, 9/12L, 16/5L, 17/21L and QRL were on parade
all need thanking for everything that they do; so, I say to you all – Thank You.
If my starter intent had been to ‘unite’, now 5 years on from amalgamation my aim is ensure we are an organization that is ‘relevant’ for future VLs, one that they recognise, feel comfort- able with and want to join and benefit from. It is my absolute desire that a Serving Lancer and their dependants can, on de- parture, enter the VL fold under the umbrella of the wider Royal Lancers, in which they can find peace and a welcoming home providing Remembrance, Networking and Benevolence.
I believe that we are now united as one without fear of losing antecedent history or tradition. While working to ensure we re- main as one, within The Royal Lancers umbrella alongside the serving Regiment and supported by our Charitable Trust, I will be guiding and asking our Committee and Branch Chairmen to look to the future to ensure we are ready to provide a community that welcomes and supports our new generation of VLs as they arrive.
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