The Royal Green Jackets Association
OXFORD BRANCH The past year has been yet another busy one for the Oxford Branch.
In November the Branch participated in the Remembrance Parade in St Giles and laid wreaths on behalf of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and the Royal Green Jackets.
A small band of members continue to meet on “1st Tuesday” in the Volunteers Club of Edward Brooks Barracks the home of A Company 7 Rifles and the Branch continues to hold a variety of events throughout the year. Two Lunches (Spring and Autumn), the Oxford Reunion, Band Concert and occasional visits make up the normal activity. Inevitably these tend to attract mainly the retired, but numbers for our lunches normally approach capacity.
The Branch once again attended and participated in the Turning of Pages Ceremony on the 11th November, where the event took place in the Cathedral and following the main Remembrance Service the Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire ( Tim Stevenson) and The Rifles Colonel – Oxfordshire ( Mike Montague) laid a wreath in the Regimental Chapel.
We said goodbye to Mike Marr in mid-2018, the support he gave to the Branch and wider Association cannot be underestimated; we continue to find things that he did and we have forgotten about!
There are now additional Books of Remembrance thanks to the efforts of our President, Brigadier Robin Draper and our Chairman Terry Roper that were installed this year. These new books now incorporate the names of the Royal Green Jackets and Rifles from 1966 until the present day.
The Annual Band Concert continues to be a success and was well attended. We can always do with more people to attend and the weather has not let us down yet. The Waterloo Band are always excellent and deserve our support.
The former barracks at Cowley has been the subject of much discussion, for following the departure of British Telecom who had occupied most of the site since the 1960s, a redevelopment into student accommodation has taken place. Considerable local efforts and negotiation ensured that an unveiling of memorials to the 43rd & 52nd at the development of the former Cowley Barracks took place.
The Branch also sponsor the Reunion on the Saturday evening before Remembrance Sunday. While this grew out of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Reunion it is now a focus for the RGJ Association and because of being held over the Remembrance Weekend now attracts interaction between A Company of 7 Rifles and the Veterans.
A good number of veterans together with representatives of Unite Students and the University attended to watch a plinth unveiled at the new halls of residence for students for Oxford Brookes University where 885-rooms have been created.
The increased tasking given to the Waterloo Band and health and safety rules, have restricted their capacity to support the reunion, but we are grateful to have secured the Corunna Band of the Oxfordshire (Rifles) Battalion Army Cadet Force who provide a musical display. They prove there seems nothing wrong with today’s youth and are a superb advertisement for their battalion.
It is hoped that the links created between Unite and the University will be of benefit to the current Regiment going forward. (An article covering this event is included in S&B - Editor)
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