The GreenJackets Jackets Association The Royal Royal Green Association
Wiltshire Branch Report Greetings from the Wiltshire branch. Well 2018 was quite an eventful year as we commemorated the 100 years since the end of the 1st World War. The branch was involved in a number of events for this and it was great to see the support given by the local population for this great occasion. We have a number of set engagements with the local community each year and these help to keep the badge in the public eye. We started off the year by attending the Warminster Council Civic Service. This is a church service in the Minster church and is attended by a number of local dignitaries including the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and our local MP along with a good number of organisations both civilian and military. It’s amazing the amount of people that come up to us and say things like “I remember you bloody lot in Celle/Minden/ Munster/Osnabruck” to which we all feign innocence and say “I was on leave when that happened” The next event was with the RBL support to the Forces March which was held in May. This is a distance of 137 miles and it follows the route of the legendary ww2 training march from Ilfracombe to Bulford over 5 days by Major Howard and his company from the 2nd Bn Ox and Bucks, later immortalised for his commanding the glider force which attacked and captured the Caen canal bridge, later renamed Pegasus bridge. This march/ marathon is open to all and is the equivalent of 5 marathons in as many days. We take no part in this strenuous exercise mainly on doctors orders, however we do man the vitally important water stop outside the Red Lion pub in Heytesbury. After the last runner/group has passed through we then refresh ourselves in the said pub and sit down to a lovely Sunday dinner. The County Armed Forces Weekend was a great success and whilst we didn’t have a stand ourselves we were there as spectators or assisting the RBL with their display. A number of us attended the annual church service for the Armed Forces day in the Chapel of Saint Lawrence in Warminster. This year the main national event is taking place in Salisbury so it should be good day. The annual Veterans Day at SJM Bks was attended by many in the branch and whilst it was never going to outdo the previous year it was enjoyed by all that attended. August was a busy month. On the 6th Mike Walsh the chairman departed for France and Belgium to take part in the RBL Great Pilgrimage 90. This was a massive event and thousands of members and representatives helped The Royal British Legion recreate the 26
26
Swift & Bold Journal 2018
Swift & Bold Journal 2018
