The Blythe Sappers

60th Management Meeting

1100hrs Thursday 9th December 2010

The Army & Navy Club, London

 

Those Present:

            Sapper John Moore-Bick                Chairman

            Sapper Brian Pearce                        Vice Chairman

            Sapper Idris Pearce                         Chairman Designate 2011

            Sapper Bill Woodburn                     Chairman Designate 2012

            Sapper Roy Wilsher             Honorary Treasurer

            Sapper John Wilks                            Honorary Auditor

            Sapper Stuart Sinclair                      Link Member

Sapper Charles Holman                  Membership Secretary

Sapper John McLennan                  Honorary Secretary

 

1.         Item 1             Introduction. The Chairman welcomed all those in attendance and introduced Sapper Bill Woodburn to his first meeting.

                                  

2.         Item 2             Apologies for Absence. Apologies had been received from Colonel Sean Harris, Regt Colonel.

 

3.         Item 3             Minutes of the Previous Meeting. The Minutes of the 59th Meeting of the Blythe Sappers Management Committee had been published on the BS website for a month. The Minutes of the previous meeting were signed.

 

4.         Item 4.            Matters Arising.   The Chairman raised the following point:

a.       Historical Notes  --  The Secretary was asked again to press on with the production of the 10th edition  --  he agreed to with the aim to have them completed by the next meeting It was agreed that the format should be in A5 size.

 

5.         Item 5.            Finance.         Sapper Roy Wilsher referred to the Blythe Sappers Budget sheet and the BS Trial balance --  these are attached at Annex A.

 

a.       The Hon Tres drew the committees attention to item 14 where it was noted that there is £2K for donations having spent £900 to the Not Forgotten Association, £100 to the Church Restoration (last Principal Guest) and to Spr Martin (former Chairman deceased) a grant to charity of £50 leaving £1,000 to be allocated. The donation from Sapper Fitzmaurice of £50 was noted with thanks.

b.      After some discussion a decision was to be postponed till March 2011 when each Member was encouraged to suggest a suitable small charity  --  no decision today. (Veterans Aid & Combat Stress were considered as potential)

c.       The Comt authorised the Hon Tres & Hon Sec to approach the Clydesdale Bank about BACS and to report back to the Comt at the next meeting.

d.      It was agreed that a third signatory was required and it was agreed that the Membership Secretary Sapper Charles Holman should be included as a signatory.

e.       Are there any occasions or requests that are not actionable by the REA and where the Blythe Sappers could help.

f.       Costs of Lunches 2011. The Hon Sec drew the attention to the papers from the Army & Navy Club about next year’s lunches. After some discussion it was decided to recommend to the Members £54 per lunch and per person. Agreed unanimously.

 

6.         Item 6.            Corps & TA Report December 2010

                       

            The Corps Report and update is attached at Annex B. Sapper Holman elaborated on the detail

           

7.         Item 7.            Casualties since Last Meeting

                                    Deceased.      Sapper David Marques

                                    Resigned:      Nil

                                                                       

8.         Item 8.            Nominations for New Members

 

Nomination

Sponsor

Seconder

Colonel Jonathan Welch

Sapper Aidan Smyth

Sapper Jeremy Blades

 Approved

 

9.         Item 9             Attendance and arrangements for today’s Luncheon.

 

Principal Guest          Robert Rogers Esq. Clerk Assistant and Director General Chamber & Committee Services,  House of Commons     

                                                                        “Rebuilding Parliament”

            Total Number attending        113

            Number of Guests                 30

            Those to Rise                         3 (Sprs Hitman, Murphy,  Jackson)  

 

10.    Item 10  Any Other Business 

           

a.       The Committee thanked Sapper Brian Pearce for his contribution as a Member of the Committee and as Blythe Sappers Chairman 2009.

b.      Dates for 2011

                       

Wed 2nd March 2011              General the Lord Walker of Aldringham GCB CMG CBE DL

Wed 1st  June 2011                 Brigadier Professor Richard Holmes

Sat 6th Aug 2011                     Blythe Sappers Guest Night

Wed 28th Sept 2011                General Sir Richard Dannatt, GCB CBE MC

?? December 2011                  To be announced at a later date

                       

11.       Date of Next Meeting   The date of the next meeting will be Wednesday, 2nd March 2011 at 1100hrs under the Chairmanship of Sapper Idris Pearce.


Sapper Idris Pearce

Chairman

The Blythe Sappers 

Sapper John R McLennan

Honorary Secretary

The Blythe Sappers

 

          March 2011

      

15th January 2011

 

 

Annex A

BS Man Mtg Dec 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annex B

BS Mins Dec 10

BLYTHE SAPPERS – A CORPS UPDATE

AFGHANISTAN – OP HERRICK

 

·      Operations.  UK operations in Afghanistan over the summer period have focused on Central Helmand, although there has also been a high level of activity in the Upper Sangin Valley.  Significant tactical rebalancing has occurred following Op MOSHTARAK Phase 2 in order to ‘thicken’ the UK force in Central Helmand, better integrate with the Afghan Security Forces and, at the higher levels, develop relationships with the new US 2* HQ.  This activity has resulted in the requirement for increased quantities of tactical and operational infrastructure.  At the tactical level there is a growing emphasis on the provision of routes and bridges and the development of a greater number of tactical bases.

 

·      Command.  The establishment of HQ JF Engr, commanded at OF 5 level, within JF Sp(A) has been a great step forward, and considerable progress has been made in a number of important areas, such as: operational and tactical infrastructure coherence, the management of power, engineer capability development and engineer planning.  Engineer capacity in Theatre continues to be extremely taut and a number of specialist infrastructure surges have deployed to Theatre, including: Op BAM (infrastructure), FARADAY (power), VESICA (fuel) and IODINE (water).

 

·      Engr Gp.  21 Engr Regt has had a very successful tour, employing a broad range of engineer capabilities to provide the full gambit of support to TFH, from tactical infrastructure delivery, to mounted/dismounted close support.   The use of TALISMAN continues to broaden; and TROJAN and PYTHON have been used to good effect in support of a series of high profile RC(S) operations near Kandahar.  The Engr Regt Gp was supported throughout the summer by 69 Gurkha Fd Sqn (QGE), deployed on Op BAM.  23 Engr Regt (Air Asslt) replaced 21 Engr Regt in theatre in October. 

 

·      Works Group.  The Engr Wks Gp continues to support TFH operations as well as develop the infrastructure of the Main Operating Bases.  The quantity of operationally infrastructure, designed and managed by the Wks Gp, is at unprecedented levels.  The quantity of STRE Reconstruction and Development activity across Helmand continues to be significant.

 

·      CIED Task Force.  The C-IED TF has continued to successfully embody C-IED into the full spectrum of TFH operational planning and execution, raising levels of coherence, capability development and, importantly, conscience across the AO.  The principles of forward basing C-IED expertise and making C-IED awareness everybody’s business has paid dividends.  Both the Offensive (Attack the Network) and Defensive (Defeat the Device) aspects of the C-IED campaign have been supported. Along with Protecting and Preparing the Force, and supporting influence, these aspects are critical to defeating the C-IED system holistically.  There has been an incremental increase in IEDD, Search and High Assurance Search Dog numbers along with new or improved capabilities ranging from hand held detectors to specialist protected mobility.  The critical path remains LF’s ability to force generate specialists. 

 

·      Geographic Support.  The demand for geospatial personnel has continued apace. Numbers deployed have grown from 37 to 50 largely driven by the establishment of RC (SW).  These numbers reflect an increasing emphasis on the Exploit function and a realisation that data/information is at least as important as the platform or sensor from which it is obtained. 

 

·      Casualties.  These high levels of tactical activity have not been without cost.  The Op HERRICK 12 JF Engr Gp and C-IED TF suffered 7 killed and 14 seriously injured.

OTHER OPERATIONS

 

Middle East – Op TELIC.  The UK military mission to Iraq now consists of a small maritime training team of about 100 personnel, and elements of the NATO Training Mission (Iraq) of about 40 personnel.  There are no Engr force elements in Iraq, but Sappers continue to support a number of Air units based in the Middle East.  39 Engr Regt has conducted a highly successful Op STATURE deployment to OMAN, constructing infrastructure at MUSANAH which forms part of the ALoC for op HERRICK. Elements of 34 Fd Sqn (Air Sp) will continue this work over the winter. 

 

NI – Op HELVETIC.  The engr commitment to Op HELVETIC has now ceased.  Search support is provided under the same operational arrangements as elsewhere in the UK.

Cyprus – Op TOSCA.  The RE commitment to Op TOSCA remains a team of 5 and is allocated on a rotational basis to the Field Army.  

Falkland Islands.  The RE Maintenance Team of 11 is managed by APC as part of the Ops Commitments Establishment.

Sports (Remains extant from Mar 10 update)      Champions

o   Hockey - Inter-Corps, major and minor units.

o   Rugby Union

o   Rugby League

o   Swimming

o   Nordic Skiing

o   Biathlon

•      Devizes Westminster Canoe race - 3rd place overall.

•      2 triathletes to World Championships

•      3 members of the Army Judo team

•      6 members of the Combined Services Tae Kwon Do team

•      3 gold medals at the 27th World TKD Games (Southampton).

•      Combined Services Golf Champion.

 

RHQ RE Business

 

  • Reconfiguring to meet SDSR outcomes.
  • Preparing for the Corps Memorial Weekend.
  • Better managing the post-trauma support to families of the fallen.
  • Re-applying for Heritage Lottery Funding (HLF) – business case begun.
  • Front Entrance construct complete – Corps Today gallery work begun.
  • RHQ RE IT upgrade and,
  • RHQ RE moving to electronic banking by mid-Oct 10.

Future

•      Inst RE Launch at the Tower of London to launch the Corps’ authority to issue Eng Tech, IEng and CEng to members.

•      Improve understanding of military engineering through sponsoring the JPM events in London as well as reinforcing links with the worshipful companies and academic bodies.

•      Making available to the soldiers of the Corps, Eng tech, lEng and CEng accreditation as part of their Continuous Personal Development.

•      Configuring the Corps to meet the post-SDSR construct:

•      Reduction in regiments and manpower.

•      Additional roles (inc CBRN and MACE).

•      Move of RHQ RE towards sustaining the Corps’ Golden Thread’ – more involved role for RHQ RE and Regt Col.

S P F HARRIS

Col.  Regt Col