The Blythe Sappers

55th Management Meeting

1100hrs Wednesday 30th September 2009

The Army & Navy Club, London

 

Those Present:

          Sapper Brian Pearce               Chairman

          Sapper John Moore-Bick        Chairman Designate 2010

          Sapper Charles Holman                  Membership Secretary

          Sapper Roy Wilsher                Honorary Treasurer

          Sapper John Wilks                  Honorary Auditor

          Sapper John Fitzmaurice       Past Chairman

Sapper Richard Elvidge                   TA Advisor

 

1.       Item 1         Introduction. The Chairman welcomes all those in attendance. He drew attention to a Newsletter from The Amberley Society that gave good coverage of the construction of the North Stoke suspension bridge in West Sussex. Sapper Fitzmaurice recalled how, as last years Chairman, he had received a call from the Chairman of the Amberley Society saying “the bridge had collapsed – what are you going to do about it!!” Sapper John contacted the Regimental Colonel and the project was completed by 70 Field Squadron, Queens Gurkha Engineers.

 

2.       Item 2         Apologies for Absence. Sappers David Caulfield, Stuart Sinclair.

 

3.       Item 3         Minutes of the Previous Meeting. The Minutes had been published on the BS website since 30th June since when there had been no comments and the Chairman duly signed them.

 

4.       Item 4.        Matters Arising.

 

1.      The Secretary informed the meeting that, as requested, he had approached both Sappers’ Hooky Walker and Bill Woodburn to see that, if approached by the BS Council, they would be content to accept an invitation to be a Chairman 2012 and beyond and that both would accept.

2.      Sapper Charles Holman will confirm the Chief Royal’s attendance on 1st Dec 09.

3.      Chairman Designate Sapper John Moore-Bick confirmed Thursday 9th Dec 10 as the date for the Christmas lunch.

 

5.       Item 5.        Finance.     Sapper Roy Wilsher gave the Trial Balance as at 1st Sept. His full report on the Trial Balance and is attached at Annex A.

 

1.      He highlighted the successful BS Guest Night at which a small profit of £192 had been made.

2.      Three members of the committee were very pleased at the outcome of this year’s sweepstake!

3.      We had 8 new members this year

4.      No monies had been given towards Adventurous Training Fund yet this year.

5.      No bank interest had been paid so far this year.

6.      The Blythe Sappers had given £1,000 to charities this year (£750 to Combat Stress & £250 to Veterans Aid) a decision of the March meeting.

 

Sapper Roy Wilsher then gave a report on the Budget for 2010  --  this is attached at Annex B. In summary he said that we would be slightly high on the cash side and that a decision will be required at the December meeting. The Chairman’s inclination was to consider further grants to other charities and he asked for ideas for other charities at the next meeting. Sapper John Moore-Bick offered the suggestion of “canine partners” with a dog called “Blythe”.

The Honorary Treasurer informed the meeting he had received a request for information about the Society from HM Revenue & Customs for information --  he will action this.

 

6.       Item 6.        Corps & TA Report

 

                   The Corps and TA reports are attached at Annex C.

 

7        Item 7.        Casualties Since Last Meeting

                             Deceased.  Nil

                             Resigned:   Sapper DS Currie

                                                Sapper JD Brydon

                                                Sapper M Bridges

                                                Sapper M Wilson

                                                Sapper Sturgeon

 

8        Item 8.        Nominations for New Members

 

Nomination

Sponsor

Seconder

Colonel Alan Holman

Sapper John McLennan

Sapper David Holman

Lt Col John Deverill

Sapper Nick Whatley

Sapper John Rooke

Lt Col N Carson

Sapper John McLennan

Sapper Larry Inge

 

All Approved

 

9.       Item 9         Attendance & Arrangements for Today’s Luncheon

 

                   Principle Guest:  Lt Col JC Weeden RE, CO 24 Cdo Engr Regt

                  

                   Total number Attending        79

                   Number of Guests                  17

                   Those to Rise                          Nil

 

10.     Any Other Business

 

          a.       Dates for 2009/2010

 

          Tue 1 Dec 09        Christmas Lunch             Gen Sir Peter Wall KCB CBE

                                                                             Chief Royal

Tue 2 Mar 10         Spring Lunch                  Gen Sir David Ramsbothom

Tue 1 Jun  10                                               Sir S Cowper-Coles KCMG

Sat  7 Aug 10         BS Guest Night              Chatham    

Tue 28 Sep 10       Lunch & AGM               Very Rev N Frayling

Thu 9 Dec10         Christmas Lunch             Robert Rogers Esq.

 

          b.      The Chairman asked the Secretary to ask the Army & Navy about the cost of lunches 2010.

 

          c.       The Hon Treasurer informed the meeting that the total number of members is 315 (including one Honorary Member)     

 

11.     Date of Next Meeting   1100hrs on Tuesday 1st December 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BS Management Minutes Sept 09

 

CORPS REPORT                             

 

Operations and Commitments

 

-                   Iraq – 35 Engr Regt Gp now recovered to Germany.  Elms of 62 Wks Gp and 45 Fd Sp Sqn remain in Kuwait.  CO 62 Wks Gp is Joint Force Engineer.

 

-                   Afghanistan – 38 Engr Regt is presently handing over to the 28 Engr Group

 

-                   .  There is currently an Op BAM (maintenance and winterisation) surge (65 Fd Sp Sqn) and there will be an uplift to the 3rd CS Sqn, an extra ½ STRE and a bolstered Resources Node.

 

-                   RE TA continues to support above with a troop, plus specialist individuals.

 

-                   Public Duties – 23 Engr Regt (Air Asslt) delivered Public Duties in support of HQ LONDON District from Feb – Apr 09.

 

Structures

 

-                   RSME P4 – major establishment changes to HQ RSME, Cbt and Constr Engr Schs (reduction of mil posts of approx 300 once fully implemented).

-                   Asst RCMOs being established across the Corps.

 

Campaign Footing:

 

-                   Re-role 61 Fd Sp Sqn RE to EOD by HERRICK 13 to sustain C-IED TF.

-                   Re-structure of 33 Engr Regt.

-                   Re-role of RHQ 101 Engr Regt (V) to a Hybrid Regular/Reserve RHQ to command Regular & TA EOD Sqns and provide a deployable C-IED TF HQ by HERRICK 14.

-                   Deliver an eighth STRE (Wks) by Op HERRICK 14 by re-rolling 1x STRE (Fuels) and by re-aligning 5 specialist posts from Regional Forces/Defence Estates.

 

Future Army Structures (Next Steps):

 

-                   Our FAS(NS) proposition sees a Corps of a similar size, albeit with a modest uplift, but with an even more manoeuvre brigade focused shape. It proposes rebalancing of Force and Engineer Logistic Support to deliver increased Battlefield (Bde Engr Regts), EOD and search, Infra and Geo Sp capability.  To achieve this it proposes reductions in our existing GS Engr Regt and Fd Sp Sqn capabilities.  The proposition includes a greater integration of RE TA within Regular units. 

 

-                   RE TA – Continues to grow (124 Sqn (71 Regt) formed on 1 Apr 09) but 129 Sqn (73 Regt) delayed until basing decision resolved.

 

People

 

-                   Recruiting – Officer recruiting is 47% (36 recruited against quota of 77) and soldier recruiting at 59% (827 against tgt of 1406) for 09/10.

 

Manning:

 

-                   Reg Soldier = 94.7% (excl QGE), 0.6% female, 4.3% Foreign and Commonwealth.

-                   Reg Officer = 102.4% (excl QGE), 7.2% female.

-                   QGE = 105%.

-                   TA Soldier[1] = 61%.

-                   TA Officer1 = 71%.

 

-                   Retention – Corps’ 5 year average outflow of 7.2%.  Overall strength is improving due to better recruitment, reduced voluntary outflow, the effect of financial incentives and the current economic environment.

 

Operational and Gallantry Awards:

 

-                   Operational – OBE x 1, MC x 2, QGM x 1, QCB x 3, MiD x 7, QCVS x 7.

-                   Queen’s Birthday/New Year – KCB x 1, OBE x 2, MBE x 7.

 

Equipment

 

-                      TROJAN and TITAN continues to progress towards full operating capability and initial operating capability respectively.  Outflow of final build standard eqpt complete by mid 2011.

-                      TERRIER trials progress on 4 development vehicles.  ISD is Apr 2013.

-                      C Veh PFI Equipment Replacement and Refurbishment Programme progresses well.

-                      Deployable Engineer Workshop fielded.

-                      VALLON Improved Hand Held Metal Detector fielded.

-                      Route Proving and Clearance UOR (TALISMAN) for Afghanistan funded with aspiration to deliver in 2010.

-                      From HERRICK 11 (Oct 09), RE CMD operators will be trained and equipped to deal with IEDs in extremis.

 

Training

 

-                   RSME P4 – HOLDFAST assumed responsibility for training on 5 Jan 09 and during this early period is progressing well with output being maintained.

 

International

 

-                      French EinC and Pakistani Director General Engineers hosted.  US Engineer Force Conference attended.

 

Sport

 

- Rugby Union - The Corps have retained for the third consecutive year, the Army Inter-Corps championship, the first time that this has been achieved in Army Rugby.  Congratulations are due to Cpl Hughes, currently ERLS, who received his 28th cap this year and thus became the highest capped player in Army rugby history.  The Corps were comfortable winners against the Gunners.

-          Skiing – 28 Engr Regt and 21 Engr Regt were 2nd were 4th respectively on Princess Marina Cup.  Ladies Nordic runners up.  A further 5 sappers have been selected for the GB development squad.

-          Bobsleigh – 299 Para Sqn(V) were Army Novice runners up.

-          Canoeing – Devizes to Westminster – Services Trophy Champions and runners-up in the Open competition (to Richmond Canoe Club).

-          Hockey – Inter-Corps, Army Major and Minor Unit Champions. The Veterans team were runners-up.

-          Boxing – ABA Fly-Weight Champion.

-          Judo – 1 selected for Combined Services team in the National championships.

-          Cricket – Strong representation in the Army team that recently toured Barbados.

-          Windsurfing – Forces Individual Champion.

-          Swimming & Water Polo – Army Men’s Team Champions and the Ladies runners-up.  Ladies Inter-Corps Water Polo Champions.

-          Athletics – Army individual 400m hurdles, long jump and combined services representation.

 

Future

 

Army:

 

-                      Future Army Structures (Next Steps).

-                      Reserves Review: LF Implementation.  CRF – ‘we must change’.

-                      PR 9.5/10.

 

Corps:

 

-                      Capability Review complete. Development Agenda being actioned.

-                      Development of the RSME under P4.

-                      Making training more relevant.

 

Concerns

 

-                      Manning qualities if not quantities.

-                      Maintaining the Technical/Combat balance.

-                      Delivering the Military Stabilisation Support Group.

-                      Manoeuvre support core equipment in the round in the FRES era.

-                      Competent Army Authority and Inspectorate responsibilities (preserving reputation).

 

 


[1] As at Apr 09.