The Association is using the Association's Facebook group to create a SPOC for all matters relating to Jo Ravu, who died on the 7th Dec 2025.
We have established links with the family, the FCO et al to ensure we can let @everyone know details of the funeral etc.
The funeral service will be taking place at 10am Saturday the 13th at the St Lukes Anglican Church in Suva – Google Maps location pin : https://maps.app.goo.gl/hdHzEGCU2BQXTZWM6
As for the FCDO involvement, Defence Section Suva will look towards Support Staff or DA if there is availability and capacity to attend the funeral service.
The FCDO will also provide a UK flag that will be used on top of the Coffin for the late Joseph Ravu for the funeral service.
If you receive any other information from anywhere else please notify the Association, so that its veracity can be confirmed. This will be the SPOC for Association updates.
As Summer fades away and Autumn races in like a thoroughbred racehorse I have been reflecting upon the role of the Association and its direction of travel.
I have now been the Chairman for a while and I am keen to know if the Association is delivering what the members want. To date I have not received any suggestions, or feedback on either activities or the newsletter, so I can only assume that all is well and no change is needed.
We are slowly starting to learn more about how we can better use Mailchimp and I am happy to advise that both museums now have access to it and that 2025 will see us working closer to ensure we communicate a consistent message regarding how the Association, the Soldiers of Gloster Museum and the Rifles, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum will work more closely. Especially when it comes to letting Association Members know about forthcoming events.
Mailchimp
I have looked at the statistics for the last few Newsletters/Funeral Notices and less than 50% of the e-mails sent out are never opened. Is this because:
We have the incorrect details for recipients and e-mails are no longer used?
The Newsletter/Funeral Notices do not contain information that people want to read?
Something else?
No 1 - Is very easy, we can update the database to not send e-mails to those who do not open them, but by far the best way is to ask everyone to keep their details up to date (see below).
No 2 - This can be changed very easily by asking you to let either myself, or Steven know what you wish to be included/excluded.
No 3 - Please let myself or Steven know.
Keeping your details up to date
At the bottom of every Newsletter/e-mail from the Association you will see a link - 'update subscription preferences'
if you click on the link it will allow you to make sure that the information held by the Association is correct and up to date.
If you unsubscribe we cannot send any Newsletters to you and you will need to re-register to receive them again!
Register on the Association website and Rifles Swift
Please also join the RIFLES Network at - https://theriflesnetwork.co.uk/?from=logout, or use the QR code below. Swift is also available as a very handy App for your smartphone, to keep you in touch with what is happening. This is the central repository for all welfare maters and guidance.
Swift QR Code
Please feel free to drop me an e-mail at - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions or suggestions.
Towns and villages all through Holland are celebrating the 80th anniversary of their liberation in WW2. One of the largest celebrations is a weeklong set of activities in Roosendaal. Educational films, displays, re-enactments, displays, marches and events took place from 26th Oct – 3rd Nov 2024.
The Glosters were part of the 49th Inf Div, nicknamed the polar bears, other units involved included the 4th Lincolns,1/4 KOYLI, Hallams Bn, 11th Royal Scots, 1 Leicesters, 1/7th DWR, 1 SWB, 2nd Essex and supported by 55, 69, 89, 143, 185 RA, 49 Sigs, 2nd Kensingtons and 9 RTR. The division formed part of Monty’s drive up towards the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam and east towards Arnhem.
The RGBW Association was invited to take part in the celebrations at the end of the week to acknowledge the participation of the 2nd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment. The townspeople of Roosendaal were extremely courteous and grateful for the handful of various association representatives from the UK to be in attendance. They take their liberation extremely seriously; it is taught at an early age in schools and celebrated by all age groups.
On the first day, we were taken to “Camp Thruster” where there was a large display of military vehicles and equipments. The enthusiasm and dedication were evident with many of them private collectors of equipment and memorabilia. Most of the vehicles (over 20) were also in private hands after being lovingly restored over the decades. The pride and joy of the display was an immaculate Churchill tank in full working order, the only private example in Europe. During the evening, we were invited to a concert starring the Brentwood Imperial Youth Band, proudly wearing their Polar Bear badges.
Day two involved going around the Roosendaal area on a battlefield tour and meeting up with the local veterans in the town's first in/last out pub - Café De Veestallen. This was the first building secured by the British forces on entering Roosendaal and remained undamaged throughout the war. Most of the internal fitments and decor have remained unchanged since WW2 and are fitting to the loyal veterans' watering hole. The various local army associations sadly closed over the years as their memberships declined, but one of the locals, a Colonel from the Dutch commandos, started an all-arms Roosendaal Association four years ago and it has now over 100 members around Roosendaal, from all services and units, a fantastic achievement,
After a liquid lunch the veterans from all countries fell in outside, standards raised to greet the columns of re-enactment vehicles and men, proudly led by the Churchill tank. After falling in behind we all marched to the memorial square where the Polar Bear monument is located. The band gave a rendition of wartime tunes, regimental marches and national anthems before the wreath-laying ceremony which was led by the Duke of Wellington Regiment and The Gloucestershire Regiment, followed by the mayor and all the various dignitaries and representatives. After the service was finished there was a photo shoot for about an hour (there were about 1000 locals in attendance) and then back to that famous pub for more food and drink.
Overall, It was a memorable visit for which I am extremely grateful to have been invited. The locals take their liberation extremely seriously and is a foundation for their freedom and democracy. I would like to thank the owners of the Tongerlo Hotel for their impeccable service and for spending so much time with us. I am also grateful for the party from the Duke of Wellingtons who adopted me over the weekend. Attached are several snaps made; I will add some of the professional pictures when they become available. “By our deeds, we are known” Martin Talling, County Chairman
We are looking at the possibility at setting up an "Online Branch" for those Association members who do not belong to a bricks & mortar branch. Not quite sure how it would work yet but just to gauge the feeling of members please can I ask you to complete the form below
Whilst a venue and date have yet to be finalised, it is planned to have the 2022 Association AGM in late January or early February 2023. The delay has been caused by virtue of the fact the Rifles and RGBW Management Board needed to have it's inaugural meeting before the 11th Association AGM. That meeting was held in October and with the run in to Remembrance Poppy Collection fortnight, the present FIFA World Cup and then Christmas it was judged better to hold it in the New Year. Not unnaturally, catering costs have soared since we last meet and many venues are also charging for room hire so although enquires have been sought the final selection has to be made. In the meantime please find attached the Agenda for the 11th AGM and the Minutes of the 10th AG which will need a vote as being an accurate record of that last AGM.
UK Veterans get their say Hearing from our veteran community is vital and that is why the government has launched a UK-wide Veterans' Survey. This is the first-ever exercise to collect feedback from the veterans' community across the UK coordinated by the Office for Veterans' Affairs and the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The online survey was launched on 10 November and will be live for 12 weeks. The survey gives ex-UK armed forces personnel and their families the opportunity to provide direct feedback to the government on their experiences, access to and use of services for veterans.
Those members of the Association who follow the website of the Gloucestershire Regimental Association (https://www.glosters.org/) will be aware of his recent announcement to step back from his many voluntary duties he has down on behalf of the Glosters and this association. Before you read the two messages that Phil posted to his readers, I would just like to record the thanks of the whole Association for his incredible work. What is just as staggering is the amount of time and effort, he also put into his other passion canal longboats.
Phil thank you for everything you did for us, time to look after Sonia and yourself.
A calling notice has been sent out to branches asking for articles for the next issue of the Bugle magazine covering the period July to December 2022. Articles should be on association activities and those that involve the public or local communities will be particularly welcomed. Each Rifles Region (Midlands: North East: North West: South: South West) have about 400 words for all of their association articles so yours do not have to be lengthy, max 100 words. What is important are two good quality images (of at least 1 MB in memory size) and please identify people in the images. Closing date for all articles to be at RHQ Rifles is 9 January 2023, so please get any articles to me by 21 December so I can collate and forward to RHQ Rifles
The County Chairman of Gloucester, Captain Len Keeling, reports that on the 27 September 22 we held a Branch “Open Day” and sent invites to all branches and friends plus the public on the various military networks. This proved to be a tremendous success and as a result we managed to recruit 6 new members of much younger years from the 60 In attendance who hopefully will keep the flags flying for the coming years. Due to its success, it is intended to hold similar events twice a year organised be different branches to recruit younger blood and swap ideas. The one in September was organised by the Forest of Dean branch at the Ore-Pool Inn in Sling ( near Coleford). Hope this is of interest to our readers
Regimental Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum
There have been many voices raised concerning the state of the regimental memorial located at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA). For members who have not been to Alrewas and seen the memorial it has a separate face for each of the Regiments, namely in antecedent order, The Gloucestershire Regiment, The Royal Berkshire Regiment, The Wiltshire Regiment, The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. The memorial is made of Cotswold Stone, which whilst being a softer stone than, say granite, is synonymous with the three counties our regiments hail from.
Due to the concerns raised at an AGM, prior to Covid, and concerns raised by recent visits, from a variety of Association veterans, we made contact with the National Memorial Arboretum, which resulted in the Association Secretary having an on site meeting with the Grounds and Landscape Manager, who look after the memorials with the arboretum.
The NMA no longer allows Associations to carry out their own cleaning and maintenance of regimental memorials, due partially to eager volunteers using incorrect cleaning materials and thereby causing damage. As a result of the meeting with the NMA staff and the three options we were offered, the Association Secretary briefed inaugural meeting of the Rifles and RGBW Regimental Management Board. Fortuitously for us The Rifles County Colonel of Berkshire had a professional knowledge of stone work and was able to add weight to the discussion.
The Management Board have agreed to that it would be appropriate to contract the NMA to carry out the following: Steam cleaning inc. hand wash where necessary, of memorial stone a minimum of four times per annum Steam clean PAVED area a minimum four times per annum Machine mowing as required throughout mowing season Strim around memorial footprint as required throughout mowing season Re-painting memorial lettering maximum once per 10 years
Due to our concern that 10 years may be too large a time lapse for the lettering we are asking for a review of the letting every 5 years. We will keep you updated with the negotiations.
In the previous edition of the Association News Sheet we gave an update on the health of Phil Miller, who created, administered and essentially was the sole lynch pin of this excellent web site. Phil, for health reasons has acknowledged he can no longer devote the time and effort required to keep this fine web site going. Phil approached Martin Talling asking him to take temporary custody of the data and administration of the website. However with Martin being the Association County Chairman for the County of Bristol in addition to his role of Branch Secretary of the thriving Somerset Branch; taking on the mantle of permanent administrator of the website is not a viable proposition.
So this is an appeal to any member of the 28th/61st who has either skill set or the preparedness to learn to come forward and assume the mantle of administering this excellent website.Anyone prepared to step forward should contact either Martin Talling or Len Keeling in the first instant or myself (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
The Trustees of the Rifles, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum have embarked on a bold initiative harnessing the already proven record of the Army Flying Museum’s of their online lectures. Benefitting from their technical and marketing expertise we are making three online presentations. To use the filming jargon, the first two lectures are already in the can.
The first online presentation is a closer look at the Battle of Maiwand given by Jon Wort, it is pre-recorded, but the presentation will be followed by a live Q & A session.
This hyperlink to the regimental museum’s online lecture page will provide a brief synopsis to the first two lectures:
The third presentation has yet to be filmed but is likely to cover The Battle of the Island just short of Arnhem bridge in October 1944, involving the 4th and 5th Battalions the Wiltshire Regiment.
The Maiwand Online Presentation is on 17 May 2022 with the second lecture covering war experiences of Basil Tarrant MC, father of Chris Tarrant being shown on 15 June 2022.
Hopefully, the flyer and this brief explanation will encourage you to book a place.
Welcome to the new look for the Association website. Unfortunately during the revamp of the site all user data was lost so, in due course, all previous registered users will need to register on this site.
The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum
The Wardrobe, Salisbury
The Society of Friends
