The Branch will be entitled: “The Scarborough (1 RTR) Branch” (www.1rtr.net) The inaugural meeting will take place at Scarborough on Saturday, 9 September 2006 and quarterly meetings will then be held throughout the North of England at venues to be decided by the members, within an area stretching from Birmingham and the Midlands to the Scottish border. The President will be Brig Ian Rodley. Although primarily aimed at ex-members of 1 RTR, all members of the wider Regiment are very welcome to join the Branch, as are any attached personnel who served with the Regiment. Further information can be obtained from the Secretary, Paul Ramsay at 14 Cavalier View, Cross Green, Leeds LS9 OSY (Tel: 0113 2407020 or 07717456203). A full write up will appear in the June edition of TANK.

I would just like to say a few words about the newly formed Scarborough Branch, how it was founded and the aims of the Branch.

The “branch” was actually born in September 1993 when we had over 350 ex First Tankies attend a reunion in the TA Centre in Scarborough This was done totally by word of mouth with no other advertising, so as you can see there was a clearly a large number of ex 1 RTR men who were keen to meet up again. Since then we have met every year, with the reunion going from strength to strength with over 500 ex 1 RTR with attached (who clearly enjoyed their time with 1 RTR) registered and on the reunion data base.

These ex members of the Regiment live all across the UK and overseas and whilst a number of them are local branch association members the majority treat the Scarborough reunion as their local branch and are therefore extremely pleased that it has now been accepted as a fully fledged branch of the RTRA, It is not our intention to steal the exist­ing branch, members, but to give them the opportunity for dual membership of their local branch, as well as the Scarborough (1 RTR branch). We intend to have an open, door membership, which because of the spread of the antici­pated membership will not have a regular meeting place. We will instead meet every three months in different locations, with the AGM always being held. in Scarborough, in September. Although a meeting is being arranged for the last weekend in June in Southport our first official meeting will be held at the British Legion Club (Later changed to the Grand Hotel) in Scarborough on Saturday 9th September 2006 at 1100 hrs. The application form for mem­bership will appear on the Internet web site - once the main screen appears click on the central box and this will lead you into the branch web site with details of all events and news of what is happening within the branch. (There are lots of old photos of 1 RTR and much more information on this site). Membership forms can also be obtained from the Branch. Secretary:  Paul Ramsay, 14 Cavalier View, Cross Green, Leeds LS9 OSY, W Yorks.

The death was announced of LCpl Arthur Cook. One of the original Desert Rats, he joined 1 RTR in the Western Desert and took part in El Alamein. He died on 11 May 2006 aged 90. Tank Magazine September 2006 page 63 refers. Other News: The RTR Assns around the country have been listed in a new page in the Tank Mag on page 57. Lt Col I J Gibb (late QRL) has assumed command of 1 RTR following the departure of Col H S de Bretton-Gordon.

November 2006

23rd November, 2006.

Dear Mr. Ramsay,

The Queen has asked me to thank you, the President and Members of the newly formed Scarborough Branch of the Royal Tank Regiment Association, affiliated to the First Royal Tank Regiment.

Your kind message of congratulations and greetings sent to The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh on the occasion of their fifty-ninth Wedding Anniversary this year, as well as the eighty-ninth Anniversary of the Battle of Cambrai, was much appreciated. In return, I am to convey Her Majesty’s best wishes to everyone concerned at the Scarborough Branch for a successful future.

Yours sincerely,
Mrs. Sonia Bonici
Senior Correspondence Officer
BUCKINGHAM PALACE
Paul Ramsay, Esq.
 

November 2006

Dear Paul,
I had a thoroughly enjoyable time when I visited your Branch on Saturday 9 September, it was encouraging to see so many members present especially as it was your Inaugural Meeting, and to have 100 members join the branch on the day just shows how much hard work you have put in, I was made very welcome by all I met, and I am sure your Branch will go from strength to strength with you as Secretary. I have enclosed a copy of the Certificate we were talking about, I am sure you can play about with it and put your own mark on it, and hope it will help give you a few idea’s on the style of things. If! can be of any help in any way please call me any time, My Very Best Regards Peter

Meeting March 2007

070207