The National Executive Committee (NEC) has discussed the Association’s presence at the repatriations, centred on the town of Wootton Bassett, of the bodies of servicemen and women who have been killed in action or died of wounds. With the intensity of operations in which British forces are currently engaged, it seems sadly inevitable that there will be more to come.
It was agreed that the Association’s National Standard should always be on parade for a RAF Regt repatriation. However, it was also agreed that it was desirable that the Association should be represented, at least at Branch level, at all repatriations, regardless of the Service(s) of the individual(s) being repatriated. It is worth noting that a number of other Service and ex-Service organisations attend all repatriations, and the NEC agreed that it would raise the profile of the Association if we were to be on parade as well.
Regardless of whether it is to be a RAF Regt repatriation, or that of another-Service, we should always try to parade as a single body, to maximise our impact on parade. Clearly this requires some coordination and Tich Taylor, of the Hereford Branch, has kindly agreed to act as Repatriations Coordinator.
Branches and individual members of the Association are therefore encouraged to contact Tich Taylor (contact details below) to register their interest in attending repatriations. He will then be able to advise interested Branches and individual members when a repatriation is due to take place and of the RV and other arrangements.
Please understand that registering an interest does not mean that we expect a Branch or a member to commit to attend all repatriations. But the greater the “pool” of those interested in taking part, the greater the chances of the Association having a good number of Branches (including their Standards) and members on parade. If, as an Association, we are seen publicly to pay our respects to those who have made the supreme sacrifice, then it should be done in a way, and in such numbers, that do credit to the Association and the Corps.
Tich Taylor’s contact details are as follows:
L J Taylor
49 Laura Street
Barry
South Glamorgan CF63 2NU
Tel: 01446 730894
Email: linda.49taylor@tiscali.co.uk