Edition 52
As a valued supporter, we are pleased to bring you up-to-speed with a weekly round-up of activities from RMA – The Royal Marines Charity and the wider Corps Family.
This week we bring you news from all corners of the compass and salute some of those who each day – past and present, in their professional or personal capacity – determine to always go the extra mile in whatever it is they have chosen to do.
Thank you so much for your continued and most valued support.
D-Day 79
Last week, ceremonies were held across Normandy to mark the 79th Anniversary of D-Day.
The initial ceremony took place in Anelles, the Royal Marines Assoication honoured the men of 47 Commando. Local children had the opportunity to meet current serving Royal Marines during which there were exchanges of gifts; and we read the roll of honour and paid our respects.
The day continued with Remembrance Parades in Port en Bessin, commemorating those who sacrificed their lives in liberating the town.
During the battlefield tour, the RMA focus was primarily on the British sector and highlighted the actions of the various RM Commando units involved. It was a truly captivating day for everyone involved.
We will remember them.
The Bands play on….
The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines CTCRM provided musical support at Windsor Castle for the most recent presentations of the Royal Victorian Order and the Royal Victorian Medal (silver).
His Majesty The King personally honoured the sailors and Royal Marines involved in the funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, amongst whom included Royal Marines Band Service Principal Director of Music, Lt Col. Jase Burcham RM and Corps Drum Major, WO2 Chris Mace RM.
Lt Col Burcham said, “These are the first MVO awarded to members of the RMBS for many years, and we are both extremely proud and privileged to receive this prestigious award, and we do so in recognition of the whole RMBS contribution, which was superb.”
They are indeed superb and audiences in six UK cities will have the chance to see and hear for themselves the Massed Bands in action during their first ever Band Tour in September.
The spectacular concerts will be on the scale only ever before seen at the Massed Bands’ annual sold-out performances at the Mountbatten Festival of Music in London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Early ticket sales have exceeded expectations, so don’t wait too long to book yours – they’ll be playing in Cardiff, Nottingham, Manchester, Leicester, Liverpool and Gateshead.
7 countries in 7 weeks – by kayak!
Former serving Royal Marine John Holden has this week started his awesome ‘Big Blue Danube’ challenge – to paddle 2,400km along the River Danube in a double kayak, ‘Big Blue’ taking him through seven countries in just seven weeks!
John has packed sufficient rations to get him at least part of the way. He said: ” Whilst dry foods are the best options like porridge, couscous, rice, and spaghetti – with a few ration packs thrown in for backup etc – re-supply is going to be essential on route, as space is limited. Feeling good and confident we will make it from Vienna to the Black Sea.”
The Danube is the second longest river in Europe with a total length of 2,857 km. It rises in the south of Germany and then flows east across Vienna, Budapest, and Belgrade to the Black Sea. In total, the Danube flows through ten countries – Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine – more than any other river on earth.
John was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) three years after leaving the Royal Marines. “This took me four years to get back to some sort of normality and I owe my life and eternal gratitude to the support I received.”
During his ‘Big Blue Danube’ challenge, John is raising funds for three charities, including RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. We wish him every success and will be closely following his progress as he heads slowly eastwards. A GPS tracker link is being posted on his landing page and he says : “Any words of encouragement are always welcome.”
Per terram, per lacus!
An enormous shout out to all the magnificent runners who supported our charity by taking part in this year’s Edinburgh Marathon – a notoriously ‘flat and fast’ route that each year draws thousands of runners. Between them, our runners raised over £3,444 – hoofing effort and we are so very grateful for this fab amount – thank you Jason Cole, Jack Teare, Matthew Pearson, Liam Roberts, Daniel Van Gijn and Daniel Scrymgeour (pictured left), who – as a Serving RM at 45Cdo, alone raised over £1,000!
And enormous congrats and thanks to Gary Wilson (right), too, who was thrilled to have ‘smashed’ the Great North Swim in ‘the UKs biggest open water swimming event’ at Lake Windermere with a 39-minute finish time, raising a magnificent £368 for the Charity!
West country support
Adventurous and fabulous fundraising wing-walkers Richard Smith, Dawn Young, Darren and Wendy Agnew, and Kelly Westgate (pictured above) raised over £4,500 (inc Gift Aid) during their weekend foray to the skies above Honiton in Devon from Dunkeswell Airfield, where they were joined by sky-diver Fiona Upchurch. What absolutely fantastic support – thank you all so much.
Elsewhere, the exceptionally hot days and sunny blue skies meant that the event originally planned by Kala Jones from Bishopsteignton in Devon and her friend, former serving Royal Marine Ed Stokes, as a ‘cake and car wash weekend’ unfortunately had to be abandoned because of a hosepipe ban. Nevertheless, they went ahead with the coffee and cake part, raising an exceptional £400. Huge thanks to them both.
Our thanks also to members of the Exmouth RMA Branch and local historical society for raising around £100 at the weekend at Exmouth Museum’s Festival of Thanks for the armed forces, attended also by our fundraising team who went along to support and raise awareness of RMA – The Royal Marines Charity. We are so grateful to everyone involved.
All in a day’s work
A specialist boarding team of Royal Marines with the Royal Navy warship HMS Lancaster have helped seize more than £10m of narcotics in two separate incidents in the Indian Ocean during searches aboard two suspect boats in the space of 12 hours.
The Type 23 frigate captured more than seven tons of hashish, heroin and methamphetamine during the two operations while on a security patrol of the region where she is deployed on a long-term mission.
In the first call, as part of a dawn mission, the ship’s RM boarding team found 3.5 tons of narcotics after tracking a suspect vessel: and later sprang into action once more to seize a further 3.7 tons and complete the impressive double haul on another craft.
These latest captures come after hashish worth £2.5m was seized last month during a similar operation.