BRD 10 0CTOBER 2014
Baroness Cox, General Barrons, AM Evans, Honoured Guests, L&G
Welcome to the 105th BRD, many of which have been held here at Greenwich and the RNMS is lucky to have continued access to this fabulous setting.
L&G, you will be reassured to know that I have not signed up to the Ed Milliband school of speech making: I won’t speak for over an hour; I’ve got a script; I will remember those important things that I need to say.
And the first of those is to thank the College staff for preparing and serving such a good meal tonight and to thank the Band of the Honourable Artillery Company for playing so well this evening.
I must also thank Surg Cdr Matthew Turner and Lt Tony Thurgood for arranging all the details for this year’s dinner. Matthew has revolutionised the Club: a new generation of younger members have been recruited - many of you here tonight; he’s designed and built a Club website and he’s commissioned a range of products with the new RNMS Badge. And he’s unashamedly selling those products tonight! It keeps the Club in profit. Matthew and Tony – really good effort. TY
Turning now to the RNMS, I’d like to congratulate SRA Alasdair Walker on his promotion to Flag Rank in the summer and his appointment to the new post of Hd Medical Policy & Operational Capability. He’s currently having a baptism of fire coordinating the DMS input to Operation GRITROCK – Defence’s support to DIFID’s plans to establish a 700 bed Ebola treatment facility in West Africa. Medical personnel from 22 Field Hospital are preparing to deploy and RFA ARGUS - the RN’s Role 3 capability – will also have a role. Challenging times.
Surg Cdre Peter Buxton took over as HRNMS last month. Many of you will know him already from his time as Commander DMG and I know he will getting out and about and meeting people. Peter – welcome on board.
At this point, I’d like to thank and say farewell to Surg Cdre Robin McNeill Love who has handed over as HRNMS and who is leaving the Royal Navy after 33 years. He and I go back a long way. I’m not going to go through Robin’s service biography but I know that many in this Hall will recognise my describing Robin as a people person. But what really, does that mean? Well, in my book it’s someone who can take his team with him. He’s there for them during the good times and he’s there for them when times are difficult. That person is Robin. All the McNL clan are here tonight including Poppy who has been a great support to Robin and to the RNMS over 3 decades. Guys it’s great to see you all. Robin – TY for a job well done and good luck in the next stage of your medical career.
Captain Carol Betteridge is leaving the QARNNS at the end of the year after 25 years and has given the silver candlestick in front of me as a gift. It’s over 200 years old and is from the RM Corp Silver and is mounted on Oak from HMS VICTORY. It’s an SBS custom to light a candle at the beginning of a mess dinner and extinguish it at the end. The idea is to remember those who are unable to attend the dinner for whatever reason and importantly to honour those, who we have cared for, who have made the greatest sacrifice. I’m certainly conscious of those members of the RNMS for whom 2014 has been a difficult year because of illness and who are not here tonight. I know you would wish to join with me in sending them our BW. Carol – thank you for this thoughtful and stylish gift; thank you for all you have done for the Naval Service throughout your career and good luck to you and Mick for the future. We will use the candlestick at future RNMS and QARNNS dinners.
L&G, HRNMS quite rightly takes on the majority of visits and exercises that take place throughout the year but I do try and meet as many of the Branch as possible. This year’s RNMS symposium was particularly well attended by a wide selection of ranks and rates. It was clear to me that our people are busy but in good heart and conscious of a renewed focus on maritime power after a decade of supporting land operations.
And with that focus on maritime power I was lucky enough to have a tour of the new air craft carrier - HMS QE - in dry dock in Rosyth. 65,000 tonnes, 920 feet long, taller than Nelson’s column and with 4.5 acres of flight deck, she really is an awesome sight. With an ability to transport 40 F35 joint strike fighter jets around the world, QE and her 700 crew will deliver a radical change in the Navy’s capabilities when she comes into full service in 2020. As 1SL said at a recent RUSI conference when speaking about the new carriers, “maritime power projection offers utility. Not just military utility, of course, but political utility - hard and soft power delivered from the sea. Less boots on the ground - more boots from the sea”.
The PM’s announcement last month at the NATO Conference in Wales that the second carrier - HMS The POW - would also be brought into service together with the continuing success of the Type 45 destroyers; a commitment to building the Type 26 Global Combat Ships which will replace the existing Type 23 frigates; the Astute class submarines which are already partially in service and replacements for all our aircraft types, including fixed wing, all places the Royal Navy among the elite of the world’s navies with credibility and authority on the waves, above the waves and below the waves. And let’s not forget the regenerated Royal Marines who - in this their 350th anniversary - are now back in their amphibious role having demonstrated their versatility and valour in land campaigns for over a decade.
L&G, we see here a real investment in British security, British prosperity and Britain’s place in the world as an island nation defended by a strong and highly capable Royal Navy.
Of course, the RNMS is integral to this and I was able to see our people at work on board RFA ARGUS during her re-validation as part of Ex JOINT WARRIOR earlier this year and was with our Commodore in Chief HRH the Duchess of Cornwall when she came on board HMS ILLUSTRIOUS in February to watch a Role 2 Afloat exercise and to meet many members of the RNMS. It went well. It would be presumptuous for me to say that HRH ‘purred’ but she certainly enjoyed the day and appreciated the various displays and demonstrations that had been arranged.
I was very pleased to be invited to take the salute at the first pass out parade of phase 2 trainees at DMS Whittington following the move of the DMSTG from Keogh Barracks to Lichfield in April. I inspected and spoke to the trainees who were moving on to their new Units. The first division were Army trainees the majority of whom were heading off to Aldershot, Catterick and Tidworth with a few going to Germany. The RAF was next with many destined for Stations in East Anglia and Lincolnshire. The RN was the last division to be inspected. The first chap that I spoke to was about to fly out to the West Indies to join HMS ARGYLL. Convincing proof L&G that the Naval Service is the right one to join.
I’d like to finish this section of my speech by congratulating Surg Cdr Jo Leason for her OBE and Lt Cdr Karen McCullough QARNNS for her Fleet Commander’s Commendation, both in the Operational Honours list and to Surg Cdr Andy Brown for his MBE in the QBH. I was also delighted to see that Cdr Pauline Small in the QARNNS Reserve was named in the Nursing Times top 100 leaders. Finally, very well done to the RNMS teams on board HMS ILLUSTRIOUS and HMS DARING who supported Operation PATWIN providing humanitarian relief in the aftermath of the typhoon affecting the Philippines in December last year. The teams have been short listed for this year’s Military Civilian Health Partnership awards in the Healthcare by the Deployed Force section. I hope they win.
L&G, RNMS personnel are working at the front line in direct support of the Surface Fleet, the Submarine Fleet, the Fleet Air Arm and 3 Cdo Bde. Many more are employed in primary care as part of the DPHC organisation or in secondary care as part of the JMC. To all of you - medical, dental and QARNNS; regular and reserve; no matter where you are serving - I say thank you, thank you for your professionalism, hard work and commitment.
I’m very pleased to welcome the SG; the Commander of the DPHC organisation and the Heads of the Army and RAF Medical Services here tonight. But, it is our guest of honour, General Sir Richard Barrons, Commander Joint Forces Command that I would now like to introduce. SG’s area is very much part of the JFC, so, if you are serving in a Joint Unit, General Richard is the boss.
General Barons was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery in 1977 before going up to Queens College, Oxford to read Philosophy, Politics and Economics. During his career, the General has commanded units at Battery, Regiment and Brigade. He has served on operations in NI, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, in UK, UN and NATO appointments. He was deputy Commanding General of the Multinational Corps Iraq in 2008 leading on operations with the Iraqi Armed Forces; COS of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in 2009 and shortly afterwards became Director Force Reintegration in HQ International Security Assistance Force - ISAF - assisting the Afghan government efforts on Taliban reintegration and political reconciliation. He was Assistant Chief of the General Staff in 2010, when he covered the Strategic Defence and Security Review before promotion to Lt General in 2011 when he became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) – the director of operations for UK Armed Forces. He assumed command of the Joint Forces Command on promotion to General in April 2013. General Richard is Colonel Commandant and President of the Honourable Artillery Company and is Honorary Colonel of 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 2013.
Sir – both you and Lady Barrons are very welcome at this single Service occasion.
Before handing over to General Richard, can I ask my fellow members of the RNMC to stand and to join me in a toast: ‘Our Guests’