FrontLine Magazine: Autumn/Winter 2019

The Magazine of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Autumn / Winter 2019

75 YEARS OF SERVICE In 2019, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity marked 75 years as the Army’s national charity.

FRONTLINE

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CONTENTS FEATURES 75 YEARS OF SERVICE

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ABF The Soldiers’ Charity marks 75 years as the Army’s national charity

CONVERSATIONS

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Our new podcast series brings together some of the incredible men and women our work has touched

ARNHEM 75: INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL SIR MIKE JACKSON

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Our President, General Sir Mike Jackson, reflects on the legacy of the Battle of Arnhem

ARNHEM 75: SURVIVING A BRIDGE TOO FAR

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Sid Sallis, the last surviving RASC Air Despatcher from Operation Market Garden, shares his story

SOLDIER, REBEL, ACCOUNTANT, ARTIST

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Poet Martin Figura’s collaboration with ABF The Soldiers’ Charity offers a fascinating look at the changing face of British soldiering

REGULARS WELCOME

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From our Chief Executive, Major General (Ret’d) Martin Rutledge

OUR IMPACT

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A snapshot of our grant giving activity for the Army family

HOME FRONT

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The latest news from across ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

PARTNERSHIPS & PHILANTHROPY

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Highlights from the partnerships & philanthropy team

NATIONAL EVENTS

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Get involved with our national events

LEGACIES Support soldiers, veterans and their families in your will

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ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

EDITOR’S LETTER

COVER IMAGE Paul Critchley looks at the Les Braves memorial on Omaha Beach. Paul has taken part in four Frontline Walks and this year joined our Normandy Beaches walk, which marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day.

FRONTLINE ISSUE NO. 20 First published 2019. © ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

While every effort is made to check the information in FrontLine, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.

EDITOR Lizzie Stephens

CONTRIBUTORS Katie Burns Elizabeth Tan

Ahead of our 75th anniversary in August, I received this letter from lifelong supporter Jocelyn. In it, he revealed his personal reasons for supporting our charity.

Dear Lizzie,

SPECIAL THANKS Sid Sallis General Sir Mike Jackson Martin Figura

DESIGN AND ART DIRECTION Pete Black Ltd

ABF THE SOLDIERS’ CHARITY Registered office: Mountbarrow House,

Apart from the obvious reasons I feel compelled to support you, like ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, I came into the world on 15th August 1944 at the former Royal Northern Hospital, Holloway. I am told on that night the hospital was hit by a V2 rocket, which probably hastened my arrival.

12 Elizabeth Street, London sw1w 9rb T: 020 7901 8900 E: info@soldierscharity.org

My mother joined the Army at the beginning of the war. She volunteered for overseas duties.

I think she would have liked a Special Forces role, but sadly she contracted malaria and had it every year until she was 50.

As Jocelyn’s wonderful letter shows, Britain in 1944 was still in the grip of World War Two, with acts of courage and sacrifice part of the fabric of everyday life.

The history of our charity is tied to that legacy, established as it was to honour the debt owed to the soldiers and families of those who had given so much in the pursuit of peace. 75 years on, our charity retains that spirit at its heart.

In this issue, you can read all about our 75th anniversary celebrations, including afternoon tea with the NAAFI, our collaboration with poet Martin Figura and our Royal Reception, which was hosted by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. You can also read about our new podcast series, Conversations, which features some of the incredible men and women our work has touched over the past 75 years.

Back in London, she drove ambulances during the Blitz. She never said what she did for the rest of the war. I am told that I spent a lot of time in my carrycot in the cupboard under the stairs.

I cannot say that it did me any psychological damage, but perhaps that is for others to judge.

Elsewhere, we meet with veteran Sid Sallis for a special feature commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem, and our President, General Sir Mike Jackson, reflects on the Battle of Arnhem and its commander, Field Marshal Montgomery.

Best wishes,

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Jocelyn

Lizzie Stephens Editor

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FRONTLINE

CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S WELCOME Veterans’ Strategy. As you would expect, this charity is heavily involved in both initiatives to try and help shape government policy and plans.

We are delighted to use this issue of FrontLine to share with you our 75th anniversary celebrations.

Over the past 18 months, we have collectively marked many national anniversaries such as the centenary of the end of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of D-Day, but, somewhere in all of this, we were keen to mark our own in a quiet but meaningful way. Our recent Royal Reception at Buckingham Palace, in the presence of HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, was perhaps our most formal event but this edition gives a good sense of much else. As ever with this charity, it captures an astounding variety of different activities.

Meanwhile, normal life goes on. The government has recently announced an array of new initiatives, including the establishment of a Veterans’ Affairs Office to be the champion for our ex-servicemen and women.

Precisely what it will do will take time to become apparent, but it has the potential to significantly impact our work and that of other military charities – as will the emerging

Excited toddlers and their parents gather to watch the official reopening of Sutton Heath Childcare Centre on Rock Barracks at MOD Woodbridge, Suffolk.

The centre is one of 12 being funded by the Chancellor of the Exchequer using LIBOR funds, in a project delivered by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity in partnership with the Army

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We also continue to see real impact from some of our major projects.

From our multi-million pound investment at the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre; to the fantastic success of our joint programme with the Defence Medical Welfare Service to fund welfare officers in hospitals with a high proportion of service personnel patients; or our substantial support to the new Royal British Legion Industries Centenary Village, which HM The Queen visited in November all these show a charity at the top of its game, as relevant today as it was in 1944.

We have also been delighted to be able to provide up to £3 million to the Army in a joint project to deliver improved community and childcare facilities on some of its more remote bases, using LIBOR funds.

This has been a rather unusual and complex project for both of us, but we are clear that families lie at the bedrock of support to the serving soldier so are delighted to be able to help. The photographs below show some happy customers!

Finally, I would like to thank all our members of staff and many volunteers who have done so much to make our 75th anniversary so varied and imaginative. As we had hoped, it has been a wonderful catapult for all sorts of fresh ideas and initiatives.

Martin Rutledge Chief Executive, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity

We have been delighted to provide up to £3 million to the Army, in a joint project to deliver improved community and childcare facilities on some of its more remote bases, using LIBOR funds.

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

OUR IMPACT

Since the start of the new financial year in April 2019 we have:

AS THE ARMY’S NATIONAL CHARITY, WE PLACE THE WELFARE OF SOLDIERS, VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT THE HEART OF ALL WE DO.

helped

2,270 people with individual grants spent

We continue to support the Army family through our grants to individuals and charities. Our aim is to provide the right support at the right time to the person or family in need, enabling them to move forward with their lives. We pride ourselves on acting immediately when help is needed and provide true ‘throughlife’ support, meaning we can, for example, take care of a disabled 18-year-old soldier who may need increasing support for the next 70 years.

We are never judgmental, and we always adopt a holistic approach to the person or family in need of support. Often, an individual in need will receive an initial grant, delivered through their Regimental or Corps

charity; then be referred to a specialist charity that we have funded; and potentially then be supported by other partner charities, with assistance from us at every stage. Throughout, we rigorously focus on their need (rather than their want) and allocate our support accordingly across a wide range of charity partners.

The scale, breadth and range of our support is vast. In the past year, we spent over £10 million ensuring a complete spectrum of support to more than 70,000 members of the Army family. We helped people in 68 countries across the globe and funded 92 other charities and organisations that support the Army family at large.

The youngest person we helped was two years old and the eldest, 102.

£2M on grants to individuals in need supported

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other charities and organisations with grants beween

£5,000 and

£350,000 and distributed

£2.7M

in grants to other charities and organisations

LOOKING AHEAD On a more sanguine note, these are tough times for all charities, and perhaps the military charity sector in particular. Current political and economic turbulence is having a real effect on all our work. Despite the current focus on remembrance, the reality is that the Armed Forces are somewhat out of the public eye and therefore fundraising is tough. And when the Armed Forces are in the public eye, rarely does the narrative reflect the huge contribution made by serving personnel and veterans of all ages. It is especially unhelpful when media coverage focuses on this aspect or makes superficial adverse comment about the work of military charities.

For our part, we are clear that the continued provision of support to soldiers, veterans and their families is going to be much tougher over the next few years. As a funding

charity, we can see these pressures building through the many charities we fund who face real challenges. Whilst we are in a financially robust position and have the privilege of administering substantial funds on behalf of the nation to be dispersed over many decades, equally we are far from complacent.

On the one hand, we want to maximise impact today, so are entirely comfortable with our charitable expenditure outpacing our income last year – and no doubt again this year. But equally we need to be true to our mantra of ‘For Soldiers, For Life’ so must retain sensible levels of reserves to underpin that commitment. We are as well placed as we can be to support our charity partners over the next few years, but we still rely on our many supporters who have helped in this regard and hopefully will continue to do so.

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FRONTLINE

75 YEARS OF SERVICE On 15th August, RLC Parachute Display Team, the Silver Stars, took to the skies above Salisbury to mark our charity’s 75th anniversary.

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FRONTLINE

HOME FRONT THE LATEST NEWS FROM ABF THE SOLDIERS’ CHARITY

HRH THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL HOSTS 75TH ANNIVERSARY ROYAL RECEPTION AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE On Wednesday 23rd October 2019, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall graciously hosted a reception at Buckingham Palace to mark our 75th anniversary. In attendance were 133 guests, including our President General Sir Mike Jackson, Chairman Lieutenant General (Ret’d) Philip Jones and ambassadors Andy Reid, Barney Gillespie, Brenda Hale, Stewart Harris, Sarah Adams, Al Hodgson and Bob Semple.

As the proud daughter of Major Bruce Shand MC who served with distinction in the Second World War with the 12th Lancers, The Duchess of Cornwall praised the charity’s unwavering support for soldiers, veterans and their families. Charity Chairman Philip Jones thanked guests for their endless generosity and spoke warmly of the impact their help has had. Just one example is our £7 million grant awarded to the new Defence and National Rehabilitation Centre at Stanford Hall to fund the cutting-edge neurological wing, which treats some of the most seriously injured soldiers.

We would like to thank The Duchess of Cornwall for hosting this special occasion in our commemorative year.

SUPPORT OUR SOLDIERS DAY ENTERS ITS FOURTH YEAR On 18th September, three of our offices came together for the annual Support Our Soldiers Day bucket collection.

Salisbury, Andover and Grateley.

Musicians from the Irish Guards Band entertained commuters at Victoria and Waterloo stations, and volunteers from a number of regular and reserve units lent their support for soldiers, veterans and their families.

Now in its fourth year, it saw staff from our London, South East and South West offices organise bucket collections in London,

The event raised a total of £7,647 for the Army family, bringing the grand total to £49,300 since its inception.

EDINBURGH WELCOMES HRH THE PRINCESS ROYAL FOR D-DAY DINNER In June, our Scotland office welcomed HRH The Princess Royal for a commemorative dinner in honour of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.

The event was held at Prestonfield House, one of Edinburgh’s finest hotels, and welcomed 416 guests including Normandy veteran and charity beneficiary, Joseph Connor.

Joseph served as a Trooper with the 15th (Scottish) Reconnaissance Regiment in Normandy in 1944. Also in attendance was HRH The Princess Royal, The Lord Lieutenant and Lord Provost of Edinburgh, General Officer Scotland and The Governor of Edinburgh Castle, along with pupils from Prestonfield Primary School.

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall, pictured with our President, General Sir Mike Jackson and Chief Executive, Major General (Ret’d) Martin Rutledge

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incredible generosity of our many and invaluable supporters, advocates and volunteers, the evening raised over £102,000 for our work supporting the Army family.

HRH The Princess Royal, in

The evening provided an opportunity to pay tribute to the remarkable D-Day generation, while raising vital funds for the soldiers, veterans and families of today. Thanks to the

conversation with Brigadier Hughie Monro and Captain Eck Stewart

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

WALES OFFICE SCALES MOROCCO’S MOUNT TOUBKAL In September, our Wales Office led a dizzying climb up North Africa’s tallest mountain, Mount Toubkal in Morocco. The 12-strong team came from all walks of life, pushing themselves to the limit to raise over £20,000 in our 75th anniversary year.

Scaling the 4,176m peak was a tough test of physical and mental endurance. Reflecting afterwards, team members spoke of the lasting friendships they developed and the sense of personal achievement at making such a significant contribution to soldiers, veterans and their families.

At the summit, the team placed a cross and held a one-minute silence in memory of Private James Prosser, who died ten years ago while serving with The Royal Welsh in Afghanistan.

WHEELS ON THE WESTERN FRONT HEADS TO NORMANDY In August, our West Midlands office took their Wheels on the Western Front cycling challenge to Normandy, for a special event marking the 75th anniversary of D-Day. The demanding 310-mile circuit covered the major landing beaches and battlefields fought over on D–Day, as well as the scenes of hard-fought airborne assaults at Merville Gun Battery and Pegasus Bridge. Along the way, cyclists paused to pay their respects to the British, American,

Canadian and other Allied troops who fought and fell there.

A huge thanks to all who took part and especially to Roy Collins, who joined us from the US for the second time.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone for raising over £56,000 for our charity and hope to welcome many new and returning cyclists for our Ride to Arnhem in September 2021.

For more information and to register for our 2021 event, visit

soldierscharity.org/wotwf

An amazing, physical and emotional, once-in-a-lifetime experience with our inspiring supporters.

One off the bucket list!

Pete Davies, Regional Director Wales

HEXHAM DETACHMENT CLAIMS THE REVISION TROPHY 2019 The Hexham Detachment of Northumbria Army Cadet Force has been crowned winner of the Revision Cadet Challenge. The annual challenge sees cadets across the country compete to raise money for our charity, with their efforts judged on creativity, overall funds raised and wider community involvement.

This year, Hexham claimed the trophy with a host of inventive fundraising

challenges, which saw them climb the equivalent of Northumberland’s highest peak on a rolling climbing wall; row across Northumberland on machines; complete a 10-mile walk of Hadrian’s Wall; fundraise at the Northumberland County Show and more to raise almost £4,000.

For details on how to enter the Revision Cadet Challenge 2020, visit

soldierscharity.org/events/ revision-cadet-challenge 07

FRONTLINE

HOME FRONT

BORN SURVIVOR In September, over 40 intrepid fundraisers battled through mud, water and a range of obstacles to complete Born Survivor. Set against the wonderful backdrop of Lowther Castle in the Lake District, the 12km course was a real test for all those who took part. Congratulations to all of our participants who raised over £2,000 for the Army family.

FOUR SOLDIERS, 3,000 MILES: AFC HARROGATE TAKES ON THE ATLANTIC In December, four soldiers from the Army Foundation College (AFC) Harrogate will undergo the ultimate test of physical and mental endurance. The Force Atlantic crew will attempt a 3,000 nautical mile crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to raise funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity in our 75th anniversary year.

EAST MIDLANDS LAUNCHES MUSIC FESTIVAL Over the summer, our East Midlands office launched a new music festival to celebrate our 75th anniversary.

Working in partnership with James Dean Events, the team laid on a fantastic weekend of live music and entertainment, including X-factor finalists The LMA Choir; tribute acts to bands including The Stripes, Phil Collins and Robbie Williams; and an aerial display from the RLC parachute display team, the Silver Stars. Charity beneficiary John Cutting and ambassador Stewart Harris were on hand to chat to the crowds and spread the good word. Huge thanks to James Dean Events for such a wonderful event.

WO2 Paul Gibbs (right), pictured with Jim Smith and Zara Dunnicliffe-Smith

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Dubbed ‘the world’s toughest row’, the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge is an annual ocean rowing race. Thirty teams from around the world will attempt the voyage, following the ancient trade routes from La Gomera in the Canary Islands to Nelson’s Harbour, Antigua. The fastest crews will finish in five weeks – although 100 days at sea is not unusual. More people have climbed Everest than completed an Atlantic crossing by rowing boat.

The team comprises AFC Harrogate Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Rich Hall MBE; Captain Chris Hames; Captain Alex Walsh and Private Kian Helm. The youngest member, 18-year-old Kian, has just completed Basic Training and is attempting to become the fastest teenager ever to row the Atlantic.

Find out more about our support for Force Atlantic by visiting

forceatlantic.com

We are thrilled to form the British Army’s first official ocean rowing team and hope to showcase that ordinary people, like us, can achieve exceptional things because of the opportunity and worldleading training the Army provides. We are supporting ABF The Soldiers’ Charity because of the tireless work it does supporting soldiers, veterans and their family in restoring dignity and removing disadvantage.

Rich Hall

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STAFF MEMBERS MARK 75 YEARS’ COMBINED SERVICE FOR THE ARMY FAMILY This year, our three longest-serving staff members marked our 75th anniversary with a special celebration of their own. Together, Susanne Hollis, Janet Britland and Carole Brown have worked for our charity for a total of 75 years. Our President, General Sir Mike Jackson, thanked them for their dedication supporting our Armed Forces and our Director of Regions, Brigadier (Ret’d) Colin Tadier, added:

Sincere thanks to Susanne, Janet and Carole for their hard work and commitment, which has helped our charity support the Army family when they need it most.

Colin Tadier

TOGETHER FOR GOOD: THE NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH BIG CURRY Big Curry is a year-round, national campaign by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity that aims to bring people together over their favourite curry dishes and raise funds to help soldiers, veterans and their families.

For the month of September 2019, Big Curry partnered with Neighbourhood Watch for the first time to help build stronger communities, raise awareness of both charities and encourage neighbours to try something new.

Eating curry has been a long-standing tradition within the Army. During the 19th century, while the British Army was serving in India and the Asian sub-continent, soldiers would eat curry together and discover new dishes with extraordinary spices and flavours. This tradition continues to this day with many curry dishes of various different origins being enjoyed.

Together For Good: The Neighbourhood Watch Big Curry encouraged existing Neighbourhood Watch communities to share a meal, swap stories (just as soldiers would do) and raise funds. All money raised was

split equally between the two charities to ensure that both the Army family and local communities around the country benefitted from the efforts of neighbours.

Big Curry will continue its partnership with Neighbourhood Watch in 2020 and work towards building stronger community bonds through enjoying a Big Curry.

To find out more, visit

soldierscharity.org/ big-curry

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FRONTLINE

TIME FOR TEA: JOINING FORCES WITH THE NAAFI In September, NAAFI vans old and new converged for a 75th anniversary tea party to mark the NAAFI’s long-standing relationship with ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

In September 1944, the finance committee of the newly formed Army Benevolent Fund met for the very first time. On the books was an extraordinary gift from the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute (NAAFI), which had awarded £1.5m to the charity from its 1942-3 and 1943-4 profits.

Today, that gift is valued at over £65m. With it, the fledgling Army Benevolent Fund was able to begin its vital work providing a lifetime of support for soldiers, veterans and their families.

To celebrate this gift and our shared history, we joined forces with the NAAFI to serve tea and cake to soldiers and schoolchildren in Tidworth from one retro and one modern NAAFI van. Our Chief of Staff, Brigadier (Ret’d) Robin Bacon, and John Goddard, Head of Operations at NAAFI, then treated two classes of schoolchildren to a talk about the role of the NAAFI during the Second World War, when it grew exponentially to support troops on active service across the globe.

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The NAAFI grant in 1944 enabled our charity to begin supporting the Army family in the aftermath of the Second World War. It has been a pleasure to be at Zouch Academy in Tidworth this afternoon talking to children and parents about this history of The Soldiers’ Charity and the NAAFI. Robin Bacon

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SINCE 1944: MARY WHENHAM’S SUPPORTER STORY 75 years ago, a Lancaster bomber crashed outside Mary Whenham’s childhood home, killing the young Canadian aircrew.

The experience inspired Mary to become a fundraiser for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Mary Whenham grew up in rural Lincolnshire. As a young girl, she remembers watching the heavy Lancaster and Halifax bombers passing overhead on their way to mainland Europe during the Second World War. Then, one day in 1944, she watched in horror as a Lancaster narrowly missed her family home and crashed in an almighty ball of flame just hundreds of yards away. The Canadian crew were all killed. Years later, Mary was given a piece of the wreckage after a failed attempt to excavate the Lancaster in the 1960s.

Mary married former soldier Arthur and moved to Woolwich, an area steeped in military history. Arthur died on Remembrance Day in 2012 with a poppy by his side.

In 2014, Mary’s son Terry became a fundraiser for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and has since completed five Frontline Walks and raised £45,000. Inspired by her own memories of the Second World War, Mary decided to join Terry with his

fundraising efforts to support soldiers, veterans and their families. So far, Mary has raised £2,500 for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, fundraising in supermarkets and at 1940s weekends and events.

Mary often thinks of the young Canadian airmen: “The poppies remember all of the fallen, but my mind often goes back to that terrible day in Lincolnshire when I was just seven years old.”

It’s great that Terry and I can work together raising funds for this wonderful charity.

Mary Whenham

Above: A seven year old Mary (front row right), pictured with her family at their home in rural Lincolnshire, 1944.

Right: Mary with ‘Just Jane’, a Lancaster Bomber, at East Kirkby Airfield in Lincolnshire.

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FRONTLINE

CONVERSATIONS: PODCAST SERIES PR and Media Manager Katie Burns discusses our podcast series, which features interviews with people whose lives were changed forever by war and conflict.

At ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, we are always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring stories from across the Army family to life. One of our new initiatives has been the launch of our 75th anniversary podcast series, Conversations. Introduced by Lorraine Kelly, the series sheds a light on some of the incredible men and women our work has touched.

Podcasting is one of the fastest growing mediums in the UK, with huge numbers downloading or streaming episodes of their favourite audio shows each week.

Each of our five initial episodes explores a theme, from camaraderie and family life to injury, bereavement and resettlement. Our listeners hear how life in the British Army has evolved over the charity’s 75 years of service – as told by some of our extraordinary beneficiaries and supporters.

EPISODE 1 BOB SEMPLE & SARAH ADAMS Bob Semple, a veteran of the Royal Engineers, was working in Yemen after leaving the Army when he was captured by Al Qaeda, leaving his family to carry on with their daily lives and live in hope for his return.

Sarah Adams lost her son James, who was serving with the 2nd Royal Welsh in Afghanistan. James was just 21 years of age when a Taliban bomb exploded under his vehicle.

Sarah and Bob talk about coping with trauma and the impact on their families’ lives.

EPISODE 2 JOSEPH CONNOR & GARY JAMIESON Joseph Connor, 95, joined the Army in 1942. He was honoured by the French government for his part in liberating France during the Second World War. Gary Jamieson was in his 14th year of service – and on his second tour of Afghanistan – when he was catastrophically injured by an improvised explosive device. Gary lost both legs above the knee, and his left arm above the elbow.

Joseph and Gary talk candidly about their time in the Army and how transitioning to Civvy Street has changed over the decades.

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EPISODE 3 ALIX HALE & ANDREW BLAIR Alix Hale was eight years old when she was told that her father, Captain Mark Hale, had been killed in Afghanistan.

Similarly, Andrew Blair was eight years old when he was told 40 years ago about the death of his father, Lieutenant Colonel David Blair, who lost his life in the Warrenpoint ambush in Northern Ireland.

Alix and Andrew share their experiences of coping with their losses and are surprised to find the similarities despite the three decades between them.

EPISODE 4 ANDY REID & JOHN CUTTING In October 2009, whilst on patrol with 3rd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment in Afghanistan, Corporal Andy Reid MBE stood on an improvised explosive device. As a result, he lost his right leg below the knee, his left leg above the knee, and his right arm.

Andy speaks to John Cutting who served in the Royal Engineers from 1970 to 1974 and was sent on back-toback tours of Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles which led to his diagnosis of Complex PTSD. Andy and John discuss their experiences after service, and the different challenges posed by mental and physical injuries.

EPISODE 5 MALDWYN JONES & STEWART HARRIS Maldwyn Jones served with 1st Battalion The Welsh Guards in Belize, Cyprus and the Falklands. In 1982, he was serving onboard the Sir Galahad – a ship that was bombed and set ablaze in the worst British setback of the Falklands conflict.

Stewart Harris was also with The Welsh Guards.

Whilst on tour in Afghanistan in 2012, a roadside bomb hurled Stewart’s vehicle into a ditch, leaving him with brain damage, the impact of which left him partially sighted and partially deaf.

Maldwyn and Stewart have become friends post-service.

You can listen to these podcasts, share, review and rate them via your favourite channel:

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FRONTLINE

D-DAY 75: THE FRONTLINE WALK HEADS TO NORMANDY This year we marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day with the launch of a new walking challenge: The Normandy Beaches Frontline Walk. For the first time, 100 walkers trekked 100km across the landing beaches and battlefields stormed on D-Day, raising vital funds for our charity and paying tribute to the soldiers who served and died there 75 years ago.

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ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

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Opposite

6. James Harcus laying a cross at

1. Walking along the cliffs

the grave of 29-year-old Lance

overlooking Gold Beach, where

Corporal L Kershaw at Hermanville

British troops landed on D-Day.

War Cemetery.

2. Setting off at the very start

7. Exploring the trenches at

of the 100km. Walkers started

Hillman Strongpoint (a German

at Sainte-Mère-Église, the drop

bunker complex and command post

zone for American paratroopers on

built during World War Two).

D-Day.

8. Emotions at the finish line, Pegasus Bridge.

This page 3. The morning of day two, walking

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along Omaha Beach.

To register for our

4. Exploring Omaha Beach, where

2020 Frontline Walk,

US troops landed on D-Day.

visit soldierscharity.org/

5. Justin White shows off his

frontlinewalk

Frontline Walk inspired tattoo.

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FRONTLINE

ARNHEM 75: INTERVIEW WITH GENERAL SIR MIKE JACKSON WHEN WERE YOU FIRST AWARE OF THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM? I suppose by the time I was 15 or 16, when I was clear I was going into the Army and I had been attracted by the airborne side. I eventually joined the Parachute Regiment. Arnhem is part of the narrative – almost part of the birthright of the Regiment.

HAVE YOU YOURSELF VISITED ARNHEM?

This September marked the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden and the Battle of Arnhem. We joined our President, General Sir Mike Jackson, for a discussion about the legacy of the operation and its commander, Field Marshal Montgomery.

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Several times – half a dozen, I would think. And I was there for the 75th commemoration in September this year.

WHAT WAS YOUR OVERRIDING IMPRESSION OF BEING THERE? It’s quite extraordinary. As we know, it was a hard-fought battle that the Allies lost. We have to be blunt about that. And at the end of the battle, the town of Arnhem itself was in bits. And perhaps worse still, the Dutch people – particularly in the north west of the country – were almost abandoned by the Allies as they withdrew.

The winter that followed was known as the ‘winter of hunger.’ It was desperate.

You wouldn’t blame the good Burghers of Arnhem for saying “thanks very much for nothing.” But on the contrary, there is the most remarkable bond between the veterans of the battle and the people of Arnhem. It is tangible. You feel it.

Most vividly at the service held in the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery on the Sunday morning of the Arnhem commemoration weekend, which is entirely a joint affair between the British Armed Forces and the Dutch. It is extraordinary and quite moving.

I’VE HEARD THERE IS A TRADITION CONCERNING THE FLOWER CHILDREN OF ARNHEM? Each school child in a given academic year is assigned a grave in the cemetery at Arnhem to look after. And during the service, the children come forward with bouquets of flowers and at a particular moment, they all go to the grave they’ve looked after to lay the flowers. Very moving.

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ONE OF THE MOST ENDURING STORIES OF THE BATTLE OF ARNHEM IS THAT OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOHN FROST, WHO HELD THE NORTH SIDE OF THE ARNHEM BRIDGE WITH THE 2ND PARACHUTE BATTALION DESPITE FIERCE OPPOSITION. IS THE EXPERIENCE OF BATTLE DIFFERENT FOR A COMMANDER? You have additional responsibilities.

To use an analogy, the commander must be the brain but the muscle and brawn come from your soldiers – they do all the heavy lifting. They must be directed by a plan that you hope will end in success. I’m afraid on this occasion, it did not. They cannot be faulted, the airborne soldiers, for any lack of courage or determination to see this through.

THE OVERARCHING CAMPAIGN, OPERATION MARKET GARDEN, WAS HEADED BY FIELD MARSHAL MONTGOMERY. WHAT IS YOUR KNOWLEDGE OR UNDERSTANDING OF HIM? There can be no doubt of his military capability, starting in the western desert with his carefully planned and eventually successful battle of El-Alamein, which many historians see as the turning of the tide of the Second World War. Before El-Alamein we did not seem able to beat the Germans; after El-Alamein, we did. So he established his credentials with that successful battle.

As a person, he was somewhat controversial. An extraordinary, empowering sense of his own ability. Confidence oozing from every pore. He was popular with the soldiers, but he wasn’t terribly good at Allied relations. As anybody in today’s Army knows, it behoves us to get on with our Allies and partners. Monty ruffled American feathers – I don’t think there is any doubt about that. But the Generals who got to the top in World War Two were hardly shrinking violets and a degree of friction was probably inevitable.

MONTGOMERY FRONTED OUR FIRST PUBLIC APPEAL IN 1946 AND HELPED TO RAISE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY. HOW WAS HE VIEWED BY THE PUBLIC? He was a hero to the British public – as you see in ancient newsreels and photographs of Monty on his rounds of the United Kingdom. He was feted because he was the victor at El-Alamein. Generals before his extraordinary rise had not had the same, almost mercurial effect on the civilian population – let alone on the Army itself. Not only did the people regard him as a hero – but so did he!

DO YOU THINK ARNHEM DEFINED MONTGOMERY’S CAREER? No, I wouldn’t say it did. It is my understanding that El-Alamein put him on the map as the British commander. Although for myself, Bill Slim is a more impressive figure by a considerable margin. His command of the Fourteenth Army in Burma was brilliant. But Burma was a long way away, whereas North Africa and then Europe were much closer to home.

Opposite left: Paratroopers of 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, descending on Drop Zone X, which is already littered with parachutes from previous drops, 17th September 1944.

Opposite right: Since 1945, local schoolchildren have been laying flowers on the graves of Allied soldiers killed during the Battle of Arnhem.

Below: Soldiers of 1st Airlanding Light Regiment, 1st Airborne Division, pictured with a 75mm howitzer gun on the Oosterbeek perimeter, 21st September 1944.

17

FRONTLINE

ARNHEM 75: SURVIVING ‘A BRIDGE TOO FAR’ Corporal Sid Sallis, 96, is the last surviving Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) Air Despatcher from the Battle of Arnhem.

This is his story.

20th September 1944. 21-year-old Sid Sallis stands in the bomb bay of a Short Stirling aircraft, gazing down the row of wicker panniers. Hundreds of feet beneath lies a tidy patchwork of Dutch fields and villages, broken by roads and streaks of dark woodland. The aircraft slows, losing height as it approaches the drop zone near Oosterbeek.

Operation Market Garden – the Allied push into the German-occupied Netherlands – was the brainchild of Field Marshal Montgomery. He envisaged a combined force of paratroopers and land troops creating a 64-mile salient into the German-occupied Netherlands and a crossing over the Rhine.

The plan was ambitious – so ambitious that one senior officer is said to have remarked that Arnhem – the northernmost bridge the Allies were required to capture – would prove ‘a bridge too far.’ The phrase would be immortalised in Richard Attenborough’s 1977 film A Bridge Too Far, becoming synonymous with the tragic heroism of the men who fought and fell there.

The fighting around Arnhem was ferocious.

Only the 2nd Parachute Battalion, under Lt Col John Frost, succeeded in their objective.

For four days, those few hundred men held the bridge while troops from other divisions were pinned down, reliant on parachute drops for food, water and ammunition by the RAF and RASC Air Despatchers.

I was really lucky.

We lost 19 men on the very first day.

Sid Sallis

18

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

With them was Corporal Sid Sallis, an Air Despatcher from 1st Airborne Division 63 Squadron. Sid had joined the Army two years previously as a driver. When an injury sustained in the boxing ring put him out of action for D-Day, Sid joined the 1st Airborne Division and on 20th September 1944 found himself flying over Arnhem, dropping supplies to British troops on the ground.

Sid remembers: “In the Stirlings, there was a big hole in the floor so it was one false move and you were out. In the Dakotas, there were rollers through the cabin to the door to help you move the supplies, but we didn’t have those in the Stirling. There were only two of us in the back and you had to pull these great panniers. We would get to the drop zone, get down to 300ft and from there we had to get the stuff out quick. The Germans were all around us during the drop, and although we couldn’t see them, they could see us. I was really lucky.

We lost 19 men on the very first day.”

All in all, 79 Air Despatchers would lose their lives during the operation, which would prove one of the greatest Allied setbacks of the war. Of the 10,000 men who landed at Arnhem, only 2,100 troops from 1st Airborne

Division were ferried back across the Rhine, leaving the remainder dead or captured. Sid would later record his experiences in a poem, Arnhem, which remembered the tenacity and courage of the Allied airborne troops and the units who tried to reach them.

Sid went on to serve five years in the British Army, including a spell in a peace-keeping force in Palestine, but it is his experiences at Arnhem that have stayed with him. He makes annual visits to the town with his family, staying with the same Dutch family and visiting the Air Despatch Memorial that stands on the site of his former drop zone. In October, to mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, Sid witnessed his poem brought to life by performers including Jeremy Irons, Paul Copley and General Sir Mike Jackson at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Spoken Word and Poetry Evening in London.

Left: Sid pictured in 2018.

Top: RASC Air Despatchers prepare to drop panniers from a Douglas Dakota during an airborne exercise.

Above: Sid during his Army days.

Since 2015, Sid has been receiving an annual grant from The Soldiers’ Charity towards his carehome fees.

Fiona Sallis, Sid’s daughter-in-law says: “We are really very grateful for the funding support that has been given; it has made a huge difference.”

19

FRONTLINE

PARTNERSHIPS & PHILANTHROPY

LAUGH OUT LOUD WITH DAVID WILLIAMS’ NEW BOOK ‘GHASTLY HOLIDAYS' Long-standing supporter of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, David Williams has launched his new poetry book, ‘Ghastly Holidays’. David takes the reader on a global poetic tour of catastrophic trips complemented by drawings from Elliot Byrne. The collection features his comic take on action-packed weekends to the Shetlands, lamentable skiing in Lech and crazy hire-car trips in Corfu. £1 from every copy sold of ‘Ghastly Holidays’ will go towards our work providing life-changing grants to soldiers, veterans and their families.

David’s commitment follows the success of his first book ‘Filthy Creatures’, of which we were also beneficiaries.

This September, we were delighted to attend the book launch at the Swan at Shakespeare’s Globe. The room was full and there were laughsa-plenty as guests took to the stage to read David’s work. Our Chief Executive, Major General (Ret’d) Martin Rutledge; Chief of Staff, Brigadier (Ret’d) Robin Bacon; and ambassador, Stewart Harris were also in attendance, and described to guests the charity’s impact on those in need.

‘WARRIOR WOMEN AT WORK’ LAUNCH

available to buy now!

(from top L to front R): Annette Andrews (Lloyd’s), Claire Bowler

This September, we hosted our first event in partnership with Women in the City, ‘Warrior Women at Work’.

Held at Lloyd’s, delegates from City and military backgrounds joined us to share leadership challenges and experiences.

(DWF), Major General Susan Ridge, Commandant Philippa Lorimer (FANY), Gwen Rhys (WiC) and Kate Billingham Wilson (ABF The Soldiers’ Charity).

Right: Held at Lloyd’s of London, guests enjoyed drinks and canapés before the panel

The evening opened with Gwen Rhys, CEO of Women in the City and Kate Billingham Wilson, Head of Partnerships & Philanthropy at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity who highlighted the parallels between the battlefield and the office, and the importance of women in the Army throughout history. Major General Susan Ridge – the first female to hold the rank of Major General in the British Army – delivered a keynote speech.

Delegates were invited to discuss their own leadership experiences, and an animated discussion with an allfemale panel followed. Topics included flexible working and finding mentors in predominantly male environments.

Top: David Williams Below: Ghastly Holidays is

Left: Our speakers and panel

Our thanks go to Gwen Rhys for facilitating and chairing the panel, Lloyd’s for their generous sponsorship of the event and to Major General Susan Ridge and all our panellists: Annette Andrews, Lloyd’s; Commandant Philippa Lorimer, First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY); and Claire Bowler, DWF.

discussions.

To find out more about Women in the City please visit citywomen.co.uk To hear the latest updates on our networking events, please contact

partnerships@ soldierscharity.org

We were delighted to work with Women in the City for such a lively and informative evening, bringing together professional women and members of the Army family and raising greater awareness of our work supporting those in need.

Kate Billingham Wilson

20

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

THE EIGHTH BARCLAYS BIG CURRY In October, the Barclays Big Curry returned for the eighth year running, welcoming guests to the Victory Services Club in London.

Barclays employee James Savage has organised and hosted the event since its inception, raising more than £150,000 for soldiers, veterans and their families in need. The event is part of our charity’s long-standing partnership with Barclays, signifying their commitment to the Armed Forces community.

Guests enjoyed traditional curry as eaten in many Army Mess Halls and could bid in a live auction.

Prizes included a stay at a boutique Wadworth hotel and a tour of Wadworth Brewery in Devizes. They also had the opportunity to take home a bottle of Wadworth Tommy’s Pale Ale, produced in aid of the charity.

General Colin T. McClean, Sean Bonnington, Charlie Strawa,

Left: The eighth Barclays Big Curry at the Victory Services Club in London.

Right: ABF The Soldiers’

Ambassador for The Soldiers’ Charity, Stewart Harris, spoke to guests about how our charity supported him at his lowest point after he sustained severe injuries while serving in Afghanistan.

Attendees were very moved by his story of survival and recovery.

SUPPORTING ARMY FAMILIES WITH OSHKOSH DEFENSE

(L-R) Mike Capper, Major

A special thanks goes to James Savage and everyone at Barclays for their continued support of our work and the wider Armed Forces community.

We are proud to be partnering with Oshkosh for a second year to assist members of the Army family, both in the field and when they return home.

As a pioneer in military vehicles, systems and technologies, Oshkosh has stood behind those who dedicate their lives to protecting others since its establishment in 1917. In that time, Oshkosh has delivered and sustained more than 160,000 tactical wheeled vehicles and has a long-standing history of charitable giving.

Mike Ivy, John Lazar.

Mike Ivy, Senior Vice President of International Programs and Global Product Support said: “It is an honour and privilege to serve the men and women who risk their lives for the mission. Every innovation, product and service developed at Oshkosh is designed to help troops complete their missions successfully. Our donation to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity ensures

Charity ambassador, Stewart Harris.

that members of the Army family in need are supported long after their mission has ended.”

Oshkosh’s ongoing support ensures we are able to fulfil our commitment to be there ‘For Soldiers – for Life’; a commitment that remains the same today as it did following our founding in 1944. On behalf of those soldiers, veterans and families who have received crucial help because of Oshkosh, thank you.

Martin Rutledge

21

FRONTLINE

NATIONAL EVENTS WHAT A YEAR WE HAVE HAD TOGETHER! 2019 has given us plenty to celebrate. In April, we welcomed HRH The Duke of Sussex to London’s Guildhall for a historic Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch, which saw us surpass the figure of £2 million raised for Her Majesty’s Armed Forces since 2007. We also celebrated a recordbreaking Cateran Yomp in June; launched ‘Operation Bletchley,’ our virtual code-breaking challenge, in July; and brought The Frontline Walk to the Normandy beaches in October. A huge thank you to all our incredible supporters, who have pushed themselves to the limit for soldiers, veterans and their families.

I believe that anyone can complete the entire Yomp route if they prepare correctly and look after themselves. The 24-year-old gym enthusiast struggles more than the experienced walker who know that simple things like stopping and changing your socks or taping your feet make all the difference.

22 20

I am (whisper it) 70-yearsold this year and still going strong. In fact, in 2019 I walked alongside an 84-year-old retired Major who flew in from France to complete the bronze (22 mile) distance. The Yomp is achievable regardless of your age and is as much a mental game as a physical challenge. Having your support crew meet you at the checkpoints helps boost your morale when you really need it and can supply you with those all-important dry socks.

In 2020, we will mark the 10th anniversary of the Cateran Yomp. In anticipation, we’ve asked Bob Ellis for his five top tips for completing the 54-mile event. Bob is a Yomp veteran, founder of the route and holder of three bronze, three silver and two gold Yomp medals. Offering a choice of three distances across the Perthshire countryside, (54 miles - Gold, 36 miles – Silver, 22 miles – Bronze) the 2020 Cateran Yomp is shaping up to be the best one yet!

Despite what I was saying left, proper preparation prevents poor performance.

Train properly and do not underestimate the challenge of completing the Yomp.

Less than 60% of people who have signed up to take part have gone home with a gold medal. Get out on those training walks, rain or shine. It will make all the difference 40 miles in.

Some people say they actually put on weight as they take part in the Yomp.

They are the sensible ones.

You get through some calories trekking that many miles across the highlands.

Eating and drinking are so important to your success, little and often and lots of water.

The Yomp weekend is one of the highlights of the year. From the Friday night registration to the excitement on the start line, the camaraderie across the weekend is like nothing else. Falling into conversations with business CEO’s, fresh Army recruits, three star generals or passionate veterans, it’s the people you meet while taking part in the Yomp which make it extraordinary and help the miles fly by. The gin stop at Loch Auchintaple (my favourite spot on the route) is pretty great too.

“GREAT FUN. CHALLENGING. DIFFERENT.”

HOW FAR YOU RUN DEPENDS ON YOUR AIM

BASED ON A MILITARY TRAINING EXERCISE CALLED A MARCH AND SHOOT, RIFLE RUN IS A 10KM RUN – IF YOU CAN SHOOT STRAIGHT. One 10km course, three shooting challenges. 20 targets for you to hit One on one instruction on each shooting station For every shot you miss you face a 250m penalty loop before you can continue.

Hit 20/20 = run 10km. Hit 0/20 = run 15km Registration: £49 (Early bird and team discounts available) Fundraising target: £100 TO FIND AN EVENT NEAR YOU: W: WWW.SOLDIERSCHARITY.ORG/RIFLERUN E: EVENTS@SOLDIERSCHARITY.ORG T: 020 7811 3960

THE 2020 LUNCH Where

Guildhall, City of London

When

Thursday 2nd April 2020

How much are tickets?

£100 including lunch, wines and beer Group ticket packages available

To book

W: www.soldierscharity.org/lordmayors E: lmbc@soldierscharity.org T: 020 7811 3202 23

FRONTLINE

SOLDIER, REBEL, ACCOUNTANT, ARTIST: MARTIN FIGURA It was a cold winter’s morning in 1973 when the teenaged Martin Figura entered his local Army Careers Office and signed on the line. He was leaving behind a highly disrupted and difficult childhood and limited prospects. Outside the recruiting office, he was approached by a ramshackle man who shook his hand, breathed alcohol fumes in his face and said: “Eleven years, eleven years – good man,” and tottered off. It was not an auspicious start.

Over the summer, poet and photographer Martin Figura joined the charity as our official poetin-residence. His collection, Maps, offers a fascinating look at the work of the charity and the changing face of British soldiering.

Martin would go on to serve 25 years in the British Army; rising to the rank of Major and undergoing a series of metamorphoses from care leaver to rebel, soldier, chartered accountant and photographer. For the past two decades, he has been working as a poet and photographer.

His latest project is a collaboration with ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, which has seen him capture the experiences of former soldiers who have benefitted from our support. Warm, funny and achingly sad, the collection shows Martin’s enduring fondness and respect for soldiers. In tender and meticulous detail, it charts the shifting terrain of self and belonging; camaraderie and conflict; mental and physical injury; transition and recovery.

One of the soldiers Martin spoke to was Stewart Harris, who served thirteen years in The Welsh Guards. On tour in Afghanistan, Stewart’s vehicle was struck by a roadside bomb which left him with catastrophic injuries and enduring PTSD. The trauma drove Stewart to the brink of suicide, as Martin relates in his poem ‘Bear’, which is reproduced opposite.

Stewart survived the ordeal, and with the support of The Soldiers’ Charity has gone on to transition successfully into a civilian career.

Martin says: “It’s a little embarrassing to admit that not once in my 25 years of Army service was I ever in harm’s way.

I was never asked to pay the price or to confront the reality of what soldiering means. However, I was given the daunting responsibility of putting into words the experiences of others, which really do warrant poems.”

24

Martin performed a selection from Maps at ABF The Soldiers’ Charity’s Spoken Word and Poetry Evening in London in October. Stewart and several other ambassadors were there to hear their poems read.

Reflecting on the collection, Martin says: “I do know a sense of belonging is fundamental to the human experience and core to soldiering. I know from my childhood what it is to lose where you belong and your idea of yourself.

The idea of losing that now is shattering.

The work The Soldiers’ Charity does means that soldiers will always belong.

I hope my poems are up to the job and convey the respect I felt in making them.

I did my very best and was honoured to be asked.”

I felt very honoured to have a poem written about me. But to have it written in such a way that made things pop out and brought it to life was truly inspiring. It’s something my family and I will cherish forever.

Stewart Harris

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

Bear for Stewart Harris Betrayal will happily walk with you, knows your patterns, the roof-runs and dead ends of conflict. Conflict will lift you skyward, then lay you down on the broken dirt. Stew woke clean white and wondered if this was hell. The bear in the next bed explained it was Birmingham and over weeks they reminisced, became firm friends. When it was time, the bear came home with him and was too big for the house. The bear blundered about breaking ornaments, cracked its head against the light, sent shadows skittering about the walls. The bear brooded and the children shrank back from its rancid breath which made the bear roar. The rooms of the house became dead ends. One night Stew placed his hand into the bear’s paw and together they walked to the edge of the sea and were the most sorrowful sight the sea had ever seen. The sea took pity and let them step into her low swell.

They clung together while the sea murmured about home until the bear struck out for the moonlit horizon. Stew stood alone on the kitchen floor, water pooled about him. He was so tired, his own undone shoelaces were an unfathomable conundrum.

Commissioned by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Martin Figura’s collection and show Whistle was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award and won the 2013 Saboteur Award for Best Spoken Word Show. Shed (Gatehouse Press) and Dr Zeeman’s Catastrophe Machine (Cinnamon Press) were published in 2016.

He lives in Norwich with Helen Ivory and sciatica.

www.martinfigura.co.uk 27 25

ARMY FAMILIES MAKE HUGE SACRIFICES.

Gifts in Wills are vital in helping us to reach out to members of the Army Family when they find themselves in need. These gifts enable us to make grants that help young injured soldiers, serving soldiers, elderly veterans and their families in 68 countries across the globe.

Meet two members of our Army Family who we were able to help through the generosity of our supporters.

KIRSTIE’S STORY Kirstie’s husband served for six years with the Coldstream Guards and was severely injured during a tour of Afghanistan when two rocket propelled grenades exploded behind him. Kirstie was there for her husband throughout his recovery and helped him to start a new career. And all whilst looking after her six children.

But Kirstie now suffers from a neurological condition that leaves her with uncontrollable and painful muscle spasms.

After a serious fall a few years ago, Kirstie was told she might never walk again.

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity provided Kirstie with a grant to buy an all-terrain wheelchair which has helped her become more mobile, greatly improving both her own wellbeing and the quality of life with her whole family. As her condition changes, Kirstie may need our help again. But she can feel confident that we will always be there for her and her family.

“So far I’ve been into town, shopping, to the woods and on walks with the dog. I’ve been able to go to hospital appointments on my own, which before having the chair would have been impossible to do. The nicest thing is to be able to pick my kids up from school on my own.”

Photograph taken by Ed Moss

“Fisher House was a godsend for me and my girls. We were able to visit Stuart every day and had a home for the eight weeks that he was being treated.

We stay at Fisher House whenever Stuart comes back for treatment. We were cushioned – that’s what it felt like – someone just put us in a big bubble and protected us.”

STUART’S STORY In 2013 Staff Sergeant Stuart ‘Archie’ Gemmell was deployed into Forward Operating Base Wishtan in Helmand, Afghanistan.

During a dangerous assignment to clear an area of improvised explosive devices, Stuart fell and landed on one of the devices. He lost a leg and

sustained substantial trauma to the other leg, his buttocks and arms. Stuart spent eight weeks recovering from his injuries at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham.

Thankfully, Stuart’s wife, Kelly and their two daughters could stay at Fisher House, within walking distance of the hospital. This accommodation, supported by grants from ABF

The Soldiers’ Charity, meant his loving family were by his side throughout this incredibly difficult time.

Stuart is typical of many of our beneficiaries as his complex needs mean he may require support for many years to come. We must ensure that we are there for him, whenever he needs us.

The care and support our grants provide to our Armed Forces Community will last way beyond our generation. Please help us continue to help our Army Family by leaving us a gift in your Will.

It’s simple to do. You can request a copy of our Six Step Guide at soldierscharity.org/legacies/contact-us/ Alternatively, contact our legacies team at

A simple six-step guide to making or changing your Will A gift in your Will can make a real difference to our Army Family.

Of course, we appreciate that your loved ones come first, but a gift in your Will to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity could mean you leave a lasting legacy of support for those who have served their country.

Leaving a gift does not need to be difficult. However, we would always recommend using a professional solicitor to ensure your wishes are reflected correctly.

1

Start by making a list of your assets, what you owe and whom you want to benefit.

2

Decide what type of gift you wish to leave.

4

3

Choose who the Executors of your Will will be – often members of your immediate family.

Meet with your solicitor and if you decide to leave a gift to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, all you will need to provide the solicitor along with our name is: Our Address: Mountbarrow House, 6-12 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RB

Most people decide between a gift of a set amount or a percentage of the value of their estate. You can find more detailed information on gifts in our free Will Guide which you can request using the form within this pack.

Our Charity number: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) and Scotland (SC039189).

5

If you would like to amend a Will to include a gift to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, simply contact your solicitor to make an amendment known as a ‘Codicil’. This will then appear as an appendix. You just need to sign it, date it and keep it with the original Will.

6

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity can provide further support including a more detailed guide to leaving a gift in your Will, and a free Will writing service.

If you would like to receive these, please: Complete and return the form enclosed Email supportercare@soldierscharity.org Call 020 7901 8912

0006456_Six_Step_Guide_V4.indd 1

legacies@soldierscharity.org

12/08/2019 16:45

0207 901 8912

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a registered charity in England and Wales (1146420) and Scotland (039189) and registered as a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (07974609). Registered Office: Mountbarrow House, 12 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RB.

FRONTLINE

TAKING STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY As an organisation, we are evolving to reduce our impact on the world’s ecosystems. Project Officer Elizabeth Tan explains the steps we are taking to combat plastic pollution, climate change and deforestation.

One sunny morning, a bundle was placed on the table in front of our merchandise committee. It contained a pencil, pen, rubber, ruler and pencil case. It looked a lovely set, but a second glance confirmed that every item was made entirely out of plastic. How was this possible? A discussion erupted within the meeting room (disturbing the agreed agenda) and the committee demanded change.

We agreed to act swiftly. We conducted an eco-survey to better understand how much plastic we were distributing in our merchandise. While awaiting the results, we conducted further research to find ecofriendly alternatives for our products and packaging.

We have switched much of our packaging to biodegradable and plant-friendly alternatives. For example, our new set of Army vehicle pin badges will now be sold in biodegradable bags and our silicone wristbands will be phased out and replaced with material alternatives to ensure ABF The Soldiers’ Charity can still be proudly represented without a hidden impact on our precious ecosystems.

Our efforts go beyond plastic pollution.

We are taking steps to address other

We are making sustainable changes to our products for a greener future. Below are some of the plastic-free products available now in our online shop: Yo-yo £4.00 Bookends £19.99 Skittles £16.00

28

global problems. Deforestation became a big topic of conversation this year when the Amazon rainforest was set on fire.

To tackle this issue in our own way, we have wooden items such as plant labels made from materials sourced from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified beech wood, yo-yos constructed from 100% certified timber and soldier toys and skittles created from wood taken from the Programme for the Endorsement of Forests (PEFC). All of these are ethically sourced to ensure items are not contributing to any further deforestation of important rainforests such as the Amazon.

We are also addressing concerns around ‘fast-fashion’ by changing the material of our sports t-shirts and running vests to ecofabric made from recycled water bottles.

Although we haven’t yet reached our own goal of zero-plastic, we are evolving with the world to modernise our ways and attitudes.

The Soldiers’ Charity merchandise committee will continue to monitor the wider impact of every item and research eco-friendly methods of production and distribution. Every small step is a step in the right direction towards becoming a more socially-responsible and greener charity. (Khaki-green, of course.)

ISSUE 20 | AUTUMN/WINTER 2019

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY FEBRUARY

APRIL CONTINUED

22

26

Virgin London Marathon *

30

Langland Bay Golf Tournament, South Wales

London Irish vs Gloucester Armed Forces Match, Madejski Stadium, Reading

MARCH

JUNE

MAY

01

Worcestershire Curry Lunch, Worcester

07

Shropshire Curry Lunch, Shrewsbury

26

Curry & Quiz Night, Colchester

02-03 Ultra Challenge Series, Isle of Wight

27

Dinner Dance, Hilton Reading

07

Big Curry Cook Off, Manchester

29

London Landmarks Half Marathon *

07

VE Day 75th Anniversary Lunch, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst

08

VE Day 75th Anniversary Dinner, Edinburgh

APRIL

02

Stoke-on-Trent Military Tattoo, King’s Hall

02

The Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch, London

08

VE Day 75th Anniversary Celebration, Milsom Hotel, Colchester

05

Rifle Run South, Buckinghamshire *

09

05

Adrenalin Shock , Richmond, North Yorkshire

Born Survivor at Capesthorne Hall, Macclesfield

16

VE Day 75th Anniversary Tea Dance, Colchester

05

Manchester Marathon

11

Bungee Jump, Bray Lakes Windsor

19

Brighton Marathon *

19

Pamoja Hall Band Concert, Kent

23-24 Edinburgh Marathon Festival 28

Golf Competition, Edinburgh

28

Clay Shooting Competition, Leuchars, Fife

6-7

The Cateran Yomp, Perthshire *

12

Summer Reception, Lincolnshire

20

Freefall with Skydive North West

JULY 01

Start of Operation Bletchley *

11

Clay Shoot, Nottinghamshire

22

Skydive with the Red Devils, Salisbury *

31

Operation Bletchley finishes *

* Fundraising Army Event. Events and dates are accurate at time of press.

For more up to date information on events near you or nationally, contact your regional office (details overleaf) or Events HQ direct: T. 020 7811 3230 E. events@soldierscharity.org W. www.soldierscharity.org/events

THANK YOU Recently, we have bid farewell to a number of staff and long-serving volunteers. These include Diana Hart, who stands down as Chairman of the Middlesex Committee – a role she has held since 2006. During her 13-year tenure, Diana has encouraged the Barnet, Ealing, Harrow and Hillingdon branches to raise thousands of pounds. We are delighted that Diana will continue as Secretary of the Hillingdon Branch – a role she has held for 45 years.

Phil Daniels retires as Chairman of the Merseyside Committee after 19 years with our charity.

Phil has focused on fundraising in the community and has built

and maintained a very successful paintball range which he has taken all over the North West. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Phil and to his wife Jane, who stands down as Secretary of the same Committee.

Both Phil and Jane are members of the Centurions of Merseyside and will continue to support their events.

10 year run, ensuring the interests of the charity are maintained and managing the challenges of such a prestigious event, all done with aplomb. He stands down to return to university to study law as a mature student.

Wg Comdr (Ret’d) Malcolm Young MBE retires as Chairman of our Derbyshire Committee after four years in post. He has been a superb ambassador who has worked tirelessly to improve the profile of the charity throughout Derbyshire.

Of note has been his support for The Buxton Military Tattoo over its

It is with much sadness that we report the death of Major Peter Hogg, Chairman of our Cyprus Committee.

After a full career in the King’s Own Scottish Borderers, Peter and his wife Kate moved to live in Cyprus.

It is testament to the hard work of Peter and his team in Cyprus that our committee volunteers raised around £10,000 annually from concerts and various other events.

Fox Leo Matthews

Chloe Julia Hunter

AND FINALY Over the course of 2019, we were delighted to welcome to our ranks four ABF The Soldiers’ Charity babies!

Lucy Isabel Redman

Nathaniel Osehon Oluwatoke Ayere

OUR OFFICES Head Office ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Mountbarrow House, 12 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RB T. 020 7901 8900 E. supportercare@ supportercare@soldierscharity.org

East Anglia ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Building PO4, Room 6, Merville Barracks, Circular Road South, Colchester, Essex CO2 7UT T. 01206 817 105 E. eastanglia@ eastanglia@soldierscharity.org

East Midlands

North East

South East

Wales

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 5HA T. 01159 572 103 E. eastmidlands@ eastmidlands@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Hipswell Lodge, Smuts Road, Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire DL9 3AX T. 01748 874 127 E. northheast@ northheast@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Robertson House Slim Road, Camberley Surrey GU15 4NP T. 01276 412 673 E. southeast@ southeast@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Maindy Barracks, Whitchurch Road, Cardiff CF14 CF14 3YE 3YE T. 02920 726 132 E. wales@ wales@soldierscharity.org

North West

South West

West Midlands

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Fulwood Barracks, Preston PR2 8AA T. 01772 260 356 E. northwest@ northwest@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Bldg 750, Picton Barracks, Bulford Camp, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 9NY T. 01980 672 337 (Bulford) T. 01392 496412 (Exeter) E. southwest@ southwest@soldierscharity.org

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Building V5, Venning Barracks, Donnington, Telford, Shropshire TF2 8JT T. 01952 674 369 E. westmidlands@ westmidlands@soldierscharity.org

London ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Wellington Barracks, London SW1E 6HQ T. 020 3903 6030 E. london@ london@soldierscharity.org

Northern Ireland ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Building 115, Thiepval Barracks, Lisburn BT28 3NP T. 02892 678 112 E. ni@ ni@soldierscharity.org

Scotland ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, The Castle, Edinburgh EH1 2YT T. 0131 310 5132 E. scotland@ scotland@soldierscharity.org

St. James’s Ride by Gordon Lees. Reproduced by kind permission of The Great British Card Company GBCC (Ltd)

Working in cooperation with our US counterpart, The Soldiers Fund, which supports both US and UK service personnel

ABF The Soldiers’ Charity (“the/our charity”) is an incorporated charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales with Charity No.1146420, and in Scotland with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator with Scottish Charity Register No.SC039189. ABF The Soldiers’ Charity is a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales (07974609) and was incorporated on 2nd March 2012.

We would like to keep in touch but we respect your privacy rights. For full details about how and why we collect, use and store your data, visit www.soldierscharity.org/privacy Remember, you can change your mind at any time about how we contact you, or tell us to stop contacting you altogether. Call on: 0207 901 8912; email: supportercare@soldierscharity.org; write to: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Mountbarrow House 6-20 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RB; online: www.soldierscharity.org/updatemypreferences