A.G.M. Tuesday 21 April 2010
Chairman's Report.
I Brannam Captain Royal Navy
A year ago Chris Cole handed over to me the Chairmanship of your Committee. I admit to taking it on with some trepidation as a relatively new member and without any previous experience on the committee. I was therefore grateful Chris remained on the committee for the time being as the ACORAM liaison officer. I have chosen not to be a revolutionary but to keep the Flotilla on a steady heading and not to deviate from our well tried programme of events.
This past year we have again been treated to an excellent and varied lecture programme, very interesting visits, and a most enjoyable social programme. The members of the committee once again have done a sterling job. I am most grateful to each of them for all the hard work they put into organising our programme. Hopefully there has been something for everyone, but do let me, or members of the committee, know if you think we should make any changes to course and speed.
Our Patron, Commodore Peter Hudson, was promoted last summer, while on the Taurus deployment east of Suez. He was relieved as COMATG by Commodore Paul Bennett, whom we welcomed to the Trafalgar Service and also to deliver the Patron's Lecture in January.
We must be grateful for, and not take for granted, the good relationships we enjoy with the Commandant, Commanding Officer and Mess staff here at CTCRM, albeit in the past year on a somewhat different financial basis. I trust we will be able to continue in the same vein. With mention of finance, thanks must go to Angus Atherton for all his hard work in his first year as our Treasurer and organising our social events in the mess. We now await the impact of increasing the annual subscription during a significant global recession. Thanks also go to Keith Sheppard for taking on the independent examination of our accounts.
Nigel Broadhurst once more negotiated for us a varied and extremely interesting lecture programme across a broad spectrum of subjects. His great enthusiasm overcomes many hurdles as he juggles all the balls in the air to ensure we have a speaker on the night. It is not only the problem of speakers' diaries. You will recall the Patron's lecture in January was postponed for a week in the light of the forecast of adverse weather conditions. The Met Office was right and our timely action correct as Haldon in the snow became the scene of traffic chaos. Another disruption was when the mess was belatedy not available on our usual night. Senior serving officers often get called away at the last moment and one of their staff has to step in. One of our own, Mike Page, came to our rescue when the FGN liaison officer at FOST was called at short notice to Germany.
In addition thanks go to Nigel who organised a very well attended visit to Babcock Marine in Appledore, to view the bow section of the new carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, before it was transported to Rosyth. A convivial lunch was taken at a local hostelry and a collection made for the Chilean earthquake disaster relief fund.
The social round for the year, beyond the lecture nights, began with the members' lunch following the AGM. Our guests were John Dawkins and standing in at short notice for Brigadier Bill Dunham, the Commandant, Lt Col Nick Bruce-Jones, Commanding Officer CTCRM, who brought us up to date with the activities of 3 Cdo Brigade on deployment in Afghanistan. The Summer party followed in July, not quite a balmy summer's evening, but very enjoyable, and dry enough to go outside for Sunset Ceremony by the Exmouth Sea Cadets. This year our party is on Friday 9 July and I hope you will seize this as an opportunity to entertain our official guests and our personal friends.
Shortly after it was time for our golfers to demonstrate their prowess at Budleigh Salterton, followed by an excellent dinner in the very well appointed clubhouse. Thank you Robert Harland for making all the arrangements and congratulations on taking the trophy. This year we hope to broaden the appeal of this summer dining evening on Thursday 29 July. The focus will be on the evening gathering, with golf in the afternoon for the enthusiasts. For those like me who are not into golf, Budleigh is a pleasant place to spend an afternoon with your ladies.
Our Trafalgar service under the meticulous organisation of Rory Jackson and Martin Sowman went off extremely well. Thank you both. Our preacher the Lord Bishop of Exeter, Michael Langrish, delivered an excellent sermon on Christian leadership based on attributes arising from the acronym VICTORY. Transcripts were much in demand and guided at least one local Commanding Officer in his Trafalgar Night dinner speech. Admiral of the Fleet Sir Ben Bathurst read the first lesson. Rory has stood down from the committee, to pursue interests with his livery company in London, and handed organising of the Trafalgar services to Chris Seaton, who has close personal links with the Cathedral staff. Our preacher this year on 24 October will be the Bishop to the Forces, the Right Reverend Stephen Venner,
Through 2009 we had a focus on Fly 100 celebrating a hundred years of Fleet Air Arm activity, culminating in our annual dinner at which Admiral Sir Michael Layard, accompanied by Lady Elspeth, was our guest of honour. He spoke of his time in the air and afloat and paid tribute the Fleet Air Arm and its future. Once again we enjoyed the mess beating by the RM Corps of Drums and music from their wind ensemble.
Also dining with us at our Annual Dinner were our friends from the ACORAM branch in Rennes, at the mid point of their three day visit to us. A full programme was arranged by Chris Cole. After visiting the RN Museum, we were grateful to David Scott for hosting the top table lunch in HMS Drake, before visiting HMS ALBION. Also thanks to David Lingard for the visit to BRNC, with the French exchange officer in attendance, and to everyone who helped to host our French guests. Chris many thanks for all you did as ACORAM liaison officer to cement our relationship with them. Mike Howard has now taken over, and we expect to be invited to Rennes in Spring 2011 establishing a two year interval between visits either way and not directly linking them to inter city exchanges.
During the year the Chairman accepted invitations to the following events and attended with or was represented by members of the Flotilla and on occasion their ladies:
* The De-commissioning of HMS EXETER
* The Lord Lieutenant's Tea Party in the Guildhall to mark the first Veteran's Week
* Cathedral Service to mark the return of 3 Commando Brigade from Afghanistan.
* CTCRM Cocktail Party
* The Annual Inspection of the Exeter Sea Cadet Corps
* The 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate charity dinner at HMS Drake
* The Exeter White Ensign Club Carol Concert.
An affiliation has been inaugurated with HMS DEFENDER building on the Clyde. She was launched on 21 October 2009 by Lady Massey, wife of Second Sea Lord, in the presence of Civic Dignitaries from the City of Exeter and the Lord Bishop of Exeter. Regrettably no invite for the Flotilla. Sea Trials are forecast for April 2011 and Acceptance in April 2012.
The Flotilla has taken custody from the RN Trophy store of the wooden gavel presented by the Flotilla to the EXETER in 1981. Timbers of the mast of the 4th EXETER, replaced by a steel one after the Battle of the River Plate, for many years formed part of the lock gates on the Exeter canal basin. When they were replaced a former Secretary of the Flotilla made a small wooden cross from the remaining sound timber which was presented to the 5th EXETER. This cross will now be placed in the Exeter Chapel in the Cathedral. The White Ensign worn by EXETER on the day of her decommissioning(27 May 2009) has been given to the Flotilla. It will be flown over the Cathedral at the annual Trafalgar service replacing the one presented by Captain Fawcett that had been irreparably damaged in the October gales.
Not least my thanks are also due to Andy Quick our Membership Secretary who also masterminds our website. Our numbers have fallen during the year from 208 to 198 but we now have an increase from 119 to 131 members on email. If there are more of you who would be willing to communicate that way it will significantly reduce our running costs at a time when the price of postage is again increasing. To Gerald Newton who does a splendid and thorough job as our Secretary, and also gathers material and edits our periodic News Sheet. To Patrick Collis, a committee member without portfolio whose wisdom and experience are much appreciated. I have asked Patrick to update the written Flotilla history which is now rather out of date. To Bob Symons who joined the committee this year, and in a timely manner for this year of Cadet 150, took responsibility for enhancing our relationships with the local Sea Cadet Corps and School CCF Naval Sections.
Finally my thanks are due to you the members for supporting our events through the year. However if we are to continue well into the future we need to reverse the decline in membership. This I think will only come about if each one of us personally takes on the responsibility of inviting new young blood to join us.
If it meets with your approval I will be pleased to continue as your Chairman
into the next year.