AANM Publicity brief

Arborfield Old Boys' Association
AANM Publicity brief for members of public visiting the NMA at Alrewas,Staffordshire.

The Army Apprentice

From medieval times to the present day the maintenance and repair of the Army’s equipment by soldier-tradesmen played a significant part in ensuring its fighting efficiency.

Until the end of the 19th century, the simplicity of the equipment- cavalry, horse drawn artillery, supply wagons and small - arms meant that soldiers, assisted by artisans such as regimental armourers, farriers, saddlers and carpenters were able to fulfil the Army’s needs for technical support.

However, the introduction of the “Rifled” Cannon in the 1871 Franco - Prussian war, the development of the internal combustion engine in the 1880s, and powered flight in 1908, began an evolutionary process of sophistication in military equipment that rendered craft trades obsolescent.

To meet the demand for engineering skills to maintain and repair the Army’s increasingly complex equipment, the Army established the first dedicated apprentice school at Aldershot on 25th September 1923. The first intake of boys, with those who joined in January 1924, then moved to Beachley Camp, Chepstow on the 28th February 1924.

For the next 30 years, the Apprentice Tradesmen were trained in various locations, before finally, the Army Apprentice Training scheme reached its apogee in the latter half of the 20th century with the establishment of the four principal Army Apprentice Schools - at Arborfield, Carlise, Chepstow and Harrogate. The four benches mounted on the memorial are a reflection of the army apprentice scheme in its final form.

The facsimile Army Apprentices School Cap-badge engraved on the memorial monolith is a statement in stone that commemorates the thousands of boys who became soldier-tradesmen. The School Cap-badge not only gave the Apprentice Tradesman a regimental identity, but also symbolises the ethos that controlled and directed the activities of a system that turned boys in to skilled soldier –tradesmen.

Prominent and most important are the Cross and the Crown. These stand respectively for ‘Character and Loyalty’ - character based on the principles of Christianity and Loyalty to the School, the Army, the Nation and the Sovereign. The Torch stands for ‘Learning and for Training’ of both body and mind on good sound health lines. The Crossed Swords stand for the military virtues of ‘Discipline, Steadfastness, and Devotion to Duty’. Finally, the Gearwheel forms the basis and background of the whole design, denoting ‘Technical Knowledge, Skill and Co –operation’. It is only by meshing or co-operating with others that good work is done.

Arborfield Old Boys' Association
AANM. Fund raising and publicity report, 7 September 2010Fundraising and Publicity Campaign 2010.
Secretary’s Report 7 September 2010.

There is no question, the prediction made by Max Warwick in October 2009, that the adoption of the Australian Ex- Apprentices idea regarding the sale of ComTabs would prove to be the main thrust of fund raising, was correct.
Supported by wide ranging advertising in Regimental and Corps magazines, the AANM and Sponsoring Association web sites, the publicity resulted in the sale (to date) of 339 Commemorative Tablets generating a very satisfactory £29,595 towards our target of £50,000:00p.
Since the last MSC meeting in May 2010, a portable publicity display stand (donated by the webmaster, Max Warwick) has been taken into use. The display stand with it’s vivid graphics, form an excellent background for the display of the sample ComTab, alongside the specimen fragment of the King George Sixth AAS badge, supplemented by briefing documents composed by the Secretary, give the viewer a very good insight into what the finished memorial will look like. The display was augmented with the framed artist’s impression of the memorial, mounted on an easel.
The display was first used on the 23 July 2010 at the REME RHQ Officers Mess and at the AOBA reunion the following weekend. On both occasions the display was well received. The display has been scheduled for use at the Armourer’s Association re-union at the end of August, at the BOBA reunion in September and the Harrogate reunion in October.
Friday, 30 July 2010, marked a very successful social evening at the AOBA reunion. The secretary, assisted by Mo Hope raised £615:00p by means of a raffle. In addition David Schofield and Anthony Church (AOBA members), between them raised a further £302:00p from the sale of 2011 calendars and souvenir mugs. The Treasurer also collected £164:00p in miscellaneous donations lifting the total for the evening to a magnificent £1081:00p.
In pursuance of the commitment outlined in minute 1 of the MSC meeting of 28 October 2009, the secretary has been in a three-way conversation (by telephone and e-mail) with Johnny McGahan and Paul Kennedy (NMA Liaison officer) regarding the information required by the NMA for a text to be published in the NMA guide outlining a brief history of the Army Apprentice.
An outline has been written and the secretary, on behalf of the Committee is preparing a dossier for presentation to the NMA. Mr Kennedy has already seen and commented favourably on the outline brief. The secretary has arranged for Johnny McGahan pass the dossier to Mr Kennedy for his perusal in order for him comment on the veracity of the content. The dossier is to be returned to the secretary for final edit in preparation for approval by the MSC, and presentation of the dossier to the NMA.
Finally at the beginning of August the secretary sent an update to Andrew Baud MD, Tapla PR, on progress in achieving our aim.

Corporal Matthew Thomas (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers)

The Repatriation of

Corporal Matthew Thomas (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers)

will take place on –

Thursday, 30th September, 2010.

Flypast over Wootton Bassett 12:40 hours - Timings provided by RAF Lyneham

RAF Lyneham (Family Service Starts) 13:40 hours - Timings provided by RAF Lyneham

Cortege expected to leave RAF Lyneham 14:50 hours +/- 30 minutes

Wootton Bassett 15:00 hours +/- 30 minutes - Timings provided by RAF Lyneham

- (Approximately 13 miles to GX Police Station)

Gable Cross Police Stn 15:45 hours +/- 30 minutes - Thames Valley Police estimated time to take over responsibility of Cortege

- (Approximately 3..5 miles to bridge carrying B4000)

Bridge over A420 (Carrying B4000) 15:50 hours +/- 30 minutes

- (Approximately 1..5 miles to Defence Academy)

Defence Academy UK (A420) 15:55 hours +/- 30 minutes

- (Approximately 4..5 miles to Folly Hill Lay-by)

Folly Hill Lay-by (A420) 16:00 hours +/- 30 minutes

- (Approximately 45 minutes travelling time to JRH)

St Anthony of Padua Parish Church 16:40 hours +/- 30 minutes (Situated at entrance to JRH)

John Radcliffe Hospital (Oxford) 16:45 hours +/- 30 minutes - Thames Valley Police estimated time of arrival at JRH 


Arborfield Old Boys' Association

Roll of Honour

The list of those lost to us between the 2009 reunion and 2010 has been posted at http://www.arborfieldoldboys.co.uk/rollofhonour5.html
With the highest respect Fred Mills read out these names during the drumhead service. This is a task he undertakes each year, not an easy one I suggest ......................................
Arborfield Old Boys' Association