The annual Memorial Service for Operation Tiger, at Torcross, Slapton Sands, was held today 29th April 2018. The Bournemouth, Poole & District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association was represented at the service for the first time. The Memorial service is organised by the Plymouth Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association. Relatives of some of the US Servicemen killed were also in attendance.
Today, 26th May 2018 was the 100th anniversary of the death of Private Harry Ward, Tank Corps. Harry is buried in Poole Cemetery and the Bournemouth & Poole Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association were not prepared to let this significant day pass unnoticed. We cleaned his headstone, laid a wreath and a Glass Name Block. We said the regimental Prayer and played the last post. The glass block is likely to be stolen at some point? but not today!
Today 28th May 2018, there was the annual service of commemoration at the US monument in Weymouth, England. The monument commerates the American forces that sailed from Weymouth to the Normandy beaches in 1944. The Bournemouth, Poole & District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association, took part for the first time.
On Sunday 4th November 2018, a wreath was laid and a service held at the grave of Pte Frank Skuce, a Canadian Soldier wounded in action, evacuated to the UK but died from his injuries (and Spanish Flu) in Poole Hospital, Dorset, UK, on 4th November 1918.. He is buried in Poole Cemetery. The service was held by the Royal Tank Regiment Association and a local clergy led us in prayer. The British veterans were determined that the 100th anniversary of the death of this young Canadian buried thousands of miles from home (Nesbitt Manitoba) would not pass unnoticed.
This morning the Bournemouth, Poole & District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association, remembered Pte Joseph Barnes Russell, 18th Bn Tank Corps. Pte Russell died from the effects of Influenza ( World-Wide Influenza Pandemic) on 24th February 1919. Local to where he was based, his wife opted for a non military headstone as she planned to be buried with him when the time came.
Monday, 27th May 2019, Weymouth, UK. The Bournemouth, Poole & District Branch, Royal Tank Regiment Association, took part in the annual US Memorial Day Service. The US memorial was unveiled in 1947 and pays tribute the the US Forces who embarked at Weymouth for Operation Overlord and who landed on the shores of Normandy on D Day 6th June 1944.
