THE SOMME BUGLE NEWSLETTER OF THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION SOMME BRANCH Royal British Legion-Registered Charity Number 219279 ISSUE NUMBER 8 Branch BR3530 WINTER 2010 / 2011 Branch Website: www.rblsomme.org THE EDITORS BITS!-Steve Berridge Photo Chris Berridge Welcome to this edition of the Somme Bugle. Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your support in 2010 and wish you all the best for the New Year. At our AGM Chairman Rod described 2010 as a very busy year and who am I to disagree. 2011 looks as though it won t be a dull one either with our normal events and the Royal British Legion s 90th Anniversary. In the following pages you can read about some of the things that we have been up to in the last part of the year, an interesting article from our Welfare Officer Rob Hewer and a look forward to the new year. 1
SUMMARY OF BRANCH EVENTS Steve Berridge November 7th - Inauguration of Information Panel at Maricourt. The 7 th November found the Branch Standard and Chairman on parade at three ceremonies to honour the 1 st July 1916 junction of the British and French armies at Maricourt. The first ceremony was conducted in the Peronne Road British Cemetery where a short service of remembrance was conducted along with laying of wreaths. Everyone then moved on to the French Cemetery where a similar ceremony was conducted. The third ceremony and the main event of the morning was the inauguration of an Information Panel erected at the point where the British and French armies joined. Let some of the text from the new panel tell the story:- At dawn on July 1 st 1916 two officers were planning a joint attack. One was Lieutenant Colonel Bryan Charles Fairfax in command of 17 th Battalion of the Kings Liverpool Regiment, the other was the French commandant Lepetit in charge of the 3 rd Battalion of the 153 rd Infantry Regiment. To highlight the extent of their cooperation and collaboration in the forthcoming battle, the two officers left the trenches together and crossed no man s land in unison as part of the second attacking wave. This act of fraternity in the face of adversity and their military expertise were praised by Looking toward Montauban. Photo Steve Berridge General Stanley of the British 30th Division, 89th Brigade and also by Colonel Coutard of the French 39th Infantry Division, 77th Brigade... Following the ceremony the entente cordiale was well and truly celebrated at the vin d honeur! November 10th - Branch AGM, Dinner and Sing-a-long. The Branch held its Annual General Meeting at the Royal Picardie Hotel, Albert in the afternoon followed in the evening with members and friends of the Branch meeting up for an extremely enjoyable social evening at Le Poppy in La Boiselle. We were joined once again by our friends the Band of the Hampshire Constabulary who after dinner provided the musical accompaniment to our now traditional sing a long. November 11th Armistice Day Services. Our annual Armistice Day service of remembrance was held at the Thiepval Memorial. This Armistice Day was one of the wettest and windiest of recent years. As a result we had to adopt the wet weather programme with all participants, clergy, dignitaries, standard bearers, band and congregation huddled underneath the arches. The gremlins were also at work with the PA system failing. The weather also scuppered our planned flypast by the RAF s all weather fighter!!! This ceremony was also the debut of our new Deputy Standard Bearer, John Mathison who carried the Branch Standard whilst I carried our Union Standard on its public debut. John survived his baptism of fire (or should that be water) extremely well and went on to meet up with one of his long lost Marine buddies it was just like a scene from Cilla Black s Surprise, Surprise what a small world it is and gosh am I showing my age! 2
Following on from the RBL service we all formed up and followed the band down to the Thiepval village church for the French service and reception. In the afternoon the band and standard paraded at the Mailly-Maillet village war memorial. November 12th - Commemoration at the Neuve Chapelle Indian memorial On the 12th November Officers of the Branch and the Branch Standard attended a memorial service to commemorate those of the old Indian Army who fought and died alongside their British counterparts on the Western Front 1914-1918. November 14th Brookwood Military Cemetery Remembrance Sunday Earlier in the year Branch members Craig and Lorna Rahanian moved from the Somme American Cemetery to take up their new appointment at the Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey. The Branch standard and Chairman were invited to attend the Remembrance Sunday Service in the afternoon. Once again the heavens opened, however the hot chocolate and large chocolate chip cookies afterwards made up for it. Photo Chris Berridge Royal British Legion Welfare Caseworkers. - By Rob Hewer What do they do? They assess the needs of serving or ex-service people, their dependant or carers for various forms of help. In order to do this they will make a home visit to get a clear idea of the applicant s circumstances. Who is entitled to apply for help? People who are serving, or who have served in the armed forces, also their dependants and carers. This is a broad definition. The Royal Charter defines more precisely those who are eligible. If in doubt as to whether you or someone you know is eligible, please contact your welfare caseworker for clarification, there being too much detail to include in the information below. The eligibility includes people who have served in Reserve and Auxiliary Forces including TAVR, Mercantile Marine in hostile waters, and a British Subject who has served in a resistance organisation of an Allied nation during hostilities in which the United Kingdom was engaged. At least six months service in the Home Guard and Mine and Bomb Disposal Service are also included. If in doubt as to eligibility, ask the Welfare Caseworker. If he or she cannot tell you immediately, they will know who to ask. 3
Confidentiality. The welfare caseworker is likely to have to ask for a great deal of information. Confidentiality is assured. The information provided on the TRBL Form A, that the welfare caseworker has to complete, is only available to those people in organisations that may be in a in a position to help or to contribute funds to help an applicant. The welfare caseworker will not disclose personal information or the identity of applicants to anyone who does not need to know. Your branch officers will not be given the personal details or identity of any applicant for example. In addition to the TRBL Form A that the applicant will help complete, read and sign, the welfare caseworker will provide a written report to put the factual information into context. This is to ensure that the decision makers have a broad understanding of the circumstances of the applicant. This written report can fill in many gaps that the Form A can never fill. The applicant is entitled to read the written report if they wish. It is important to realise that the welfare caseworker is not the decision maker. He or she will complete the assessment and act as an advocate for the applicant. It is helpful if the applicant can provide as much information as requested, to help the welfare caseworker to present the applicants circumstances accurately. Means Tested The benefits that TRBL offer are means tested, to conserve limited funds. The welfare caseworker will help an applicant, as sensitively as possible, to provide the information required. This will require the applicant making available their bank statements and or savings account details as well as statements from benefit providers such as Income Support and/or Pensions. Details of outgoings will also have to be checked. The welfare caseworker will ask about an applicants employment history. This is because many occupations, trades unions or professional associations have charities that will assist former employees and in this way. TRBL can gain access to other sources of money to increase the help available to an applicant. Identity. An important role of the welfare caseworker is to establish that the applicant is eligible. Identity has to be checked to ensure the applicant is who they say they are. Quite often an applicant cannot provide documentary evidence of their service and this can cause a delay. TRBL will check through official records to verify service for those who cannot provide written verification. The welfare caseworker will need to satisfy TRBL that the applicants identity has been verified. The most obvious is for the applicant to show the welfare caseworker the applicants passport or photo driving licence. Here in France, the possession of the French Carte Vitale signifying entitlement to French health services is also needed. The Carte Vitale also has a photo so can be used as identity as the French and UK administrations confer. What can be supplied? One very helpful service that TRBL, with the assistance of the Citizens Advice Bureau, can provide is a benefits eligibility check to ensure the applicant is receiving the State help to which they are entitled. The general rule is that TRBL does not give money to applicants. They will usually provide a piece of equipment or help pay a bill, but this would usually be by paying the supplier direct from TRBL. The assessment of the welfare caseworker can, with the consent of the applicant, be circulated to other military charities. I am aware that sometimes, if the circumstances are appropriate, other military charities may choose to make direct payments of cash to applicants, despite TRBL policy not to do so. I think this is exceptional, but in certain circumstances, of which I am aware, wholly appropriate. I will write about more specific services in a later addition of the Somme Bugle. However if you have an enquiry just phone me. 4
How is the Caseworker contacted? This will depend on where the applicant lives. If the applicant lives in the UK a welfare caseworker will be allocated by the TRBL county office in which the applicant lives. If therefore you know of an ex-service person or dependant who lives in the UK, please ask them to contact TRBL Welfare Section in the relevant County. If the applicant is living in northern France then the relevant French TRBL branch should be contacted. In addition to the Somme Branch I am aware of branches in Boulogne, Normandy and in Belgium the nearest to Somme being the Ypres Branch. For Somme branch applicants in France I can be contacted by email on www.welfare@rblsomme.org or telephone 0322 86 61 46. As far as I am concerned the applicant does not have to live in the Somme Department. Where I live I can drive to parts of the Aisne Department in five minutes, Nord Department in about 30 minutes and Pas de Calais in about 20 minutes. I can get to Arras, Cambrai or St Quentin much more quickly that I can travel to St-Valery-sur-Somme or Abbeville! 5