RMC Annual Review 2020-21 digital (1) - Flipbook - Page 18
A Brief History of the Royal Marines Association
There was no Central Headquarters and
the organisation consisted simply of a
small number of Branches paying no
allegiance to one another and having no
desire to be centrally controlled; as a result
of which it may be said that the RMOCA
flourished only around the Home Ports
and London, little or nothing being done
for former Royals living further afield.
The East Surreys Regimental Association
etc. with a view to gaining knowledge
and experience of such affairs. All these
enquiries showed a very clear need for an
organisation to look after the Royal Marines.
By late November 1945, the Paine Committee
had completed its work and reported to
CGRM, who convened a Corps Meeting
to set out these findings and start the
process of creating a new Association. De
Courcy-Ireland again recorded events.
A few provincial Branches which appeared
flourishing on paper had, in fact, rapidly
declined during the war years, for example
the Birmingham Branch had only twelve
members in spite of the considerable
ex-RM population in that City.
Armed with the recommendations and
findings of the ‘Paine’ Committee and the
results of an investigation within the Corps, the
CGRM convened a General Corps Meeting on
the 27th November 1945. Before business began,
he addressed the meeting outlining the project
to be discussed and explaining the enquiries of
Colonel Paine’s Committee and summarised
the objects of the proposed Association as:
It was decided that the re-organisation and
expansion of the RMOCA even with the support
and co-operation of its various Branches
would be a difficult task. One which would
be made further impracticable by the need
for speed caused by the rapidly increasing
rate of demobilisation. The Royal Artillery
Association was contacted and gave every
possible assistance, especially what successes
they had and what mistakes they had made.
Although numerically much larger, their
problem was very similar to the Royal
Marines for they recruit from all over
the country and not on a county basis as
do the majority of other Regiments.
The enquiry next turned to the Royal
Naval Benevolent Trust and it was
found that their present work, while
admirable, was mainly, limited to financial
assistance in cases of hardship.
1.
To keep members of the Corps in touch
with one another and with current
Corps affairs and so preserve and
maintain their esprit de corps.
2.
To assist members in finding
suitable employment.
3.
To help members who are in financial or
other difficulties by having full knowledge
of existing services and other charities
and organisations, and to assist them in
presenting their case to the right quarter.
The General gave details of the financial
support already subscribed which amounted
to about £6,500. He pointed out that it would
only be a success if the Corps was solidly
behind it. The General pointed out that
Royal Marines were leaving the Corps at the
rate of 1,500 a week and that 16,000 had
already left. He asked, “are we too late, or
can we catch up if we go full steam ahead?”·
The RNBT and similar organisations are
Registered Charities and are only entitled to
give assistance to those service men and exservice men who are in dire financial trouble.
The same could be said about the RM
Help Societies. These organisations had
no social side, nor were they designed
to give help in finding employment.
He indicated that alternative proposals for
using the available funds might be put forward
and concluded by reading a letter from
General Sir William Godfrey representing the
view that the Association was unnecessary
in view of existing organisations. Having
thus placed the issue squarely before the
Investigations and enquiries were also
made into the Airborne Forces Security
Fund, The Guards Employment Society,
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The meeting on 29 th November 1945 set to
work and began plans to formally launch
the RMA in early 1946. Their thoughts also
turned to ensuring the long-term viability of
the Association by encouraging a much wider
representation from across the Corps on its
general committee, de Courcy-Ireland again.
meeting the Commandant General withdrew
saying that he did not wish his presence to
exclude the free expression of opinions.
Major General R H Campbell (MG ‘A’) then took
the Chair. The outcome of the meeting was that
the organisation of an Association as proposed
by the investigating committee was approved
by thirty-six votes to two with two abstentions.
…the Management of the Association’s
affairs was the responsibility of an Executive
Committee consisting of the President and
Secretary, one serving officer, one serving
other rank and one ex-service officer and
other rank. This Committee met monthly at
the Central Office. The governing body was
named the General Committee consisting of
the Executive Committee, Commandants of
Divisions, Commanders of Training Groups
and other Royal Marines formations, the
Officers Commanding Depots, each with one
other rank from their own formation. Also,
one representative from each district and one
representative from each branch of the Royal
Marines Old Comrades Association. At the
first meeting of this large Committee on the
24th May 1946, there were 41 representatives
attending. During the next few years this
Committee met every six months and
whenever the meetings were held in London
it was customary for the CGRM to address
the meeting and tell members about the
activities of the Serving Corps. Each successive
CGRM emphasised the value and importance
of the Association to the Serving Corps.
...it was also agreed that
the annual subscription
should be four shillings
a year for all ranks both
serving and ex-service,
and the subscription
for Life Members
should be £10 payable,
if desired, by annual
instalments of £1.
It was further agreed that existing members
of the RMOCA should be members of the
Royal Marines Association without further
subscription. The meeting then proceeded to
elect a President and Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee did not wait for the
first General Meeting, there was much work to
be done and they were determined to crack on.
During January and February 1946, some 1500
letters were sent out to all retired and released
Officers asking for their support, but it was not
just those who had left who were called upon.
The proposal that Lt General Sir Robert
Sturges should be the first President was
carried with enthusiasm. Lt Colonel F H
Waters and CSgt P .H F Hughes were elected as
the ex-service members and Major General RH
Campbell and QMS F F Radford were elected
to represent the serving Corps. Colonel W N
Gray was co-opted as a temporary member
and Mr W E Johnston joined the Committee
as the RMOCA London Representative. The
Committee thus elected was empowered to
appoint a Secretary to the Association and
they agreed to hold their first meeting two
days later on Thursday 29th November.
Major Paul Whitehead, then a probationary 2Lt,
recalls being marched to the adjutant’s office
and instructed to sign for life membership
committing £1 per year for first ten years of his
career, he remains a member. The President
wrote personally to many serving Officers and
replies to all these letters were received at the
Central Office at the rate of thirty or more a
day. In order to tell every former Royal Marine
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