July 2024 Update 

The West Country branch has continued to maintain links of friendship across the counties this year.  Members have enjoyed meeting for the AGM, lunches, and an Afternoon Tea.  We have welcomed new members to functions, tried a new venue for Corps day lunch (thank you to Devon members for the recommendation), and enjoyed visiting and talking with members unable to travel to functions.

In June, some members joined the local RAMC Association for their annual lunch in that most beautiful of settings, Buckfast Abbey, on the edge of Dartmoor.  The invitation to join members of the RAMC association was appreciated and will be reciprocated; it is envisaged that this will lead to closer collaboration between the branches in the future.  The Afternoon Tea event in early July was a belated celebration of 55 years as the West Country branch, held in the country hotel where we celebrated 45 years, and was a lovely afternoon spent with current members, partners, friends, and members of other branches of the QARANC Association.

We are looking forward to the CO 243 MMR spending some time with us in October to update us on the role of ‘243’.  ‘243’ is our local unit, and an understanding of its current role will be enlightening for those of us who have been retired from the Army for many a year!

On a sombre note, in June we heard of the unexpected death of a much admired and respected member of the branch, Carolyn Smith.  Carolyn served in the Corps during the 1970s and since then a long-standing member of the QARANC Association.  Her support for the branch has been outstanding and she is missed by all of us who knew her.