Photo - Armed Forces Memorial at NMA Alrewas Staffs
Association Pages
The joint project
How it got started
Over the last few years a number of the Army Apprentice Associations have independently been considering the possibility of a memorial to the Army Apprentice Scheme.
During 2008, the Beachley Old Boys' Association started their own Memorial project, with David Chapman (60A) at the helm. During the summer of 2009 at the Arborfield Association AGM, Maurice 'Mo' Hope proposed that the Association should consider a memorial to the Army Apprentice and they subsequently formed a Memorial Committee. Gordon Bonner (49B) was tasked to investigate the possibility of all the known Ex-Apprentice Associations collaborating on a project to have a single national memorial located at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire.
Subsequently, a Memorial Steering Committee was formed with representatives from the four associations of Chepstow, Arborfield, Harrogate and Carlisle, to firstly look at the possibility of the project and should there be agreement, to plan and implement the activity to make it happen.
Following the initial meeting of the four Association’s nominees, it was decided that a joint project was an excellent idea and that by pooling ideas and funds, a more appropriate memorial could be designed and established at Alrewas.
The Army Apprentice National Memorial will be dedicated to all the army apprentices who served their country and in memory of those who gave their lives for it.
Former apprentices or their families, will be able to sponsor commemorative granite tablets to be incorporated into the floor area during construction of the memorial.
Choice of design & time scale
The committee has finalnalized the most appropriate design, is liaising with the National Memorial Arboretum, half-way through the fund raising program and the base for the memorial has been constructed. A Constitution is in place and an application for Charity status has been submitted.
At our second meeting in December 2009, an excellent provisional design was selected, together with a supplier who has a wealth of experience and a very competitive quote. We now have the approval of the Trustees of the National Memorial Arboretum and the Associations for this. The committee are now working hard to raise funds in order to finance the project. Please help us achieve our target. Details are on our DONATION APPEAL pages
The Appeal is aiming to raise the required funds to meet the costs of the Memorial, plus early maintainance costs, by March 2011. This will enable the project to be completed by the 7th September 2011, when a dedication service is planned. Progress will be reported as it happens on the LATEST NEWS pages.
A senior ex apprentice agrees to be Patron of the project
Maj Gen Gerry Berragan CB (48B Arborfield) was Director General of the RAOC, the Col. Commandant of the RLC and Chairman of the RAOC Charitable Trust.
His strong support and words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.
Now we need the funds to make it happen
To make it happen, we need the goodwill and financial support of all ex Apprentices who undertook an Army Apprenticeship at one or more of the various Army Schools, Colleges, or trade training Establishments.
Each year over 300,000 thousand visitors attend the National Memorial Arboretum and we trust the Army Apprentice soldier of yester-year will have a fitting place to be Remembered with pride - and not forgotten.
Memorial Steering Committee
Chairman - Major David C. Chapman (Chepstow 60A) also BOBA Rep.
Vice-Chairman - Keith Thrower (Arborfield 60C)
Hon. Secretary - Major Gordon G. Bonner (Arborfield 49B)
Hon. Treasurer - Major Mike J. Davis MBE (Arborfield 60B)
Webmaster - Max Warwick (Arborfield 49B)
NMA Liaison Officer- Johnny McGahan (Harrogate 59A) also AOHA Rep.
AOBA Representative - Maurice 'Mo' Hope (Arborfield 59B)
HOBA Representative - David 'Ted' Cooper (Carlisle 61C)
Member - Colin Weir (Chepstow 55A)
L to R (Sitting) -Patron Maj Gen Gerry Berragan, Maj David Chapman, Maj Gordon Bonner,
(Standing) Maj Mike Davis, Max Warwick, Colin Prior, David Cooper, Maurice Hope and Keith Thrower at the BOBA Building, Beachley Barracks, Chepstow, May 2010. (Johnny McGahan unable to attend)
