The British Officersclub of Philadelphia

2012Vol. 3 No.1 The Chronicle The British OfficersClub of Philadelphia

In This Issue: Patron: H.E. Ambassador to the U.S.A. Sir Peter Westmacott, KCMG, LVO 1 –New President’s Hon. President: Head of the British Defence Staff Message Major General Buster Howes, OBE

3 – Outgoing President and Publisher: David H. Leslie-Hughes, PhD(econ), Lt. President’s Message The Royal Welch Fusiliers (Ret) Editor: Brontë Hamilton, Major, Australian Army (ret) 4 – Outgoing Editor’s Asst. Editor: John D. Warlow, Lt. Col. US Army Ordnance Corps (Ret) Sayonara! Website: www.bocphil.org Email: [email protected] 5 – New Editor’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Friends-of-the-British-Officers-Club- Message of-Philadelphia/200565772744

5 - Membership Message from the President: Committee: New Members To our Honorary Members, Life Members, Members and Friends of the British Officers’ Club of Philadelphia 6 – New British Ambassador We are at a truly exciting juncture in the transmutation of the BOC. New initiatives are taking place ‘amoebically’ in every theater of our 7- New Chief of Club’s activities and outreach. Defence Staff To have achieved this high ‘performance point’ in our long history of almost 100 years, 8 - Regimental Silver particular thanks and recognition must be meted out to our immediate past President – Collection Capt. Stewart Patrick and our former Allied VP – Lt Col. John Warlow. They presided

8 – Royalty: An over extraordinary achievements and change in the past 2 years. To name just a few of Economic Asset these – leading our Executive team, they spearheaded our IT revolution, our sophisticated database development, our transition to the ‘semi-paperless age, ’our spectacular cyber- 10 – 2012 Executive membership growth, and our high-profile events and activities calendar. We now boast a Committee membership of some 725 (approximately 500 globally-based through the internet and 225 ‘in the flesh’). And, our websites enjoy some 40,000 ‘hits’ per month (that’s 480,000 per 10 - Planned Events year!).

11 - Curry Dinner Many thanks also to each of the members of our past and present Executive Committee: Pictures every one of them has taken on added responsibilities – with equanimity, cheerfulness and zeal! 12 - The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee We live in a time of exponential change – in our Club, country and the world. This has behooved us to involve ourselves in new strategic planning initiatives – structurally,

1 financially, through national and international outreach and in operating cost-efficiency. We now have a truly exciting ‘mix’ of ceremonial, informal, educational, representational and age-varied (and that even includes grandchildren!) events in our annual calendar. This year we are stretching to some 14 purpose-driven ‘get-togethers’ – including what will be our central celebrational ‘showcase’ occasion – Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee – to be held in the Grand Ballroom of the Merion Cricket Club on Sunday June 3, 2012. We are expecting a completely ‘sold-out’ participation – leading our local ‘loyal societies’ – of some 225 persons – with 3 huge ‘real-time’ TV screens beaming the big event from London. We shall have ‘central cyber-seats’ watching and reviewing the splendid flotilla of Her Majesty who, similar to ‘Helen of Troy,’ will have been responsible for launching 1000 ships up the Thames! We shall be part of the crowd of billions of global watchers festively recognizing the extraordinary leadership and service to Great Britain, the Commonwealth of Nations and the world, of HM Queen Elizabeth II over a mega 60 year reign. We ourselves are planning a choral Mini-Service of Thanksgiving as part of the proceedings, led by our chaplaincy, which will include the communal singing of our greatest patriotic songs – those engraved on the ‘tablets of our minds’ from early childhood. We have started off the year with 2 ‘big bangs!’ The Recruiting Event in cold January at Eisenhower Hall, Valley Forge Military Academy & College was our best attended ever – with an unprecedented accretion of new membership: thank you Lt Col. Warlow - and our Sutler! The Curry Party in February was also a huge success – despite the evil-advent – on untimely cue – of snowy weather: thank you Capt. Stewart Patrick and again Lt Col. Bill Smith, our Sutler. For this year’s future events, I refer you to the Calendar listed elsewhere in this edition of The Chronicle and on our websites. Please mark these dates in your diary: your participation is very important to us. Lastly, I mention with reverence, the untimely passing of our President Emeritus Capt. Alan Stuart. We were all honored to ‘celebrate’ his passing under the spiritual leadership of our Chaplain Lt Col. Tim Steves in November of last year. Alan – wherever you are in the ‘heavens’ – the Club profoundly thanks you for your herculean efforts in leading the BOC through many stages of critical evolution over many decades. We expect to venerate your legacy in perpetuity by raising the necessary money to endow 2 more rooms at the Royal Star & Garter Homes in Great Britain (a legendary institution with some shades of similarity to our own Walter Reed rehabilitation operations). My humble regards to you all, Respectfully,

David H. Leslie-Hughes, Esquire, PhD (econ), Lt – The Royal Welch Fusiliers, ret.

Outgoing President’s Message:

December 17th, 2011: As my term of office has now come to its close, I must remark on what an unusual year this has been. On the one hand, a year of accomplishment in outreach to the military community in the US through our website, and in the significant growth of our membership. And a year marked, too, by spectacular events – first, the success of the Royal Wedding Breakfast at the Merion Cricket Club before dawn’s crack in April; then the August polo match on the Brandywine, a family event, that is becoming a favorite feature of our calendar.

But at its end, the year was saddened by the passing of Capt. Alan Stuart, our President Emeritus, -- our guide (and goad), mentor (and tormentor) - and good friend above all! He is a loss that we shall feel for years to come. I am pleased that his daughter Gail Stuart – a BOC Member in her own right – will take his place as Welfare Officer on the Executive Committee.

The Stuart family has asked that, in memory of Alan, donations might be made to the Royal Star and Garter Homes in Richmond, England, which was Alan Stuart’s favorite charity. At the Annual General Meeting I proposed that the BOC make a special donation to honor him. The Society of the Sons of St. George, of which Alan was a long-time member, will also make a donation and our gifts will be combined with any that you may wish to make in Alan’ memory. This arrangement will have a tax advantage for BOC members.

My wife Leny and I are now preparing to retire slowly into the Californian West. So it’s an appropriate time for me to acknowledge all of the contributions that our Significant Others make to our Club – in hands-on hard work; or in participating in sister organizations like the Daughters of the British Empire; or simply in tolerating what to others might seem to be our aberrant behavior. We appreciate your support, and your forbearance, and we thank you!

I thank the members of the Executive Committee for their loyal service on your behalf. Until you have served as our Sutler, Treasurer, Flags Officer, Secretary, Membership Chairman or Editor of the Chronicle, you have not experienced the effort and commitment it takes to serve this Club. Finally, I sincerely thank you all for the privilege to have served a second time as your President. Our westward retirement will be a gradual process that will take a couple of years to play out. Leny and I will be involved here as long as we can and wish this fine club continued growth and success. With our good wishes to so many friends, gathered over these past years together.

C. Stewart Patrick (Capt. Royal Artillery, retd) Past President

EDITORIAL SAYONARA!

Once again it is time to say ‘good-bye’ as your Editor – on the one hand – and ‘hello’ as your new President – on the other! Altogether, I have had the privilege of serving as editor for a total of 6½ years in 2 separate terms – one of 4½ years in the waning years of the 20th century, and the other – now closing – of 2 years. As some of you will remember, I originally succeeded the late President Emeritus Capt. Alan Stuart, at a time when our publication came out approximately 3 times per year, was typewritten and simply titled: ‘BOC Newsletter.’ At the time of my assumption of duties the late Capt. George Chimples, DFC (sometime Allied VP of the Club) and I embraced the precedent of the Merion Cricket Club and changed the name of our publication to ‘The Chronicle,’ computerized its print and upped its publication to bi-monthly – under Capt. Hugh Jenkins’ presidency. During my just-ended term of service we re-formatted The Chronicle and turned it into a more pictorial, short-pithy-topical articles medium – drawing somewhat on the ‘USA To-Day’ model, with selected commentary on burning military-political-allied ‘topics of the day,’ restoring it to mostly every-other- month publication again. A final giant step was to publish The Chronicle electronically (by e-mail and on the internet) and largely cease to print it as a hardcopy entity. As Major Brontë Hamilton (Australian Intelligence, retired) takes over from me, we are happily setting 2 further precedents. One, she becomes our first female Editor in the history of the Club and two, she is our first-ever Editor hailing from the Commonwealth/Allied ranks of our membership. This felicitously further internationalizes the BOC and brings my stewardship to an end on a high-note! Thanks to all of you for the opportunity to have been of service ‘lo-these-many-years’ and may the outreach to our now global membership ever increase, continuously conquering relevant new boundaries. Respectfully, David H. Leslie-Hughes, Esquire, PhD(econ), Lt – The Royal Welch Fusiliers, ret.

The 23rd Regiment, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, at the Battle of the Alma, 20th September 1854

(Source: http://www.1st-art- gallery.com/Richard-Simkin/The-23rd- Regiment-Royal-Welsh-Fusiliers-At- The-Battle-Of-The-Alma-On-20th- September,-1854.html)

FROM YOUR EDITOR’S DESK:

It is with pleasure and anticipation that I take over the role of Editor from Lt Leslie-Hughes, PhD(econ), Esquire. I would like to thank the BOC and members for the chance to take the helm on the Chronicle, and look forward to many more issues this year.

As a way of a brief introduction, I formerly served in the Australian Regular Army in the Royal Australian Signals Corp and the Australian Intelligence Corp. After completing my Bachelor’s degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy, I graduated from the Royal Military College – Duntroon (a similar institution to Sandhurst, UK) as a Lieutenant, just as we entered a new era of turmoil with conflicts in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. I’ve been honored to serve in Iraq with the Iraq Survey Group searching for WMD, and later in Afghanistan, on reconstruction activities in the south. A Chief of Army scholarship brought me on studies to the US (MBA, Penn State), and while here, I must confess I fell for this wonderful country. I’ve now moved to Philadelphia, and work for TE Connectivity in Berwyn in finance. My Doberman, Spartacus, keeps me company and fends off the legions of squirrels.

The year holds many exciting opportunities for us all, and I look forward to meeting as many of you as I can in person. In addition, I’m hoping that the Chronicle can be a showcase for contributions from Club members – if you have a topic, story or tale to tell, please let us know!

Sincerely, Major Brontë Hamilton, Editor

______

Membership Committee Report

Despite the inclement weather, the BOC “soldiered on” with our New Members Cocktail party on Saturday, January 21st, which was a great success. We are in active correspondence with over 40 British / Commonwealth Officers who could not attend, but who live within a two-hour driving radius from Philadelphia. Here are the new members that have joined since January 2012:

WO2 Rik Thornton, Royal Marines (Ret), Commandant of Cadets, Valley Forge Military Academy and College, 1057 Eagle Road, Q33, Wayne, PA 19087. Dates of Service 1982-2005. Decorations: GSM, LOTS, UN Bosnia, GOLF, LSGC. Rik served with 3 Command Brigade, 40-42 Commando, later with Special Forces Maritime. Married (Nellie), British Citizen. He was born 08/03/64 in London. You may see his picture and CV at the following link: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rik-thornton/16/299/b67 5

Lt Peter David Tuddenham, Royal Engineers (ret), 230 Markwood Drive, Potomac Falls, VA 20165. One Year Enlisted Service 1972-73. He is a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1973. Northern Ireland Service Medal, Active Commissioned Officer Service 5 Years. Transferred to the Regular Army Reserve 1978. David is married (Tina), with 3 Children and 3 Grandchildren. He was born 28 Feb 1954. You may see his picture and CV at the following link: http://www.linkedin.com/in/petertuddenham

Col William G. Kosco, (ret) US Army Corps of Engineers. 52 Conway Street, Carlisle, PA. Married (Ann) Published Author: "The 1973 Middle East War: An Engineer's View". Bill is a 1962 Graduate of West Point and is an instructor at the Army War College. Bill and Ann’s daughter Caroline, a West Point Graduate, just married another West Pointer, Major Nick Auletta. Nick & Caroline both returned from Iraq in August 2009.

Please contact me at [email protected] or [email protected] or cell phone 610-256-3228 if you have any candidates you wish to propose for membership.

Cheers, Lt Col John D. Warlow, Membership Chairman

Our New British Ambassador H.E. Sir Peter Westmacott, KCMG, LVO

KCMG - Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George LVO - Lieutenant of the Victorian Order; for services to the Royal Family

Sir Peter became British Ambassador to the United States in January 2012. This is his second posting in Washington, having previously served as the British Embassy’s Counsellor for Political and Public Affairs in the mid-1990s.

Prior to his service as Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Westmacott served as the British Ambassador to France—from 2007 to 2011—and as Ambassador to Turkey starting in 2002.

Ambassador Westmacott’s forty-year career in the British Diplomatic Service has included postings in Tehran and Brussels, time as the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Director for the Americas, and a 6 seat on the board of the Foreign Office as Deputy Under Secretary. In addition, Ambassador Westmacott served as Deputy Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales from 1990 to 1993.

Ambassador Westmacott’s personal connection to the United States extends back even further than his diplomatic posting. In 1942, his father was a sailor on the HMS Illustrious as it underwent repairs in Norfolk, Virginia to recover from damage inflicted during fighting at Malta.

Ambassador Westmacott was born in the village of Edington, Somerset in the South West of England in December 1950. He was educated at New College Oxford and joined the Diplomatic Service in 1972. He married Susie Nemazee in 2001; together they have four grown children: Oliver, Laura, Rupert and Safieh.

Major General Buster Howes OBE, Chief of the Defence Staff

OBE - Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

Buster Howes was educated at Christ's Hospital and York and London Universities and was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1982. Initially he served as a troop commander in 42 Commando RM, deploying for the first time on operations, in Northern Ireland. After training a recruit troop, he qualified as a Mountain Leader and was then posted to Recce Troop, 45 Commando RM. After a stint as ADC to the Major General commanding Training, Reserve and Special Forces RM, he was appointed to the 2nd Division, USMC, as a Regimental Operations Officer (for the First Gulf War). He subsequently commanded Charlie Company, 40 Commando RM; Commando Training Wing at CTCRM; 42 Commando RM (for the Second Gulf War); and 3 Commando Brigade.

He has worked in personnel policy, in the Fleet HQ; as a planner in the Rapid Reaction Force Operations Staff of UNPROFOR, in Bosnia; and as a strategist in the Naval Staff Directorate, in MOD. He has attended the Naval Staff College, the Higher Command and Staff Course, the Royal College of Defence Studies and the Pinnacle Course. He has served as a Divisional Director for ICSC(L) at the JSCSC, and as COS to Commander Amphibious Forces (CAF). He was Chief Joint Co-ordination and Effects, in HQ ISAD X in Kabul and then Director Naval Staff, in 2007. He served as Head of Overseas Operations in MOD before being appointed Commandant General Royal Marines/CAF in February 2010. He commanded Operation ATLANTA the EU Counter Piracy Mission in the Indian Ocean for 15 months up to 1 August. He is a member of the Navy Board.

He is Captain of Deal Castle, President of the Royal Marines Mountaineering Club, and Vice President of the RNRM Children's Charity. He has twin daughters and his interests range from teaching them table manners and repairing the things they break, to mountaineering, gardening, art and ideas. He recently gave up water-skiing.

New BOC “Regimental Silver” Collection:

To honor current and past British, Commonwealth and Allied Regiments and Naval Squadrons, the BOC has started a collection of “Regimental Silver”, first displayed at the Curry Dinner on Feb. 11th, 2012 (picture on the left).

The premier item in this collection is a Silver Challenge Trophy given by HM Queen Elizabeth II to the Edinburgh Hose Show in 1963 in honor of her late father King George VI.

The most recent additions are three silver cups of the British Raj era provided by Captain Stewart Patrick.

Each item is fully described in a “Regimental Silver” notebook as to the history of the item and the associated military organizations.

All items in the Regimental Silver collection are on extended loan to the British Officers’ Club, and can be retained at a member’s home (and brought to BOC events) or remain in the care of the BOC. We plan to display this collection at each BOC function.

BONUS TWIST: ROYALTY – A TRUE ECONOMIC ASSET

Most of us think of British Royalty as basically a reverential, social and cultural icon. To-day – in part to fight off its critics – a new additional mode of evaluation to justify its place in our society has emerged from the novel angle of economics. Royalty these days, through its positive presence, activities undertaken by its various members at home and abroad, is a huge – little understood – commercial asset to Great Britain. As the ongoing leadership embodiment of ‘tone,’ culture, commercial achievements and heritage that we dearly cherish – domestically and globally – this carries for the UK, a huge econometric residual in countless areas. The enormous charitable fundraising and patronage ‘machine’ that emanates from the multiple members of Royalty is often forgotten by everyday society – but annually represents the accretion of hundreds of millions of dollars worldwide. The representational presence by Royalty at many thousands of major events year-in-year out - ensuring their positive outcome and fiscal success - has, too, a huge economic ‘asset tag.’

The ‘anglophillic’ reverence, sense of affiliation and identification of prestige, pride and goodwill that British Royalty engenders worldwide – that indirectly influences positive political outcome, commercial successes and socially admired milestones the world over – has enormous economic leverage power associated with it. The value of Royalty at the masthead of the huge ‘anglo’ tourism industry is critical economically to the UK’s ‘AAA-rated’ balance sheet. Last year’s royal wedding was estimated by various economic pundits to have been worth some $600,000,000 to British GDP. This year’s Royal Diamond Jubilee promises to be a greater than $1,000,000,000 infusion into the UK economy. Historic places connected with Royalty in one way or another, have seen huge boosts in revenue in recent years due to association with the Royals. In the summer months, the fame of Westminster Abbey alone – fanned by its royal associations over 100s of years - attracts 400-500 people daily to its service of choral evensong. Anglesey – the Welsh island home of William and Kate: the ‘royal effect’ has increased the island’s annual economic revenue by 40% (some $140,000,000). Lastly, the “Kate Effect:” the sell-out results (by ‘main street’ retailers and online merchandisers) of everything Her Royal Highness wears publicly is calculated to have an economic multiplier of over $1,500,000,000 per year! Thus, the Royal Family, as an annual asset to Great Britain’s economy, is probably worth $5-6 billion minimally. And since its expenses to the nation and the world are a tiny fraction of that sum, they are indeed perhaps the most “profitable firm” ever to have been developed and existing to-day in the global economy!!

2012 Executive Committee

The following BOC Members were elected to the 2012 Executive Committee at the BOC Annual General Meeting held at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College on December 17th, 2011

 President Lt. David Leslie-Hughes, Royal Welch Fusiliers (ret)  Executive Advisor Brig. Gen. Richard Merion, US Army (ret)  VP (UK and Commonwealth) Capt. Stewart Patrick, Royal Artillery (ret)  VP (Allied) Capt. George Anderson, US Army (ret)  Secretary Michael Dillard, British Merchant Marine (ret)  Recording Secretary Capt. Andrew McNeil, Rhodesian Army (ret)  Flag Officer CSM Jeffrey Hill, US Army (ret)  Sutler Lt. Col. Bill Smith, US Army (ret)  Supplies Officer WO1 Nicholas Lutwyche, Royal Navy (ret)  Welfare Officer Gail Stuart (for her father the Late Capt. Alan Stuart)  Chaplains Lt. Col Rev. Tim Steeves, US Army Chaplin Corps The Rev. Gregory Dimmick  Treasurer Lt. Thomas J. Reilly, US Navy (ret)  Membership Chairman Lt. Col John D. Warlow, US Army (ret)  Editor of the Chronicle Maj. Brontë Hamilton, Australian Army (ret)  Corporate Relations Captain Stephen Kenny, Royal Navy (ret)  Public Relations Lt. Julian Hutton, Scots Guards (ret)  Auditor Lt. William Packer, Royal Army Pay Corps (ret)  Archivist/Historian Lt. Christopher Fink, US Navy (ret)  Information Technology Lt. Col. John D. Warlow, US Army (ret)

2012 Upcoming Events (Check your email and www.bocphil.org for details, times and RSVP forms)

Mar. 24th - Commonwealth Day Formal Dinner (VFMA&C) Apr. 20-22nd - Trip to US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD (inviting British Embassy Staff) (Fri – Midshipmen Parade, Sat - USNA/Harvard/Penn Rowing / Formal Dinner, Sun - Chapel) To be rescheduled - Trip to Fort Indiantown Gap (PA National Guard) Jun. 3rd - Queen's Diamond Jubilee Breakfast (Merion Cricket Club) Note: The upcoming Queen’s Birthday on June 9th will be toasted at the Diamond Jubilee Aug. 5th - Brandywine Polo / Tailgate Competition for BOC Silver Cup Sep. 22nd - Services Night Formal Dinner (VFMA&C) (70th Anniversary - Battle of El Alamein) Oct. 20th - Trafalgar Night Formal Dinner (VFMA&C) (Adm. Sir Wm. Penn induction to BOC) Nov. 4th - Guy Fawkes Night (with Bonfire and Fireworks) Nov. 10th - Remembrance Day Church Service and Luncheon (St. James) Dec. 8th - Annual General Meeting

Curry Dinner Pictures – February 11, 2012

British Officers’ Club to Celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on June 3rd.

The BOC had such a successful Royal Wedding Celebration at The Merion Cricket Club last year, we have decided to use this same venue and format to celebrate the Queen’s 60 year reign.

At high water in the afternoon of Sunday 3 June 2012 (around 8:00 a.m. in Philadelphia), a 1,000 boats will muster on the River Thames in preparation for Her Majesty The Queen to take part in the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. It will be one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the river. Rowed boats, working boats and pleasure vessels of all shapes and sizes will be beautifully dressed with streamers and flags, their crews and passengers turned out in their finest ‘rigs’. The armed forces, fire, police, rescue and other services will be afloat and there will be an exuberance of historic boats, wooden launches, steam vessels and other boats of note.

The flotilla will be bolstered with passenger boats carrying up to 30,000 flag-waving members of the public placed centre stage (or rather mid-river) in this floating celebration of Her Majesty's 60 year reign. The spectacle will be further enhanced with music barges and boats spouting geysers. Moreover, there will be specially constructed elements such as a floating belfry, its chiming bells answered by those from riverbank churches.

Join us for a Champagne Breakfast to view and celebrate this spectacular Royal Event. Details will be posted on our website in early April 2012.