AMOT Annual Review 2020
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Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual ReviewAnnual 2020 Review 2019-20 www.armymuseums.org.uk 1 Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 AMOT Annual Review 2019-20 Chairman’s report 4 Director’s report 5 AMOT news Patrons FM Sir John Chapple GCB CBE DL AMOT update 6 Sir Robert Crawford CBE AMOT World War I digitisation project update 8 Chairman Lt Gen Sir Philip Trousdell KBE CB Heritage sector updates Deputy Chairman Archive assistance 10 Major General David McDowall CBE War and Conflict Subject Specialist Network 16 Trustees Mr Jeremy Archer Digital skills for heritage 18 Ms Christine Bernath Mr James Codrington Colonel Steve Davies MBE Netwrok projects Brigadier Charles Grant OBE Major General Craig Lawrence CBE The Royal United Services Institute 19 Brigadier Allan Mallinson The Royal Signals Museum 22 Mr Timothy Parkes TD Ms Tansy Robson REME Museum 26 The Hon Mrs Katherine Swinfen Eady Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life 28 Director The Army Flying Museum 32 Andrew Lloyd MBE The Scottish Horse 35 Deputy Director The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh 39 Jennifer Allison Front Cover: © REME Museum Research Registered Charity No. 250907 Decoding distinguishing marks 40 58 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EX Fusiliers in captivity 42 Telephone: 01722 332 188 Email: [email protected] www.armymuseums.org.uk Learn more... Produced by Kate Knowles Alabaré 44 Military Publications and Communications [email protected] Waterloo: Living History 46 2 www.armymuseums.org.uk www.armymuseums.org.uk 3 AMOT news Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 AMOT news Deputy chairman’s report Director’s report by Major General David McDowall CBE by Andrew Lloyd MBE I was delighted to accept the invitation to become Vice Chairman of AMOT earlier this year, If there is one theme that has been a constant backdrop to the work of AMOT since we were and I take this opportunity to pay tribute to my predecessor, Brigadier Charles Grant. I know founded by Robert Ogilby in 1954 it is public access. This has moved collections from the that the chairman and my fellow Trustees are delighted to know that Charles will continue to private preserves of the regimental messes to endowed museums. We have adapted to museum serve on the Board. development over the years with educational outreach and travelling exhibitions and hands on visitor experiences. Our curatorial staff are probably better trained and museum experienced These have been difficult times for all the museums to visit again. than at any time in our collective history and present a closer reflection of the nation. within the AMOT network, and AMOT staff have I wish to pay tribute to the AMOT staff who have aimed to support collections in a number of ways, been available by phone and email throughout this This memorable year in all our lives has presented much more. depending on the individual need. crisis, to discuss any issues which museums have. new challenges none of us expected and we have met We as a team have enjoyed working with you over AMOT, like all organisations, has had to adapt quickly the challenge but not without some bruising. AMOT this year and thank you for your vital role in preserving Resilience and no doubt this will impact on our ongoing future will try to help where it can over the next months and and creating an accessible national treasure house of Army museums have demonstrated their tenacity way of working. you will hear more quite soon. military heritage. 2021 is almost upon us and launching and resilience by adapting to the demands of the TOM will feature high on the events calendar for Thank you current environment. Deeply grateful AMOT and the over 100 participating collections. We are not out of the woods yet, but I believe that I pay the same tribute to the Trustees, curators and The Ogilby Muster (TOM) has dominated our work the last few months have not only demonstrated the all members of staff in army museums throughout the over much of 2020 and we are deeply grateful for Fabric of our nation ability of the network museums to rise to a challenge, it United Kingdom and thank you for your continued the interest, enthusiasm and occasional constructive We will not forget the more routine business of has also shown the support which they have from their dedication and efforts. criticism you have contributed. This digital future telling the stories and keeping the British Army in the local and national communities in their desire to be able We will meet again. is going to grow in importance and will extend well family fabric of our nation which is our core mission. beyond archives to artefacts, marketing, research and Stay safe and keep in touch 4 www.armymuseums.org.uk www.armymuseums.org.uk 5 AMOT news Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 Army Museums Ogilby Trust Annual Review 2020 AMOT news Rather than division by job or responsibilities, all of those AMOT updates signed up will have access to all discussions taking place, increasing the opportunity Covid 19 network. We will continue to monitor the guidance to share best practice, to As the impact of Covid-19 began to be felt and and will stay in touch with our members to keep them ask for advice and to lockdown was implemented in early 2020, AMOT staff updated on any changes which come about as a result offer support. faced similar issues to other organisations across the of Covid-19. If you would like UK and needed to adapt to a new way of operating. to find out more, Trustee Changes The AMOT team moved to home working, and or if you are a despite some internet ‘hiccups’ and a few other issues, The Army Museums Ogilby Trust has welcomed member in the we were up and running within a couple of weeks three new Trustees to its Board in 2020. network and and able to respond to the network, offering support Major General Craig Lawrence CBE was the Director would like to It’s hard work working for AMOT for funding applications, signposting to appropriate of Joint Warfare and is now a lecturer at the Royal sign up for resources and helping with other requests for College of Defence Studies. Craig is also a published the group, please get in information and advice. Home working created some author, with his first book being a commemorative touch. challenges, but it also had its benefits, including some history of the Gurkha Regiment: The Gurkhas: 200 AMOT Project Grants four-footed work colleagues who were keen to offer Years of Service to the Crown (Uniform, 2015). their support! Ms Tansy Robson is a policy adviser in the Strategy The 2020 Project Grants programme took place as Our focus moved from physical meetings to online and Design Team at the Department for International scheduled at the beginning of 2020. Unfortunately, digital engagement and we have continued working Trade having previously worked at the Cabinet Office soon after informing successful applicants, the impact Sybil finds the Northumberland Fusiliers’ article fascinating in this way for the majority of 2020. Those meetings and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI). Tansy of Covid-19 became known. Projects were put on which were scheduled and could be moved online went has an MSc in International Relations and War Studies, have increased in user numbers and have been a useful hold, some had to be cancelled and others had to be ahead, and those that required in person attendance is an RAF Reservist and has a keen interest in military tool for sharing information such as reports from adapted in order to proceed. Work continues with these were delayed until guidance allowed for them to take history. the wider heritage sector, and resources such as risk applicants to see how best AMOT can support them place. Mrs Katherine Swinfen Eady is a professional assessments. and their organisation with the work which they wish Digital meetings have been especially successful for artist having trained at the Edinburgh School of Art. It quickly became apparent that the majority of to undertake. us. We now host our own Trustee meetings online and Katherine has an MA in War Studies and has published staff working in museums in the AMOT network The AMOT Project Grants programme has always have found that we are able to arrange digital meetings a memoir of an officer-ancestor: Cornerstones: The wear multiple hats in order to carry out their roles. remained flexible in regard to the projects which the with partners, old and new, which would have been Life of HM Farmar, from Omdurman to the Western A curator might be responsible for education and Trust would fund and support. Our guidance attempted problematic pre-Covid. Front (Helion, 2018). policy development, a director might be responsible to be non-specific in regard to what we would or Access to our offices in Salisbury became possible We bid farewell to Justin Maciejewski DSO MBE, for front of house management and enquiries, and an wouldn’t fund to avoid restricting what a museum from July 2020. However, the period of lockdown and Director of the National Army Museum who decided education officer might be heavily involved in object would apply for and to encourage the development the time since has given AMOT the opportunity to to leave the Board in February in order to focus on his cataloguing and exhibitions. We have also recognised of projects which might be difficult to fund from other consider its future working style.