MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE HIGHLAND BRANCH
QUEEN'S OWN HIGHLANDERS REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION

HELD AT THE TA CENTRE GORDONVILLE ROAD INVERNESS ON WEDNESDAY 14TH MAY 2003

Members Present.

Hamish MacPherson Chairman        Frank Blincow Treasurer

Mick McCulloch, Cliff Thorpe, Andy Venters George Burns, James Murray, Bill Russell, Jackie_ McCall, Ruddy Wood, Chris Ness, David Grant, Bob Shanks and Brian Blackley.
 

Apologies

 

Graham Anderson, John Anderson, John Baillie, Graham Brown, Steve Byers, Frank Barrie, George Black, Malcolm Cameron, Charlie Duncan, Ian Fraser, Dick Foss, Jim Finnie, Sandy Finnie, Donald Grant, Adam Gunn, Colin Gilmour, Brian Hermitage, Alistair Jack, John Johnston, Charlie Liddle, David Loftus, Plumb Logan Murdo MacDonald Garry Macfarlane, Malcolm MacBean, Bill MacAulay, Neil MacAulay Gordon Mackenzie, Ian Mackenzie, Jim McGarrick, Terry MacQueen, Eric Macintosh, Seymour Monro, Dane Miller, Eric Munro, Alistair Oag, Peter Grant- Peterkin, Willie Reid, Brian Ross, John Sutherland JJC Sutherland, Ronnie Sinclair, Richard Stone Rory Stone, Dave Terron, Larry Young, Jean Wilson, John Westhead, John Wood

ITEM 1 - WELCOME

The Chairman opened the meeting at 1945hrs - He welcomed all those who had made the effort to attend, and in the absence of the Secretary he asked if Mick McCulloch would take the minutes of the meeting.

ITEM 2 - FALLEN COMRADES.

A minutes silence was observed in respect of David Innes and Capt AJ Smith, members who had passed away during the last year.

ITEM 3 - MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING.

Mick McCulloch read the minutes of the last AGM held on the 15'' May 2002 and they were accepted as a true record of that meeting.

Proposed - G Burns Seconded - J McCall

 

ITEM 4-MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

a. Name of the Regiment - The Chairman had a letter from the Colonel of the Regiment saying that he would come and speak to the Regimental Association about The Highlanders and The Regiment's Name,he has not had as much time as he would have liked on the `name issue' but by April or May he will have done. He will write to Ian Fraser to arrange a suitable time and date to come and speak to us.

 

b. Western Isles Section. - This Section has now become a Branch of the Association with it own  Chairman Secretary and Treasurer, we wish them well in the future.

ITEM 5 - CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

The branch continues to be active, our current strength being 332, this is after striking 24 members off. Those struck off are members who had not paid branch subscriptions for two or more years. Our branch policy in the past was to keep all non paid members on the roll, however now that serving and ex members of the regiment are held on computer managed by Mrs Grant at RHQ we will no longer keep them on roll, all members who have not paid branch subscriptions for two years will be struck off at the end of the financial year.

All our functions have been very successful, the barbeque and pipe band display in September was attended by 140 despite the flash floods in Inverness that weekend.

 

The dinner dance in the Victoria Hotel, Forrest was not as well supported this year with only 42 members and guests, however those who were there had a great night.

 

The Stag dinner which was held in the Chieftain Hotel, Inverness was a brilliant night, none of the invited guests took up our invitation this year, however we were fortunate in having one of our senior serving officer and branch member in attendance - Seymour Monro who was home recovering from a hip operation gave us an insight into what his military job in Italy entailed. He also gave us an update on the 1' Battalion.

 

The curry lunch, held in the Royal British Legion Club, Nairn a week past Sunday was attended by 56 members and their guests. The Legion vice chairman Gordon Gurdie and his wife Iona were our official guests. On behalf of the association I presented the Legion with a Queen's Own Highlander lce Bucket.

On the 26th September I accompanied the association chairman on a visit to the Scottish National War Museum in Edinburgh Castle reference the laying up of the Queen's Own Highlanders Colours, also present were Brig Nick Ridley, Maj Mike Wimberley HLDRS Headquarters 2nd Division and Lt Col (Retd) Ian Shepherd Secretary Scottish National War Museum. On that visit a site within the museum was proposed to display the colours. I reminded the association chairman that it was unanimous decision of the association branches on the last AGM that it was the Ist stand of colours that were to be laid up in the SNWM. Since that meeting numerous letters have been written on the laying up of the colours. With the Highlanders Battalion deployment to Bosnia no date for the laying up of the colours has been set. - I would like to thank the membership for their continued support of the branch. I would also like to thank Frank Blincow our Treasurer, Tony Curran our Secretary, Bill Russell and the Entertainments Committee, the association pipes and drums and the many loyal wives who assist the branch with the functions.

ITEM 6 - TREASURERS REPORT

Frank Blincow distributed copies of the account for FY 2002/2003 ending 31st March 2003. He explained all income and expenditure. The account was accepted and past as a true record.

Proposed - D Grant Seconded - R Wood

 

TEM 7 - FUTURE EVENTS

7th September 2003 - BBQ & Pipe Band Display - Cameron Bks, Inverness.

1st' November 2003 - Dinner Dance - Victoria Hotel, Forres.
6th February 2004 - Stag Dinner - Victoria Hotel Forres.

8th May 2004 - Curry Lunch - Elgin.
17th May 2004 - AGM - Inverness
5th September 2004 - BBQ & Pipe Band Display - Cameron Barracks, Inverness.

6th November 2004 - Dinner Dance - Victoria Hotel, Forres.

ITEM 8 - ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS

The Chairman and Treasurer both accepted the floors motion for them to continue in office for one more year.

ITEM 9 - ANY OTHER BUSINESS

The Chairman has information on the 60th Anniversary Commemoration of Normandy and Arnhem in June and September 2004 respectively. Any member wishing to attend should get in contact with the official tour operators. (Galina International Battlefield Tours, 40 Bridge Street Row, Chester CHI INN or telephone 01244 340777).

 

a. Andy Venters asked why the annual dinner dance was always held in Forres - The Chairman explained that all functions are spread out between Inverness Nairn Forres and Elgin.

b. Bill Russell asked the chairman if there was any truth in the rumour that the Pipes and Drums were going to charge a fee for performing at association events. George Burns said that the question should have been addressed to him as pipe band secretary - Cliff Thorpe said it should be done through the chairman as the question was directed at him. The chairman asked George Burns to clarify the situation. George said there was to be no charge this year, however he could not rule out a charge in the future. The chairman hoped as well as non pipe band members present that there should never be a charge for any regimental function.

c. The chairman welcomed the following new members to the branch. Douglas Nicoll. Mathew Mitchell, Jimmy Skinner, Chris Ness, Alexander Millar, William Gillies, David Inch, David Mackenzie, Murdo MacDonald, Donald Wilson, Sandy McMullen and Rory Stone, Rory is our first enlisted Highlander to join the branch.

d. The secretary for the meeting read out a point from Ian Fraser the Association Chairman and branch member-That he was fed up with getting a hard time. He will be time served in 2005 and hopes for a peaceful end to his term in office. "I am never going to volunteer for anything again"

e. The chairman read out the proposed layout and inscriptions for the Queen's Own Highlanders Memorial Plaque for the SNWM in Edinburgh Castle. The members present were unanimous in favour of the Association Chairman's proposal with the exception of the second `CUIDICH `N RIGH'. That to be replaced with James Murray's proposal of `CABARFEIDH'

E.C. MACPHERSON - _ POINTS FROM THE AGM OF ALL BRANCHES HELD ON 6TH JUNE 20031.

I.  Regimental Magazine. The Association will pay RHQ £3000 for the July 2003 magazine, thereafter members who want a copy of the magazine will have to order it through RHQ, payment will be by standing order. Standing orders can be obtained from RHQ.

2. Secondary Title - The Highlanders. The Chairman read out a letter that he had received from The Colonel of the Regiment concerning the change of the secondary title. The Colonel of the Regiment stated that changing the title of the Regiment requires the Regiment to go through a fairly long process (via the MOD) of consultation and then formal application to the Army Board and finally to the Queen. This Staffing progress will, of course, require the strongest possible backing from the whole Regiment I have just received advice from Garter King of Arms on the implications of yet again, being a Royal Regiment, changing the title to include `Queen's Own' requires us to change our facings to blue. Such a change would require a complete re-balancing of the amalgamation `deal'. The major change that I have been asked to consider clearly requires complete agreement on all sides, serving and retired. I am convinced that not only would I not receive such agreement (and certainly not from the V battalion) I am sorry to say, therefore that the request to change the name of the Regiment is not worth pursuing

3. Laying up of 2nd Stand of Colours. The chairman explained that the 2nd Stand of Colours would be laid up at the Scottish National War Memorial. It was hoped that this would take place in November. After Note. The date for the laying up of Colours has been arranged for Tuesday 25th November 2003.

 

Branch members wishing to attend should complete the proforma enclosed with the magazine and return it to RHQ .