INCOMING PRESIDENT’S REPORT 2022
On 19 September 1962, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted the Royal Australian Artillery the title of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. All Australian gunners are considered members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Upon the Royal Australian Artillery being granted the title ‘Royal Regiment’, Queen Elizabeth II also assumed the title of Captain General of the Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery. It is in this family of comrades that 7 Field Regiment RAA and all past and present gunners belong.
The year 2022 marked the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. On Friday 9 September, the sound of guns rang out over Canberra, firing 96 rounds – one to mark each year of the Queens life. We have all by now had time to reflect on the passing of our Captain General, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
I cannot better add to the words of the Master Gunner, so I have copied these below:
MESSAGE FROM THE MASTER GUNNER ST JAMES’S PARK LIEUTENANT GENERAL SIR ANDREW GREGORY KBE CB DL 3
“I know that all current and former members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Royal Artilleries of the Commonwealth are greatly saddened to hear of the death of our Captain General, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. As the longest serving British Monarch in history, Her Majesty’s unquestioning duty and dedication to the Nation, to the Commonwealth and to Her Armed Forces will be deeply and profoundly missed.
Her Majesty’s interest in, and engagement with, all aspects of Her Royal Regiments throughout Her reign has been of the greatest importance. As the Nation and the World mourns, our thoughts are with His Majesty The King and all members of the Royal Family; I know that I speak on behalf of all current and former members of the Royal Regiment of Artillery and the Royal Artilleries of the Commonwealth in offering our deepest and most heartfelt condolences at this difficult time.”
On behalf of the 7 Field Regiment RAA Association, we mourn the passing of the Queen, our Captain General and pledge our allegiance to our new Captain General, His Majesty King Charles III. GOD SAVE THE KING
On a brighter note, and thanks in large part to the outgoing President Dave Moysey, the Association’s new website is up and running. It looks fantastic, is easy to navigate and, more importantly, is easy for the Committee to administer and keep updated. Please go look and enjoy the updated content.
Recognition needs to go Pat Sengos who administered the old website (and battled the old technology) for so long. Well done Pat, and thank you.
I join Dave Moysey in his outgoing Presidents Report in thanking COL John Fairless for his three years as Patron and in welcoming BRIG John Keefe RFD as our new Patron.
Thanks, Dave, for your three year’s service as President. I look forward to serving under you again in the near future. See you all at the reunion.
UBIQUE.
Stephen Flower President