RMA CITY OF LONDON – 2025 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.”

I have used these lines by John Donne before, in 2016, but I make no apology for doing so again because, for me, they capture the heart and soul of the Royal Marines Association, and of our Branch in particular. Each Member of the City of London Branch is an important person in his or her own way, yet we are all part of something much bigger than ‘just me’. We have known that since our first days at Deal or Lympstone.

While we were serving, we were surrounded by other Royal Marines and we were very obviously ‘a piece of the continent’. When we left, it was very different; the same people still existed but they were no longer connected to us in the same way. ‘Once a Royal Marine, always a Royal Marine’ but where is everyone else? Have we drifted away from ‘the continent’?

Here the RMA plays its vital role, but even the RMA is a large and perhaps distant organisation that lives somewhere away to the West at Lympstone – on the website, on the telephone but still quite remote. That is where our Branch is so important; real people speaking our language, with shared experiences, living nearby and coming together regularly – we are ‘part of the continent’ again. We are together at the UJC for a few beers and dits for one evening each month but never very far away.

2025 has been marked by a succession of notable commemorations of the 80th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War and we have played our part. In addition, we have marked the Raid on Zeebrugge, Armed Forces Day, the Corps Birthday at the Tower of London, Remembrance Sunday at St Paul’s Cathedral and many other individual events. As the year draws to a close, it is the season to remember one of our own – our illustrious Branch Chairman Emeritus, Jim Ellard MBE, who died on 19 November 2024. The Branch today owes so much to his efforts while he was with us, and he lives on in our hearts. It is wonderful that, in conjunction with his family and the authorities in Belgium, work is in hand to erect a named Bench in his honour in Zeebrugge.

For all this, we remain eternally grateful to our magnificent Committee, led by our indefatigable Chairman, Graeme, and his hard-working Team Members, Jan, Stephen, Tom and Mac – to all of whom goes a sincere vote of thanks. We are also fortunate to have the UJC as a meeting place and the presence and support of RMR London. Both are invaluable in their own ways.

It is wonderful to be a member of such a friendly, vibrant and supportive Branch. Thank you all for everything that you do for the Branch throughout the year, and I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and an outstanding New Year.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together”

As Royal Marines, we go together.

Lt Gen Sir Rob Fulton KBE KStJ RM (rtd)