THE ROYAL WELCH FUSILIERS Comrades Association.
The first meeting of an Old Comrades Association of the Royal Welch Fusiliers was held at Wrexham on 4th October 1912. However, it was not until the Great War that “The Royal Welch Fusiliers Comrades Association” was founded and 1925 before a trust deed officially laying out the purposes of the Association was registered in the “Central Office of the Supreme Court of Judicature”. The Trust Deed was revised for the first time in 1987.
Membership of the Association is restricted to any individual of any rank who is serving, or has served, in the Regiment or any of its Regular Militia Service Special Reserve, Volunteer or Territorial Battalions or in any unit duly authorised and recognised by the Army Council as belonging to or forming any part of the Regiment.
The main objects of the Association are:
(a) To form a bond for all those who are serving or have served in the Regiment, and to keep members of the Association in touch with the Regiment.
(b) To promote the well-being of the Regiment as a whole and the men serving in the Regiment.
(c) To foster esprit de Corps amongst past and present members of the Regiment.
(d) To provide financial assistance in deserving cases to past and present members of the Regiment, their widows and dependents who are in need
Her Majesty The Queen is Patron of the Association and The Colonel of The Regiment is its President.
The Association is managed by an Executive Committee which is chaired by the Chairman of the Association who is a retired officer of the regiment invited to fill the post by the President. The Assistant Regimental Secretary is the permanent Secretary of the Association. There are nine ordinary members of the Executive Committee elected from the Associations ordinary membership. Additionally, there are five ex-officio members, of which two are Trustees. The
Chairman is also a Trustee.
The Trustees supervise the investment of monies not required for the current working expenses of the Association. The Secre managed the day to day expenses, and with the Regimental Secretary and one other co-opted officer, forms a Committee to consider applications for assistance.
Most of the Regular serving other Ranks subscribe one day’s pay a year to the Association which is deducted from their pay in four quarterly amounts. These subscriptions are covenanted so the Association is able to recover the tax. This has been the main source of income to the Association for many years.
Over the years the Trustees have invested funds as they have become available.
Source: RWF Magazine 1989
