REME Association
Lincolnshire Branch Scribe: Graham A Matthews, (Secretary) Lincolnshire Branch
A
dapt, evolve and soldier on! Relocation of the Lincs Branch meeting venue. Since before its formation in 2001, the Lincolnshire Branch had the use the Boston Drill Hall; the place we called “home” for over 20 years. Sadly, due to service requirements the branch has been required to vacate the Drill Hall and remove all fixtures and fittings with effect 1st December 2021, leaving the Branch “homeless”. The story starts when I started work with the then East Midlands Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association ‘TAVRA’ (soon to be East Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association (EMRFCA)). In 1996 as a Crown Servant (CAA) based in the Drill
Members in the Drill Hall Bar
Games Night in the Drill Hall
Branch at the Dedication of the REME Association Memorial Plinth
30 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk
Hall BOSTON, I was also required to join the Lincolnshire Army Cadet Force (ACF) as a uniformed RQMS and was granted permission to retain REME dress allowing me to record 40 years in REME uniform. I held the Boston post for 18 years followed by a further 9 years as a RFCA pensioner key holder for the Boston Drill Hall. After 22 years’ service in REME I was keen to join a local REME Association Branch, however, this being Lincolnshire there were no Branches within travelling distance and after numerous advertisements, phone calls and visits to other Ex service clubs I made contact with a small number of Ex REME Vets with whom we formed a friendship and held planning meetings in the Drill Hall, and as the requirements back then was a minimum of 20 to form a new Branch we continued in this way recruiting new potential members for some 4 years when in 2000 we had 22 founder members. The Lincolnshire Branch was formally formed in 2001 located in the Boston Drill Hall, with the Branch Standard dedicated in 2002 numbers slowly increased to a maximum number of 48 in 2012 since then our numbers have receded to the present 32. Our President Lt Col (Retd) David Skaife accepted the presidency in 2000 and still presides today; having
