On this Page


BSA Police First Sergeant.

Images by Dick Hamley
author of
'The Regiment'

Quick Links

Introduction

The United Kingdom Branch, originally called the home branch is the oldest existing Branch outside Zimbabwe having been set up in 1923. The Branch has over 600 members, publishes its Outpost magazine 3 times a year, operates an Almoner service in conjunction with the BSAP Trust to support and assist members who suffer distress and has a History Section with the object of "gathering", recording and preserving BSAP records and memorabilia. There are five main functions every year, The Regimental Dinner, AGM, Braai, Remembrance Parade and Christmas Sundowner .In addition regular functions and gatherings are held all over the British Isles, in Anglia, East Midlands, the South East, South West, North West, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.

The United Kingdom Branch has recently unveiled its own website has a page on Facebook. One would have to be a member of the social network to access this page.

The Branch has organised major events over the years including the Centenary Dinner, in 1989 attended by the Honorary Commissioner, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, the construction of a memorial to the BSAP at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Stafford and The Last Parade on 23rd July 2010 when at a ceremony attended by over 350 former members, wives, partners, relatives and guests the Memorial was unveiled, dedicated, the Roll of Honour blessed, laid up in the chapel, and the final command “British South Africa Police – Dismiss” was given. The Branch publishes the “Books of the BSAP” series and an ongoing exercise is the Outpost Digitalisation Project to digitise the entire collection of Force magazines from 1911 – 1980.

A range of memorabilia is available from the QRep and from the newly launched UK Branch Online Shop (see below) or go direct to the shop.

Wish to know more about Branch activity and benefits of membership?

(Click this header to download a pamphlet on Regimental Association benefits and membership)

The United Kingdom Branch welcomes new members and invites applications from eligible persons. Full membership is open to all former members of the BSAP and BSAP Reserve; Associate Membership may be granted to the spouse, widow or widower, son or daughter over the age of 18 of a member of the Association or former member of the BSAP; former members of the Rhodesian Army, Air Force or Prison Service; or person who may have had a close association with the BSAP.

To apply to join the Branch Standing Order Forms
(Click this header to download the online application form to desktop and complete using Adobe Reader Fill and Sign, then email to the or download, print, complete and scan/email or post to Hon. Secretary.

BSAP Trust DonationsTo set up a regular donation to the BSAP Trust, please download the BSAP Standing Order form below. If you are a United Kingdom tax payer please download and complete the Gift Aid form below.

BSAP Trust Standing OrderGift Aid Form
Principal ContactPersons wishing to make contact with the branch should contact the
Rowan Tree Cottage, Lochton, Coldstream, TD12 4NH
Telephone: +44 1890 830235;
United Kingdom Branch Website

Your Branch Website is at this link - or click on the image

United Kingdom Branch: New Members The United Kingdom Branch of the BSA Police Regimental Association would like to invite all former members, including NS and Reservists, to consider joining the BSA Police Regimental Association. The Branch recently published a pamphlet with its last newsletter which is available on this website (click on the link). There is also a membership application form which can now be completed and e-mailed to the Branch for processing. You will need Adobe PDF Reader or similar software. Please read the pamphlet and consider taking the first step towards membership of the Branch.
12 September 2015
Branch Outpost Your Branch Outpost Magazine is at
this link

BSAP Memorial at the
National Memorial Arboretum
Obituary: Hywel Parry-Jones 6609 (1941-2018)
Mike Edden
We were deeply saddened to learn of the death, on 12 December 2018, of Hywel Parry-Jones, Editor of the United Kingdom Outpost Magazine. He died in Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. Parry, as he is better known, was born in 1941 in Bangor, Wales. He joined the BSA Police in February 1962. After Depot, Parry served in Salisbury and Salisbury suburban stations before transferring to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). As a detective, he served in Salisbury, Que Que (where he joined the Special Branch) and Bulawayo, and at one time was in the Drug Squad, eventually being in charge of the Bulawayo Homicide team. Parry was the recipient of the Police Long Service Medal (PLSM) in June 1980. He left the force on pension in July 1981 and returned to England. Following a short spell in the United Kingdom he later joined the Papua New Guinea Constabulary, where he served in a CID role. On his return to the United Kingdom, Parry worked, as a civilian, with the CID in Corby, Northants. He was a very active member of the United Kingdom Branch of the Regimental Association, and aside from his editorship of the Association journal, he served on the Committee too. He has four children, two from a former marriage. He was widowed in 2008 when his wife Jan passed away. Our thoughts go out to all his children and we join Parry’s former colleagues in extending our condolences and sympathies. He shall be sadly missed.

Andrew Field 8646
15 December 2018
Office Bearers

Mike Coleman
Chairman

Alan Toms
Deputy Chairman

Steve Acornley
Hon Secretary

Jim Harris
Hon Treasurer

Tony Granger
Almoner

Paul Brewster

Bertie Cubitt

Peter Phillips - Hon.Life President

Dave Pillans
Honorary Appointments of United Kingdom Branch Members

Functions

70th Anniversary of the UK Branch of the Regimental Association Annual Dinner, Carisbrooke Room at the Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London on Friday 29 September 2017.
A total of 145 members, wives, partners and guests, from around the globe sat down for dinner.
Forthcoming The following forthcoming functions may be of interest. For further detils contact the
Date
Function
Venue
First Tuesday of the month: 17:30hrs onwards
 Monthly Gathering (informal) Victory Services Club, Seymour Street, London (at the bar} - Contact 7784 Steve Acornley [hon.sec.uk@bsap.org] for further details
10 March 2019
 North West Gatherings Ferraris Country House and Hotel and Restaurant, Longridge, Preston. PR3 2TB. Contact 7902 Brien Bonynge [brien.bonynge@sky.com] for details
11 May 2019
 9th Scottish Annual Lunch The Royal Scots Club, 30 Abercromby Place,Edinburgh, EH 3 6QE (rooms can be booked on line at royalscotsclub.com) - Contact 8405 Ron Minchin [robertminchin@hotmail.co.uk]
Saturday 11 th May 2019
 South West Gatherings Dolphin Inn, Bovey Tracey, Newton Abbot, TQ13 9AL. Contact 01626 832413 if you wish to book a room.
Saturday 18 May 2019
 Annual General Meeting To be advised - Contact 7784 Steve Acornley [hon.sec.uk@bsap.org] for further details
9 June 2019
 North West Gatherings Ferraris Country House and Hotel and Restaurant, Longridge, Preston. PR3 2TB. Contact 7902 Brien Bonynge [brien.bonynge@sky.com] for details
Sunday 4 August 2019
 BSA Police Memorial Service National Memorial Arboretum, Croxhall Road, Alrewas, Staffordshire, DE13 7AR. Contact Hon Secretary for details
Saturday 7 September 2019
 Irish Gathering Contact 7348 Peter OíHara [poh134@hotmail.com] for details.
8 September 2019
 North West Gatherings Ferraris Country House and Hotel and Restaurant, Longridge, Preston. PR3 2TB. Contact 7902 Brien Bonynge [brien.bonynge@sky.com] for details
Friday 27 September 2019
 Annual BSAP Dinner To be advised - Contact 7784 Steve Acornley [hon.sec.uk@bsap.org] for further details
Saturday 9 November 2018
 Scottish Gathering Buccleuch Arms Hotel, Moffat - Contact 7784 Steve Acornley [hon.sec.uk@bsap.org] for further details
Tuesday 3 December 2019
 Christmas Sundowner To be advised - Contact 7784 Steve Acornley [hon.sec.uk@bsap.org] for further details
8 December 2019
 North West Gatherings Ferraris Country House and Hotel and Restaurant, Longridge, Preston. PR3 2TB. Contact 7902 Brien Bonynge [brien.bonynge@sky.com] for details
To be determined
 South East Gatherings K Sports Club, Aylesford, Kent - Contact 5625 Biff Way [biffway@hotmail.com] for further details
Joining the Branch Would you like to join the United Kingdom Branch of the Regimental Association? This pamphlet will give your a few reasons why you should consider it. Please complete this application form and post this to the Hon. Secretary.
Overseas Visitors' Liaison Biff Way has accepted the appointment of the UK Branch overseas visitor liaison, and in this role he will make contact with the friends of overseas visitors and try to arrange a get-together. He will encourage all visitors to attend the first Tuesday meetings at the Victory Services Club. Any former member of the BSAP who is visiting the UK is asked to contact Biff, with dates and itinerary of their visit and the names of any friends they want informed.
The Almoner
The Almoner of the UK Branch is a member of the Branch Executive Committee who has the responsibility to be aware of and arrange assistance for any branch member, or their spouse, widow and family, in case of need, distress or hardship. To this end he endeavours to:
  • maintain regular contact with members and widow(er)s;
  • react promptly to information received concerning the welfare of members;
  • liaise with the Trustees of the BSAP Trust about cases and, where appropriate, submit applications for financial grants; and
  • attend or arrange for an Association representative at funerals – this includes the provision of the Force Cap & Flag if requested.

Financial hardship is initially dealt with via the State benefit system before referring applications to the Trustees. The UK Branch currently has over 60 Almoner Assistants to ensure that all areas are catered for and available to assist our members. All information concerning the health, welfare or financial situation of members is always treated as confidential.

The current Almoner is Tony Granger who says that members or their relatives can contact him at anytime should they wish to pass on any information about themselves or a relative - or just for support at the end of the phone. This also includes those resident overseas who contact the Almoner with similar information. He may be contact on telephone (Home) +44 1743 360827 or

The BSAP Trust
The BSAP Trust** was founded in 1987 in terms of a Deed of Trust executed by Mike Leach, Fred Mason and Tim Weimer. It is a UK registered charity, 297183. The object of the Trust is to:

“Provide assistance and support to members of the United Kingdom Branch of the BSAP Regimental Association and their dependants who are distressed by sickness or poverty”.

The Trustees are subject to the supervision of the Charity Commissioners and must therefore abide strictly by the provisions of the Deed of Trust and the rules governing UK based charities.

It is supported solely by donations and as a registered charity the Trust qualifies to claim Gift Aid relief for donations made by UK tax payers. Many members make regular donations and a number have made bequests to the Trust in their wills.

The Patron of the Trust is Field Marshal the Lord Walker of Aldringham, perhaps better known as Michael Walker son of Col. Walker, BSAP.

Assistance is normally provided in the form of a grant although assistance in debt reduction has been given in a number of cases. Before making a grant the Trustees are required to satisfy themselves that the applicant is in receipt of all social benefits to which the applicant may be entitled and therefore have to ask applicants to make a full financial disclosure when applying for assistance. All applications are treated in the strictest confidence.


Any member who wishes to apply for assistance or who feels another member would benefit from a grant should initially contact the almoner who will make the neccessary enquiries.

The Trustees make an Annual report to the AGM of the UK Branch and the audited accounts are also circulated. The latest report may be seen here.

Person who have made, or may make, donations to the BSAP Trust may wish to download a

Gift Aid Declaration Form.

** The BSAP Trust, having as its objectives 'to provide assistance and support to members of the United Kingdom Branch of the British South Africa Police Regimental Association and their dependants who are distressed by sickness or poverty' is restricted, by law, to servicing only the needs of members of the United Kingdom Branch.

United Kingdom Branch: Online Shop
The United Kingdom Branch of the Regimental Association is happy to announce the opening of an online shop for use by all former members and all of those interested in products on offer by the shop. The online project will supplement the sterling work being done by the UK Branch “QRep”, Bertie Cubbit, who shall continue to sell items at functions and gatherings. The online shop has been set up on the www.bsap.org web server, from which links to the online shop may be found.
At this time, there is a good selection of books and apparel along with the recently issued compact disc (CD) of magazines of the BSA Police and a few miscellaneous items. Access to the online shop is international, but products are distributed from the UK Branch only. In due course, efforts will be made by the branch to expand what is on offer, including e-products. It is likely that the ever popular Books of the British South Africa Police Series will continue to be expanded.
Access to the online store is simple – click on this link . You will be encouraged to register with the store. This will help notifications of new products. Payments are received through the PayPal system and you may purchase with appropriate credit cards, or if you live and have cheque facilities in the UK, by cheque. The UK Branch would welcome your cyber-browsing.
Please report queries and errors to the or the .