About the Royal Green Jackets Regimental Association .........
The RGJ Association was conceived when the three regiments of what was the Green Jackets Brigade became fully integrated in January 1966 to become the Royal Green Jackets. The idea was to provide serving and particularly ex members of the RGJ with a point of contact to which they could always return no matter how long after they had ceased to serve with the regiment. The basic rules of membership were laid down but left scope for future development in regard to membership fees and finance.
In the beginning and up until quite recently the cost of running the Association in regards to Swift and Bold and the Annual Reunion was borne by the support it received from the Rifle Depot and the one day pay scheme but as we all know the Army has had to become a lot smaller since 1966 and one of the many casualties of the this reduction has been our own Depot at Winchester. Another obvious factor was the increase in the cost of producing Swift and Bold and and the Annual Reunion which apart from inflationary pressures had to increase due to a massive overhaul and Improvement of both facilities. The difference between the support given by the Rifle Depot plus the one day pay scheme and the actual cost of running the Association gradually increased to a point where Regimental Funds had to be drawn on in order to balance the Association's accounts.
It was therefore agreed by branch representatives that in order to assist with the costs of running the Association and to put it on a firm financial footing for the future other ranks members would be asked to pay an annual membership fee of £10,00 per annum. Officers have a different arrangement. The benefits of this subscription are that paid up members are issued a membership card which provides them with free access to the Annual Reunion at Winchester In the absence of an individual registering under the new system and not holding a current membership card he will still be regarded unquestionably as a member of the RGJ Association but will be requested to pay an entry fee to the Reunion and given the opportunity to complete an Association application form entitling him to registration of the association
Full membership of the association brings the following benefits:
1. Half price admission to the regimental museum all year round except the reunion weekend when admission is free upon production of your membership card.
2. A copy each year of the new RGJRA journal "Swift and Bold" delivered to your door and also available by email upon request to the editor.
3. Complete access to the RGJ Database which includes addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of all registered members (subject to those details being available)
In addition officers will also receive a copy of the Rifles Journal each year.
Application Forms
There are two methods of joining the association as a full member, both methods can be found at the top of this page.
Left hand link (application form):
Will allow you to fill out a form for printing which can then be sent by post to the membership secretary.
Right hand link (database)
will take you directly to the database which will allow you to fill in an on line form to join the Central Branch.
Cost for ORs is £10.00 Per Annum or £100.00 life membership.
RGJ Officers who are members of the RGJ Officer’s Dining Club pay £50.00 per year of which £10.00 goes to the RGJ Regimental Association.by Direct Debit and are therefore automatically a member of the Central Branch of the RGJ Association. If officers need to check their membership status they should contact Lt Col (Retd) Jan-Dirk von Merveldt by emailing london@the-rifles.co.uk
Renewal Form.
The preferred renewal method is by standing order. You can download and print off a standing order form by clicking on the link entitled "renewal form" on the left hand side of this page.
Kevin Stevens
Website Manager
The Royal Green Jackets Regimental Association
