Barbados Defence Force
39th Anniversary Parade
BDF Media Release | 18 AUG 18
Photography credit: Ocdt Ifill R, Lcpl Bellamy C, AB Bryan T, Pte Brathwaite RR, OS Matthew-Ifill J
The Barbados Defence Force culminated its 39th Anniversary week of activities with a Parade and Sunset Ceremony. The Parade, under the command of Major Carlos Lovell displayed exemplary skills in drill and musicianship, in the presence of the Honourable Dale Marshall QC, MP Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, representative of the Prime Minister, under the theme A United Force: One Vision, One Journey, to build the best Barbados we can together.
In his featured address, Minister Marshall reminded the audience and thanked the command, enlisted ranks and civilian staff of the Barbados Defence Force, for being a beacon of excellence to the Barbadian landscape and beyond. He added that the Force is responsible for the molding of Barbadian men and women in areas of discipline, teamwork, time management and problem solving, which are some of the key contributors to a dynamic post independent Barbados.
The immaculate 39th Anniversary Parade turnout and drill precision displayed by the troops was pleasing to the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs as he further endorsed the launch of the Force’s new digital camouflage pattern, commenting that it further added to the professionalism of the Force. He urged the troops to wear it pride and to continue in a united effort to make a better Barbados, Region and beyond.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs the Honourable Dale Marshall QC MP with Parade commander Major Carlos Lovell after inspecting the troops.
Unveiling of Leonard Banfield house by Mrs Pauline Banfield, the Honourable Dale Marshall QC MP and Chief of Staff Colonel Glyne Grannum.
During the Parade, the Force Headquarters building was named Leonard Banfield House, after the late Colonel Leonard C Banfield, GCM, LVO, MBE, ED, JP; by his widow Mrs Pauline Banfield, the Honourable Dale Marshall and Chief of Staff Colonel Glyne Grannum. Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 after leaving the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. Colonel Banfield was responsible for planning and coordinating the military ceremony on the night Barbados became Independent on 30 November 1966 and was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his outstanding contribution.
He was the Commanding Officer of the Barbados Regiment in the early 1970’s. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the formation of the Barbados Volunteer Force, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel, and became the first Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 15 August 1979. Col Banfield coined the BDF motto “Symbol of Excellence”.
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Shurland enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force in February 1984.
Colonel Glyne Grannum joined the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 18 October 1985 and underwent career development training at the Canadian Forces Officer Candidate School, Chilliwack and the Combat Training Centre, Gagetown New Brunswick, Canada. He subsequently attended the Infantry Training Centre and the Signal Wing in Warminster, UK (PCBC and RSO Courses respectively), the International Institute of Humanitarian Law in San Remo, Italy; the Lester Pearson Canadian Peacekeeping Centre, the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College, Kingston, the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College, Toronto, the National Defence University of the People’s Liberation Army People’s Republic of China and the Centre for Hemispheric Defence Studies, National Defence University, Washington. He also attended a Defence Resources Management programme at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa, Canada. In addition to being a qualified infantry officer, Col Grannum is a qualified Regimental Signals Officer and a former Operations Officer and Finance Officer of the BDF.
Colonel Banfield joined the Barbados Battalion of the South Caribbean Force in 1941 having just left the Cadet Corps at Combermere School, and was granted a commission as a Second Lieutenant in 1942. He was a Platoon Commander and a Company Commander during the war and served in Barbados, Dominica (as part of the Gale Force), St Lucia and St Vincent.
Warrant Officer Class 1 Colin Marshall is a graduate of the St Michael, and was born on the 5 November 1969 and enlisted in the Barbados Defence Force on 16 August 1994. He was promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal in August 1997, Corporal in 1999, Sergeant in 2007, Color Sergeant in 2014, Warrant Officer Class Two in 2017 and Warrant Officer Class One in 2020. He was Most Outstanding Student on Junior Leadership Course in 1998, the Most Outstanding Student on Junior Non Commissioned Officer Cadre in Jamaica in 2000, best at Leadership on the Search Adviser Course in Jamaica in 2007 and the Most Outstanding Student on the Warrant Officer Course in Jamaica in 2015.
