Barbados Regiment Celebrates 70
Press Release Barbados Today | 20 FEB 18
Photography: Corporal Maynard D
Enlisted ranks and officers, plus retired members of the Barbados Regiment were yesterday joined by family members and other supporters, along with government officials led by acting Prime Minister Richard Sealy, in celebrating its birth anniversary.
At 70 years old, the Regiment stands as the oldest section of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), and members observed this milestone with a Colours to Church service at St Matthias Anglican Church.
Prime Minister (ag) Hon Richard Sealy takes a salute. He is flanked by Chief of Staff Colonel Glyne Grannum and Commanding Officer (ag) Barbados Regiment Major Wendy Yearwood
They followed up on the religious proceedings by performing a marchpast of the troops on St Matthias Road and saluting Sealy in a procedure characterized by brisk sharp movements
Considered the land forces of the BDF, the Regiment has a history reaching back to 1902 when it was known as the Barbados Volunteer Force.
From that time, it stood alone in the role as defender of the island from external threats and as preserver of peace and security inland.
It became more formalized with a name change to the Barbados Regiment in 1948, then receiving its first ‘stand of colours’ – or own flag – in 1953. Both events occurred in the month of February, making yesterday’s church service also the 65th anniversary of the Regiment having its own flag bearing a unique colour combination.
The Barbados Regiment comprises active and reserve members, and they became part of the Barbados Defence Force upon that national military organization’s formation in 1979.
“Seventy years is a relatively short time for any military organization; however, throughout its colourful history, although not being involved in any major conflict, the Barbados Regiment can boast of the countless proud men and women who have passed through its ranks and have made an outstanding contribution to the development of the Regiment and Barbados on a whole,” remarked Acting Commanding Officer Major Wendy Yearwood.
As she thanked those who served and are now retired, she spoke of how her troops will focus on the journey ahead.
“As members of the Barbados Regiment, we cannot rest on our laurels, but with zeal and vigour press towards the future and the many tasks that lie ahead,” Major Yearwood said, adding a message to the young enlisted ranks: “You are the future of this organization and nation. If we are to survive, it is to you that we must turn.”
The Barbados Regiment Colour is keenly guarded Csgt Farnum as troops make their way to St Mattias Anglican Church.
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.
