Celebrating 54 Years of Independence
BDF Media Release| 30 November 20
Photography and Story credit: BDF Media
At this time of year, we are also reminded that the industry with which our brave forefathers sowed the seeds of success and of the many things we enjoy today must continue to bind our hearts from coast to coast with the pride of nationhood. As blessed Barbadians, loyal sons and daughters all and furthermore, twice the citizens as members of the BDF, we are undeniably strict guardians of our heritage. May the Lord continue to guide us upward and onward, inspired, exulting, free, greater in strength and rooted in unity.
My fellow servicepersons, let us step off into the year Barbados becomes 55 and across the horizon of 2021 recommitted to the service of Barbados and to delivering our responsibilities, missions and tasks professionally.The Force will continue to stand together and pursue the highest standards in helping to build Barbados through military service. It remains an honour to be able to serve our beloved Barbados and for me, to be able to lead the BDF in so doing ” •••
Extracted from the Chief of Staff, Colonel Glyne Grannum’s Independence message to the members of the BDF.
Commodore (Cdre) Errington Ricardo Shurland was appointed Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) on 1 September 2021. He enlisted in the BDF in February 1984 and in a military career spanning over 34 years, has served in various operational and administrative appointments.
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.
