The Cavalry Lunch Club’s Annual Summer Cocktail Party, held on Thursday, 4 June, once again proved to be one of the highlights of the Club’s calendar, bringing together 222 members, together with their families and guests, for an evening of exceptional fellowship in truly magnificent surroundings.

Against the splendid backdrop of the historic Guards’ Chapel and its imposing Square within Wellington Barracks, members enjoyed a memorable summer evening celebrating the enduring camaraderie that lies at the heart of the Cavalry tradition.  It was an occasion that reunited old friends, welcomed new faces and demonstrated, once again, the remarkable spirit of friendship that continues to flourish long after active service.

The Club is deeply indebted to the Senior Chaplain of the Household Division, Lt Col Alexander Bennett, whose generous and gracious hospitality made the evening possible.  Few venues could rival the unique character and military heritage of the Guards’ Chapel, and Lt Col Bennett’s warm welcome ensured that every guest felt both honoured and at home within its hallowed surroundings.

Blessed with weather that just behaved, excellent company and an atmosphere of relaxed conviviality, the evening was enjoyed by all and served as a fitting reminder that, whilst uniforms may eventually be hung up, the friendships forged through service endure for a lifetime.

 

Looking Ahead – Thursday, 15 October

Our next Cavalry Lunch Club luncheon will be held on Thursday, 15 October, when we are delighted to welcome Dr Jack Watling as our guest speaker.

Dr Jack Watling is Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) and is widely recognised as one of Britain’s foremost authorities on modern warfare. He advises the British and allied armed forces on force development and operational analysis and has worked extensively in Ukraine, Iraq, Mali and Rwanda. Originally a journalist, his work has appeared in Reuters, The Atlantic, Foreign Policy, The Guardian, Jane’s Intelligence Review and many other publications. An award-winning author and Global Fellow at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C., his books include The Arms of the Future and War by Others Means.

Dr Watling has proposed to speak on 'Armoured Manoeuvre on a Transparent Battlefield', drawing on his extensive operational research and first-hand observations of contemporary conflict.  In an era when drones, sensors, precision fires and artificial intelligence are fundamentally changing the character of war, this promises to be a most apt and fascinatingly relevant address that should not be missed.