Monitoring & Evaluation Visits – 2023
RCEL HQ staff conduct several Monitoring and Evaluation visits to various commonwealth countries each year
to ensure we meet our FCDO contractual requirements as set out in the AGA.
Secretary General Christopher Warren
Visits Guyana
GUYANA 25 – 28 September 2023
This was the first visit to Guyana since 2012 and alongside Jamaica, was the final trip undertaken by RCEL Secretary General, Chris Warren before his retirement in 2024.
Chris was accompanied throughout by Lt Col George Gomes and Mr Arno Solomon, President and Secretary General of the Guyana Veterans Legion (GVL). George has excellent relations with government and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) and he contributes a significant amount of time and expense on behalf of the GVL.
Chris attended several meetings during to his visit to Guyana: He met with Her Excellency Jane Millar, OBE at the Residence; with Brigadier Mark Phillips, the Prime Minister of Guyana and with the Chief of Staff and Head of the GDF. All were very supportive of GVL and the Commonwealth Veterans Programme.
Whilst in Guyana, Chris attended a management committee meeting with nine GVL members present. Lt Col Gomes chaired with key members in attendance being Lt Col Lelon Saul (1st Vice President), WO1 Arno Solomon (General Secretary), WO2 Randolph Reynolds (Chaplain) Sgt Walter Thomas (Treasurer) and Cpl Joy Fraser (Admin Asst). Chris took the opportunity to thank them for their hard work supporting the Commonwealth Veterans Programme and assisting with the continuation of a 3-year extension to 31 March 2027.
Chris had the opportunity to meet with many veterans and widows whilst in Guyana including Private Victor Bushe, 97. Victor joined the British Guyana Battalion in 1943 at the age of 18 and trained at Tacama Battle School in Guyana. He was deployed as a guard to protect the bauxite mines, as bauxite is the most common ore of aluminium and was used to make aircraft for the RAF. He was demobilised in 1946 but did not join the Guyana Defence Forces. Victor is one of the oldest surviving WW11 veterans supported by RCEL. He is very grateful for the support he receives which he uses to purchase food. He is looked after by his wife, Geneva at home in Guyana.
Cpl Kenneth King, 98 enlisted in 1942 and trained as a Radio Operator in Guyana, instructed by British Signallers. He was demobilised in 1946. He was posted to Trinidad during the War and worked with the Royal Navy and reported German ship deployments in the Caribbean, working in morse code and semaphore. He became Guyana’s first Parliamentary Mace Bearer and very much enjoyed his Parliamentary business, particularly the opening of Parliament. He proudly holds the photo of him in his formal dress as Mace Bearer. His wife died 8 years ago, when he was 90 and he is now cared for at home by his daughter Lorraine. His son sadly died of covid in 2020 whilst working as a nurse in one of Guyana’s hospitals. He is very grateful for the grant he receives as it allows him to enjoy a healthy 2 meals a day.
This was a timely visit to Guyana and Chris was able to interview five potential new beneficiaries whilst there, though verification of service remains problematic.
Outside Coghlan House. Secretary General and Guyana Legion members including Lt Col George Gomes (Left of SG) and Mr Arno Solomon (Right of SG).
Victor Bushe
Kenneth King on the veranda of his home, proudly showing a photograph of his appointment as Guyana’s first Mace Bearer.
Secretary General Christopher Warren
Visits Jamaica
JAMAICA 29 September - 4 October 2023
This was the first visit to Jamaica since 2018. Secretary General, Chris Warren was greeted on arrival in Jamaica by RCEL Caribbean Project Officer, Johanna Lewin RCEL Commonwealth Council Member for Jamaica. Dr Erica Myers-Davis was in Jamaica at the time and joined Chris and Johanna for some meetings during the visit.
The Jamaica Legion is well supported by its government and there is a British Defence Adviser on the island. The Executive Director of the Royal Canadian Legion (RCL), Steven Clark accompanied Chris throughout his visit to Jamaica to understand RCEL operations in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, which RCL largely fund.
Steven was able to witness at first hand the excellent work Johanna undertakes for RCEL and RCL. Her networks are extensive and her commitment admirable.
Representational meetings were held with the Governor General, His Excellency Sir Patrick Allen and the Deputy British High Commissioner, David Shepherd. Other meetings took place with the Jamaica Defence Force CDS, Vice Admiral Antonette Weymss-Gorman and the British ADA, Sqn Ldr Craig Pearson.
Johanna Lewin, Erica Myers-Davis and Chris Warren also met with the key members of the Jamaica Legion to discuss the current position and progress made with audited accounts. Attending the meeting from the Jamaica Legion were Andrew Sewell (Chairman), Errol Mackenzie (Deputy) and Michael Anglin (General Secretary).
Whilst in Jamaica, Chris had the opportunity to meet with several veterans and widows including Pte Arnold Atkins, 90. Arnold served with the 1st Bn the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and the Jamaica Regiment He transferred to the Jamaica Defence Force in 1962 and served until 1968 when he retired as a SSgt. His happiest memory was when Jamica received Independence and the JDF was formed. His wife, Gloria is 88 and they have been married 61 years. Arnold’s welfare grant enables him to purchase food and maintain a healthy diet.
He also met with Doreen Jones-Rickard who is 99 and a WWII veteran. She was originally from the Bahamas and moved to Jamaica in 1944 and served until 1949 when she married.. She lives at home with her daughter, 70. Doreen has excellent mobility and is in remarkably good health. mobile, had good hearing and was completely coherent in conversation. She was trained in Newcastle, Jamaica, one of 11 women recruited at the time and was a LCpl on discharge.
Pte Arnold Atkins
Doreen Jones-Rickard
Chris Warren with Patrick Allen
To conclude his visit, Chris attended the Festival of Remembrance and Poppy Launch alongside Steven and Donna Clark, Erica Myers-Davis and Johann Lewin.
Pictured below Johanna spoke and ensured that the Jamaican Legion and WWII veterans’ case studies were highlighted.
Deputy Grand President and Controller Welfare & Grants
Visit Malawi
MALAWI 22 - 27 October 2023
This visit provided a great opportunity for the Deputy Grand President, Major General Mitch Mitchell DGP to gain first-hand experience of RCEL and KAVT operations in Malawi. It was also a timely visit to discuss a long-term solution for future RCEL operations in Malawi from 2024 onwards when Denis Lewis, Kings African Rifles Trust (KVAT) Honorary Advisor, Denis Lewis, steps down from his role.
Mitch arrived in Malawi a day ahead of Tim Burt and spent his first day with Denis. Accompanied by KAVT Chairman, Maj Gen Buxton Namwali, they made an office call to Zomba Garrison Commander, Colonel Kamanga at Cobbe Barracks and later visited the nearby Kings African Rifles Memorial.
Mitch and Tim’s visit was timed to coincide with the distribution of the second welfare grant payment of the year. Veterans throughout the region gathered the Memorial Homes in Zomba to receive their grants. KAVT Chairman, Maj Gen Namwali, introduced Mitch to the assembled veterans and their carers and with the assistance of WOI (Ret’d) Sword Chiwengo and Debora, his daughter, veterans received their grants.
Mitch and Tim had to opportunity to meet and chat with several veterans including Colour Sergeant James Maputa, 86. Known at the homes as ‘The Chief’, James served with 1st Battalion, Kings African Rifles between 1949-62. As a signaller, James learnt good English which remains fluent and he was keen to talk of his Army service, remembering being in Malaysia on peace-keeping duties and hearing of King George VI’s death and Princess Elizabeth’s accession. He happily remembers playing as a full-back for the battalion football team.
Post-war, James served as a policeman in Zambia. Following retirement from the Zambian police and faced with little employment prospects, James and family took to market gardening to sell fruit and vegetables. In 2011, James and family were allocated one of the Zomba retirement bungalows. With little military or police pension, James needed assistance from the Royal Commonwealth Ex-Services League and now receives a modest welfare grant sufficient to purchase food to provide two meals a day.
They also met Private Ibrahim Jali, 86, who served with 1Bn, Kings African Rifles between 1955-1977. Ibrahim greatly enjoyed his military service especially duties in the Officers Mess. After service he was employed as a security guard at a mine in South Africa. He has lived at the Homes for many years, along with his wife and three adult children.
Following Mitch’s departure, Tim undertook a rather challenging drive to Mtambo to meet privately with Denis Lewis and his wife Mary at their home. During 2024 after 16 years, Denis will retire from the RCEL Honorary Adviser role. A way forward was discussed to ensure RCEL maintains an independent in-county oversight of KAVT to assist them to complete the annual welfare grant application and quarterly reporting. Whilst the KAVT executives complete their day-to-day tasks well, they would find it difficult to complete RCEL application and reporting tasks without Denis Lewis.
It was suggested the future for RCEL operations in Malawi lay with the Veterans and Ex-Servicemen’s League of Malawi (VELOM). Since its creation in 2017 from its predecessor Commonwealth Ex-Services League of Malawi, VELOM is the only official organisation for all veterans and ex-service members in Malawi. Discussions and implementation of this plan are ongoing.
Whilst in Malawi, Tim also visited Balaka where he met with many widows who had undergone recent eligibility checks. KAVT’s assistant, Debora Chiwengo (pictured below) was pleased to inform 45 widows that they will be in receipt of a welfare grant in April 2024.
Whilst in Balaka, Tim also met several veterans, including Sergeant Sonny Phiri, 80. Sonny served as a Signaller in 1st Battalion, Kings African Rifles enlisting in March 1963. Post-independence, Sonny continued in the Malawi Rifles (King's African Rifles), based at Cobbe Barracks, Zomba which had become the headquarters of the Malawi Army.
During Army service Sonny was a keen footballer, playing at Number 9 for the Signals Squadron. After military service with good spoken and written English language skills, Sonny was able to find employment in Blantyre, firstly as a wages clerk with a bottling company, later moving as a vehicle parts order clerk and finally as a parts supervisor.
Despite good employment there were no pension or savings scheme, and Sonny is now reliant on RCEL welfare grants to afford food. He grows what vegetables he can beside his house to supplement his grant.
This was a very productive visit, enabling the Deputy Grant President and Controller Welfare and Grants to meet several veterans and widows and to initiate the complex discussions regarding succession planning, to ensure continuity of welfare grant delivery in 2024.
Zomba Memorial Homes - DGP meeting RCEL beneficiaries, veterans of King’s African Rifles
CSgt James Maputa chats with DGP. Watching on, (L) KAVT Chairman, Gen Buxton Namwali and RCEL Hon Adviser, Denis Lewis.
Private Ibrahim Jali taking with the DGP
KAVT’s assistant Debora with Widows
Controller Welfare & Grants
Visit Kenya
KENYA 27 - 31 October 2023
There have been a number of changes within both the Defence Forces Old Comrades Association (DEFOCA) and British Legion Kenya (BLK) since the last visit by Controller Finance so this was a timely visit.
Controller Welfare & Grants met with the BLK committee. The new Chairman, former Army officer, Ian Brewster Ieads the team with a renewed focus on Askari welfare. The Askari were locally recruited east African soldiers serving in the armies of the European powers, in British forces they mostly served with the King's African Rifles. BLK Secretary, Jenny Larby will soon be retiring and will hand over the role to her daughter, Kerin, an existing committee member. This excellent arrangement will ensure a seamless transition of SCOWP and Agency administration and relationship with DEFOCA.
Whilst in Nairobi, Jenny, Kerin and Tim visited the Nairobi War Cemetery. This beautiful site was opened in 1941 now contains 1,952 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War.
Accompanied by Iain Brewster, Chairman, BL(K), Tim met Brigadier Ronnie Westerman (Defence Advisor) and Cdr Ed Black (Deputy Defence Advisor & Chairman, Joint Committee) at the British High Commission to thank them for their leadership of the Joint Committee and support to the Askari in Kenya.
During his visit to Kenya, Tim was accompanied by DEFOCA Managing Director Brigadier Willy Wesonga, to Kiambu County, around one hour north of Nairobi. Here Tim met with several veterans including Training as a Signaller, Kiarie recalls his time on duty, transmitting and receiving messages in morse code and remembers some morse letters and messages he used to send to and from other units. His happiest memories whilst serving were playing his guitar to his army friends along with tunes on the piano and accordion.
After Army service, Kiarie married and had a family of 11 children, 3 sons and 8 daughters. As a telegrapher, Kiarie was employed by the East Africa Post Office. After retirement from the post office Kiarie farmed land to provide for his family.
Nairobi War Cemetery
British High Commission, Nairobi – (L-R) Ian Brewster, Brig Ronnie Westerman, Tim Burt, Cdr Ed Black
Kiarie still pays a tune on his guitar
Programme Manager & Honorary Treasurer
Visit Sierra Leone
SIERRA LEONE 5 - 8 November 2023
Sierra Leone is a complex country requiring greater oversight than many others, so this was the second visit in a 12-month period.
The RCEL Programme Manager, Pasan Kularatne was joined by the Honorary Treasurer, Jeremy Archer.
The visit began with a meeting at the headquarters of SLESA (Sierra Leone Ex-Servicemen’s Association) in Freetown. Lt Col Fatorma Gottor is the current General Secretary of SLESA – but he is looking to retire. SLESA is still trying to achieve full recognition from the government, but the finances are proving a stumbling block while elections are continually delayed.
The political situation in the country is complicated: although there were Presidential, Parliamentary and Local Government elections as recently as 24 June 2023, the results are still a matter of dispute. The Sierra Leone People’s Party (Green) is currently in power while the principal opposition party is the All-People’s Congress Party (Red).
Pasan and Jeremy were able to spend time with Fatorma going through the records and accounts held in the office and check the records of veterans and widows. This was a lengthy process but reassuring to see that accurate paperwork was in place and the correct procedures had been followed.
Later the same day, Pasan and Jeremy met with 4 veterans and 20 widows, who received their welfare grants with much gratitude.
The next morning, they met with a further 4 veterans and 10 widows at Waterloo, around two hours from central Freetown. These included Staff -Sergeant Tenkeh Mansaray. Having enlisted in 1954, Tenkeh underwent basic training at Moa Barracks Daru. He was also a member of the Second Contingent to serve in the Congo in 1962, were he spent six months. He is in receipt of a Long Service and Good Conduct medal. Although he attended a driving course, her apparently didn’t obtain a licence so spent the majority of his military career in barracks’ maintenance, with responsibility for the grass-cutters. With no pension and no other money, he simply couldn’t manage without his welfare grant.
They also met with Foday Korona, 83. Foday enlisted at the age of 18 and after training was posted as a weapons training instructor to Nigeria for three months. He attended three training courses in the UK during his military career, including a month-long Officers’ and Warrant Officers’ Order Arms course.
For a year, in 1983-84, he was a member of the Sierra Leone contingent of the Commonwealth Military Training Team Uganda. After 44 years in the Army, he retired with the rank of captain.
“The good thing about the Army is that it enabled me to travel a lot. Without RCEL’s funds, I would struggle, and I really appreciate the money.”
Whilst in Sierra Leone, Pasan and Jeremy met with the Deputy Minister of Defence, Colonel (Retd) Muana Massaquoi who assured them that he is committed to the SLESA election process and was confident that it would be resolved in a short period of time.
They also visited the British High Commission and met the High Commissioner, Lisa Chesney MBE (third from right), and the Defence Adviser, Lieutenant Colonel Gary Wolfenden, Royal Yorkshire Regiment (left). They emphasised their support for the Commonwealth Veterans Programme made on most needy beneficiaries in Sierra Leone and stand by to assist if needed.
Sierra Leone remains a challenging country, as highlighted by the attempted coup just two weeks after this visit. RCEL is fortunate to have Lt Col Fatorma as Secretary General and Sam Sahr as the Honorary Advisor. They ensure veterans and widows are well cared for and received the much-needed welfare grants in a timely manner.
Seven very happy widows at the SLESA office
Staff Sergeant Tenkeh Mansaray
High Commissioner, Lisa Chesney MBE (third from right), and the Defence Adviser, Lieutenant Colonel Gary Wolfenden, Royal Yorkshire Regiment (left).
Foday Korona
Pasan with SLESA Secretary General Lt Col Fatorma Gottor
Programme Manager and Honorary Treasurer
Visit Ghana
GHANA 9 - 16 November 2023
This was the first visit to Ghana since 2019, when the then Programme Manager, David Thompson visited. Ghana has a very solid veterans’ support network, funded by the Ministry of Defence.
VAG (Veterans Administration Ghana) has ten regional offices and three were visited during this trip.
On the first day of the visit, RCEL Programme Manager, Pasan Kularatne and Honorary Treasurer, Jeremy Archer met with Hon Kofi Amankwa-Manu, Deputy Minister of Defence, and Dr Evans A Daikam, Chief Director, Ministry of Defence who expressed their gratitude to RCEL for its support of veterans and widows in Ghana. Accompanying them were VAG Chairman General Yacche, VAG Executive Director, Captain Duah, Gabre Jerriff, Derrick Cobbinah and Bright Segbefia – pictured below.
Pasan and Jeremy were privileged to sit in the front row at the Remembrance Day Service at the Christiansborg Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, Osu-Accra on 11 November. They later attended a Remembrance Day lunch hosted by the British High Commissioner.
Pasan and Jeremy met with many veterans and widows during this visit and were able to assist with the disbursement of the second welfare grant payment to 15 veterans and 59 widows at the VAG Hall in Accra. These included Fanny Anthonio, 87 who is the widow of GC 18906 Sergeant Joseph Crosay Anthonio. He enlisted in the Royal West African Frontier Force at Akwatie on 1 October 1939, less than a month after war had been declared, served with 37 (West Africa) General Hospital and took part in the East African Campaign 1940-41. Having served for a total of 5 years and 360 days, Sergeant Anthonio was discharged on 25 September 1945.
They also met with Christian Woode (pictured), 104. Christian enlisted in 1942 and was posted to 5th Field Ambulance, Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), part of 82nd (West Africa) Division. He told me: “I was a footballer and represented the RWAFF. I wore the number 7 and they used to call me ‘The Butterfly’. I served in Burma and was discharged from the Army on 17 February 1946. After the war, I taught nursing at Korlebu Teaching Hospital in Accra. I retired first at the age of 50, but they re-engaged me, and I finally retired in 1999. I am grateful for my welfare grant. I manage to get three meals a day and eat rice, plantain, yam and a little fish.”
Towards the end of the visit, Pasan and Jeremy drove to Kumasi – a five-hour journey to the central region. They were greeted by 6 veterans and 14 widows at VAG Hall in Kumasi. In total during this visit, they were able to assist with the payment of welfare grants to 94 beneficiaries in Ghana. A final meeting with VAG concluded the visit, which was an opportune time to thank Derrick Cobbinah, RCEL West Africa Project Officer whose contract had ended. Derek’s in-country connections and military experience proved invaluable in enhancing RCEL’s relationships with The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Cameroon and Uganda, the countries within his remit.
RCEL is fortunate to work alongside VAG in Ghana, an organisation that prioritises the welfare of its veterans and widows.
Mrs Fanny Anthonio with her son
GC 18906 Sergeant Joseph Crosay Anthonio
Group photo at one of VAG’s regional offices
RCEL Honorary Treasurer and Programme Manager laying a Wreath
Christian Woode
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