Distinguished Veteran Appointed as New Chairman of RFCA for Wales

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Appointments Wales , 22nd April 2020

A distinguished Army veteran who has seen active service world-wide has been appointed as the new chairman of the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association (RFCA) for Wales.

Brigadier Russ Wardle OBE DL, takes over the role of chairman from Captain Brian Thorne RD RNR, who retired in January due to ill-health after three years in post.

Brigadier Wardle said he was delighted and honoured to have been elected as chairman of the RFCA for Wales, coinciding as it did with the mobilisation of Reserves to support the fight against coronavirus.

“I have long been an admirer of the RFCA for Wales and its vital role linking military and civil communities in Wales. In the current climate it has an increasingly important role to play in conveying Defence messages to the general public, and supporting the significant numbers of Reservists who have been mobilised to support the fight against Covid-19,”

he said.

“I look forward to playing my part in helping to get these messages out into the public domain and to raise awareness of the Association’s role as the enabling voice for Reserves and Cadets in Wales.”

Chief Executive of RFCA for Wales, Colonel Nick Beard TD DL, said he was delighted that Brigadier Wardle had accepted the invitation to become the Association’s new chairman.

“Many will recall that Brigadier Wardle was Commander 160 (Wales) Brigade and completed a distinguished Army career. Now retired and living near Caerphilly he runs a Cyber Security Consultancy which has been awarded the Defence Relationship Management Gold Award. He brings with him considerable experience and very much looks forward to renewing his acquaintance with the many volunteer members of the Association.”

Colonel Beard paid tribute to outgoing chairman, Capt Brian Thorne, whose tenure had been dominated by the Project Cardiff build (HMS Cambria), the latest ‘Review of RFCAs’ and a review of the membership of the Wales Board.

“His enthusiasm and pragmatic approach to everything to support the Reserves and Cadets was his hallmark achieving considerable success on the way,”

added Colonel Beard, wishing Capt Thorne a full recovery to good health and a happy retirement.

Brigadier Wardle, a son of a Royal Marine, attended Sandhurst prior to serving in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Royal Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Wales. He served for 38 years retiring as a Brigadier. He saw active service world-wide and was mentioned in Despatches in Northern Ireland for his actions as Incident Commander on the day of the Enniskillen Bombing in November 1987. He had taken over company command that day.

He was awarded an OBE for Command of 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Wales on operational tours in Bosnia and Kosovo. Latterly he commanded 160 (Wales) Brigade and then deployed to Iraq as Commander British Forces Iraq, and was the last British soldier to leave the country when the deployment ended in 2011. He also served in a senior planning appointment with United States Central Command.

He is Honorary Colonel, 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh; Honorary Colonel, Dyfed and Glamorgan Army Cadet Force; a trustee of the Royal Welsh Regimental Museum and is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Gwent.

He is married to Jane, a nurse and the couple live in Bedwas. They have two grown-up children.

Mae cyn-filwr amlwg sydd wedi bod yn gwasanaethu’n frwd bedwar ban byd wedi’i benodi’n gadeirydd newydd y Gymdeithas Lluoedd wrth Gefn a Chadetiaid dros Gymru.

Mae’r Brigadydd Russ Wardle OBE DL, yn ysgwyddo rôl y cadeirydd gan y Capten Brian Thorne RD RNR, yn dilyn ei ymddeoliad ym mis Ionawr oherwydd salwch ar ôl tair blynedd yn y swydd.

Dywedodd y Brigadydd Wardle ei fod wrth ei fodd ac mai anrhydedd o’r mwyaf oedd cael ei ddewis i fod yn gadeirydd RFCA dros Gymru, gan fod ei benodiad yn cyd-daro â defnyddio’r Lluoedd wrth Gefn i gefnogi’r frwydr yn erbyn y coronafeirws.

“Rwyf wedi bod yn edmygydd o RFCA dros Gymru ers amser maith a’i rôl hollbwysig yn cysylltu cymunedau milwrol a sifil yng Nghymru. Yn yr hinsawdd sydd ohoni, mae gan y gymdeithas rôl bwysicach nag erioed yn cyfleu negeseuon y Weinyddiaeth Amddiffyn i’r cyhoedd, ac yn cefnogi’r niferoedd sylweddol o Filwyr wrth Gefn sydd wedi’u symud i gefnogi’r frwydr yn erbyn Covid-19,”

meddai.

“Rwy’n edrych ymlaen at gyfrannu at y gwaith o helpu i ledaenu’r negeseuon ymysg y cyhoedd a chodi ymwybyddiaeth o rôl y Gymdeithas fel llais y Lluoedd wrth Gefn a Chadetiaid Cymru.”

Dywedodd Cyrnol Nick Beard TD DL, Prif Weithredwr RFCA dros Gymru, ei fod ar ben ei ddigon bod y Brigadydd Wardle wedi derbyn y gwahoddiad i fod yn gadeirydd newydd y Gymdeithas.

“Bydd llawer yn cofio bod y Brigadydd Wardle yn Gadlywydd Brigâd 160 (Cymru) a chafodd yrfa ddisglair yn y Fyddin. Bellach mae e wedi ymddeol ac yn byw ger Caerffili, ac yn rhedeg Ymgynghoriaeth Diogelwch Seibr sydd wedi ennill Gwobr Aur Rheoli Cysylltiadau Amddiffyn. Mae ganddo brofiad helaeth ac mae’n edrych ymlaen yn fawr at adnewyddu ei berthynas ag aelodau gwirfoddol y Gymdeithas.”

Rhoddodd y Cyrnol Beard dyetnged i’r cadeirydd sy’n ymadael, y Capten Brian Thorne. Cafodd ei gyfnod yn y swydd ei ddominyddu gan y gwaith o adeiladu Prosiect Caerdydd (HMS Cambria), yr adolygiad diweddaraf o’r RFCA ac adolygiad o aelodaeth Bwrdd Cymru.

“Roedd ei frwdfrydedd a’i ddull pragmataidd o ymdrin â phopeth i gefnogi'r Lluoedd wrth Gefn a’r Cadetiaid yn un o’i rinweddau amlycaf a chafodd lwyddiant ysgubol,”

ychwanegodd y Cyrnol Beard, gan ddymuno gwellhad llwyr i’r Capten Thorne ac ymddeoliad hapus.

Mynychodd y Brigadydd Wardle, mab Môr-filwr Brenhinol, Sandhurst cyn gwasanaethu yng Nghatrawd Frenhinol Dug Caeredin a Chatrawd Frenhinol Cymru. Gwasanaethodd am 38 o flynyddoedd fel Brigadydd a bu’n gwasanaethu’n weithgar ledled y byd a chafodd ei grybwyll yn Despatches in Northern Ireland am ei waith fel Cadlywydd Digwyddiadau ar ddiwrnod Bomio Enniskillen ym mis Tachwedd 1987. Roedd wedi ysgwyddo cyfrifoldeb am y cwmni y diwrnod hwnnw.

Derbyniodd OBE am ei Reolaeth o Fataliwn 1af Catrawd Frenhinol Cymru ar deithiau gweithredol ym Mosnia a Kosovo. Yn ddiweddarach, bu’n rheoli Brigâd 160 (Cymru) a chawsant eu gyrru i Irac, lle bu’n Gadlywydd Lluoedd Prydain yn Irac, ac ef oedd y milwr Prydeinig olaf i adael y wlad pan ddaeth yr ymgyrch i ben yn 2011. Bu’n gwasanaethu hefyd mewn uwch swydd cynllunio gyda Rheolaeth Ganolog yr Unol Daleithiau.

Mae’n Gyrnol Anrhydeddus, 3 Bataliwn y Cymry Brenhinol; Cyrnol Anrhydeddus, Llu Cadetiaid y Fyddin Dyfed a Morgannwg a hefyd yn Ddirprwy Raglaw Gwent.

Mae’n briod â Jane, sy’n nyrs, ac mae’r cwpwl yn byw ym Medwas. Mae ganddynt ddau o blant sy’n oedolion erbyn hyn.