Bfbs Radio

BFBS Radio's Charlene Guy wrote a special Valentine's Day poem for British Forces News Anchor Kate Gerbeau. It proved so moving Kate was moved to tears!

The Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) Caribbean 600 race takes place this month and will see 12 soldiers take on demanding warm water sailing, a number of whom have recently returned from operations. The Royal Armoured Corps Offshore Team wants to develop those who have been previous squad members and also to encourage less experienced soldiers to try racing offshore. This is the third year that the RORC have competed in the race which begins and ends in beautiful Antigua on 24th February. 2 soldiers, Lewis Bullock and Andrew Bathew will be setting foot on a yacht for the very first time.

Lt Col Gary Green RM speaks to Richard Hutchinson at BFBS about how the challenge is going.

Heading back inside HMS Belfast we visit the mess deck where over 100 men slept in hammocks, which were still in use on battleship during WW2.

Richard Hutchin Heads onto the deck of HMS Belfast as we step inside the massive gun turret to see the working area for over twenty men during a sea battle.

The man in charge of making sure the Army’s soldiers and families have enough accommodation says plans to relocate thousands from Germany to the UK are so far on track and making good progress. Major General Nick Ashmore, is Director of the strategic asset management and programme team for the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

The new series of Top Gear is back and episode 2 saw James May visit British Forces in Afghanistan to follow the redeployment of vehicles from the front line to Camp Bastion from where they will eventually return to the UK. During his visit he spoke to BFBS's Jade Callaway about the current Top Gear Series, what he makes of the military he met and if he were to join up whether he'd go Pilot or Mechanical Engineer?

The tour begins on the Captain's Bridge of HMS Belfast with its commanding view of the London skyline.

The final day at the Churchill War rooms takes a visit to the Churchill museum where the original door to No10 Downing Street is now on display.

A secret within a secret bunker is revealed today as we visit the transatlantic telephone room disguised as a toilet!

Winston Churchill had a combined bedroom and office in his underground bunker. We step back in history to sit behind the desk where the Prime Minister made several speeches to the nation during the war.

Music Duo 'Front Cover' have just returned to the UK after performing shows in Kabul and Kandahar with CSE Forces Entertainment. Before they left theatre they popped into the BFBS Radio studio in Camp Bastion to record their acoustic version of Katy Perry's Roar. You can find out more about Front Cover by heading to www.frontcovermusic.com, www.facebook.com/frontcovermusic or by following them on twitter @frontcoverUK and head to www.facebook.com/cseshow for all the latest on where they've been.

Richard Hatch speaks to Steve Cooper who's the Director of the Parachute Regiment Charity. He's talking about 70 for the 70th. Its a joint fundraiser with ABF - The Soldiers Charity.

In the final days of flying on detachment in Afghanistan, and before they disband, members of 617 squadron gathered to share memories. The famous Dambusters squadron has temporarily disbanded but will reform in a couple of years as a joint squadron with the Royal Navy flying the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 jets. 617 2IC Sqn Ldr Darren Lownes, Junior Pilot Flt Lt Chris Howard, and Avionics Technicians SAC Tech Ian Johnson and Cpl Paul Lewis got together to reflect on their last tour before disbanding. Listen to the montage of their memories.

Moving down the ungrounded corridor to the Map Room where the three service chiefs and officers tracked and movement of convoys and troops during the war.

‘On-Tour’ is a new series on BFBS Radio 2. Each weekday at 1030 UKT Richard Hutchinson will be touring a Military Museum or unit in the UK. The series begins with a visit to the Churchill War Rooms in Whitehall with Liz Scott from the Imperial War Museum. This is where Churchill and the war cabinet planned the key battles of the Second World War.

This is War artist Sara Waymont who's a reservist with 600 Sqn. She's just come back from Afghanistan after spending time with the RAF in Bastion/Kandahar. She's trying to raise as much money as possible for RAF Benevolent Fund through the sale of her Work. She has also agreed to give us some pictures for our Big Salute Day auction in October.

BFBS Reporter Shirley has been speaking to the man in charge of the Armed Forces 2020 Plan, General Nick Pope. He starts by telling us about the number of personnel and their families moving from BFG

The Royal Marines are marking their 350th Anniversary with a massive challenge that gets underway in Norway on the 4th February. Richard Hutchinson spoke to Lt Col Gary Green the Royal Marines Challenge Creator and Overall Organiser of the 1664 Challenge.

In the latest update with Commanding Officers based on the Salisbury Plain area, BFBS' Shirley Swain talks to Lieutenant Colonel John Oldroyd, CO, 19 Regiment Royal Artillery. The Scottish Gunners.