Reflections at the 60th Anniversary of 66 Artillery Regiment

Dedicated to all Gunners, past and present, whose discipline built the foundation, whose service sustained the line, and whose example will guide those yet to take their place.

“FROM THE MORTAR PIT TO THE PEAK, SIXTY YEARS HAVE PROVEN THIS TRUTH: A REGIMENT ENDURES NOT BY TIME, BUT BY THE STANDARDS ITS SOLDIERS REFUSE TO LOWER.”

A RETURN TO THE REGIMENT
Reflections at the 60th Anniversary of 66 Artillery Regiment

After thirty years in retirement, I found myself once again within the familiar embrace of the Regiment, this time not in command, but as a guest, invited to witness the 60th Anniversary of the 66 Artillery Regiment.

Time, they say, moves on. Yet in that moment, it seemed to fold.

The parade ground, though renewed, still carried the echoes of footsteps past. The air bore a quiet familiarity, the kind only those who have served can truly recognize. It was not merely a return to a place, but a return to a part of oneself long entrusted to memory.

What stirred the soul most was not the ceremony alone, but the people.

To stand once more among Officers and Other Ranks, many of whom had passed through my hands in their formative years, was both humbling and deeply fulfilling. In their bearing, their discipline, and their conduct, one could see the enduring imprint of standards that had refused to fade with time.

There is a quiet satisfaction in witnessing those once guided now standing firm in their own authority. It affirms a simple truth: effort invested in others does not diminish, it multiplies.

When I joined the Unit in December 1968, COLONEL CSC GRANT was already among the established officers of the Regiment, contributing to the discipline and direction that defined its early character. Today, in retirement, he stands as the REGIMENTAL COLONEL, the symbolic custodian of its institutional memory and the oldest living embodiment of its history.

Alongside that earlier presence was NII CARL COLEMAN, then a young officer, now a retired MAJOR GENERAL, who formed part of the emerging leadership that would, in time, rise to senior command within the Ghana Armed Forces.

Together, they reflect the continuum of regimental life, experience and emergence, foundation and progression, memory and advancement.

Following in that lineage, the Regiment continued to produce Officers of distinction. Among those who joined in later years and rose through the ranks are LIEUTENANT KEN KORAH, BRIGADIER GENERAL SAMMY AKORFOR, COLONEL CHARLES DEBRAH, COLONEL DAN LADZEKPO, BRIGADIER GENERAL NICK KPORKU, MAJOR GENERAL EMMA KOTIA, BRIG GEN GBEDAWO. AND BRIGADIER GENERAL AMENGOR, still in Service, while all others now retired, and each a testament to the enduring strength of the Regiment’s leadership tradition.

In equal honour stand the Senior Non-Commissioned - custodians of discipline—WARRANT OFFICERS CLASS ONE - ANTHONY BADU, SULE BABA, VICTOR AZALETEY, WINFRED OWARE AKOTO, EMMANUEL AFFUL, JONAS MANTE, AND MARTIN DANKWAH, whose service sustained the standards at the very core of the Regiment.

These men, Officers and Warrant Officers alike, remain enduring reminders of how far the Regiment has travelled. Through their service, the culture was preserved; through their example, the standards were upheld.

Yet beyond those named are many others, some remembered, others unsung, whose contributions have equally advanced the Regiment. Whether or not we had the opportunity to serve together, their sacrifice forms part of the unseen foundation upon which the Regiment continues to stand.

To all, I extend my heartfelt gratitude.
From its earlier foundation as a Medium Mortar Regiment to its present stature as the 66 Artillery Regiment, the evolution is evident. Yet beneath that evolution lies a constant, discipline, continuity, and an unbroken regimental spirit.

Moments of reunion carried a depth that words can scarcely contain. Time dissolved, and memory spoke in the quiet language of shared service.

A SOLDIER MAY TAKE LEAVE OF THE REGIMENT,
BUT THE REGIMENT NEVER TAKES LEAVE OF THE SOLDIER.

Gratitude, therefore, becomes the natural response, gratitude to God for life preserved and moments restored; gratitude to the present Commanding Officer and Officers of the Unit for the honour of invitation; and gratitude to the Regiment itself, for remaining a place of belonging across time.

This was more than an anniversary. It was a reaffirmation.

A REAFFIRMATION THAT THE VALUES ONCE TAUGHT STILL STAND.

THAT THE STANDARDS ONCE ENFORCED STILL HOLD.
THAT THE LEGACY ONCE BUILT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE.

To all who have worn, and who continue to wear, the badge of the 66 Artillery Regiment, let this remain clear:

FROM THE PIT TO THE PEAK - THIS IS NOT MERELY A PHRASE. IT IS OUR SHARED JOURNEY.

To every Gunner, past and present:
Be proud. Uphold the standard. Preserve the legacy.

For in the end, a Regiment is not sustained by history alone -

IT IS SUSTAINED BY THE STANDARDS ITS SOLDIERS CHOOSE, EVERY DAY, TO UPHOLD.

AUTHOR
EX–WARRANT OFFICER CLASS ONE NANA AKWAH

Former Regimental Sergeant Major
66 Artillery Regiment, Ghana Armed Forces