Page 62 - Bugle No. 17 Spring 2021

NORTH
Because of restrictions The Rifles, Light Infantry and KOYLI Association in conjunc- tion with buglers from Minden House Buglers released a video for Remembrance Day. Which featured four of the Minden House Buglers; Kev Fawcett, Major (Retired) David Jarratt, Pete Bate and Brian Johnson.
The video was professionally produced and donated to the Association by Yorkshire Folk, a local video production and photography business. We are grateful to Michael from Yorkshire Folk for his generosity.
It was filmed at The War Horse sculpture
in Featherstone and released on Thursday
5th November 2020 at 11am to coincide with Opening of the Field of Remembrance at West- minster Abbey, which is usually the first official Remembrance event Association members attend each year. The video was shared with the civic authorities of our Freedom Towns and Cities in Yorkshire and the North East to use in their virtual Remembrance Services and it can be viewed here (https://youtu.be/ j5gML7UpeB0).
Lieutenant Colonel Michael G Elcomb KOYLI/LI celebrated his 100th Birthday on 5th December. To mark the occasion the Association sent a bowl of white roses and Brigadier (Retired) Roger Preston sent a birthday card signed by retired officers
who served with Michael and some of his comrades joined a Zoom call with Michael at home with his family. Buglers Stan Wilkinson and Don Somers from the Veteran
Buglers Association joined the session
to sound The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) Regimental Call and ‘Fall in The Officers’.
While serving with the KOYLI Michael
saw action during the Second World War
in Malta, Sicily, and Germany and in North Africa, where he was wounded. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel Michael was posted to Pontefract in 1962 as the last Commanding Officer of The King’s Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry (KOYLI) Depot, closing it down a
year later to move to Shrewsbury as the first Commanding Officer of the new Light Infantry Depot. He moved to Berlin and the Allied Staff at the height of the Cold War in the divided city. The arrival in Gatow of the 1st Battalion The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) (soon to become the 2nd Battalion The Light Infantry) commanded by his brother Tony in 1967 saw the only time the brothers served together in the same place.
Buglers Kev Fawcett,
Brian Johnson, Major (Retired) David Jarratt,
and Pete Bate from Minden House Buglers
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic ex 1LI Bugler Paul ‘Sammy’ Goose from Barnsley has sounded Last Post every night at 8pm from his garden in Barnsley as a tribute to all the keyworkers and in remembrance of those who have died from the virus.
Sammy has been playing his tribute every night for the last 9 months and over this period he has been nominated for a Pride
of Britain Award, mentioned in the House of Commons, received a Community Champion Award from Barnsley Council, featured by numerous national news media channels,
62 RIFLES The Bugle
and raised £10,000 for Barnsley Hospital. Sammy’s nightly tribute came to an end
at 8 pm on New Year’s Eve when he was joined by fellow veteran buglers Pete Bate and Brian Johnson. The event was streamed live on Facebook and seen by hundreds of people. He has featured on local and Sky New channels and in many of the national newspapers on New Year’s Day. It was a wonderful and moving end to a remarkable achievement by a remarkable man.
L to R Veteran Buglers Brian Johnson (LI),
Paul ‘Sammy Goose (LI), and Peter Bate (KOYLI)
ASSOCIATION
‘LEST WE FORGET’ VIDEO FOR REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY
A KOYLI OFFICER’S 100th BIRTHDAY
COVID-19 BUGLING MARATHON