Page 63 - Bugle No. 17 Spring 2021

WO2 Richard Bennetts
SOUTH
CQMS HQ Coy 7 Rifles and Berkshire County Colonel
Julian Walker – Reading
SOUTH REGION OVERVIEW
In the South Region many events were cancelled due to Covid 19 restrictions, Her Majesties Lord Lieutenant Awards took place virtually in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire with Wiltshire postponing until Spring 2021.
Remembrance 2020 was a much scaled down event, however, in true ‘Swift and Bold’ fashion wreaths were laid at War Memorials in all our Freedom cities and towns across the South Region.
RMAS marked its long-standing association with Lieutenant Sydney Jary’s ‘18 Platoon’ on 16 November – an outstanding account of lead- ership in the Normandy Bocage of summer 1944. Still presented to OCdts as they start at Sandhurst, the lessons of caring and all-con- suming leadership remain equally relevant today for the leaders we seek to develop.
The event was attended by the Academy Adjutant; New College RSM, Capt Stephen BURTON (RIFLES), Maj James WILSON- CHURCH (RIFLES) and 12 OCdts from the Intermediate Term.
Two buglers from 1 and 4 Rifles respec- tively supported the day with the Last Post and OCdt KNOWLES (an Ex-Rifleman from 2
RIFLES) laid the wreath.
On the afternoon of 11 November 2020 a
Memorial Board was unveiled by The Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Rose Troughton to honour 25 local soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War, of the 25 some ten were members of the Wiltshire Regiment and one The Rifle Brigade. Major Lee Roberts 5
RIFLES attended the service along with Rfn Chantrell and LCpl Jeffries from the Band and Bugles sounding Last Post and Reveille.
Cpl Brown(R) and LCpl Jeffries(L)
at Salisbury Act of Remembrance
2020 was a much scaled down event
Virtual Awards – SOUTH
Virtual Lord Lieutenants Awards were held in September
and October in Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Berkshire and
Oxfordshire with Wiltshire awards being postponed until 2021.
The following were awarded Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant
Meritorious Service Award in their counties:
Berkshire
Staff Serjeant Instructor Samantha Harrison – 15 Platoon Theale
The Rifles, The Royal County of Berkshire Army Cadet Force.
Corporal Robert Price of C Company 7th Battalion The Rifles was
awarded the Best Reservist for 2020.
Buckinghamshire
Major Jason Meads - Buckinghamshire (The Rifles) Army Cadet Force.
Oxfordshire
Major Alistair Ferguson – Calais Company, Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force
Major Wayne Thrussell – Nivelle Company, Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force
Colour Serjeant Instructor Naomi Godfrey - Somme Company Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force Serjeant Robert Ghigi - The Waterloo Band and Bugles of The Rifles
The appointment of Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Cadets for 2020-2021 also took place with the following cadets taking up the appointment:
Berkshire
Cadet Colour Serjeant Abigail Taylor – Reddam House Combined Cadet Force
Cadet Corporal Nathan Hitchcock - 15 Pl Theale, The Royal County of Berkshire ACF Buckinghamshire
Cadet Serjeant Benjamin Elwood – 11th (Wolverton) Platoon, Buckinghamshire ACF Oxfordshire
Cadet Colour Serjeant Tallulah Scott – Henley Detachment, Oxfordshire Cadet Force Wiltshire
Cadet Colour Serjeant Matt Hodgson – CCF Cadet of Warminster School (Warminster CCF). Cadet Corporal Ellie Hendricks – ACF Cadet of Royal Wootton Bassett ACF Detachment, Wilts ACF.
Corporal Robert Price was awarded the Best Reservist for 2020
RIFLES The Bugle 63