Page 85 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

North East of England Branch
First of all we would like to say a big thank you to Rod Evans who has retired as its Secretary, for all he has done over the years to keep the Branch going.
We have lost a number of our members over the past year and have sadly not been able to bid them fare- well as we would have wished. Regretfully, amongst that number was our previous chairman, Major Tony Crease, who remained in post right up until his death and who was a tremendous asset to our Branch. A full obituary appears elsewhere in the magazine.
We hope that the new Chairman (Nicholas Orr) and Branch Secretary (Hovis Brown) can carry on all their good work for a few years to come.
This year has brought many challenges our way, none more so than the virus, which caused the Annual Dinner to be cancelled for the second year running. We are now looking forward to seeing everyone again in March 2022 when the annual dinner will be held in Doncaster, a new location which we hope will give more members a chance to join us.
The Branch was well represented this year at the various Remembrance Parades within the Branch
EAGLE AND CARBINE 91 huge amount of work George and Bob did for it and
welcome Aidan and Sandy to their new roles.
There was a good turn out at the Greys Memorial in Princes Street Gardens on Remembrance Sunday which included members of the Serving Regiment and affiliated cadet detachments. The service was con- ducted by the Rev Michael Rutter, currently padre to 3 RIFLES in Edinburgh but due to be posted to the Regiment in Leuchars as their padre while Ross Munro also kindly played the pipes The event was also watched by a large number of the public.
Sadly the Branch had to bid farewell to a number of its members over the last year including Mick West, John Campbell, James (Tad) Hunter) and Ian (Pigpen) Moncur. A number of the Branch did attend their funerals wher possible.
Looking ahead, the Branch hopes it will be able to return to something nearing normality in 2022 and holding events to bring together the Regiemtnal family.
area. Brian Cullen laid a wreath at the Regimental Memorial in the grounds of the National Arboretum, while Scotty Holden represented the Regiment at the Saint Columba’s United Reform Church in York. Rod Evans laid his usual wreath in Beverley.