Page 217 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Stockton Garden Of Remembrance 2016
Stockton Branch DLI Association held their Garden of Remembrance beside the Cenotaph near the Parish Church again in Remembrance Week for the fth year in 2016. 18 schools amounting to over 300 school pupils and their teachers took part, either opting for an individual school short service on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday or attending the Formal Commemoration on Friday morning 11 November at 11am along with lots of other school children with the Mayor and Mayoress of Stockton, the Mayor’s Chaplain, members of the Royal British Legion, ex-servicemen and their standard bearers and a bugler from the Salvation Army. A number of pupils read poems or pieces of prose or sang songs. There were many members of the public who stopped to share our services during the week.
In 2016 we were particularly remembering servicemen from Stockton killed in 1916; sailors killed in the battle of Jutland; 32 stokers killed on ships of the Royal Navy; as well as 152 soldiers killed mostly on the Somme, 36 of them from the DLI. In addition poppy crosses for each of the servicemen of Stockton killed in 1914, 1915 and 1916 had been placed in the west of the garden where the Mayor, Cllr Ken Dixon, placed a poppy cross on behalf of the citizens of Stockton. All the servicemen of Stockton killed in 1916 were named along the garden fence with details of their unit, their age and date of death. A 24 sheet panorama showing the stages of the Battle of the Somme was also displayed along the fence.
The Stockton branch members assisted the pupils in placing their poppy crosses or other symbols in the garden beside their school markers, and talked to the pupils about the meaning of remembrance and the cost of freedom through the sacri ce of servicemen’s lives. Many private citizens and service veterans also placed poppy symbols in the Garden, beside their regimental markers.
Stockton Borough Council provided a large gazebo with ooring, electric light and heating so that despite the poor weather branch members were able to keep dry and if not warm, certainly not too cold. Last year the garden raised £1600 for the Poppy Appeal. No doubt the 2016 gure will be similar.
Stockton Branch President explains to the school children why servicemen from Stockton killed in 1916 should be remembered
72nd Anniversary of the Guyzance Tragedy – 17 January 2017
January in Northumberland is not always cold and icy, but the weir down at Guyzance was as usual ashing and dashing its way amongst the dripping trees beside the memorial de ning the spot where on that sad and awful day in the last year of the second World War ten trainee soldiers, eight of them of the Durham Light Infantry and two of the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment were swept to their deaths over the pounding and roaring, ying and inging, weir on the River Coquet that January day.
There to remember were DLI members with standard and bugler, and Padre and wreath. The words of the ode, the Last Post and Reveille, and sound of the Silence said all on the day, sadly reminding in its singular way as if on that day in the war long ago now so far away.
We will remember them.
72nd Anniversary of the Guyzance Tragedy –
17 January 1945
DLI Remembrance – Gateshead & Newcastle Branch
On Friday 11 November 2016, the Secretary, Tom Nicholson laid a wreath on behalf of the Branch at the Wakenshaw VC Memorial in Newcastle-up- on-Tyne. He then joined the Branch Members for our annual Service of Remembrance at the DLI Memorial in Saltwell Park, where we were privi- leged to have the support of the Deputy Mayor of Gateshead, Councillor Pauline Dillon, who in due course laid a wreath on behalf of the Council. After an introductory speech by our President Dick Atkinson, a sincere Service was conducted by the Branch Padre, Reverend David Raine.
Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Band Sergeant Major Derek Corbett and the Words of Remembrance were spoken by our Chairman (elect), Tom Watson. Standards were carried by Fred Wilson (our current Chairman) and member Gordon Hilton. During the Service wreaths and
crosses were laid by relatives of deceased members and crosses were laid by children from both Catchgate Primary School Stanley (on their third visit) and Broadway School Sunderland who were with us for the rst time. The Service closed with the singing of the National Anthem and the Final Blessing.
Following the Service, the ashes of James Patrick Quinn (Jim) were strewn in the conse- crated area at the rear of the Memorial. This was carried out by Jim’s stepdaughter Joyce, together with her sister Anne and brother-in-law Jensen.
Jim was Chairman of Gateshead and Newcastle Branch for over 35 years and was immensely proud of his Of ce. Also, with his late wife Edna May, he organised the Annual Reunion of the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Jim served in the DLI then KSLI then DLI over a period of 5 years and saw action in Korea with the KSLI. RIP JIM – WE WILL REMEMBER HIM.
DURING THE SERVICE WREATHS AND CROSSES WERE LAID
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS 215