Page 246 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

The Regimental Secretary, the Ri es County Colonel Dorset and Mr Edward Coope Mayor of Bournemouth 2016/17 & ex-Mayor of Christchurch
The RIFLES ADOM conducting a musical workshop with the King’s School Bruton Military Band
Major Toby Hood,
OC and C Company 6RIFLES, DandD OCA and Dorchester ACF Detachment salute the Mayor of Dorchester
Major Nick Spekeman and OCA of the Devon and Dorset Association
A DEPUTY HEAD WHO WAS EX 4RGJ, A HEAD OF FACILITY WHO WAS EX-SCOTS GDS, AN OC WHO WAS EX-AGC
Dorset Kape Tour 19th – 23rd April
The original plan had been to have a Freedom Parade in Sherborne but space suggested this would not meet the new CE Policy and so a Training Team from 6RIFLES and the Ri es Recruiting Team (South) was tasked to assist with the Sherborne School CCF afternoon on Wednesday 19th April. The School boasts a Deputy Head who was ex 4RGJ, a Head of Facility who was ex-SCOTS GDS, an OC who was ex-AGC and sundry other staff with military experience and, therefore, fully supported the event even though it was the rst day of the summer term. Captain Vince Bowerman provided the interest while WO2 Tindall, ex COLDM GDS, and Cpl Rose, ex GREN GDS, whipped the Cadets into some semblance of ‘soldiery’ that ended in a March Past supported by The Ri es Band & Bugles which was able to show its 2017 Retreat Programme for the rst time in public.
The following day, Thursday 20th April, was set aside for the Ri es Recruiting Team (South) to be involved in Poole schools to “mentor At Risk youths” but, sadly, the schools could not meet the date and
the KAPE moved to King’s School, Bruton on Friday 21st April where the “Bowerman Team” provided instruction to the CCF in equipment and the Ri es Band & Bugles worked with the school Military Band both in marching display and in concert delivering an outstanding performance for the school at the end of the day.
The effort made at King’s School was, arguably, the one event with long term bene t. The Headmaster is eager to involve The Ri es in the School’s activities and two Cadets signed “expres- sions of interest” while three musicians spent time discussing a career as an Army musician with the Ri es Assistant Director of Music. In 2018/19 the School will celebrate its 500th anniversary which was launched on the back of a commemorative cricket match against The Ri es CC (see Sports Section).
On 9th June 1917, a team of Subalterns 3DORSETS played the school in the rst game to be played on the Hyde pitch - 3DORSETS were the training battalion and all those who played would have fought in the 3rd Ypres Offensive later that
244 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES