Page 255 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

The Ri es Of ce Shrewsbury
Shropshire County Notes
The main Shropshire events this year have been the Exercising of the Freedom of Shrewsbury in September 2016, the Charity Concert in support of the Shropshire Regimental Museum in February 2017 and the annual Light Infantry and Ri es Reunion at the Shrewsbury Town Football Club in June 2017, all of which are reported on elsewhere in this edition of The Bugle.
The Ri es Of ce continues to operate inside the Army Reserve Centre and all visitors are welcome. Just press the button and wait to be let in. Unfor- tunately, Copthorne Barracks remains unsold (and rather unloved) at the time of writing, although a plan to redevelop the whole site as housing, with only the Keep being retained, is currently under consider- ation by Shropshire Council.
Under the RHQ The Ri es reorganization, Shrop- shire will fall into the new North and Midlands Region with effect from September 2017. Captain Bob
Freedom of Shrewsbury – Wed 14 Sep 17
Although Shrewsbury has, over the years, granted the Freedom of the Town or Borough to the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry and The Light Infantry, it had not, up until last year, been able to invite The Ri es to “inherit” the Freedom from its forming and antecedent regiments.
Traf c issues, well known to all who attend the Annual Reunion, meant that a full scale parade through the town centre on a Saturday was not possible, so a Wednesday afternoon in September was chosen. As the Queen’s Dragoon Guards had marched a two mile route, taking in St Chad’s, the Castle, the High Street and the Square before ending up at Theatre Severn, it was decided that The Ri es would do the same. However, whilst the cavalry had marched slowly in the cool of December, The Ri es paraded on one of the hottest and sunniest days of the year. Luckily, the t youngsters of the Ri es Band and Bugles and D Coy 5 RIFLES, and the t older men of the Light Infantry and Ri es Association were well up to the task, although there were a few red faces during the inspection and exchange of gifts that followed the march.
A church service in St Chad’s was followed by the march, during which salutes were taken on the rst dais by the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Ioan Jones (a former 5LI warrant of cer), and on the second dais by HM Lord Lieutenant for Shrop- shire, Sir Algy Heber-Percy, accompanied by Brigadier Edward Chamberlain, representing the Colonel Commandant. Crowds lined most of the route through the town and the event was covered both on local television and radio. After the parade and inspection, the marching troops joined invited guests in Theatre Severn for a reception and lunch.
THE RIFLES PARADED ON ONE OF THE HOTTEST AND SUNNIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR
The Army Reserve Centre and Ri es Midlands Of ce
Roberts will maintain an over-watch from Ponte- fract whilst Heather Morgan will continue to run the Shrewsbury Of ce in her normal highly-effective manner.
The Ri es Of ce remains grateful for the support of the County Colonel (Lt Col Nick Jenkins), E Coy 6 RIFLES (soon to be E Coy 8 RIFLES), the Light Infantry and Ri es Association branches in Shrop- shire and our landlord, the West Midlands Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.
Light Infantry and Ri es Association Contingent
D Coy 5 Ri es Contingent
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS 253