Page 272 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

NEW
MEMBERS
ARE ALWAYS
MOST
WELCOME
Bristol Branch Hemsley, gave an illustrated talk about the overland Our monthly meetings continue on the third journey which he and his wife Lucy made from Cape Thursday of each month at 7.30pm at the Artillery Town to London in record breaking time.
Grounds, Whiteladies Road. New members are On a sadder note, during the year we were at always most welcome. Our Association title id The the funerals of Bert Gingell a veteran of 2 DCLI’s Ri es & Light Infantry Association, Somerset. We campaign in Italy. We are particularly grateful to our hope the reference to The Ri es may encourage Standard Bearers, Tony Piper and John Owers, who those from other forming regiments to come and join make a very smart appearance at not only funerals us; you will be most welcome. but at many events throughout the year.
Our Annual Dinner in October 2016 was well
attended with over 50 on parade and music provided Somerset Light Infantry Prince Albert’s
by the City of Bristol ACF. Our speaker, Mr Tim Of cers’ Lunch
Tawney, gave a fascinating account of Tunnelling on The annual Of cers’ Club luncheon for The Somerset the Western Front in WW1. At our 2017 Dinner on Light Infantry took place at the Mount Somerset 6 October the speaker is to be the newly appointed Hotel, Henlade, Near Taunton, on Friday 7th April Lord Lieutenant for Bristol, Mrs Peaches Golding 2017. Captain John White presided and, with assis- OBE. tance from others, attracted 43 attendees. The next
In December we were joined by our wives for lunch will be held on Friday 6th April 2018 again at our Christmas Dinner at the Keynsham Rugby Club the Mount Somerset Hotel. Attendees in 2017 were: and in March 2017 our President, Brigadier John Mr D Bakewell; Lt Col & Mrs ACH Bennett; Lt Col
& Mrs Chetwynd-Staplyton, Lt Col & Mrs AJ Collyns; Maj DA Forbes; Brig AIH & the Revd D Fyfe; Mr & Mrs P Gage; Mrs S Goddard; Capt AK Green; Mrs D Hards; Brig J & Dr L Hemsley; Maj J G F Hill; Mrs P Hunt; Mrs S Jackson; Maj E J Kingston; Capt JK Kingston MN; Maj Gen & Mrs BM Lane; Maj IB Loosemore; Mrs R McClatchey; Maj & Mrs ACW Mitford-Slade; Maj & Mrs JO Morgan; Lt Col MJR Motum; Mrs H Ross; Maj & Mrs A R C Saunt; Miss S Shields; Col RE Waight; Mrs A Weller; Maj & Mrs WH White; JSB White Esq; and, Capt DC Wield.
Back Badge Lunch
The 5th Of cers’ Annual Back Badge Lunch was held in Gloucestershire at Chavenage House, on Sunday 16 October 2016. This beautiful Elizabethan Manor house, which features regularly in the Poldark TV drama, is home to the Lowlsey–Williams family; long standing friends of the Regiment.
Regimental Of cers, past and present, wives and partners, met at Noon for a champagne reception, prior to sitting down to an excellent lunch. This was greatly enhanced by the delicious table wine, gener- ously donated by David Godfrey, late GLOSTERS, and produced at his own South African vineyard. Numbers were down, on previous years, but the warm, fun, family atmosphere, which is a feature of this event, was as strong as ever. The Back Badge lunch takes place in October, each year, at Chavenage House. Those attending in 2016 were:
Maj & Mrs AH Ayres, Maj & Mrs RJ Bewell, Maj & Mrs TD Cooper, Mrs Jean Crush, Lt Col & Mrs PJ Durrant, Maj & Mrs MW Gibson, Col-Dr. RL Giles, Maj D Godfrey, Maj & Mrs CJC Gordon, Lt Col & Mrs GH Hony, Lt Col & Mrs RP James, Capt & Mrs TE Lapage-Norris, Col & Mrs MS Lee-Browne, Col & Mrs D Lowsley-Williams, Capt & Mrs JW Mermagen, Maj & Mrs P Miller, Lt Col & Mrs MJR Motum, Col CJ Newbould, Gen Sir Kevin & Lady O’Donoghue, Mr & Mrs RJL Paul, Maj & Mrs CPT Rebbeck, Mrs C Temple, Brig & Mrs MS Vine, Col & Mrs CS Wakelin and Maj & Mrs PJM Whiteman.
The next lunch will be again held at Chavenage House on Sunday 22nd October 2017. All Of cers of The Ri es are welcome together with those from the RGBW and their forming and antecedent regiments. Meanwhile those in or near Gloucestershire, with links to The Ri es, and in need of a good lunch will be welcomed; please contact Brigadier Martin Vine.
Dedication of the Book of Remembrance
At the 2013 AGM of The Ri es and Light Infantry Association it was agreed to commemorate members of the Somerset Light Infantry and the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry who had been killed or died in service was by means of a Book of Remembrance. The Book, once complete was to be placed within the Regimental plinth at St Mary Magdalene Church, Taunton. A working group was established consisting of branch members from each of the County Branches under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Colonel Ray Hall. The Somerset’s in Malaya Reunion and the SCLI Reunion both volunteered £500 towards the cost and Association Trustees also agreed to contribute.
All was set in motion to discover the names that needed to be entered within the book. Under the Freedom of Information Act, the majority were provided by the Ministry of Defence and the remainder by various means. A total of seventy one names were found of members of those Regiments who were killed in action or who died whilst serving. F G Marshal Ltd of Epsom were tasked with producing the book which is handmade using traditional methods including the calligraphy.
The book was produced and paid for and a date of Dedication was set for Sunday 16th July2017. A large turnout of former members of the Regiments including the outgoing Ri es County Colonel Somerset, Brigadier David Godsal and his successor, Brigadier Richard Toomey assembled at St Mary’s Church for the service. Lieutenant Colonel Ray Hall presented the Book to The Reverend Rod Cork, Vicar of St Mary’s, who accepted the book for safekeeping in St Mary Magdalene Church for evermore. The Book was blessed, dedicated and placed in the Regimental Plinth in Soldiers Corner of the church. After the Service all members and guests retired to Mount Street for a ‘pimms party’ on the lawn of Jellalabad House, served by cadets of The Ri es from the Bishops Hull Platoon. Members of the Taunton Branch will as long as they can, ensure that pages of the book are turned each week displaying fresh names for all to see.
Revd Rod Cork and Lt Col Ray Hal
270 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS THE RIFLES