Page 97 - KRH Regimental Journal 2022

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 95
1420H memorial
In November, I had the privilege of standing in-front of our Memorial Garden at the annual Field of Remembrance Service at Westminster Abbey, which is held on the
Thursday before Remembrance Sunday.
The Memorial Garden is now opened by HM The Queen Consort, having first laid wreaths on behalf of Her Late Majesty The Queen, and Their Majesties, by walking around and chatting to many of the old comrades parading in front of their respec- tive Regimental plot. Due to the continu- ing work to underpin the South Wall of the Abbey, numbers were again severely restricted, with only three other regimen- tal attendees permitted.
The Northern Reunion, hosted by the Assistant Regimental Secretary, Lt Col Gary Wills, was held on the Saturday of the Remembrance Weekend, followed by our usual Service of Remembrance in St Lawrence Church, Barton, on the Sunday. The Saturday evening was attended by over 40 members sitting-down for Dinner in the Barton Manor Hotel.
The Cenotaph Parade, as ever organized by John Cook, who managed to join us this year, was not so well attended, due not least to the RBL’s change in the signing-up procedure. TRH The Prince and Princess of Wales posted a photo- graph of us exiting Horseguards, with Sergeant Major Thompson and a subse- quent 400,000+ virtually ensuring that we were all in-step!
Lastly, the South-West Reunion, hosted by Lt Col Jeremy Moger, celebrated the Heroes of Ramnuggur in Dorchester on Saturday 26 November. Thirty-six sat-down for a splendid dinner pro- duced by the Wessex Hotel, including a number who had never before attended. After the Loyal Toasts, the gentlemen formed the Horse Shoe, an account of the battle and the names of those killed and wounded were read out. After the playing of Last Post by Ady Harris, a minute’s silence was held, also in remembrance of those old comrades we have lost during the past year. The pass- ing of a cup continues to be replaced due to the risk of infection, but champagne was passed in single shot glasses and each in turn raised a toast to “The Heroes of Ramnuggur”.
Your Association has continued to be busy not only in arrang- ing assistance for those members who require some support, the Assistant Regimental Secretary has continued the regular updates of news, together with matters of interest from former Regiments’ journals and the Museum.
We continue to “discover” old comrades, but often only because they need assistance. As I mentioned at the beginning, one of our main rationales is to provide welfare and sustenance to those who have served in one of the five regiments, together with their dependents. If you know of any former Hussar or their family who may be in-need, I should be grateful if you would inform HHQ in order that the Association may assist in providing appro- priate care. It is important to recognize that while we usually ask SSAFA, to do the legwork and paperwork, your Welfare Fund is always a major contributor to the almonized funds.
The Regimental Association’s Website KRH.org.uk has been updated and the new-look site was launched in December 2022. An important change or addition is that Association members are able to access the Members’ Dashboard, which is a new secure section of the Website. The Dashboard gives details of all of the Association’s activities as well as an electronic version of the cur-
rent KRH Journal; hard copies will continue to be available at a cost.
Shortly to be released is the KRH App, which is being developed with funds from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust. This App will not only keep Association members on an all-informed
net, but will hugely assist those serv- ing members making the transition to civvy-street, or even those who just wish to change their employment. I know that it will be of great use to us all, and make a significant improvement to how we, The Association, contact you, the
Membership.
The Regimental Secretary, Maj Steve Penkethman, and his Assistant, Lt Col Gary Wills, and the team work tirelessly on these fronts, but can only support you if they know how to contact you.
Now that life is getting back to normal, if it ever was, may I encourage you actively to support the various reunions and activi- ties that are being organized around the Country for you. I look forward to see-
ing many of you in 2023 starting with the Cavalry Memorial Parade on Sunday 14
May.
Colonel Tony Singer OBE Chairman