Page 34 - Bugle Spring 2025

5 RIFLES
MESS MATTERS
Both in Estonia on Op CABRIT and on the
home bank in Ward Barracks, the 5 RIFLES
Officers’ Mess has remained busy and
cohesive. While deployed, the highlight for
the Battlegroup was a dinner at the beautiful
Vihula Manor, where we had the pleasure
of hosting the former Chief of the General
Staff, General Sir Patrick Sanders, on his last
international engagement before finishing
his tenure. Other guests included the
Estonian Defence Minister, HM Ambassador
to Estonia, French Ambassador and the US
Deputy Head of Mission. At a lower level,
the deployed subalterns also enjoyed a
weekend away at an idyllic lakeside location
near Tallinn.
For those in the UK, a particular highlight
of the year was hosting the family of 2Lt Max
George, as his father Martin completed a walk
across the UK in his son’s memory into Ward
Barracks. Sponsored by the Delta Dogs, the
mess provided an extremely moving event that
supported the George family and reinforced
the ‘Always a Rifleman’ mantra.
In late September, the mess celebrated
the end of Op CABRIT and uniting as a cohort
by welcoming partners to the mess for
Oktoberfest. The Christmas Party provided
a further opportunity to celebrate the
achievements and enjoy being reunited after
a busy year.
The WO’s and Sjt’s Mess have been
brought back together having completed
OP CABRIT 14 and OP INTERFLEX, marked by
numerous welcomes and farewells. The Mess
had the privilege of dining out WO1 (RSM)
34 RIFLES The Bugle
Hinks alongside some legends of the most
operationally experienced WOs and SNCOs in
the battalion, including WO2 Suren Ball, WO2
(RQMS) Laurence Eastwood, WO2 Dan Field
and CSjt Chris Tolley, all of whom are leaving
the Army after many years of reputable service.
The WO’s and Sjt’s Mess also managed to
have a Christmas function for the first time
in two years, courtesy of CSjt Adam Booth
who admirably and extremely successfully
organised the large-scale event for nearly 150
people with only six weeks’ notice. The grand
venue was the perfect way to celebrate, and
many people enjoyed making the most of the
cap badge ice luge…
South Korea
In November, Capt Ford (5 RIFLES) and LCpl Buckles (3 RIFLES)
had the immense honour of travelling to South Korea with the
Joint Casualty and Compassionate Care (JCCC) team to act as
Regimental representatives for the rededication service of two
former servicemen killed at The Battle of Imjin River.
Major Patrick Angier and Sergeant Donald Northey were
members of The Gloucestershire Regiment who fought and
died during the valiant defence of Gloster Hill. After the war
their deaths were recorded but their bodies were unable to be
identified until Nicola Nash of JCCC positively identified their
remains earlier this year. She dedicated 6 years to meticulously
researching the whereabouts of servicemen killed in the conflict,
mapping out the locations of bodies through a mix of eyewitness
accounts and contemporary source materials.
The rededication service took place in the UN Memorial
Cemetery in Busan. Capt Ford and LCpl Buckles had the honour
of hosting the former servicemen’s families, and laid wreaths at
their newly identified headstones. LCpl Buckles did the Regiment
proud with his bugling, a fitting addition to the ceremony given
the Glosters’ famous use of the bugle to confuse their enemy
during the battle.