Page 66 - Bugle Spring 2025

SOUTH WEST
The Rifles and Light Infantry Association Somerset Light Infantry 80th Anniversary tour to Normandy
THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET
REGIMENT AND RIFLES ASSOCIATION
Throughout the year, Association
September.
members have attended monthly
As the year ended members had
commemorative events in Sherborne
attended national and local Remembrance
Abbey and Exeter Cathedral with
events including the Westminster Abbey
selected names of the fallen read out.
Field of Remembrance, the Cenotaph
These events have gained momentum
Parade – where our drill was so smart
and are now well attended.
we featured in the BBC TV coverage!
The opening of The Rifles Garden
– and have been well represented in
and reaffirmation of the Freedom of the
both Counties. Many thanks to those
Borough of Torquay for 6 RIFLES in July
who paraded and to all those who helped
was supported by Association members
selling poppies to raise funds for the RBL.
and standards.
Members of the Devonshire and
In September social events have
Dorset Regimental Association needing
included the ‘Jolly Boys’ Outing’ in Exeter
assistance have been amongst the 500+
and the ‘Semper Fidelis Dining Club’
veterans who have continued to benefit
dinner in October in Torquay as well
from the RIFLES Benevolent Trust in
as regular Association Branch social
2024 and we remain extremely grateful
gatherings in Exeter and Plymouth.
for this essential support. All Riflemen,
Members also participated in an enjoyable
irrespective of rank or previous Regiment
fishing competition at Goodiford Mill
will be welcomed at Association events
in September and a demanding golf
and are encouraged to join in and take
competition at Honiton Golf Club in
part.
In July, 51 members of the Association left Taunton to visit some
of the significant sites in our Regimental history. Starting at
the British Normandy Memorial we were greeted by Nicholas
Witchell, whose father had been a Somerset in Burma and paid
our formal respects and laid a wreath at the statue group. We
visited St Manvieu CWGC cemetery and inspired by the WW
1 epitaph ‘Would some kind hand in that foreign land lay a
flower on my sons grave’ put a Remembrance Cross on every
Somerset grave and as many of the ‘unknowns’ as we could
find.
The mayor of St Pierre du Fresne had organised the placing of
a memorial to eight Somerset soldiers where we were generously
hosted. At the dedication ceremony our six standard bearers
were joined by a bowler hatted French standard bearer from the
Normandy Veterans Association.
We went on to visit Hill 112, which was sad, but uplifting, and
80 years later we still remembered the courage of 1944. Thereafter
we visited some of the significant sites of Op Goodwood, and
then, reminding ourselves that Overlord was an allied operation,
we visited Mount Ormel, the Polish battlefield, and St Lambert
sur Dives, where the Canadians held the last exit from the Falaise
Pocket.
Our return to Taunton was uneventful, traffic delays are a given
these days.
The Rifles Taunton Christmas Concert
In December The Salamanca Band and Bugles of The Rifles,
accompanied by the Amici Taunton based chamber choir, held a
Christmas concert in the beautiful surroundings of Taunton Minster.
This wonderful, free event which included a mixture of Christmas
carols and regimental music directed by Bandmaster WO1 Richard
Cregan was open to all. Mulled wine and mince pies were served
at the end of the concert to approximately 180 guests.
The regiment was honoured to host a representative from the
Somerset Lieutenancy Office, The High Sheriff of Somerset, as
well as the Mayors of Bath, Taunton, Wells and Wellington, all
being The Rifles Somerset Freedom Cities and Towns.
66 RIFLES The Bugle