Page 74 - Bugle Issue 19 Spring 2022

SOUTH WEST
Remembrance 2021
The November Period of Remembrance was once again celebrated in the normal way with soldiers attending graves and memorials in person. This allowed us to remember our Fallen in the way that we are accustomed to,
as well as provide representation to our 20 Freedom Town Civic Services. 6 Rifles proudly provided the soldiers to carry out the wreath laying, but it is hoped as The South West Rifleman’s Association grows, they will start taking over the responsibility where they can.
The Keep Museum in Dorchester ‘hit’ the headlines nationally when the Dorset Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal was launched. As well as
The Keep being lit up, poppies also cascaded down the walls of the Keep Museum.
Devon Royal British Legion Poppy Launch Dorchester
Liskeard Freedom – Mayor of Liskeard Cllr Simon Cassidy receiving a Silver Bugle from Col Nev Holmes MBE
The Rifles’ Freedom of Liskeard Scroll and Bugle Exchange
The Bodmin event was quickly followed by the Exchange of The Rifles’ Freedom of Liskeard Scroll and Bugle. The Mayor of Liskeard Cornwall, Councillor Simon Cassidy
presented The Rifles with the Freedom of Liskeard Scroll.
The Freedom was initially agreed in October 2019 but
the ceremony had to be put on hold due to Covid. The Regiment has a lineage in Liskeard going back to 1702 and this symbolic gesture affirms the Regiment’s link to the town’s heritage.
Cdt Sjt Maia Luxford (Devon ACF) completing the Gold National Navigation Award Scheme (NNAS)
Throughout the Regiment’s history, men and women from Cornwall have filled our ranks and served with great distinction. The Cornwall Army Cadet Force still wears The Rifle’s cap badge and many of our Veterans live in the region.
To thank the town for the honour of the Freedom of Liskeard, Colonel Nev Holmes MBE from The Rifles presented the Mayor with a Silver Bugle to further strengthen our close ties.
Since returning to Face-to-Face training in April, Devon ACF has been busy catching up on lost time with plenty of activities, and has seen some huge achievements from our cadets and Adult Volunteers.
First up, we have Cdt LCpl Niquita Potter of Newton Abbott Detachment, who took on the Walking with the Wounded challenge last December and raised over £1,300 during her 8-and-a-half-hour trek! She was hailed as the BFBS Radio Cadet of the week earlier in the year, and in May Niquita was shortlisted for the “Most Outstanding Charitable Contribution or Gesture in Lockdown” for all her fundraising efforts. She was also invited to The Rifles Awards Dinner in London, which she attended with her mother and her Company OC, to receive a Commendation recognising her amazing achievements over the past year.
We also saw a huge achievement from Cdt Sjt Maia Luxford this year, who is the first cadet in the country
to successfully complete the Gold National Navigation
Award Scheme (NNAS). This is a non-competitive, incentive scheme for all ages to learn navigation skills
and gain the confidence to get outside and safely enjoy the countryside. Sjt Luxford attended
one of our many NNAS weekends in October, and after a slight
struggle during the first day, she absolutely smashed her night navigation
exercise and the second day navigation, with the overview from an external assessor.
74 RIFLES The Bugle
LCpl Niquita Potter receiving her award from The Colonel in Chief
Liskeard Freedom – Col Nev Holmes MBE receiving the Liskeard Freedom Scroll from Mayor of Liskeard Cllr Simon Cassidy
DEVON ACF