Page 133 - The Chapka 2016
P. 133

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 131
  Stoke Branch (Aliwal Troop)
It has been a busy year for Aliwal Troop Stoke OCA, we have had a change of chairman with Tim Constantinou taking over from Don McLean who had served the Branch with great vigour and passion for 14 years. There have been several visits to the National Memorial Arboretum includ- ing the Northern Ireland and Lancers remembrance parades, Don and Monica McLean accompanied Mrs Sue Holtby to the unveiling of memorial stones to the Lancers and her fa- ther along with Colonel Charlie Radford MC, Captain Don
Stoke Branch Wreath Laying in Newcastle under Lyme
Farquhason and Frank Foy. Members of the Branch includ- ing Frank and Jo Foy, Melvin and Val Bourne, Colin Webb and Don McLean have been spending Thursday at the li- brary in Hanley going through all the 5th, 16th and 16/5L Archives, it is surprising what pops up, ‘a Colonel Howard of 16th Lancers in the Crimea in 1920 meet up with a Russian General who had a rather large habit of wine and cocaine’. Several members marched or tried behind Shane (I don’t know the Step) Myers a great weekend was had while the remainder of the Branch paraded in Burslem twice, once for the school kids on the 11th and again on the Sunday for the official pa- rade, one of the children asked if one of the members if he had fought in the Second World War then asked who won? The Stoke dinner was attended by over 140 people, there was a change of band with The Trentham Brass band stepping up and doing a brilliant job, a big thank you goes to Bud and Michelle Flanagan and Bill Butler who put so much of their own time into organising the night. Don and Monica McLean had the honour of going to Picnic on The Mall and even though it rained a great day was had, we finished the year off by inviting the wives to our last branch m food but so much was brought to the meeting that there was more than enough to be shared around with the ladies and gentlemen in the next room. Sadly, we have had to say “Stand Down” to two of our own Glyn Salt who was an active member of the branch and also Barry Ledgar. Into 2017 now hopefully we can achieve our aims with the archives and with getting a system in place to help old Lancer soldiers.
TC
 This being my first notes as Royal lancers and Branch Chair- man, I will start with the Branch dinner night. We had a good dinner night at the Mercure Grange Park Hotel Willerby East Yorks on Saturday 5th March 2016, with 98 old comrade’s family and friends sitting down to dinner. Hull being the city of culture 2017 we had a booking in place for the Mercure Grange Park for our 2017 dinner night, which we are now working on and looking forward to.
On Friday 1st April I attend a commemoration service at Cleethorpes Memorial Gate, for the 31 men killed and 51 in- jured or wounded of the Manchester Regt Oldham pals. They were killed when Zepplin L22 bombed Cleethorpes Methodist Church hall, at that time it was being used by the men of the Manchester Regt as accommodation. The Zepplin was on its way to bomb London, but because of engine trouble it turned around and went for Grimsby Docks. He missed by two miles. A full military funeral was held for the 24 men who are Buried in Cleethorpes Cemetery.
A commemoration service to mark the centenary of the Battle of Jutland took place On Tuesday 31st May 2016 at Grimsby Min- ster. After the service, we had lunch at Grimsby Town Hall.
After the battle of Jutland, the wounded came ashore and the badly damaged ships came into Grimsby Docks for repair. Among the wounded was 16-year-old Boy First Class John “Jack” Cornwall VC. He died of his wounds in Grimsby Hospi- tal. He later became Known as Jutland Jack.
Northern Branch - Pete Ashton, Bob Key and Pete Naveran
The North East Lincolnshire Council armed forces major events team brought forward the annual Summer Ball to the 7th May so as to fit in with the build-up for the main event, The Nation Armed Forces Day. It was a very good evening.
Saturday 25th June Cleethorpes held the Nation Armed Forces Day Parade. The weekend got off to a good start on Friday night with three military bands doing a concert and sunset at the Me- morial Gate. On Saturday, the parade marched off at 1300 hrs to a very large crowd along the route. There was a full programme
Northern Branch
 




















































































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