Page 30 - Falcon Issue 1 2024

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Dining out RSM Rigby, WO2 Wilmott, CSjts Pearson & Decker, and Sjt Downey
SJTS’ MESS
Normally the beginning of the year
is a quiet time for the Mess and its committee. Here at 4 RANGER, this was not meant to be and preparations for the upcoming Dine Out night were soon in full flow. The Mess had the pleasure of dining out five members of the Rangers and Rifles, including the 4 RANGER RSM, WO1 Will Rigby.
The night was a great chance for all mess members to unite and celebrate the careers of fellow Rangers and Riflemen. With a healthy attendance, each leaving member was dined out
with exceptional speeches and some questionable stories. The night was a huge success and a credit to WO2 Tommy Benbow and his team for delivering an exceptional evening.
In March, Maj Gen Strickland DSO MBE, GOC 6th (UK) Division visited New Normandy Barracks. He was hosted by the CO and introduced to Rangers that had recently returned from operations and the facilitators of the Hostile Environments Course. He dined with the Officers and Senior ranks from the Battalion and was
The night was a great chance for all mess members to unite and celebrate the careers of fellow Rangers and Riflemen
treated to an excellent Nepalese curry. Recently, the Mess have hosted
its own Officers to lunch. This is
now becoming a quarterly tradition
in which, the senior mess members accompany officers from their departments. It’s a great way of building team cohesion and to show the Officers’ Mess how privileged they are to dine with the seniors.
Soldiers dined out were the following: WO1(RSM) Rigby, WO2 Willmott, CSjts Pearson and Decker, Sjt Downey.
OFFICERS’ MESS
The first half of 2023 has been a busy 6 months for the 4 RANGER Officers’ Mess with the departures of Capt Charlie Rex, Capt Jack Cadman, Capt Gwil ‘daysack’ Wyn-Jones, Padre Stu, Maj Dave ‘Dinger’ Bell, Maj Pete Egan, Maj Gareth Crossley, Capt Marcus Wood, Capt Andy ‘Moneypenny’ Woodward, and Maj Will ‘Walt’ Hignett MC.
All of these have contributed to a vibrant and stimulating mess and our track record of Times Daily Quiz wins will significantly reduce without them. Thankfully, as always,
the Mess is being replenished by a new cohort who will strengthen the quiz team sheet in the coming months.
The Officers’ Mess hosted the Serjeants’ Mess to a summer BBQ recently, a great way for the two messes to get together after a professionally busy six months and enjoy
a beer or two in the British Summer. Capt Tom Nelson, the Adjutant, has done some great work sourcing some funding to bolster the gardens and hopes to have us kitted out the ‘Big Green Egg’ BBQs, a sauna and new trees just in time for the summer to end.
The Mess continues to be a home for lots of our Officers who’re enjoying the summer months with suppers outside, impromptu pub trips – which sometimes result in slightly foggy heads, and an ever-growing peloton (much to Col Mike’s distain!) not to mention two of our members motorbiking Vietnam. As the Mess prepare to host a summer party, all is looking well for the New Normandy Officers’ Mess.
Hosting the NCOs for lunch in the mess