Page 182 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Annual Back Badge Lunch 2013
Former Officers of the Gloucestershire Regiment and RGBW met for lunch on Sunday 13 October. The lunch, which is open to anyone who has worn or is wearing a Back Badge, was held at the Officers Mess of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps at Imjin Barracks, Innsworth.
This lunch is now a regular annual event and on this occasion was attended by 51 former GLOSTER and RGBW Officers and their wives. It was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and to remember the great times that we had while serving.
We are grateful to the Rifles County Office at Gloucester, led by Major Tristram Carter ably assisted by Mrs Lesley Bradshaw, for all their help in arranging the details of this excellent event.
In 2014 the Back Badge Lunch will be held on Sunday 19 October 2014 at Chavenage which is a beautiful Elizabethan Manor near Tetbury. You would be very welcome to attend.
Annual Informal Back Badge Lunch –
London: 21 Mar 2014
The 8th annual informal officers Back Badge Lunch London (BBLL) took place on board the Havengore moored in St Katherine’s
Dock Tower Bridge London on a sunny Back Badge Day, Friday 21st March 2014. Over thirty serving and retired officers from the GLOSTERS, the RGBW and the RIFLES attended, some travelling long distances including from France, Glasgow and Herefordshire.
A number of new younger faces were also present. We remain indebted to Mr Chris Ryland, the owner of the Havengore and Regimental friend together with his staff for another demonstration of fabulous and most generous service.
The following attended BBLL 14: Tony Ayres, Tim Belson, Jeremy Biggs, David Brown, Peter Brown, Peter Cable, Tristram Carter, Richard Cole-Mackintosh, Dominic Davey, Patrick Davidson- Houston, Darren Denning, John Flexman, Andy Gay, Robin Grist, Phil Hall, Tim Harper, Ian Harris, Sir Peter Heap, Mathew Jenkins, Paul Kyte, John Marsh, Charlie Maconochie, Ceri Rees, Simon Stilwell, Jerry Thomas, Martin Vine, John Wakelin, George Waters, Nigel Walker, Nick Welch, James Woodley. Lesley Bradshaw our AO from the Gloucester office attended as the guest.
Sales of the newly commissioned Havengore/Back Badge
tie raised £480 which was split equally between the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Regimental Association Museum Appeal and the Gloucestershire Home for Veterans (Alabare) charity.
The next BBLL is scheduled for Friday, 20th March 2015 (1230- 1730hrs). Any officer who has worn a Back Badge - GLOSTERS, RGBW, RIFLES, or Corps attached, serving or retired, young or old, is most welcome to attend. The size of the boat limits numbers to 40. Further details will be promulgated in early 2015. Any queries or comments to Ian Harris at ivk.harris@gmail.com
The Rifles Officers Oxford Club
The Rifles Officers’ Oxford Club continues to flourish in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire as a focal point for the Regiment in the two counties. The Club has the great advantage of having access to a superb officers’ mess located within Edward Brooks Barracks in Abingdon.
Embodied within its monthly luncheon and guest speaker programme, the Club has increasingly become a forum for thought and discussion on both the illustrious history of our forebears and on topics of importance to Riflemen and the wider community today. The year began with a combined Club and RGJ Association luncheon that was very well attended and enjoyed by all. Following this success, the Club plans that the luncheon will become an annual event. In February, Gary Sheffield, Professor
of War Studies at the University of Wolverhampton, gave great insight into the significance of the centenary of
the Great War and his thoughts on the root causes and why Britain had to fully engage in the conflict. Lieutenant Colonel Ingram Murray gave a fascinating talk on the secret war waged on the Continent by British agents to gather intelligence and to disrupt the enemy.
In 2009 Major Richard Streatfeild MBE of 4 RIFLES, his riflemen and supporting troops fought for six months against the Taliban in Sangin, northern Helmand. They were engaged in over 800 fire- fights and were the target of more than 200 improvised explosive devices. Ten men in his company were killed and
50 were wounded. In April this year, Richard described the day-to-day combat operations in and around his Forward Operating Base while still seeking and maintaining the support of the local population. He presented a graphic account of the Taliban’s guerrilla tactics and his response to defeat them, coupled with a personal view on the physical and psychological stresses
of battle. In May, Dr
Simon Harris spoke
on ‘The Mysterious
Disappearance of the
52nd’s Theologian in
1915’ on the same
day as the 99th
anniversary of the opening of the Battle of Festubert. Following much research, he concluded that the Padre, who was never found, had been killed whilst searching for the wounded in No Man’s Land.
The annual 43rd & 52nd Regimental Officers and Ladies luncheon continues to be very well subscribed with a plethora of members and their ladies attending
an enjoyable June event. The Luncheon next year will coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and we are pleased to announce that Nigel Sale, formerly of the Regiment, will be talking on the seminal role played by Colonel Colborne and the men of the 52nd in the defeat of the Grande Armée.
In September, Richard Hume- Rothery, Chairman of the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire European Forum and Founder Director
of the European Study Group will address the important issue of Europe
in the 21st Century. The Study Group was established as an Association of leading multinationals, working in and representing employer interests and views for the international and domestic aspects of mostly Europe wide social and employee information and consultation
Ten men in his company were killed and 50 were wounded
issues.
The Chairman plans
to give the officers and their guests a talk in October on the war diary of his great uncle, who commanded the 1st
East Lancashire Regiment in the opening battles of the Great War, describing the decimation of his Old Contemptible Battalion. The Club continues to support the very successful band concert, and Remembrance weekend Saturday reunion, together with the very jolly celebration
of Christmas after the December Annual General Meeting.
Plans are well advanced for 2015 with Dr Rob Johnson, Faculty of History, University of Oxford, agreeing to speak on ‘The Future Operating Environment’ and the Commanding Officer of 7 RIFLES on OP FORTIFY. We look forward to the Club continuing to grow and contribute towards maintaining the high profile of the Regiment in our two counties. Major(Retd) Tom Shannon TD PhD Chairman
180 OFFICERS’ CLUBS
THE RIFLES