Page 205 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Indoor Games
The Games took place on 23 March 2014 at the Sunderland Victory Club hosted
by the City of Sunderland Branch. 142 members attended and 123 meals were booked and prepared. The following branches sent a team: Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Consett & Stanley, Durham, Gateshead & Newcastle, Hartlepool, Horden & Peterlee, Houghton- le-Spring, South Shields, Spennymoor, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland.
Results: Darts were won by Houghton- le-Spring., with Spennymoor as runners
up. Dominoes was won by Chester-le- Street with Spennymoor as Runners Up, Whist was won by Houghton-le-Spring with Consett & Stanley as Runners Up.
Thanks are due to the City of Sunderland Branch for preparing
the venue and for making all the arrangements. The Victory Club was an excellent venue apart from the fact that not everyone could be in the same room. The food was of an excellent standard. All members of the Sunderland Branch worked hard to ensure the event was a
Overall Winners 2014 Houghton-le-Spring Branch
success. Umpires Eddie Surtees (Darts), Rob Newton (Dominoes) and Frank Brannigan (Whist) did a great job, as did Mr Appleby, Michaels McMahon, Billy G, Mr Hedley and Alfie Norman. The Darts Scorers: Diane McConnell and Colin Dodds did their usual good work. All branches donated a raffle prize and Maj Paul Wharton presented the trophies. Thanks are due to the members and their wives/partners for attending and making it such an enjoyable day.
Drumhead Service, Spennymoor
Former Spennymoor girl Susan Snowdon, Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, was amongst those present when Armed Forces Day was marked by the third Drumhead Service in Jubilee Park on Saturday 28 June 2014. On her arrival, Mrs Snowdon was greeted by town Parade Marshall, Arnold W Sanderson, and introduced
to Spennymoor Town Mayor, Councillor Geoffrey D O’Hehir and
his Mayoress wife Elizabeth, Major Christ Lawton MBE, Councillor John C Culine MBE, members of Spennymoor Town Council, representatives of Army, Air and Sea Cadet Forces, Piper Mr Richard Malt and the officiating clergy, Reverend Michael Pullan (Methodist), Reverend Matthew Tarling (Anglican), Reverend George Eales (Independent Methodist) and Father Grant Naylor (Padre to the RAF Cadets). The standards of The Royal British Legion, four Armed Forces Associations, Police, Fire and Rescue Service, Cadet Forces representing Army, Navy and Air Force,
and St John Ambulance volunteers were all paraded,
together with the Union Flag, and the Lord Lieutenant
took the time to meet their bearers, and share a few
worlds with each. After the standards had taken
post, an altar was created with the use of three
drums, and these were draped with the Union Flag
and the standard of Spennymoor Branch of The Royal
British Legion. Thomas Yates of Spennymoor Band
sounded The Last Post as standards were lowered in
honour, and after two minutes silence had been observed
played Reveille and Taps. The Exhortation was
repeated by Millie Flanagan and Cid Hind followed
with The Kohima Epitaph. Piper Richard
Malt played the dirge “Highland
Cathedral”. It is interesting to note
that the service is held as a result
of a visit to family members in Deal,
Kent by ex-forces veteran William
(Bill) Foster, Spennymoor Branch
HM’s Lord Lieutenant Durham Sue Snowdon meets Spennymoor’s Mayor and Councillors
DLI Association. He witnessed a drumhead service on the pier there, and on his return home spoke to some
friends, also ex-forces veterans, about the possibility of holding a similar service in Spennymoor. The first of
these was held in 2012 on the day following the award of The Freedom of Spennymoor to ‘D’ Rifles
Company, who provide an honour guard for the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday every year and it has now
become a popular event in the town calendar.
Ex-Forces Veteran Bill Foster of Spennymoor Branch DLI Association
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWS 203