Page 224 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Antecedents
The Royal Berkshire Regiment
Colonel Mike Vernon-Powell established a Committee in November 2013 to provide overwatch for R.BERKS activities. The need was prompted by the awareness that one Old Comrade, Philip Gurney
ex 1st Battalion and veteran of Kohima, would reach his personal centenary and how officers of the Regiment should acknowledge this milestone. The Committee has since grown and was instrumental in assuring greater attendance at the Maiwand Weekend Reunion in July.
In May 2014, Colonel Mike Vernon- Powell also led an R.BERKS delegation including Lieutenant Colonel Colin Tremellen, Old Comrades Trevor Jones and Peter Legg and wife, Gwen to the Battle of Brandywine commemorations in USA. The Delegation departed England on 15th May and witnessed the two day battle re-enactment. Following the Closing Ceremony, the Delegation drove the short distance to the Birmingham Quakers
Meeting House peace garden to lay wreaths at the Memorial and at the 49th Foot’s Burr Oak tree laid and dedicated in 2007, for all the Fallen of the battle. On 19th May, the Delegation visited the site of a subsequent, smaller, battle at nearby Paoli that took place
ten days later at night
and gave birth to the
Brandywine Flash
worn behind the cap
badge until 2007.
Before the Delegation
left, it visited the
old Episcopalian
church of St Peter’ s where three British soldiers are buried and had a short act of remembrance in the church followed by laying a wreath in the cemetery.
In 1777 British Forces had incurred loans of £500 from local Quakers which had never been repaid. Vernon-Powell decided that a symbolic repayment of this Debt of Honour would be welcomed
and to that end, before leaving the UK the Delegation purchased a quantity of George II and III coins for presentation in a replica pouch of that time. Descendants of the Gilpin family to whom the debt was owed had been traced and were there to
before leaving the UK the Delegation purchased a quantity of George II and III coins
receive the reparation. Shortly before leaving UK descendants of the Jeffries family came forward claiming another debt, this time for £50. Luckily we had found out about them in time to get
together further coins and another pouch. The Jeffries came forward dressed in their period Quaker clothing bearing an original document dated 1783 detailing the debt for two horses sold to General Cornwallis. Both families and all the people watching this symbolic repayment were delighted and accepted that the debt was now settled.
The Wiltshire Regiment
The Wiltshire Regimental Committee continues to provide guidance and
support to the Annual Devizes Reunion
and underpins communication across
the Regiment through the Birthday Card scheme while Jeff Matthews remains deeply involved in promoting WILTS heritage.
His long and ongoing efforts to deepen the relationship between the Regiment and Arnhem was recognised by the BurgerMeister who wrote –
“For many years you have made great efforts to keep alive the history and memory of the courage and commitment displayed by the 4th and 5th Battalions of the Wiltshire Regiment during the battle for Arnhem. It
is partly thanks to your endeavours that a monument was unveiled in 2010, where
the Two Battalions lost more than 70 men during this exhausting battle.You have organised trips to
Arnhem for relatives
of those who lost their
lives and veterans of
the Wiltshire Regiment
over a period of many
years and I understand
that many of them are
particularly grateful to
you for this. As a token
of our appreciation for your efforts. I wish you all the very best and hope that you will be able to make the journey to Arnhem many more times” Herman D Kaiser, Burger
Jeff Matthews and Mrs Ray Brind pay homage to the Fallen at WILTS Arnhem Memorial
Meister van Arnhem.
On 2nd October 2013, he accompanied
Mrs Ray Brind to the annual Remembrance Service at the Regimental de Laar Farm Memorial in Shuytgraaf where together they laid wreaths in memory of the Fallen of the
“I wish you all the very best and hope that you will be able to make the journey to Arnhem many more times”
4th & 5th Battalions along with the BurgerMeister, British Defence Attaché and other civic dignitiaries.
On 12th July 2014, Jeff Matthews travelled to Normandy to honour WILTS Fallen during Operation JUPITER
designed to unlock the city of Caen 70 years ago. In 1944, 43 Wessex Division, which included 4th & 5th WILTS, was tasked with seizing the dominating ground
Jeff Matthews in front of the Hill 112 Memorial
West of Caen, Mont Pinçon and Hill 112, but 9 Pzr SS Division, with dug in Tiger tanks, made this a high attritional action with 2000 casualties in 48 hours. The 43rd Wessex Heritage Trust commemorated
the Operation’s 70th anniversary with a Remembrance Service at the Division’s Memorial on Hill 112 in the presence of its Patron HRH The Earl of Wessex KG KCVO. Jeff Matthews, laid a WILTS wreath.
222 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWS
THE RIFLES