Page 65 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
Mess Summer Ball
The entertainments committee have developed the Lancer unique selling point of amdram to the next level. From the Pi- rate themed Summer Party where Martin Thompson was forced to walk the plank – literally – to the being summoned to the Houses of Parliament for the declaration of War in the Punjab as we hosted Officers from Extra Regimental Duty for the Aliwal Dinner. The foods member (well the chefs really) have been sub- lime at points. From fresh biscuits for coffee to the much lauded “Luftwaffle” to finish off the multi-course Chattels Lunch that celebrated the museum we are privileged enough to live in. Out and about, we managed to get a couple of mess members down to see Will Kellard jump some fences at Sandown, and even more along to the Lads and Dads afternoon at Catterick Race Course. The monthly Families’ Friday event have become the envy of the Garrison as well as an opportunity to highlight cowardice across the subalterns as they tremble upstairs from the mayhem of 20 toddlers as they eat, drink and make merry. Christmas is always a busy time in the Mess and this year we kicked off in No- vember with a cocktail party featuring the Harrogate Bartender and culminated at the Commanding Officer’s House following carols being sung across the patch. The only respite between these being our turn to host the Seniors and Warrants following our first defeat on the rugby pitch.
This year we were fortunate enough to host Lieutenant Jack Sheehan from the Australian Army on Exercise Longlook. Los- ing George Marriot in the exchange lead to a significant up arrow in capability for the mess, notably on the cricket pitch where we comprehensively defeated the seniors in Crakehall and where we
headed up the Royal Armoured Corps Officers in the North to victory over the Infantry. The mess also lost a number of other big names as they moved onto pastures new. Chris Yapp, Bobby Gouldstone and Jason Jibb have found the rest of the Army did not quite live up to life at Regimental Duty. Charlie Randle and Rowan Callinan have gone directly to the city and much like a caricature of himself, Stu White has opted not to return to the
Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to re-enact Balaklava
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