Page 70 - Bugle Issue 16 Autumn 2020

Last, from the West’s contribution, is mention of two centenarians whose birthdays were celebrated during lockdown. Colonel John Waddy followed successive generations of his family into the Somerset Light Infantry
before transferring to the Parachute Regiment. There, during Operation
MARKET GARDEN, he became a prisoner of war. Colonel Waddy’s book ‘A Tour of
the Arnhem Battlefields’ is highly recommended.
Later he joined the permanent cadre of the Parachute
Regiment and subsequently became Director SAS. Second is the Bathonian, Mr Jack Eglinton. Jack joined 4th Battalion The Somerset Light Infantry, a Bath based Territorial Battalion, before the beginning of the Second World War. His effervescent personality and good humour must have shone throughout the Normandy campaign and onwards with 43rd Wessex Division’s advance to Germany. The Association in Somerset and people of Bath are most fortunate to have Jack as a comrade. We continue to wish both John and Jack the very best and look forward to celebrating 101st birthdays in different circumstances.
Happy birthday Jack!
Taunton’s recruiting office – unglamorous but effective!
On return from Cyprus, CO 6 RIFLES
RECRUITING
The straw poll also indicates women are interested in joining the Infantry
Among our greatest assets within the West are the recruiting offices. Taunton has an Army Careers Centre
(ACC) located in East Reach where Sjt John Widlake, previously of 5 RIFLES, is
found. In Gloucester the re-lo- cated Armed Forces Careers
Office (AFCO) is occupied by Cpl Henry Clugston, a
Rifleman. Meanwhile the AFCO in central Bristol has no dedicated
Rifles staff. Bristol, by remote means,
also covers the Bath area. Herefordshire
has neither a dedicated ACC
or AFCO albeit
Suvla Barracks has a recruiting office that is occasionally manned from the ACC at Worcester.
Recruiting within Taunton, Bristol and Gloucester fall within 5 Region. Anecdotally RIFLES recruiting is going well. The Rifles remain a “popular choice” in Bristol while
in Taunton things are going “very well and
The Rifles remain the most preferred choice”. The straw poll also indicates women are interested in joining the Infantry. Recruiting
to the Reserves is again the responsibility of Reserve units rather than ‘High Street’ offices. Within Cities such as Bristol, Gloucester and Hereford the importance of our Rifles presence can never be overstated. Meanwhile like many during lockdown, recruiting offices have done much of their work remotely, only seeing indi- viduals by appointment. In spite of constraints applications increased.
will re-establish RIFLES Reserves in Somerset
THE TAUNTON OFFICE
The streamlining of Charitable trusts
has been a major feature of work during lockdown. This combined with summa- rising antecedent and forming regimental history as well as identifying memorials for The Rifles Heritage Committee has involved much work while working from home. Getting away from the day to day reality of routine enquiries has been ideal and has helped towards creating a significant dent into large backlog. Earlier in the year investments belonging to
The Rifles & Light Infantry Association, Somerset were centralised and placed
in the care and custody of The Rifles Regimental Trust (RRT). The Association in Somerset remains a charitable trust in its own right, while its funds are held in
a creditor’s account and invested as an overall proportion of RRT assets. While the Trust in Somerset retains overall responsibility for its investments, day to day management and annual accounting now falls to the RRT and RIFLES. This is welcome news and helps to minimise administrative burdens.
The Somerset and Cornwall Regimental Fund (SCRF) is a further registered charity undergoing change. On formation of The Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry, SCRF originated through combining funds from the Colonel of Regiments. Since that time, and following the formation of The Rifles, the SCRF fund has made modest grants to activities led by Taunton and Bodmin and so help project the serving regiment within each county. The Charity is being wound up with funds being split amongst charities in Somerset and Cornwall that are best placed to further the interests of The Rifles.
Change is also afoot with the RGBW Regimental Charities. Trustees have agreed to transfer investments to the RRT, a move that will bring several benefits. Trustees are also considering a further step through the establishment of a management board. Such steps would follow existing examples set by the Light Infantry and Royal Green Jackets. Meanwhile the pillars in Hereford- shire remain grateful to trustees of the KSLI Fund that continues to give timely financial assistance to county activity in support of The Rifles.
70 RIFLES The Bugle
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!