Page 204 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019

“Poppy of Honour” Parade
Stephen Pearce of the Stockton Branch attended the unveiling of the poppy at a Poppy of Honour Ceremony on Saturday 6th October which included a March through the town of Wincanton followed by a ceremony attended by local dignitaries. The parade was led by the Waterloo Band & Bugles of 7 Rifles and also present was the Band & Bugles of the Somerset ACF. The Exhortation and the Kohima Epitaph were spoken by Stephen, who also laid a wreath on behalf of the Light Infantry. The day was well attended but suffered from the rain. The ‘Poppy’ will remain in Somerset until the end of the month and then will tour the country.
Stephen Pearce from Stockton Branch attended the Poppy
of Honour Ceremony in Wincanton
THE
PRESIDENT,
LT COL JOHN
HERON,
SPOKE
OF THE
DONATIONS
THE CLUB
HAD MADE
DURING THE
YEAR
The Faithful Inkerman Dinner Club Annual Dinner
The Annual Dinner took place as usual at the Dubmire Royal British Legion Club in Fence Houses on 2 November 2018. 117 members sat down to dinner, thanked by the Chairman Mr Ralph Harrison for their attendance and their kind donations above and beyond the cost of the meal. Edinburgh Caterers produced the usual excellent three course meal accompanied by red and white wine. The FIDC Chairman welcomed the Chairman and Secretary of the Dubmire Club as guests, as well as Mr Shane Blockley from the Co-Op Retail Distribution Centre at Chester-le-Street, who provided a wonderful hamper of goods as a raffle prize. The Rifles Regimental Secretary could not be present on this occasion as he was recuperating from an operation on his shoulder. Other committee members present were Maj Mike van der Gucht, Brian Laverick, Ralph Harrison, Maj Richard Tough, Mr Brian Hardman, Mr John Norton, Mr Alan Summerson, as well as Maj John Jackson, Maj Paul Wharton MM, Maj Mike Foster, Maj Albert Armstrong, WO1 John Dawson, and the members. The Chairman of the FIDC emphasized what a good year the Dinner Club had
had. The club had successfully moved their VC Stone to Palace Green, where it had been re-dedicated on 28 July, and was receiving lots of attention from the public at its World Heritage site. The President, Lt Col John Heron, spoke of the donations the Club had made during the year including, £500 towards a stairlift for the Elderly in a Care Home in Birtley and £500 towards the new Pelton War Memorial, and thanked Dr Keith Bartlett (Durham University) for his work in obtaining the excellent new site for the VC Stone on Palace
Green.
202 RIFLES OFFICES AND ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES
117 members and guests attended the Dinner in the RBL’s Dubmire Club, Fencehouses
Chairman of the “Faithful” Inkerman Dinner Club, Mr Ralph Harrison