Page 162 - The Bugle 2018

‘The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna’ – painted by George Jones in 1834
The Rifles Museum
From the uniforms to weapons to medals, The Rifles Museum tells the story of the youngest regiment in the British Army. It includes a wide range of objects to give a unique insight into the Regiment over the past ten years.
The museum is maintained by Museum Manager Miss Melanie Marsh, Activities Officer Mr James Fenton and a team of hard working volunteers.
Do you have any changes planned for The Rifles Museum?
We are hoping to create a welcoming book corner in our museum. Here visitors will be able to sit and leaf through our ever-growing second-hand book collection. We always welcome donations, to help it to expand still faster!
Also, our next exciting temporary exhibition ‘Riflemen Behind the Lens’ will be opening shortly. This will feature a collection of fantastic photo- graphs, taken by the soldiers of the Regiment over the course of the last year.
We have a fantastic Iraqi flag, from the Invasion of Iraq, dating back to Saddam Hussein’s rule. We are currently working on conserving it, as it is in quite a delicate condition and this will be on display in 2019.
How can people support the museum?
We always welcome feedback from our users and would welcome emails, letters or online reviews. For those who have served in The Rifles, we love to hear your stories and memories of life in the Regiment. As an independent charity, we greatly appreciate all donations. The help we receive allows us to continue to tell the story of The Rifles. If you live locally, why not consider volunteering with the museum? Your time and skills would be invaluable to us. Lastly, tell a friend!
What can people see in the museum?
The Rifles Museum begins with the formation of the Regiment and ends with the present day. It is very much a museum of living history, ever changing and expanding to continue to reflect the activities of The Rifles themselves.
After reading about Formation Day, when the four former regiments became one; continue through to discover the roots of The Rifles. The museum has extensive displays telling the story of The Rifles in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as modern displays featuring Operation Shader, the most recent Iraq operations, and the work of the Regiment on the recent anti-poaching missions.
What is your favourite object in the museum?
James Fenton – Activities Officer
My favourite object loaned to our collection is the oil painting, ‘The Burial of Sir John Moore after Corunna’. Painted by George Jones in 1834, it was commissioned by Colonel Paul Anderson, who had been present at the burial. Moore was one of the founding fathers of the Regiment, instilling in his soldiers the same ethos of complete profession- alisms and intendent thought which are still alive and well over two hundred years later in The Rifles.
With the fall of Spain, Britain risked losing its only standing army in Europe. However, thanks to the inspiring leadership of Moore, at the Battle of Corunna, the British were able to make a fighting retreat to the coast and successfully evacuate. Moore himself led the rear-guard and was fatally
168 REGIMENTAL MUSEUMS
THE RIFLES
An exterior view of The Rifles Museum
REGIMENTALMUSEUMS