Page 208 - The Bugle 2018

Placing of an inscribed paving stone set in a plinth to commemorate the gallantry of Pte Michael Heaviside at St Giles Church, Gilesgate
The VC Paving Stone in its newly constructed plinth to commemorate the gallantry of Pte Michael Heaviside VC DLI was duly placed in its final position on 28 October 2017 on the approaches to St Giles Church where a dedication ceremony was conducted by the Chaplain to the DLI Association the Revd Kenneth Crawford in the presence of the clergy of St Giles Church, members of the Heaviside family and members of the Association. The buglers were provided by D Rifles Coy, while the Association standard was carried by Mr John Pepper of the Durham Branch.
The Mayor, Durham City
Cllr Bill Kellet with MP for Durham City Mrs Roberta Blackman-Woods in front with members of the Michael Heaviside VC family
Stockton Garden of Remembrance
Stockton Garden of Remembrance was organised by Stockton Branch DLI Association for the 6th Year from Wed 8th - Friday 10 November 2017. During the period of the garden 348 students from 22 schools visited the garden and placed symbols of remembrance. The Formal Commemoration took place at 11am on Friday morning when the Mayor and Mayoress of Stockton visited the garden. A service of remembrance was conducted by the Mayor’s Chaplain Revd Martin Anderson. Colonel Heron spoke of the meaning of remembrance and the importance of the defence of freedom. A bugler from the Salvation Army played the calls, after the delivery of the Exhortation by the RBL Chairman Mr R Bannister. Several branch members assisted in the garden during the course of the week when many individual services for individual schools were conducted and poppy symbols of various faiths were laid, including Muslim crescents, Jewish stars as well as Christian Poppy crosses.
Remembrance Commemoration at Ian Ramsey C of E School Stockton, organised by Stockton DLI Association
When David Smith and his party arrived at the school for the Remembrance Commemoration they were greeted with a ‘guard of honour’ outside the main entrance with the Cadets all lined up on parade, coming to attention as they arrived and giving David a salute. The Cadets were accompanied by the School Head Boy. Two buglers were in attendance, one ex- Light Infantry and one ex-RGJ and Rifles.
DLI Association expedition to the London Cenotaph Parade 12 November 2017
Once again in 2017 the DLI Association had received 30 places for the Cenotaph Parade of which 27 were filled. An expedition left for London on the Thursday ready to take part in some social events before attending the Parade to be held on Remembrance Sunday 12 November. The party was made up of two groups, one from Gateshead and Newcastle Branch organised by Tommy Nicholson and another from Sunderland organised by Michael McMahon, which as well as Sunderland members also had members from the Bishop Auckland, Houghton- le-Spring, and Hartlepool Branches. Those who watched the BBC broadcast on the TV would see that the DLI Contingent got a mention from David Dimbleby as did the Light Infantry Contingent who were reputedly wearing their Rifle Green Blazers!
The DLI Friends & Association Working Together Group
The Working Together group are at present preparing for the Exhibition on the Music of the DLI which will be located at the Palace Green Exhibition Centre in the New Year 2018. Working with Gillian Kirkbride, the volunteers led by Peter Nelson, Donald McDonald and John Rolfe, have been researching some of the music played by the DLI over the years, both instrumental and vocal. They have been finding old music scores and the circumstances under which the music was played. They have been looking at the uniforms worn by the Bandsmen and Buglers and the instruments they played. Lots of old DLI songs have been
rediscovered and a singing group consisting of Arthur Charlton, Brian Laverick, Mike van der Gucht, Michael Coulson, Ralph Harrison and John Heron have been recording some of the old songs. In this they are not viewing themselves as competition for the Chorister School, rather hoping to reproduce what the songs might have sounded like when they were sung in barracks or on the march. Although some of the songs are still well known within the Regiment it appears there have been lots of small variations in the words and they have had to be agreed before the singing started. Whether the songs are all to be considered politically correct is another matter. A number of poems have also been recorded.
214 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES