Page 242 - The Bugle 2018

Attendance was generally good...
173 VETERANS WERE ENTERTAINED BY THE BAND AND BUGLES WHILST EATING THEIR ROAST BEEF AND YORKSHIRE PUDDING!
The Light Infantry & Rifles Association Annual Reunion – Montgomery Waters Meadow - 16 June 2018
This year’s reunion also incorporated events to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the Light Infantry and as such the programme was more detailed than normal. Shrewsbury football ground (now named Montgomery Waters Meadow) was the venue again. Generously they allow the reunion to use the facilities free of charge (normally £2,500 just to use the car park!) and it’s the only venue in Shrewsbury large and modern enough to host the event.
The day itself was overcast and breezy, a complete contrast to last year when people on parade were fainting due to the heat, but the promised rain never materialised and the 2,000 members attending remained dry, on the outside at least.
The day’s activities started with battalion group photographs using the grandstand seating. These can be viewed and downloaded free of charge at www.flickr.com/photos/lireunion.
A champagne reception was held for invited guests, mainly soldiers who were serving on Vesting
Day in 1968. They would also help to man the Vesting Day Contingent on the Veteran’s Parade and would have the honour of being the first to march off the parade. Unusually, and rarely (I can’t remember a time when it’s happened in the past) there were four Light Infantry Generals inspecting the contin- gents: Lt Gen Sir Jack Deverell, Lt Gen Robin Brims, Lt Gen Tim Evans and Maj Gen Mike Regan.
The afternoon continued with musical enter- tainment provided by The Memphis Belles (a female trio), the Light Infantry Veteran’s Band and Buglers from the Light Division and Rifles Buglers Associ- ation. Waterloo and Salamanca Bands sounded retreat and were very capably supported by the veteran buglers.
The finale was the All Ranks Regimental Dinner where 173 veterans were entertained by the band and bugles whilst eating their roast beef and Yorkshire pudding! Unfortunately, it was the last time that we would see the Director of Music, Maj Peter Clark, who is moving on to new things, we wish him well. There have been many people involved in the organi- sation this year and it would not be right to single out any individual, to all of you a huge ‘thank you’.
The winners of the LI Reunion Draw were electron- ically selected during dinner, the draw being audited by Linda Jones. The winners were:
1st prize £1000....G Munday............................................08355 2nd prize £500......Susan Jackson...............................20933 3rd prize £250.......Duncan Drake..................105 (PayPal) 4th prize £250........Mr G Clarke........................................13997 5th prize £100........Alan Clews..........................................22810 6th prize £100........Maxine Tidyman ............................02353 7th prize £100........R Garbutt..............................................22288 8th prize £100........C Carpenter.......................................21325 9th prize £100........Lawrence (Skippy) Hopps....22573
Congratulations to you all.
The reunion in 2019 is on Saturday 1st June Ron Gittings
Reunion Co-ordinator
248 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES