The Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association Newsletter
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THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2016 Contents Locations 2 The Regimental Charities 38 The Regimental Association 2 Regimental Reunion 40 Regimental Association Reunion 2017 2 The Keep Military Museum 44 Chairman’s Message 3 President’s Message 3 Events Association Calendar 4 Service of Rededication in Sherborne Abbey 45 Appointments 6 Memorial Plaque in Memory of Cpl Veale VC 46 Editorial 8 Somme Commemorative Service, Thiepval 47 Supporting the Regimental Association 8 Legion d'Honneur Awards 47 The Association Website 9 Shrouds of the Somme 48 Information on Branches 10 Topsham Remembers 49 Focal Point Leaders 11 Shaftesbury Memorial 49 President's Awards 12 Battlefield Tour 2016 50 Notices 13 The Minden Dorsets Reunion 52 Books 14 Sherborne Abbey 53 Lost Trail 16 Tirah Memorial Service - Dorchester 53 Postbag 17 The Cenotaph Parade 54 Branch Reports Band 21 Photographic Memories 55 Exeter 22 Exmouth 24 Articles Gillingham 24 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment in Malaya 59 Honiton 26 Memories of My Service in 4th Dorsets 61 D and D Old Comrades Forum 26 Murder Most Foul 63 The Officers' Club 27 My Short Time in the Army 64 Plymouth 29 Battlefield Tour to The Somme 66 Poole 32 The Conquest of Mount Victoria, Belize 68 Purbeck 33 Recce Platoon 33 Welfare Report 70 Salisbury Plain Focal Point 34 News from the Rifles 73 Semper Fidelis Dinner Club 35 Last Post 77 Torbay 36 Obituaries 78 Wales 36 Weymouth 37 Editor: Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) GS Nicholls © Crown Copyright: This publication contains official information. It should be treated with discretion by the recipient. The opinions expressed in the articles in this journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Regiment or the Ministry of Defence. No responsibility for the goods or services advertised in this journal can be accepted by the publishers or printers. Advertisements are included in good faith. Managing Director: Ron Pearson Managing Editor: Katie Mordue Advertising Manager: Sally Haynes Forces and Corporate Publishing Ltd, Hamblin House, Hamblin Court, Rushden, Northamptonshire NN10 0RU. Tel: 01933 419994 :: Fax: 01933 419584 2 THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER Locations The Rifles Exeter Office The Military Museum of Devon and Dorset Block 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. (The Keep Museum) Tel: (01392) 492435 Mil: 94348 2435 Curator: Mr Chris Copson Mrs Holliman [email protected] Deputy Curator: Miss Alexia Sully Custodian: Mr John Murphy The Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Barrack Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RN. Charity Tel: (01305) 264066 Lt Col (Retd) Geoff Nicholls E-mail: [email protected] Block 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. Website: www.keepmilitarymuseum.org Tel: (01392) 492436 Mil: 94348 2436 E-mail: [email protected] Museum Display The North Devon and Barnstaple Museum The Regimental Association of The The Square, Barnstaple, EX32 8LN. Tel: (01271) 346747 Devonshire and Dorset Regiment Fax: (01271) 346407 Mr Tony Cox BEM E-mail: [email protected] Block 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. Website: www.northdevon.gov.uk Tel: (01392) 492436 Mil: 94348 2436 E-mail: [email protected] The Regimental Association The objects of the Regimental Association are: behalf of its antecedent regiments, to any welfare needs of past members of The Regiment and their dependants who 1. To promote the efficiency of the Army by maintaining: are in conditions of need, hardship or distress. a. Contact between past and present members of The 3. To encourage recruiting into The Rifles. Regiment, fostering mutual friendship between them and providing suitable social gatherings. Further to the objects listed above, the Regimental Association Charity has power to take all necessary action for publicising b. The espirit de corps and comradeship that members and disseminating information concerning the histories, deeds found whist serving. and traditions of The Regiment and the former Regiments. Note: “The Regiment” as mentioned above includes all c. The traditions of The Regiment and to publicise and earlier regiments, such as the Devonshire Regiment and the disseminate information concerning the history, deeds Dorset Regiment which amalgamated to create the Devon and customs of The Regiment. and Dorsets, as well as any successor regiment or unit, for example The Rifles. 2. To alert The Rifles, which now manages welfare funds on The Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association Reunion 2017 Saturday 27 May - Exeter Once again you are warmly invited to come and join the Timings Regimental Family on this special day. Please note that we * 1000 hours: Branch Secretaries and Focal Point Leaders will repeat the earlier timings this year to increase the time meeting to coordinate Association activity. available for socialising. * 1030 hours: Annual General Meeting (AGM) - to * March through the centre of Exeter - led by The Devon ensure that members can influence the management of the ACF Band and our Branch Standards. Association. * Honour our Regiments and fallen comrades in the Service * 1130 hours: A parade through Exeter - to show the West and Act of Remembrance Country that we are still going strong (form up by 1115 * Enjoy a Reunion Buffet Lunch and Social. Meet old hours). acquaintances; catch up with your friends * 1150 hours: Inspection, Drumhead Service, Presentation of Outline timings are as follows and full details are in the President’s Awards (all completed in front of the Cathedral). letter you will find enclosed with this Newsletter. Please * 1230 hours to 1700 hours: A buffet lunch and reunion send us your return. in the Corn Exchange. Whether you have been to a Regimental Reunion before * 1930 hours: An evening get-together in the Exeter White or not, this is the time to come home. You will be warmly Ensign Club organised by our Exeter Branch - to continue welcomed the movement Full details are in the enclosed letter. We all very much hope to see you there. THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3 Major General Colin Shortis CB CBE It is with great sadness that the death of Major General 90. Thereafter he remained a Regimental and Museum Colin Shortis is announced. He died on 8th January 2017 Trustee for many years as well as being appointed President aged 82. Commissioned into the Dorset Regiment in of the Regimental Association. In short, he dedicated his 1955, he went on to hold every major appointment in the life to the Regiment and will be remembered with great Devon and Dorsets including Commanding Officer of 1st respect and affection by all who knew him. Battalion from 1974-77 and Colonel of the Regiment 1984- A full obituary will be published in the next Newsletter. Chairman’s Message 2016 has been another busy year for the Association. Many The Rifles and the end of our Regiment as part of the Army’s of you will have taken part in events to commemorate order of battle. Despite this I believe the Association has the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme which gone from strength to strength reflecting how important our many battalions of the comradeship is. These years Devonshire Regiment and have seen a drawdown in the the Dorset Regiment were direct support provided by involved in. Thank you for The Rifles with an increasing acknowledging the sacrifice burden shouldered by the of our forebears. That day, I Association. found myself on the top of On your behalf I would a Swiss mountain with two like to thank John Gaye, Kev soldiers of the Bundeswehr Fitzgerald, Al Hincke, Mike (see photo). We remarked Amor and Colin Horn for all on how fortunate we were they do during the year and not to have been born 100 particularly for the Reunion. years earlier. Later in the Special thanks must also go year Viv and I visited the to Geoff Nicholls, Tony Cox Devonshire Regiment and Babs Holliman who cemetery at Mametz and the keep ‘RHQ’ running pretty Dorset Regiment memorial much as it always has. I at Authuille. As many of you would also like to mention who have visited these will Richie Liggins’s enormous know they are peaceful and contribution with the Old fitting tributes to those they Comrades’ Forum and annual commemorate. Jolly Boys’ gathering. Richie I hope you enjoyed the has now handed over the Reunion and the opportunity reins after many years’ work. to meet with old friends Thank you to him for all again. I know we didn’t he has done to promote get it all right, and your comradeship and record our Committee has taken steps to ensure that the Drumhead heritage. Service will be properly supported with a working PA 2017 will also see a major Regimental event with the system in future. We are fortunate to enjoy wide support dedication of our splendid memorial at the National Memorial and appreciation from the public as we march down the Arboretum at Alrewas on 17th September. The Sherborne High Street. It is important that we have sufficient numbers Abbey Regimental Chapel dedication drew 300 members and I marching in order to continue to do this so can I encourage anticipate that many more will attend the memorial ceremony. as many of you as possible to join the march, please. There Please read the event information included in this Newsletter will be an additional special informal ceremony at the form- and bid for your tickets early! Thank you to the many members up which I think you will enjoy; make sure you’re there to who have generously contributed to the fund-raising appeal; find out what it is… for those who haven’t, the appeal is still open - please do 2017 will mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of consider making a donation.