The Northern Echo | Special Supplement Tuesday, March 7, 2016 DLI TRUSTEES DLI TRUSTEES 24 The Northern Echo TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017 TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017 The Northern Echo 25 Courage, Comrades, Community: The story of the DLI For more on the DLI, go to www.durham.gov.uk/dlicollection Courage, Comrades, Community: The story of the DLI INTRODUCTION GALLERY The war orphan Relics of the who joined up ‘faithful’ regiment The new DLI Gallery is full of remarkable stories. Chris Lloyd tells the tale of Jimmy Durham N 1885, the Durham Light Infantry was fight- ing in northern Africa against an army of na- tive warriors, known as Ithe Mahdists or Dervishes, when they found, floating on the River Nile, a baby who had become orphaned by the battle. So they adopted him, gave him a name – Jimmy Dur- WE WILL ham – and he grew up to mar- NOT ry a lass from Bishop Auck- ARTEFACTS OF FORGET: land and become possibly WAR: Historic In the DLI the first black soldier in the items from the Memorial British Army. His is an ex- DLI Collection. Garden at traordinary story, and there Clockwise from Durham are plenty more of those in left: the Lambton Cathedral the new exhibition, Courage, MILITARY Cap, which the Comrades, Community. FOUNDLING: first infantrymen ENS of thousands of people have discovered the story The Mahdists went into James Durham wore in the 1770s; of the Durham Light Infantry in the past year through the Battle of Ginnis, in Su- as a small boy a First World War T a programme of special exhibitions and events. dan, on December 30, wear- dressup like Sgt entrenching tool The Trustees of the Former Durham Light Infantry, ing their “jibbahs” – smocks AM Stuart, of and a silver bugle Durham County Council and Durham University continue covered with multi-coloured the DLI, behind to work tirelessly with a wide network of DLI Association patches which they believed him. Photo Images used with members and volunteers to develop a positive way to bring gave them immunity from from De Lisle, the kind permission the regiment’s incredible story to a greater audience. their enemies’ weapons. Un- Reminiscences of the Trustees of Our efforts in 2016 included moving the Collection to a new, fortunately, when confronted of Sport and War the Former Durham (1939). more suitable base in the DLI Research and Study Centre at by the 2nd DLI, the jibbahs’ Light Infantry Sevenhills, in Spennymoor, and launching the extensive magic didn’t work, and the The main image Durham Remembers programme. Madhists were put to flight, In the words of the DLI Trustees’ Colonel Anthony George, on the front cover dropping one of their jib- shows a 1960s those efforts have been “Herculean”. bahs, which is now in the DLI ROM Saturday, visitors to Dur- These include the magnificent Lahore What we have achieved is seen as leading the way at a time DLI parade on Collection. Palace Green, ham’s UNESCO World Heritage Trades Cup, uniform and medals, a won- of great uncertainty for many local and military museums, The following day, the DLI Durham City Site will be able to discover the derful engraved glass goblet dating from and it has been backed by both the Arts Council and the F officer, Lt Henry de Beauvoir history of the Durham Light Infantry the early 19th Century and a church Army Museums Ogilby Trust. de Lisle, found the last of the Picture courtesy of thanks to a new, free gallery. window that was handcrafted by DLI Yet, we cannot rest on our laurels and must strive to ensure warriors on a nuggar – a riv- Durham University Courage, Comrades, Community at soldiers serving overseas. that people continue to discover the extraordinary bravery, er boat – on the Nile, trying to PGL/02/17/040 Durham University’s Palace Green Li- The chairman of the DLI Trustees, service and sacrifice of County Durham’s men, women and head home to Berber, a Suda- brary will draw on the DLI Collection to James Ramsbotham, said the new gal- families. nese town 500 miles away. Lisle learned that the boy’s regiment was forged. of the sergeants who tended chart the distinguished role of the regi- lery would help ensure an “exciting fu- We now have a more sustainable approach to preserving De Lisle stormed the nug- name was Mustapha, that The infant had only a few to him, and he went on route ment in more than 200 years of conflict ture” for the collection. and providing access to this important part of our collective gar. The warriors fled over his father had been killed words – he would make a marches sitting astride the across the globe. “Though the regiment no longer ex- heritage, focusing resources on bringing the collection to the side, swimming to safety. in battle and his mother gun with his fingers, point pommel of Sgt AM Stuart’s DASHING SOLDIER: James Durham, of the DLI, photographed in Cork shortly before he died of Cllr Neil Foster, Durham County Coun- ists, having become the Light Infantry people in new, more engaging ways. They left behind one soldier had just fled. The baby then at someone and shout “bonsy saddle. pneumonia Picture courtesy of Durham County Record Office D/DLI 7/194/9 cil’s cabinet member for economic re- in 1968 and then the Rifles in 2007, the In 2017, we will build on that strong foundation to bring the who was too injured to move, lifted his arms to the morto” – and the British sol- In the summer of 1886, the generation, arts and culture, said: “This DLI Collection is very highly respected story of the Durham soldier to more and more people. and a baby boy covered in Durham leader, who picked diers adopted him as their DLI was posted to India. De came well known in south new, free gallery allows us to bring the and means so much to so many people, The new, free exhibition at the DLI Collection Gallery – war paint. him up, and in that instant, pet. They called him James Lisle planned to leave the boy Durham through perform- story of the Durham soldier to the his- so we must ensure that the DLI story Courage, Comrades, Community – at Palace Green Library From the injured man, de the bond between baby and Francis Durham, after two in a mission school in Cairo, ing concerts with the DLI toric and tourist heart of our city, mak- continues to be told,” he said. will bring the regiment’s 259-year history to the heart of but this upset the sergeants, band and, on July 25, 1908, at ing it easily accessible to the hundreds “The regiment’s motto was ‘Faithful’ Durham’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, with some items on who offered to donate a day’s Newcastle Register Office, he of thousands of visitors we attract each and that was not just faithful in battle display for the first time. pay a month to keep him with married Jane Green, 23, the year. but to the people of the county. From there, visitors can also take in the DLI chapel and them. daughter of a Bishop Auck- “It allows us to showcase some items “One hundred years ago I don’t think garden at the cathedral, visit the DLI memorial in the So Jimmy stayed with the land blacksmith. that have never been seen before, and – there would have been one house in the Market Place, or research the DLI archives, which remain – battalion, attending schools The marriage coincided through interactive elements – allows county that was not involved with the as they have done since 1998 – in the care of Durham County as he travelled, and learning with the 2nd DLI being post- the voices of former servicemen to be DLI in one way or another, but while Record Office. a musical instrument – prob- ed to Ireland, where the cold, heard. looking back to the bravery and sacri- The DLI Research and Study Centre will support wider ably the clarinet, but possi- wet weather didn’t agree “Hopefully, it will be a starting point for fices of the past, we must ensure, like education sessions with items from the collection taken out bly the bugle. with Jimmy and on August more and more people to find out about the regiment itself, that we are forward into the community to thousands of schoolchildren and In 1899, it was decided that 8, 1910, he died of pneumonia the service and sacrifice of our county’s looking. local groups. he was old enough – no one in Fermoy Military Hospi- men, women and families, through the “That is what Courage, Comrades, And the Collection will also continue to support major knew his age, but it was tal, Cork. Three weeks later, new DLI Research and Study Centre at Community is part of – a refreshing and attractions like Locomotion – The National Railway guessed that he was 14 – to in May Street, Bishop Auck- Sevenhills, the DLI Archives at Durham reinvigorating of the way we tell the DLI Museum at Shildon, where objects are being loaned to show join up as a boy bandsman. land, Jane gave birth to his County Record Office, the DLI medals or story for future generations, ensuring how intrinsic and intertwined the regiment was in every The papers had to go to only child, a daughter, Franc- by visiting the DLI chapel and garden at that our proud history is celebrated in aspect of county life. Queen Victoria for royal ap- es, who remained in the town Durham Cathedral or the DLI statue in the manner it so richly deserves.” We remain very aware of the importance of the DLI to the REGIMENTAL PET: proval, and on May 23, he was until she died, unmarried, in James Durham the Market Place.” history and the people of the county and beyond, and we are enlisted as Territorial Num- 1998.