December 2012 FINAL EDITION THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION BEDFORDSHIRE, CAMBRIDGESHIRE HERTFORDSHIRE & HUNTINGDONSHIRE

FOUR COUNTIES News Letter

1 George Taylor

A dignified boy stands at an unkempt grave with its barely-legible headstone and slowly removes his baseball cap in respect. Tears well up as he lowers his head and bends down to brush away rotting foliage from the plot on the damp, foggy afternoon. He is trying to read the stone but decades of exposure to wind, rain and sun have severely weathered it, erasing all but the sketchiest of details. Yet the lad is determined to discover as much as he can about the grave's occupant, even though he is a complete stranger. But then this is no ordinary 12-year-old boy and the grave in Kent is the final resting place of no ordinary man. In this small, rural cemetery for fallen British servicemen from both world wars lies hero Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Drummond Borton. Lt Col Borton, who also won the Distinguished Service Order and the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, died at 49 in 1933 having fought bravely in the Second Boer War and the First World War, despite having broken his neck in three places in a plane crash. The boy in blue jeans, trainers, white T-shirt and windcheater, is George Taylor who is determined people such as Arthur are never forgotten. George is the youngest person, ever to be recruited by The Victoria Cross Trust charity to track down the derelict graves of VC holders. His task is to record grave details, photograph them on his mobile or tablet and report back to the trust on what needs to be done to the plot. The trust then tries to find the heroes' relatives to persuade them to restore the graves to their original condition. George is with lorry driver dad David, 40, teaching assistant mum Cheryl, 39, and ten-year-old sister Katie on his trip to the graveyard in quiet Hunton. He said: "It's just so wrong and I don't like it. After all he went through to win the Victoria Cross, surely he must deserve better than this? It's just not right." Gary Stapleton, Victoria Cross Trust chairman said: "We appointed George as he is more passionate than most adults about what he sees as right and wrong. He has a burning desire to see the memory of our military heroes upheld in a fitting fashion." In 2009 George met the Queen at the opening of The Royal British Legion's new headquarters. She sent him a good luck card before he did a 40-mile sponsored walk for the Legion. That year he also joined 16 Air Assault Brigade's Corporal Jason Mcgoech throwing poppies into the Trafalgar Square fountains as part of the legion's Silence in the Square ceremony. Two years later George, who is now a Navy cadet, was one of 11 children chosen to place 11 wreaths at the fountains.

2 Barrington Branch

Our New Year Perty is on Saturday 26th January 2013 – Doors open at 5.30pm with a hot buffet to be served at 6.00pm. To be held at Barrington Village Hall, please contact Jim Burton on 01223 870 192 for tickets which are priced at £13.00 each [email protected]

Bring Me Sunshine

Meanwhile, thanks to Tony Hopwood of Barrington Branch for this photo of himself dancing with a rather famous comedian, in Morecambe

Do any other Legion Members have a photograph to share of themselves with someone famous?

Send them in to the County Office by email or hardcopy for scanning

Soham Branch

As the Branch members prepare for another year of fund raising in aid of the Poppy Appeal, the Town’s has been cleaned and brought back to its original condition. With the much appreciated support of the Town Council and two local people it has been made possible, the work was carried out by J K Memorials a local firm. The Town’s Remembrance Day Parade took place in front of the newly refurbished Memorial on Sunday 11th November at 2.30pm and was well attended.

Chatteris Branch

Chatteris branch held a well attended Remembrance Sunday parade, with bugler Jonathon Wylie from the Salvation Army sounding the Last Post. This year we were joined by a very special guest from the Royal Hospital, Chelsea

3 Swavesey Branch

Dedication of new Branch Standard 21st October 2012

Thanks to all who attended and supported the Branch to make this such a successful and memorable occasion.

See more photos at http://swaveseyrblphotoalbum.blogspot.co.uk/

Hertfordshire County

Hertfordshire County Youth Officer, Mrs Lesley Starr and Rickmansworth Branch Secretary Paul Harding presented the Lord Leiutenant's Certificate of Appreciation to the Rickmansworth & Watford Army Cadet Force at their unit, the Royal Masonic School, Chorleywood Road, Rickmansworth in recognition of their efforts in the 2011 Poppy Appeal.

Hitchin Branch

Photos of Denis presenting a cheque to the Branch's Poppy Appeal last July

Dave Gibbs Kimpton, HITCHIN

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Jimmy the Donkey

A donkey born in a First World War trench who saved countless soldiers' lives on the battlefield is being honoured for his bravery almost 100 years on.

Jimmy 'The Sergeant' was born in France after a shell wounded his pregnant mother as she went into labour during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Troops brought the donkey up amid falling shells and gunfire on the frontline and weaned him on tins of condensed milk

At the end of the war he was de-mobbed and in 1920 brought to Peterborough, where the CameronianScottish Rifles were briefly based before returning to Scotland.

But before the soldiers left, Jimmy was sold at a charity auction to a woman known only as Mrs Heath from Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.

Throughout the next 23 years Jimmy was used in a series of charity events raising thousands of pounds for the RSPCA, including donkey rides for children along the city's beach.

After his death, he was buried in Peterborough's Central Park in 1943 and a monument erected. The grave fell into disrepair but it was restored in 2003.

'Jimmy received the Dicken Medal and he was made an honorary sergeant with three stripes on his bridle.

'Jimmy was injured three times by shell debris but he recovered each time. He is a big part of the Cameronian history and we want to make sure that he is never forgotten.'

Croxley Green Branch and Women’s Section

Santa started his rounds early when he popped into Croxley Green Royal British Legion for the Women’s Section Christmas dance on 1st December. He distributed gold and silver coins – chocolate variety only - to the 65 dancers present and was ably assisted by his grown-up helper who held up mistletoe so that Santa could get his kiss from all the ladies! The gentleman of course chose to shake hands and the photo shows Andy Scotland, President of the Club committee, doing just that. The Women’s Section holds six fund raising dances throughout the year and the dates have been set for 2013, namely: 9th February; 13th April; 8th June; 10th August; 12th October; 7th December.

5 They also hold monthly coffee mornings on a Thursday morning from 10.30am to noon and the dates for 2013 are: 3rd January; 7th February; 7th March; 4th April; 9th May; 6th June; 4th July; 1st August; 5th September; 3rd October; 7th November; 5th December. Members of the public are welcome at both the dances and coffee mornings. Full details can be found on www.rblws.org.uk The MOD has launched a new Defence Discount Service, as part of the Armed Forces Covenant, in recognition of service in the Armed Forces.

The Defence Discount Service is open to members of the Armed Forces community including: Serving and Reserve personnel, Armed Forces veterans, spouses/partners of Service personnel and bereaved spouses/partners. It is also open to MOD civil servants, members of the cadet forces and NATO personnel serving in UK-based posts.

Many high profile companies are engaged with the Defence Discount Service such as; Vodafone, KFC, Vue Cinemas and a number of major supermarkets, clothing stores and technology companies. They are offering discounts on cars, lap-tops, supermarket shops, holidays and mobile phones. The list is growing and we anticipate many more companies will now come forward to add their support to those already committed to helping make life a little easier for our Armed Forces community and our MOD civilians too. www.defencediscountservice.co.uk

I am delighted to have been invited to be part of an amazing and poignant year long project Unsung Heroes, to collect, record and preserve the stories of the brave men and women who served in the Merchant Navy between 1939 – 1945. Unsung Heroes will involve over 600 people across the Eastern region in collecting these stories, culminating in a dedicated web site, a sound archive of veteran interviews and a large scale commemorative event in 2013.

The project will be run by the history and arts company Keystage in conjunction with the Merchant Navy Association and Anglia Ruskin University. Time is running out to preserve the precious memories of the MNA members who risked their lives on the dangerous convoys across the Atlantic in locations such as bomb alley. The ships provided London and the south east with the vital supplies for our war time survival.

The organisers need your help and participation to find, collect and research these stories. If you or your organisation have (or have had ) a wartime merchant seaman/woman in your family or circle of friends and would like to help us collect their stories for posterity, please get in touch. Together we can secure the future of this fascinating and much forgotten part of our country’s maritime history, for the next generation.

6 For further information please contact by email either: http://keystage-company.co.uk or [email protected] Telephone 01359233435 / 07538606411.

Thank you. Mary S Kirby, Pakenham, Suffolk WORLD WAR I CENTENARY TO BRING NATION TOGETHER, SAYS LEGION

The Royal British Legion welcomes Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement of support for World War I centenary observations, saying the anniversary “will bring the nation together as one in Remembrance.”

Chris Simpkins, the Legion’s Director General, said: “The tragic events of 1914-1918 have left a deep imprint on the fabric of the nation. As the Custodian of Remembrance, the Legion will ensure that the centenary will be observed across the UK – the costs of sacrifice and the lessons learned in this dreadful conflict must not be forgotten.”

Mr Simpkins said it was fitting that central government would provide support for national and international commemorations, while leaving it up to voluntary membership organisations such as The Royal British Legion to decide on local observances.

“The losses of World War I were felt in every town and village across the UK, as demonstrated by the monuments found in nearly every village green or churchyard,” he said. “It is right and proper that the centenary has a strong local flavour.”

The Royal British Legion has been working in partnership alongside organisations such as the and the Prime Minister’s special envoy for centenary observances, Dr Andrew Murrison MP.

“Founded in the aftermath of World War I, the Legion has faithfully kept Remembrance and reminded the nation of its collective debt to those who Serve, which the Legion expresses through its on-going support and campaigning on behalf of our Armed Forces family,” said Mr. Simpkins.

The Royal British Legion was founded in 1921 when ex-Service organisations arising from World War 1 joined together to provide relief and to campaign for jobs and housing. “Today, nearly a century later, the Legion continues to stand shoulder to shoulder with all who Serve,” added Mr Simpkins.

“The principles on which the Legion was founded remain as relevant today as they were in the aftermath of World War I – in fact, they are to be found in the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant which the Legion recently helped pass into law.”

As Custodian of Remembrance, the Legion raises public awareness of the sacrifice and service of the , facilitates Remembrance events to allow the nation to pay its respects and ensures people of all ages can learn of the debt we owe to those who have served and those still serving.

“Remembrance connects what has gone before with what lies ahead – if we learn by remembering, we can shape a better future,” said Mr Simpkins.

7 “We saw the UK come together in the unforgettable summer of 2012 through the joyous national celebrations of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games,” he added. “We believe that November 2014 will bring the nation together once again, perhaps to a more solemn purpose, but one no less unifying.”

Plant YOUR Town RED! 2014 Real Poppy Campaign

4 August 2014 - 100th anniversary of the start of WW1

During WW1, the total number of military and civilian casualties was over 37 million. There were over 16 million deaths and more than 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history

To honour this huge sacrifice, we would like to see the UK covered in real Flanders poppies during August 2014, just imagine thousands of bright red poppies growing alongside motorways, hundreds in every garden, hedgerows, fields, window boxes - the entire nation covered in poppies

Every penny raised will go to The Royal British Legion

To help ensure a national coverage, members of the RBL Riders Branch have agreed to assist in the casting of poppy seeds on your behalf if you are unable to do so yourself

You can choose to buy appr 1000, 5000 or 10000 seeds at a time, a flowering success rate of around 85% is estimated if correctly cast/planted. The seeds can be wild casted anywhere, they will usually grow untended and need no gardening skills. Full instructions are provided with every pack of seeds Pack of appr 1000 seeds £ 2.99 Pack of appr 5000 seeds £ 8.99 Pack of appr 10000 seeds £ 14.99 Payment by Paypal, credit/debit card and cheque is available. Simply go to http://realpoppy.co.uk/ to order your seeds.

QUIZ TIME: PLACES - ANSWERS ON PAGE 12

1. In which British city did pavements 6. Which London park flanks nearly the first appear? whole length of the Mall? 2. Blenheim Palace is in which English 7. Where in the Cotswolds is there a county? model village? 3. What is the most remote inhabited 8. Other than London where else in

8 British island? England is there a Nelson’s Column? 4. Old Sarum evolved in to which city? 9. In which English County is Leeds Castle? 5. Diss is in Norfolk, but where is Liss? 10. Exactly where in London is the Chelsea Flower Show held?

Motorbiking A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the engine of a Harley Davidson when he spotted a well-known heart surgeon in his shop.

The surgeon was there, waiting for the service manager to come and take a look at his bike

The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey, Doc, can I ask you a question?"

The surgeon a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take valves out, fix 'em, put 'em back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I get such a small salary and you get the really big bucks, when you and I are doing basically the same work?"

The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic - "Try doing it with the engine running."

Coming up at Chatteris Branch 14th January 2013 – Speaker – Deanna Potter from Age Concern – Working Men’s Club, Chatteris – 7.30pm 11th February 2012 – Quiz Night – Hosted by Ian & Sylvia Salter – Working Men’s Club, Chatteris – 7.30pm June (Date tbc) – Band Concert with the Alan Norris Big Band

Coming up at Swavesey Branch 19th January 2013 - Annual Dinner 2nd March 2013 - Quiz Night 18th May 2013 - Spring Dance 24th June 2013 - Mystery Trip 2nd November 2013 - Poppy Dance

Horsepower - Riders Branch - Meet & Greet

Riders Branch member Sue Merry held a Yuletide Meet and Greet at her home recently. A good turn out of Riders visited for coffee and homemade cake (and more cake), a good chat and some more cake.

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Sue has recently taken on the role of Cambridgeshire Rep for the Riders Branch and we look forward to hearing about and supporting their up and coming events

Pedalpower – Remembrance Ride

The Remembrance Ride is an exciting new UK based event over two days and between two of the nation's Remembrance icons.

Starting on Saturday 11 May from the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London and finishing at the Armed Forces Memorial at the the National Memorial Arboretum in on Sunday 12 May, the ride will focus both on providing a fun and challenging event combined with a particularly strong association with Remembrance. Ceremonies will be held at the Cenotaph, at the Armed Forces Memorial and in Banbury (our overnight stop).

This is a brand new cycle ride for the Legion and the idea is that the ride can be done as an entirely independent event, or be linked to Pedal to Paris to allow participants to take part in both. If you wish to simply do only this ride, we would be delighted to have you join us and would ask you to commit to raise £500.

If you want to link this ride to Pedal to Paris, we ask for a total sponsorship commitment for both rides of £1,000 (instead of the £800 we usually ask for P2P alone).

This is the perfect opportunity for people who have never ridden with us before to experience how great a Legion ride can be! For those undertaking P2P for the first time, it's a great training ride, and for established P2P peddlers wishing to do something different, this could be just the thing.

The Armed Forces Memorial commemorates all those who have fallen since the end of the Second World War and new names are added each year. Undoubtedly one of the highlights of the ride must be the moving sight of the central memorial as you arrive at the Arboretum - you won't forget this ride for a long time.

Please join us for The Remembrance Ride, and be part of something truly special

Further information - [email protected]

HERTFORDSHIRE POPPY LAUNCH

Natasha Robertson, Royal British Legion Community Fundraiser, launched the Hertfordshire Poppy Appeal at Panshanger Aerodrome. The Aerodrome is releasing biodegradable poppies from their planes, during Poppy

10 Fortnight, in remembrance of those who have lost their lives in past and present conflicts. Natasha Robertson armed with 50,000 biodegradable poppies was joined by the Jack Family who are one of the many families in Hertfordshire who have recived support from the Royal British Legion.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE POPPY LAUNCH

The Royal British Legion’s 2012 Poppy Appeal was launched in Huntingdon today by 13 year old Poppy Collector, Ann-Marie Norton from Hartford, Huntingdon who said ‘I want people to think about the soldiers abroad and their families and we need to make sure the Poppy Appeal can provide all the support that families need’

Ann-Marie, a St Peter’s School student comes from a military family herself and has been collecting for the Poppy Appeal in Huntingdon since she was nine years old. Both Ann-Marie’s parents were in the RAF with her father being in Intelligence and her mother a stewardess. She has raised over £1600 so far and says how much she loves collecting for the Poppy Appeal. She said ‘because I’m young lots of children and older people love giving to me and I often have small children bringing in their pocket money.’

ARMY STRUCTURE “The system is really quite simple.” You see, all people in the Army are soldiers, all privates are soldiers, but not all soldiers are privates. Some are officers who are commissioned, but some are officers who are not commissioned. Obviously if every private was called private it would be confusing, so some privates are called things like trooper, driver, gunner, craftsmen, sapper or signaller. Not all of the drivers actually drive because some of them cook, but we don’t call them cooks, for that matter, not all drivers are called drivers – some of them are privates or gunners. Gunners as I’m sure you know are the guys that fire guns, unless of course they are drivers or signallers in which case we call them gunners rather than drivers or signallers just to make it clearer. All gunners belong to the artillery, except that in the infantry we have gunners who are called privates because they fire a different sort of gun, for the same reason we call our drivers and signallers private as well. A Lance Corporal is called Corporal, unless he is a Lance Bombardier then we call him Bombardier to distinguish him from a full Bombardier, who is just like a Corporal. All other ranks are called by their rank for the sake of simplicity except that Staff Sergeants are called Staff, but they are not on the staff, some Warrant Officers, who are not officers, are called Sergeant Major although they are not Sergeants or Majors. Some Warrant Officers are called Mister which is the same thing that we call some officers but they are not Warrant Officers. A Lieutenant is also called Mister because they are subalterns, but we always write their rank as Lieutenant or Second Lieutenant, and second comes before first. When we talk about groups of soldiers there obviously has to be clear distinction. We call them Officers and Soldiers although we know that officers are soldiers too, sometimes we talk about officers and other ranks which is the same as calling them soldiers. I guess it is easiest when we talk about rank and file which is all the troops on parade except the officers and

11 some of the NCOs – and a few of the privates – and the term is used whether everyone is on parade or not. A large unit is called a battalion, unless it is a regiment but sometimes a regiment is much bigger than a battalion and then it has nothing to do with the other sort of regiment. Sub units are called companies unless they are squadrons or troops or batteries for that matter. That is not radio batteries and don’t confuse this type of troop with the type who are soldiers but not officers. Mostly the Army is divided into Corps as well as units, not the sort of Corps which is a couple of divisions but the sort which tells you straight away what trade each man performs, whether he is a tradesmen or not. The Infantry Corps has all the infantrymen for example and the Artillery Corps has all the gunners. Both these Corps also have signallers and drivers except those who are in the Signals or Transport Corps. Both these Corps provide a special service and that’s why the Transport Corps provides cooks. In fact the Signals Corps is not a service at all because it is an Arm. Arms do all the fighting, although Signals don’t have to fight too much, rather like the Engineers who are also an Arm but they don’t fight too much either.

So you see, it’s really quite simple.

Get a Website!

Simply contact the Webmaster through the RBL Website, http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/contact-us/contact-us-form/images,-logos-- website/webmaster/ and a basic site will be set up for you to add news, events and photographs.

Quiz Answers

1. Edinburgh 5. Hampshire 9. Kent

2. Oxfordshire 6. St James’s Park 10. The 3. Fair Isle 7. Bourton on the Water 4. Salisbury 8. Great Yarmouth

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For Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire

12 Send to: Sharron Clarke – Tel: 01480 478522 - [email protected]

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