Post free— A PAPER FOR Ireland & Abroad. 8'- per annum. 30C T H E BU FFS 4'- 6 months. 2'- 3 months. Write:—Editor, Depot, The Buffs, Canterbury jfirondegcit JlCCtefe Queen's IJlifCes of (gcma&a.. ‘^ e '£p'cmc<nt*>e*r ^ egtm eitf. 3t6 |$affaCtott (^ferritoa §nfcmfr*>) ^itsfra£tan 3$TtCitcm? ^oxce& ^ No. 401. April, 1933. Price Sixpence. Army Cross-Country Championship. 2nd BATTALION THE BUFFS. Winners of Shorncliffe Garrison, 1931, 1932, 1933. Winners of Eastern Command Championship, 1931, 1932, 1933. Winners of Kent County Championship, 1932, 1933. Winners of Army Championship, 1932, 1933. Winners of Blean Beagles Cup, 1932. Fourth South of Thames Championship, 1933. rPHE Army Cross-Country Championship of the Regiment. Before the race the General was held at Colchester on March 21st presented the senior member of the team with over a course of 7 miles 870 yards. This was a bunch of his famous heather and wished the practically the same course as used for the team good luck and success. The team were Eastern Command Championship in 1931 now ready to show the Colonel of the Regiment except that it was run in the opposite direction. what they were made of; they felt they dare This course is suitable for fast racing, only not lose on this occasion. a few slight slopes having to be covered, Others present included Lieut.-Colonel the although the going was heavy in some places. Hon. P. G. Scarlett, Mrs. Crookenden, Major Twelve teams and seventeen individuals Field, Major and Mrs. Allen, Major and Mrs. were entered, representing the best runners Morgan, Captain Howe, Captain and" Mrs. of the Army. Amongst those competing were Wale, Mr. and Mrs. Walters, Captains Sgt. Sutherland, ex-holder of Army Champion- Sandilands and Rose, Lieuts. Crozier, Haggard, slap, Scottish International, who finished Lynden-Bell, Parry, Foster, Kenward, Tuff, second in the International, third in the 2/Lieuts. Craddock, Scott and Lewis. R.S.M. English National and fourth in the Scottish Vaughan was also able to make the journey. National this y ear; Cpl. Wilson, the holder The start was made at 2.45 p.m. A dash of the Army Championship, Scottish Inter­ by car brought one to the first view-point. national, who finished second in the Scottish Here the field had covered about one and a National this year ; the whole of the Aldershot half miles. It was still very compact at this Command team that won the Southern Counties point, with Frankham in the lead and the Championship, competing as individuals or remainder of the team well-placed. members of a team ; Sgt. Cotterell, and many Our next view-point was at the four miles. other class runners. The teams represented Here the field was beginning to spread out. the winners and runners-up of the various L/Cpl. Frankham was running sixth and going Commands. well. Next came Alnwick in a very good It was an ideal day for the event and a position, followed by Cpl. Hurley with the very large gathering was present to witness remainder of the team just behind. All were it, amongst many others being the Colonel going well. The worst part of the course 108 THE DRAGON was now covered—one may say the race was battalion team. Long arrives at 27th; this won at this point. The Lincolns had just the was only his second appearance in the Army odd three men up, as did the Signals, Tanks Championship. What a future some of these and Beds, and Herts. The leading men of young runners must have if they will only The Staffs, were well-packed, but too far back stick to it. Sgt. Trinkwon at 33rd was not to be dangerous. Our next view-point was what I had expected, this was the only runner ;at six miles, which we just failed to reach in that did not perform up to form ; a better .time. Sgt. Sutherland was making a very effort will be required in the London to Brighton fast pace, being closely followed by Cpl. Wilson ; Relay. L/Cpl. Belson was 34th. At one time these two had already gone by. Sgt. Holmes he was better placed, only to fall back a little of The Lincolns was next, followed by Reeves over the last stage of the race. Watts hung of The Queen’s, who was putting up his best on to his 37th place. A week or so before the performance to date. This man has competed race he had suffered with a cold and sore throat, against us many times whilst stationed at so was not quite up to his best. Hayde Dover. Then came Cpl. Bloodworth of The finished 47th, our last scoring man. Cpl. Fox ' Lincolns. L/Cpl. Frankham was next at sixth was the first of the non-scorers at 62nd. In place, having put in a great effort. Alnwick 1932 Fox was 29th; brought into training was soon in sight, having done wonderfully rather late in the season, he nearly succeeded. well for a young runner in his first year. Then Wilson was 66th, a good position had he been came Cpl. Hurley and Inman, both going well. wanted; next year may do it. Our youngest Now we saw Divers, this time a Divers of a member of the team cracked up rather, few years ago ; indeed, it was a great effort although 114th was not bad. Skinner will do to get back to form on the right day. Burgess, well next season. Sgt. Bell and Long were running together Now for the result:— P(s- just in rear. Then came L/Cpl. Belson, Sgt. Winners : 2nd Bn. The Buffs (holders) ............. 288 2nd. 2nd Bn. The Lincolnshire Regt.................... 590 Trinkwon and Watts. After a few places 3rd. 3rd Div. Signals ... 592 came our twelfth man, Hayde. Our three 4th. 2nd Bn. North Staffordshire Regt. ... 649 spare men—Cpl. Fox, Wilson and Skinner— 5th. 2nd Bn. Royal Tank Corps...................... 751 were well placed. 6th. 2nd Bn. Beds, and Herts. ... 816 7th. 2nd Bn. Grenadier Guards........................ 1062 Yes, the Army Championship was to be 8th. 2nd Bn. Gloucestershire Regt. ... ... 1140 ours for another year, for they were so well- 9th. 1st Bn. York and Lancs..............................1193 placed at this point that it would have been 10th. 1st Bn. Grenadier G uards.........................1199 difficult for another team to displace them. 11th. 1st Bn. Durham Light Infantry .............. 1348 Now a dash to the finishing point, where 12th. 1st Bn. Ox. and Bucks. L.I. ... ... 1407 we arrive in time to meet L/Cpl. Frankham Team placings, 2nd Battalion The Buffs :— L/Cpl. Frankham ... 3 Pte. Long ... ... 27 with third team place, having finished sixth Pte. Alnwick ... 9 Sgt. Trinkwon ... 33 in the Army. His, and the battalion’s best Cpl. Hurley............. 11 L/Cpl. Belson ... 34 to date. Then Alnwick appears at ninth Pte. Inm an............. 14 Pte. Watts... ... 37 team place, having gained one place over Pte. Divers ... ... 22 Pte. Hayde... ... 47 Pte. Burgess... ... 25 — the last mile. I am glad to say he gained Sgt. Bell ............. 26 Total ... 288 his Army Badge. This was great running for a lad of nineteen in his first year. Spare men :—Cpl. Fox 62, Pte. Wilson 66, Pte. There must be a great future for him if he sticks Skinner (G.) 114. Positions occupied by 2nd Bn. Lincolns :—1, 2, it for a few years. The men he had raced 13, 18, 50, 51, 52, 63, 68, 74, 97, 101. home over the last mile included C.S.M. Positions occupied by 3rd Div. Signals :—5, 7, 24, Somervell, Sgt. Cotterell, L/Cpl. Ward, L/Cpl. 38, 42, 46, 56, 61, 64, 71, 73, 105. Elwin, Pte. Andrews and Cpl. Sheppard, all NOTICE. men who have vast experience and have made Congratulatory.—Messages of congratulation on their names at cross-country running. Then the result of the Army Cross-Country Running came Cpl. Hurley at eleventh, only two team Championship, 1933, have been received from the following :— places behind. A great effort. Inman now General Sir Webb Gilhnan, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., appears carrying disc number fourteen, rather D.S.O., G.O.C.-in-C. Eastern Command ;Major-General small in build, but all there. Divers had held Sir Arthur Lynden-Bell, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., Colonel out over the final stage and succeeded in of the Regiment; Commander, 4th Division ; Major- General J., C. B. Kennedy, C.M.G., D.S.O. ; Major- gaining 22nd team place—his best run this year. General W. P. H. Hill, C.M.G., D.S.O., Commanding -1 ask you, can such a runner be allowed to 11th Infantry Brigade ; Lieut.-Colonel B. S. Collard * leave the team for another year ? Burgess and all ranks, 4th Battalion The Buffs ; Depot The at 25th again showed his value to the team. Buffs ; 3rd Divisional Signals ; 2nd Battalion Lincoln­ shire Regiment; 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters; Burgess is one of the original team that started Major Reeves, late The Buffs ; J. Binks, Esq. (ex-Mile at Aldershot in 1927. Sgt. Bell follows him Record Holder), Honorary Organiser, London to in at 26th, another of his great efforts for the Brighton Relay Race. i n J C / V-IV u a o L i U U i M K . 1 1 JC/^VIVJL Back Row. Pte. Skinner, Pte. Skinner G., Pte. Hayde, Pte. Alnwick, L/Cp. Belson, Pte. Long. Ptc. Divers, Pte. Bell, L/Cp. Insole, Pte. Inman. F ro n t Row. Pte. Watts, Cpl.