TheThe DevonshireDevonshire andand DorsetDorset RegimentalRegimental AssociationAssociation THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No 12 - 2018 ASSOCIATION REGIMENTAL AND DORSET THE DEVONSHIRE THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER No 12 - 2018 ASSOCIATION REGIMENTAL AND DORSET THE DEVONSHIRE 11th, 39th and 54th of Foot TheThe NewsletterNewsletter No 12 2018 THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2018 Contents Locations 2 The Regimental Charities 36 The Regimental Association 2 Regimental Reunion 38 Regimental Association Reunion 2019 2 Events Chairman’s Message 3 Bois des Buttes Centenary 44 President’s Message 4 Pte Sidney Humphris Centenary 50 Association Calendar 5 Locquignol Liberation Centenary 52 Appointments 7 Minden Dorsets Band Concert 54 Editorial 8 LCpl Onions VC Memorial Plaque 54 Supporting the Regimental Association 8 Weymouth Remembrance Parade 55 The Association Website 10 Weymouth Veterans Weekend 56 Information on Branches 11 Photographic Memories 58 Focal Point Leaders 12 Historical Articles President's Awards 13 A Tale of Two Victoria Crosses 63 Notices 14 Wimbledon Parish Church Memorials 64 Postbag 16 The Battle of Plassey 66 The Keep Military Museum 19 11th Foot Military Aid, Cornwall 1873 70 Branch Reports Fovant Badges 71 Band 22 An Extraordinary Man 72 Bridport 23 Malta GC 74 Exeter 23 Sarah Sands - a Little Known Fact 76 Gillingham 26 The Other William Shakespear 77 Honiton 28 Welfare Report 78 The Officers' Club 28 News from The Rifles 84 D and D Old Comrades Forum 29 Bankers order form The Bugle 88 Plymouth 31 Last Post 89 Poole 33 Obituaries 91 Purbeck 34 Support Your Newsletter 95 Semper Fidelis Dinner Club 34 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 Devon + Dorset 2018 (2).indd 1 22/01/2019 14:15 2 THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER Locations The Rifles Exeter Office The Military Museum of Devon and Dorset Mrs Babs Holliman (The Keep Museum) Building 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter EX2 6AR. Curator: Mr Chris Copson Tel: (01392) 492435 Mil: 94348 2435 Deputy Curator: Miss Laura Gardner E-mail: infhq-rifl[email protected] Archivist: Mr Luke Dady Custodian: Mr John Murphy The Devonshire and Dorset Barrack Road, Dorchester DT1 1RN. Tel: (01305) 264066 Regimental Charity E-mail: [email protected] Lt Col (Retd) Geoff Nicholls Website: www.keepmilitarymuseum.org Building 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter EX2 6AR. Tel: (01392) 492436 Mil: 94348 2436 E-mail: [email protected] Museum Display The North Devon and Barnstaple Museum The Square, Barnstaple EX32 8LN. The Regimental Association of Tel: (01271) 346747 The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment Fax: (01271) 346407 WO1 Tony Cox BEM E-mail: [email protected] Building 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: 2. To alert The Rifles, which now manages welfare funds on behalf of its antecedent regiments, to any welfare needs of 1. To promote the efficiency of the Army by maintaining: past members of The Regiment and their dependants who are in conditions of need, hardship or distress. a. Contact between past and present members of The Regiment, fostering mutual friendship between them 3. To encourage recruiting into The Rifles. and providing suitable social gatherings. Further to the objects listed above, the Regimental Association b. The espirit de corps and comradeship that members Charity has power to take all necessary action for publicising found whist serving. and disseminating information concerning the histories, deeds and traditions of The Regiment and the former Regiments. c. The traditions of The Regiment and to publicise and Note: “The Regiment” as mentioned above includes all disseminate information concerning the history, deeds earlier regiments, such as the Devonshire Regiment and the and customs of The Regiment. Dorset Regiment which amalgamated to create the Devon and Dorsets, as well as any successor regiment or unit, for example The Rifles. The Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association Reunion 2019 Saturday 11 May 2019 - Exeter Once again you are warmly invited to come and join the Timings Regimental Family on this special day. Please note that * 1015 hours: Annual General Meeting (AGM) - to we will repeat the earlier timings this year to increase the ensure that members can influence the management of time available for socialising. the Association. * March through the centre of Exeter - led by The Devon * 1130 hours: A parade through Exeter - to show the ACF Band and our Branch Standards. West Country that we are still going strong (form up by * Honour our Regiments and fallen comrades in the Service 1115 hours). and Act of Remembrance * 1150 hours: Inspection, Drumhead Service, Presentation * Enjoy a Reunion Buffet Lunch and Social. Meet old of President’s Awards (all completed in front of the acquaintances; catch up with your friends Cathedral). Outline timings are as follows and full details are in the * 1230 hours to 1700 hours: A buffet lunch and reunion letter you will find enclosed with this Newsletter. Please in the Corn Exchange. send us your return. * 1900 hours: An evening get-together in the Rougemont Whether you have been to a Regimental Reunion before Hotel in Queen Street (opposite Central Station) organised or not, this is the time to come home. by our Exeter Branch - to continue the movement (closes You will be warmly welcomed. at midnight). Full details are in the enclosed letter. We all very much hope to see you there. Devon + Dorset 2018 (2).indd 2 22/01/2019 14:15 THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3 Chairman’s Message I write these notes from New Zealand where was suggested that thereafter there should be an Viv and I are enjoying a long-awaited extended annual pilgrimage. Thanks to the efforts of Steve holiday visiting family and friends and touring Keane and Smudge Less, on 5th November a the country. As we have travelled around, I have coach party from Exeter, augmented by many been surprised and humbled by the number of others who had travelled independently from far war memorials we have come across in the and wide, gathered at the NMA. The focus this most remote communities, each with recently year was the Ulster Ash Grove to commemorate laid wreaths. Remembrance has dominated the death of LCpl Stephen Taverner who died 2018 here just as it has in the UK, particularly of injuries 35 years previously following an Association activity. explosion in Crossmaglen. The Battalion was Our Reunion in May was another outstanding at that time based in Ballykinler and the patrol success with a good number marching supported was supporting 1st Battalion The Grenadier by bands. The weather was kind and the Guards. Stephen’s sister and other members of Drumhead Service on Cathedral Green was the patrol were present at the commemoration a moving event. On your behalf I would like as well as two representatives of the Grenadier to thank the Rifles and Devon Army Cadet Guards who had been present on the day of the Force bands for providing marching music incident. After visiting the Ulster Ash Grove, and Reverend Canon Eric Woods for leading many moved on to the Regimental Memorial to the Drumhead service and battling with the Cathedral bells pay their respects. Whilst there, an NMA volunteer made celebrating the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan! the unsolicited comment that ours ‘was the nicest memorial We continue to be welcomed by the people of Exeter and at the NMA’. I agree. the service on Cathedral Green provides a moment for us That same week I had the privilege of joining members to remember previous generations and comrades recently at the Westminster Abbey Field of Remembrance on 8th passed away. November with Prince Harry as the Royal representative. A week later saw two tour groups heading for France to Jeremy Lillies and the London Branch have done sterling visit battlefield sites and to mark the centenary of the action service over many years to represent us at this event. I very by 2 DEVONS at Bois des Buttes on 27 May 1918. Both much hope that others will now come forward to continue tours were highly successful and the commemoration event this, which is a great occasion to represent the Regiment and was a fitting tribute. We were joined by contingents from 5 meet many old friends. Gibraltar Battery Royal Artillery and The Rifles as well as, it Three days later on 11th November many of you will have seemed, the entire population of the village. Our thanks go to been involved in Remembrance Day services and parades the organisers of the two tour groups Steve Keane and Geoff across the country. In Exeter, our President laid a wreath at Nicholls – the latter who was also responsible for organising the city ceremony in Northernhay Gardens and afterwards the ceremony, to Brian Duff for arranging the commemorative made a presentation to the Lord Mayor in the Guildhall. presentation and above all to our President General Sandy This presentation was identical to the one which Brian Storrie for his captivating and moving speech; the words ‘It Duff had arranged for the Mayor of La Ville aux Bois les was a long way from the fields and meadows of Devon’ will Pontavert following the commemoration of the battle of be long remembered.