THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2017 Contents Locations 2 Plymouth 23 The Regimental Association 2 Poole 23 Regimental Association Reunion 2018 2 Purbeck 24 Chairman’s Message 3 Semper Fidelis Dinner Club 24 President’s Message 3 Weymouth 25 Association Calendar 4 The Regimental Charities 26 Appointments 6 Regimental Reunion 26 Editorial 7 Supporting the Regimental Association 7 Events The Association Website 8 Field of Remembrance 30 Information on Branches 9 Junior Soldiers Reunion at Wyvern Barracks 31 Focal Point Leaders 10 The Regimental Memorial at the President's Awards 11 National Memorial Arboretum 32 Notices 12 Legion d'Honneur Awards 44 Postbag 12 Tirah Memorial Service - Dorchester 44 The Keep Military Museum 14 Plassey Day Celebrations 46 Branch Reports An Unknown Dorset Regiment Soldier 46 Band 15 New Memorial Unveiled at Wagon Hill 47 Bath 16 Bridport 16 Welfare Report 48 Exeter 16 News from The Rifles 51 Exmouth 17 Bankers order form The Bugle 56 Gillingham 18 Last Post 57 The Officers' Club 19 Obituaries 58 D and D Old Comrades Forum 21 Memorial Donors 66 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 Devonshire and Dorset Regimental The Military Museum of Devon and Dorset Charity (The Keep Museum) Lt Col (Retd) Geoff Nicholls Curator: Mr Chris Copson Building 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. Deputy Curator: Miss Alexia Sully Tel: (01392) 492436 Mil: 94348 2436 Custodian: Mr John Murphy E-mail: [email protected] Barrack Road, Dorchester, DT1 1RN. Tel: (01305) 264066 The Regimental Association of The E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.keepmilitarymuseum.org Devonshire and Dorset Regiment WO1 Tony Cox BEM Building 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. Museum Display Tel: (01392) 492436 Mil: 94348 2436 The North Devon and Barnstaple Museum E-mail: [email protected] The Square, Barnstaple, EX32 8LN. Tel: (01271) 346747 Fax: (01271) 346407 The Rifles Exeter Office E-mail: [email protected] Mrs Babs Holliman Website: www.northdevon.gov.uk Building 11, Wyvern Barracks, Exeter, EX2 6AR. Tel: (01392) 492435 Mil: 94348 2435 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 2018 Saturday 19 May - Exeter Once again you are warmly invited to come and join the Timings Regimental Family on this special day. Please note that * 1030 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. * 1930 hours: An evening get-together in the Exeter White Whether you have been to a Regimental Reunion before Ensign Club organised by our Exeter Branch - to continue or not, this is the time to come home. the movement. You will be warmly welcomed. Full details are in the enclosed letter. We all very much hope to see you there. THE DEVONSHIRE AND DORSET REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 3 Chairman’s Message I think it is fair to say that 2017 has been tickets for the Dedication and the pride in a landmark year for our Association. Ten and appreciation of the Memorial itself years after the formation of our successors which epitomised our Regimental ethos: The Rifles, our Association is stronger and understated excellence. more active than ever. Our Reunion in Exeter Looking to the future, 2018 will mark the in May was excellent with a well-supported 100th anniversary of the ending of World parade, a working PA system (!) and some War I. As part of that we will remember much-enjoyed music from our Regimental the bravery, discipline and sacrifice, of our Band. In September many of us gathered forebears in 2nd Devons in their gallant at the National Memorial Arboretum in action at Bois des Buttes for which we had Staffordshire for the Dedication of our the honour to wear the Croix de Guerre Regimental Memorial. And alongside this medal ribbon on our dress uniforms (as The there have been many other events including Rifles do now). the Field of Remembrance gathering at I am very pleased that two Devon and Westminster Abbey, the H Jones walk on Dorset battlefield tour groups, Steve Keane’s Dartmoor and the Jolly Boys gathering in and RHQ’s, and a significant contingent from Exeter, all of which have been well supported. The Rifles will be in La Ville-aux-Bois-lès- None of this happens by accident; it requires dedicated Pontavert on 27th May 2018 for the commemoration and I individuals and groups to take on tasks selflessly and hope as many Association members as possible will attend enthusiastically for our collective benefit. Among many the event. others I should particularly like to thank Brigadier Richard Other plans for 2018 include the first of a hopefully Toomey for acting as our Association President for five years annual pilgrimage to our Regimental Memorial at the NMA and who now moves on to be Chairman of the Museum led by the Exeter Branch, a celebration of the history of Trustees; we welcome Lieutenant General Sandy Storrie as Wyvern Barracks organised by 6 RIFLES and changes to his successor. We owe a great deal to Major General Bryan the management structure of our Regimental funds and the Dutton who as Chairman of Trustees has assiduously and allocation of responsibilities. effectively delivered the Regimental Memorial project in Our Association has been, and continues to be, founded on response to the Association’s request. In this he has been camaraderie, communication, commemoration and charity. supported by all Trustees, but particularly Brigadier Simon The demand for these and the way they are delivered evolves Young who masterminded the artistic creation, Lieutenant as time passes and technology progresses. The past 10 years Colonel Mike Richardson and his fund-raising team, and has seen demand increase and delivery broaden; we are a Lieutenant Colonel Geoff Nicholls whose work, both on that successful and evolving organisation that is as much about project and in almost everything else that that happens, has the future as it is about the past. Many of you are already been fundamental to their successful outcome. involved in that success story, thank you for what you do. To The outstanding success of the Memorial project was evident others who want to do more - please get involved and let’s in the generosity of Association members, the demand for keep this success rolling on. Message from the President of the Regimental Association I am honoured to be asked to serve as The three life-size bronze figures - which President of the Regimental Association. I each draw on an element of our origins think it’s the third time I have taken over from and operational history - are a fitting and Richard Toomey, but the first when I haven’t stylish memorial to the Regiment in which also inherited a bottom drawer full of maps, we all served. Turning vision into reality pasty crumbs and buckshee kit. Nonetheless has involved a huge amount of work, led by it’s clear that the Association is in good shape.