4 1 No. 15 AUGUST 1971 PRICE 6p Editor: Col. F. WALDEN, D.L., T. 6-A.V.R. Centre, Deansbrook Road, Edgware, Middlesex. ALBUHERA DAY Notes on visit to Hong Kong The following notes made by Col. A. S. J. de S. Clayton on his visit to Hong Kong as representative This year arrangements were made to hold the of the Queen’s Regiment at the presentation of a annual Service of Remembrance in the Regimental Guidon to the Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Memorial Chapel in St. Paul’s Cathedral on Satur­ Volunteers) will be of considerable interest to many day, May 15. of our readers. The service was very well attended indeed by Left Brize Norton by VC 10 at 10.00 hrs. on May 4. approximately 350 Old Comrades, their relations and Delayed at Singapore 24 hrs. on May 6 due to friends, and, by special permission of the Dean and hydraulic troubles. Arrived Hong Kong 18.30 (local Chapter, the sermon was preached by the Rev. P . L. time). Met by Honorary Colonel (Col. H. A. de Pearce Gould, OBE, m a , who gave us an excellent Barros Botelho, OBE, e d ) and my “ADC” (Capt. address. S. M. Churn, e d ) . The C.O. (Lt.-Col. A. T. P. Amongst the large congregation we were particu­ Millen) would have met me if I had arrived on May larly glad to welcome three of our In Pensioners from 5 but was holding a parade rehearsal on May 6. the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, namely C/Sgt. C. King, On May 7, I met the CO and we had a lengthy dis­ and In-Pensioners J. Green and F. W. Worton. cussion on matters of mutual interest. I lunched in At 11 a.m. on Albuhera Day itself a beautiful the Volunteer Officers Mess afterwards and was wreath in regimental colours was laid by our Associ­ delighted to see many familiar smiling faces. In the ation President, Col. A. S. J. de S. Clayton, at the evening I attended the dress rehearsal of the Guidon foot of the Memorial in Inglis Barracks. Afterwards, Parade and was amazed at the ambitious parade that up to about 50 Old Comrades and their relations was planned— in fact, it went off well. assembled quite unofficially at the Drill Hall at On May 8 a Hong Kong Royal Auxiliary Air .‘^fcidgware to celebrate the great day. Force helicopter was placed at my complete disposal and I made a most interesting and detailed tour for over i£ hours. The pilot kindly made two chukkas round (over forbidden territory) the Middlesex Regimental badge on the side of the hill overlooking San Wai Camp. I had a photographer on board and FORTHCOMING EVENTS he took two photographs— if they are failures, as they Date Event may be, due to an overcast sky, I have been assured Friday, October 1 z/yth Battalion (1939-45) Din­ of another sortie. The badge is kept up by the Royal ner at Victory (Services) Club, Hong Kong Regiment but unfortunately the annual Seymour Street, London W2. wash and brush up is not scheduled for a few more Friday, October 8 Autumn Golf Meeting at weeks and therefore it was not as clear-cut as I North Hants Golf Club, Fleet. would have liked for photographic purposes. ^aturday, Novem- Ceremony at the Field of {Editor's note.— Unfortunately the photographs were 'b e r 13 Remembrance, Westminster not clear enough for reproduction.) » A bb ey. My No. 3 uniform, tailored by Royal Hong Kong Sunday, November Remembrance Day Service at Regiment, was delivered some hours before the 14 Inglis Barracks, Mill Hill, parade and, to my amazement, fitted extremely well. followed by a Reunion at I was also loaned a sword. T & AVR Centre, Edgware. The Regiment was formed up in line— Nos. 1 1 and 4 Guards on foot with Nos. 2 and 3 dismounted the fold as a result of this luncheon. That evening I REGIMENTAL DERBY SWEEPSTAKE, 1971 We were also very pleased indeed to welcome in front of their Ferrets and Land-Rovers— in the attended an excellent Chow with Botelho, who The Derby sweepstake organised by the Regi­ L t.-C o l. John Bell, 13/ 18th Hussars, a form er Government Stadium under floodlights. The Old incidentally had put me up in his flat for my stay. mental Association in aid of the Charitable Fund was Commanding Officer of the Royal Hong Kong Colours were marched off in slow time with the flood­ Anthony Millen met his successor in the evening at again well supported this year. Regiment (The Volunteers), who was invited as a lights dimming until eventually they disappeared K ai T ak. The receipts from the sale of tickets and the dis­ into inky blackness to Auld Lang Syne— most regimental guest. On May 12 I had another session at RHQ Happy tribution of prize money were as follows: The detailed results of the various competitions, impressive. The Guidon was consecrated by the Valley with Anthony Millen and I was very pleased to R e c e i p t s a n d E x p e n d i t u r e each decided over 18 holes, were: R.C. Bishop in the presence of the Anglican Bishop meet his successor, John Chapman. I realised that and some five other clerics including the Buddhist £ Millen was extremely pushed, particularly since Received from sale of tickets and Singles Medal Comp.— Scratch and Handicap potentate in his saffron robes. It was then trooped Gross H ’cap N et Chapman had just arrived, and I persuaded him that donations and took up its position in front of a Ferret and two 167-54 Mr. C. D. Matthews (winner, there was no need for him to feel that he should see Less scratch and Transvaal Cup) 83 10 73 Land-Rovers in the centre of the parade. The £ Mr. R. H. K. Hardcastle (runner me off from Kai Tak that afternoon. Therefore I rinting and stationery 2 I5O parade then marched past in column with the Guidon up, scratch) 90 12 78 escorted to Kai Tak by “Bots” Botelho and Chai^^fe ostage 2 5 I Mr. A. G. Torrie (winner, handi­ party and Nos. 2 and 3 Guards in vehicles. The cap and Darjeeling cup) 92 14 78 Churn and seen safely into the VC10. The plane Registration fee timing was perfect and performance excellent. The 1-25 Lt.-Col. J. W. A. Stephenson 92 12 80 took off at 18 00 hrs., May 12 (local time) and 25-26 Mr. M. R. T. Walden 93 12 81 parade then marched past in line— an extraordina­ touched down at Brize Norton at 09-27 hrs., May 13 Major A. R. Bisset 93 II 82 rily difficult manoeuvre with men on foot and Lt.-Col. J. R. B. Worton 95 16 79 (BST) with stops at Gan and Cyprus. At the former Available for distribution £142-28 M r. H . J. C hillery 96 17 79 vehicles intermingled— yet it was a brilliant success. I was pleased to discover that scotch was only 4^p Lt.-Col. T. W. Chattey 96 14 82 Lt.-Col. C. N. Clayden 97 18 79 Having formed up again in line the whole parade per tot and this enabled me to get some hrs. D istribution Mr. H. A. Oxlev 98 14 84 advanced In Review Order— men on foot and vehicles sleep ! L t.-C o l. J. W . Bell together— and I do not understand how they all £ (runner-up handicap) IOI 23 78 Summing up, I feel that the visit was very worth Association Charitable Fund (50% Mrs. H. K. Hardcastle IOI 15 86 halted completely together which they did. The next Capt. R. J. Tarrant 104 24 80 while, that our alliance is as strong as ever, that 71-14 attempt to dice with fate was a “ Feu dejoie’ in which of net proceeds) Major W. G. A. Crumley 109 24 85 Royal Hong Kong Regiment will always look afte^^ mPrize money : Master Howard Clayden 115 36 79 Nos. 2 and 3 Guards, still mounted in vehicles, and fete any Queensman who may arrive in H on^^ C ol. I. R. Burrows 117 24 93 took part— again the timing was incredible. It was 1 st Prize (20% of net proceeds). 28-45 Major P. D. H. Marshall (Divot) 130 24 106 Kong, and that Royal Hong Kong Regiment are 2nd Prize (15 % „ ,, ,, ) . 21-34 Mr. T. F. Jones NR IO NR an extremely ambitious parade which went off anxious to do all they can to foster this alliance. In perfectly and, in the words of Commander British 3rd Prize (10% ,, ,, ,, ).. 142 3 Stableford Foursomes return, I feel we should do our utmost to entertain Other horses drawn (5% of net Points Forces later, “The CO of any Regular Regiment members of Royal Hong Kong Regiment when they Capt. R. J. Tarrant and Mr. R. H. K. Hardcastle proceeds— 19 at 3 4 P and 2 at (winners, Cooper Cup) would have been overjoyed if his Regiment are in UK and, whenever possible, arrange short 33P)‘ ............................................. Major A. R. Bisset and Mr. C. D. Matthews had achieved a similar precision”. There attachments to one of our Battalions. With this aim in (runners-up) 28 were some 5,000 spectators and I sat between Mrs. Lt. Col. J/W. A. Stephenson and Capt. R. D. Latham 26 view, I have invited Anthony Millen and his Regt.