June 1984

THE RECCE PLATOON 47

by Lt M P Taylor HICf OF THf IJ/llt:.ADI1./l
10 ~y HOW 'Nut ft)(lt)
The Recce Platoon was officially born on 1 March
1984 with its first Assessment W eekend planned for 00/llf'ltlTUHf.THHINOKO.IL? DDNT
3-4 March. I was given the task of forming and
comma nding it with Sgt Jack Bright as my 21C. YOU DID 5AY S. A. W. So.
WAS A tOW· POWUl LAUR
On paper, the Platoon was to consist of six sections DIDNT '(OU
of four (including the Commander and 21C groups) C.OLO\JRS ?
eac h equipped with :Y. ton FFRs donning a variety of
sig nals kit and a pintle mounted GPMG . So far we've - PED<O-
managed to obtain the pintle mounts ; now would
someone like to issue us with our Rovers ?

" The purpose of the assessment weekend was to
find out which applicants would have the right
aptitude for our kind of work. Personnel were drawn
from the Battalion and advertisements for ex Regu lars
and TA placed in the local press.

The weekend comprised a series of tests, both
mental and physical with an orienteering phase lasting
some nine hours covering about 16 miles. 'Orienteer-
ing' is probably 'lhe wrong word, since applicants had
to carry out a detailed recce of a Platoon position and
avoid ca pture.

On the Sunday morning a 10 mile up-hill down-dale
route march took place with a two hour deadline ; this
was followed by the cine range and observation test
on their recent trek.

Only 15 were accepted although subsequent sifting
has lowered this to 12. ' Best Student' on the course
was LCpl Brooker of 220 Field Ambulance (he
originated from this Battalion). We also eo-opted an
ex-AAC soldier, one from REME and a Royal Fusilier.

Successful students are now spending three
months with us pending their selection or RTU .

We really need to be 20 strong by September if we
are to work well in Germany for this year's camp so are
there any regulars about to be ' released ' who would
like to join us ?

Our first training exercise was held at Long moor in
March - Ex 'Window Watch', a sta ndard recce exe r-
cise, which taught us many lesons at all levels of com-
mand . We were greatly helped by our PSI Sgt Maj
Rickerby, who has served in a Recce Platoon for many
yea rs .

The disadvantages of stripped down Rovers came
to light that weekend , particularly in the sudd en sleet
and snow storm we encountered on the way to
Long moor.

Although the Platoon is split between Tonbridge
and Canterbury, it meets each Thursday and trains
one weekend in three . In addition, a driving course
ha'S to be attended by all members at Woolwich ; it
takes place over a weekend and is run once a month so
members of the Platoon are ab le to fit one of the
courses in without disrupting Platoon training .

I hope to report in our next article, that we are up to
strength and have all our kit. Any tips from other
Recce Platoons wil l be gratefu lly received!

48 section have also departed, the latter to take up a
professional appointment with Mecca. Roy Porter
BAND OF THE QUEEN'S REGIMENT (TAl (solo cornet) has also called it a day; he once served
with the Devons under the baton of WO Keith
In the past year, the Band has perform 37 engage- Boulding (now Lt Col , Director of Music HAC) . Our
ments - from marching displays to mess best wishes to them all .
programmes.
Whilst it is sad to see friends depart, it is nice to
Our annual camp was based at St Martin's Plain, welcome new colleagues: it is our pleasure to extend a
Folkestone, so that we could provide 'forte' for the very warm welcome to Sgt Major Tony Wilson and
Dover Tattoo. On the first morning, we paraded with Sgt Tim Holman from 2 QUEENS and to Sgt Colin
the Royal Hampshire and Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Witten from the 3rd Bn.
Regiment Bands, each of which numbered only 20
musicians. The regulars were somewhat surprised RECRUIT SELECTION (OR FUN AND GAMES
when our Band marched on the square headed by four
trombones , four basses and two euphoniums - a BY THE SEASIDE)
Band of 33 musicians plus a Corps of Drums. Four
days of rehearsals gave us a hard time, but we all by Capt C Leonard
enjoyed the experience.
The sight of 18 men dressed in NBC suits pounding
All engagements and rehearsals last year were along Hastings Prom in the rain, neatly squadded, at 6
working towards one single purpose- to impress the am on a Sunday morning must be very perplexing for
Inspectorate at our Kneller Hall Inspection which took the few insomniac locals that are up and about. A
place on Thursday , 6 October. We paraded at 18.30 drunk, tr¥ing to sleep in a seaport shelter is disturbed
and by the time the Inspecting Officer had passed and kicks an empty cider bottle across the prom in
through the ranks it was 19.05, the Beating of Retreat protest. With numbers painted back and front on their
sequence being performed in virtual darkness. Noddy suits they look like the HMP Nortkey cross
country team out training .
Changing to the concert platform, we were asked
to play our own selected piece - 'Tarn O'Shanter' by Once the pier is reached the squad turns back and
Learmont Drysdale, which seemed to please the the pace is upped ; it starts to spread out and the last
Director, Lt Col Dun can Beat. (We were later to learn mile and a half becomes a free for all . Those that don' t
that he had chosen the same title when faced with his make it back to the TA Centre in the accepted time will
first KH Inspection as a Bandmaster!). Scales were fail the course ; border-line cases will be put on 'fitness
accomplished without any hiccups and transpositions probation' . as long as they have performed well on the
met with approval. For sight-reading we were asked rest of the course .
to play ' Ballet for Young Americans' by Ralf Herman .
This is just part of the Recruit Selection Course
We were subsequently delighted to learn that our (RSCI being run on a regular basis by C Coy. Contin-
performance had secured an 'Excellent' grade, which uity is maintained by the Recruit Selection Team, a
is the equivalent to ' outstanding' awarded at the two group of TA SNCOs commanded by the coy Try Offr
previous Kneller Hall Inspections. This latest success who runs all the courses . The aim is to assess a
is a tribute to the Bandmaster, Mr ET F Clark, and his recruit's potential as an Infantry Soldier and to weed
splendid Band. out those who are unlikely to maintain the required
commitment.
The Bandmaster recently took a party to Northern
Ireland, to be presented with a set of fanfare Potential recruits are invited to attend the courses
trumpets; these instruments became available which are held three times a year after recruiting cam-
following the disbandment of the 2nd Bn Band . paigns . The pass rate is fairly high on the whole - a
Whilst we are genuinely sorry that action like this has reflection of the standard of the applicant rather than
become necessary, it is gratifying that the instruments of low acceptance levels! The RSC begins with a
have returned to the band based in the county of the Psychometric Test and the impetus is maintained with
towns which originally presented them . periods of drill , wpn trg , PE and lectures on the role
and commitment . The evening activities include a
Bill Jenkins, our solo trombone (ex Welsh Guards) team competition , military videos , and a night stalk on
has been in hospital for a cataract operation! We wish the local area. On return to the TA Centre the bar is
him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing his opened and potential recruits mix with DS and relax
cheerful face in our ranks in the not too distant future . - a valuable time for both parties to sound each other
out.
Some three years ago, Denis Tilley joined us from 3
QUEENS . He had only been with us a short while Sunday morning's Promenade Run is followed by
when he suffered a blow to the face with a hockey breakfast and preparation for the final assessment
stick whilst playing in a match. This accident exercise. Once out on the local area the teams are put
prevented him playing his instrument for some through the course one at a time and individual per-
months, but we are pleased to say that he has almost forman ces are noted. Back in the TA Centre the wet
recovered now . lt is only right that he should be and muddy participants clean up while the DS corn-
complimented on his success as a Drum Major,
having been forced into the position at short notice .
We wish him well in his new career as a 'screw' in the
Prison Service.

Jim Wood and Graham Chapman from the horn

pare notes ; individual interviews with the Course 49
Officer follow. Those who pass are measured up and
documented while the unlucky ones are encouraged known throughout the Battalion) thrived on this
to try again : none of them by then will harbour any absurdity and was encouraged to adopt the wayout as
illusions about the commitment and standards its norm . This was perhaps epitomized by the RSM's
required in C Coy 5 QUEENS (V) . final parade at one annual camp when the nominated
dress was beret, shirt KF, boots and puttees. Need-
END OF AN 'E-RA' less to say this was exactly how the company was
dressed when it marched onto the parade square!
by Capt G E Gibson Individuality was however not at the expense of
performance and the company has held its own in
Tears were shed at Kohima Drill Hall , Tonbridge on military skills throughout its nine year out-of-step
31 March 1984as the curtain was brought down on an existence. Several characters grew from its ranks
unique anomaly within the Queen' s Regiment : the including self-bred company commanders Majs Tony
only Company to carry the title of 'E' came into line Haig and John Fowler and of course not forgetting its
and became D Coy 5th Bn The Queen's Regt. most famous man, the previous commanding officer
- Lt Col Richard Dixon .
From inception , 5 QUEENS (V) had five rifle
companies but in 1975 D Coy at Hornsey became part E Coy will be remembered (if only by us) fondly, and
of 6/7 QUEENS (V) leaving us with A , B, C and E officers and men will now have to adjust from being
Coys . ' Elephant Battery' (as the company came to be 'E-Iephanteers' to merely 'DeCoys'!

(see picture overleaf)

IN THE FAMILY

Maj S C Thorpe (Band President} congratulates his couson , ildsm Stutchbury on JOonong the Band of The
Oueen 's Regt ITA} . Bandmaster E T F Clark MBE seems to be happy to welcome his new horn player .

50

THE DEMISE OF E COY
The longest serving member (LCpl Ryan) and the newest (Pte Cotten , left) folding the flag for the last

time , when the Coy changed to D Coy . The ' Last. Post ' is played by Sgt Dawson under the eye of CSM Dye.

Whitbread.
Our reputation has been

brewing since 1742.

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51

The 6th/7th (Volunteer) Battalion

Editorial 2Lt Tony McNamara writes :

In the last few weeks the media have reported On 20 November 1983, along with 60 others, I
the Secretary of State's statement to the House marched off the square at Victory College, Sandhurst,
of Commons about the enhancement of the having successfully completed a commissioning
Territorial Army. For the Battalion this has course ; it was the final step in a process that had taken
ended months of rumour and uncertainty. We me in 18 months, from very raw recruit to Second
now know that B Coy at Edgware and Hornsey Lieutenant . lt all started at B Coy 617 QUEENS (V) drill
and the Camberwell platoon of D Coy will hall at Hornsey, North London in April 82 where I
become part of the new battalion to be formed in began three months basic recruit training as a rifleman
London with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. culminating in a two-week cadre at the Queen's Divi-
We will recruit a new company based upon sion Depot, Bassingbourn.
Brighton and the south coast and D Coy will
have a new platoon location at Kingston which Now I was ready to be considered for theSE District
is at present part of 5 QUEENS (V) . Potential Officers Course run by 6/7 QUEENS (V) .
The aim of the course was to train and prepare selec-
There will be another time when we will comment ted Officer Cadets for the District Selection Board and
about the departure from our midst of those many fine subsequently for the RMAS TA commissioning
London c haracters who have enriched this Battalion course. There were over 400 applicants for the course
by being in the platoons at Edgware, Hornsey and from both inside and outside the TA and with a course
Camberwell. In any case, before they go, we will cele- loading of 35, the selection was stringent. lt was
brate in April 1985 our tenth anniversary as a Bat- suggested that those with glass eyes, wooden legs, or
talion. In early April the Officers' M ess dined out Maj dubious private lives might be happier with and find
Gen R S N Mans and he reminded us all , in an more opportunities for rapid promotion with other
eloquent after-dinner speech, of the exciting chal- voluntary organisations. Somehow, along with 34
lenge that the TA expansion had given the Battalion . others, I found myself selected and began the course,
run with great elan by Maj Piers Storie-Pugh and
Officer Recruiting and Training based on C Coy in Crawley.

When compared with many TA battalions 6/7 Very quickly the numbers dropped away and one
QUEENS (V) is well off for officers but there are particularly cold and wet weekend on Hankley Com-
constant changes and recruitment of officers has mon in January weeded out those whose vocation
been a prime objective of the last few months. The was in doubt. By ca mp, of the original 35, there were
proposed TA expansion will require officers with a only 14 survivors of whom 11 were chosen for a three-
highly-developed sense of leadership . day selection board at Bordon in Hampshire. Once
again attrition took its toll and only nine of us
Our Battalion HQ at Horsham became the centre for presented ourselves at the gates of the RMAS in
a potential officers initial selection day on Saturday 7 November.
April; it was organised by us on behalf of the South
East TAVRA and eac h unit in the Association 's area Sandhurst was both physically and mentally
presented itself to the prospective officer recruits . exhausting but we all felt well prepared and , as a
testimony to the efficacy of our POs course, we all
Once a young man is accepted as a potential officer passed and were duly commissioned : of these, three
he joins a one year District potential officers course were EOD Sappers and the rema ining six from 6/7
and in the past these have been sponsored by our- QUEENS (V) .
selves and the 5th (V) Bn . Towards the end oft he year
he will present himself to a three-day TA Commissions THE BATIALION SHOOTING TEAM
Board (TACB) at Bordon , where he will be assessed in
a number of different situations including command by Lt John Day
tasks, lecturettes and se ries of interviews . If he passes
he then goes to Sandhurst for 15 days to complete his The team has had another very successful year ,
training . which started in M ay with a visit to Augustdorf, W est
Germany, as guests of our friends in 212 Panzer-
In the artic le below, 2Lt Tony McNamara describes grenadier battalion . The team competed in the 3rd
his training . lt is rum ou red that when asked by the IMSB Bielefeld competition and ac hieved third place
Battalion 21C where he would like to be in the TA in ten in the rifle competition with LCpl Hoffman attaining
years' time he replied , ' I would hope to be Battalion first pla ce in the individual event. These were very
21C by then .' As it took the present 21C nearly 19 years good results as the team had never fired German
to get there, this reply made him wish he had not weapons before and had only four rounds to zero
asked the question! them . They also competed for the German Bronze
Badge of Military Achievement: this consisted of a
5000m run , lOOm sprint, 300m swim , long jump, shot
putt, 20km march and pistol shooting, all to time

52 In February we went on exercise with 10 Para (V) to
Stanford and in March with 4 RTR on Salisbury
standards varying on age . The following qualified for Plain ;the latter was for Exercise Tartan Driver'. On
the award : 2Lt Fotheringham, CSgt Bicker, Sgt the Saturday, OPs were set up in areas providing
Smith , Cpls Springall and Gloss, LCpls Hoffman and excellent views west of Salisbury Plain . Patrols were
Bishop and myself. sent out on Saturday night forward of the Battalion
position to locate the tanks that were to have crossed
The next competition was SEDSAM where the the River Avon at nightfall . In the early hours of
team virtually swept the board winning the service Sunday morning the Battalion established a new
rifle, LMG , SMG and pistol competitions. LCpl
Hoffman again excelled winning the individual SMG defensive position.
and pistol, and gaining second place in the rifle
competition. LCpl Waiters won the young soldier At 0830 on Sunday morning 4 RTR attacked our
award . position. Alas , the radios (making positively their last
appearance before we are issued with clansman) then
At TASAM the team was placed sixth in the unit played a hand in foiling sec recy. OC D Coy sitting in
competition and second (on countback) in the SMG . his battle trench , A41 to hand , was in the regrettable
TA50 badges awarded to the top 50 scores on rifle position of being able to call Bn HQ without being able
were won by CSgt Bicker and Cpl Springall ; TA20 to communicate directly with him. However, he cou ld
badges awarded to the top 20 scorers on the SMG also hear ca llsign T9 on the enemy net at the same
were won by LCpl Hoffman and Cpl Brooks and this time; thus the time of the attack and the enemy's fire
writer. plan were passed to the Intelligence Section . The ten
felt it was 'not c ricket' to listen to other people's plans
The competition season had sti ll not ended ; in and promptly ignored the instruction!
September the team competed in The London
Middlesex Open Service Rifle Meeting winning four The tanks attacked in a spectacu lar assault on our
more trophies . Pte McMurray won the Elizabethan positions giving Capt Mike Rumsey and the Anti-tank
Bowl with a record score of 49 out of 50 ; CSgt Bicker
won the Kit-Kat Trophy and the team won the Presi-

1 Sgt J M Sajdler receiving the BurberryTrophy from Mr J J Cohen , Deputy Chairman of Burberrys, Maj PI Roberts

(centre). •
2 LCpl Kemp in the Belize jungle.

3 Cpl Diaper, Ptes Shranz, Gardiner and Knowles on a recruiting drive.

4 Lt J Day gives advice in the indoor range during an Open Day.

5 A detachment from A Coy marching through Guildford (the 75th TA Anniversary Parade).

dents and Stanley Pryke trophies . CSgt Bicker and PI of our 5th Bn as well as our own 84s the chance to
myself were also second and third in the Service Rifle kill tanks .
competition.
B Coy entered a team for the Courage Trophy in
On the following week, the team once again March - a competition open to all units in London .
returned to West Germany, this time for the 1st IMSB The team under the command of Lt Stefano Ostac-
Cologne Competition; this was open to both NATO chini included five members who had less than six
regular and reserve forces and a total of 60 teams months' service. The competition included an assau lt
competed from West Germany, Norway, Fran ce, course , first aid , NBC drills, night navigation ,
USA and BAOR . Our team achieved its best perform- shooting, MT cross country, vehicle fault finding and
ance yet in a foreign competition being placed second voice procedure. They gained a great deal of
in the G3 rifle competition and third in the ca rbine experience and are confident they can improve on
competition . their middle-of-the-field position next year. lt is
understood that Ptes Walsh , Cha lkley and Roberts
Other Activities revised their voice procedure and AFV recog nition on
the 4km march around Hankley Common!
One of our main concerns has been to start
recruiting again . A Coy has held two Open Days for LCpl Kemp and Pte Thompson spent two weeks
the public at Farnham TA Centre . Over the last yea r away from Crawley in Belize : perhaps it was to
this one company enlisted 36 recruits but at the same coun teract the CO's Belize stories! The highlight was
time , in common with the rest of the TA, about a third a four-day exe rcise in the jungle where a va riety of
of this number have left. skills were practised, i.e. patrolling, learning to
construct hides and hammocks to sleep off the
FIBUA training continued throughout the autumn . ground . We are told that digging-in took on a new
Ea ch company took it in turns to practise the ski lls of aspect : apa rt from being very rocky , every stone that
fighting in built-up areas . (The way the Camberwell was moved revealed a family of tarantula spiders!
platoon swiftly entered houses it looked as though
they had been involved before in house entry !) Pte (continued on page 54)
Schranz of A Coy , helped by Ptes Stone, White and
Clifford , developed a unique way of entry by using a
plank to lift himself onto the roof .



54 W02 D Cadywould , MBE outside Buckingham Palace
after receiving his award from HM The Queen .
Personalities Picture by 8 J Parker

Lt Col J R G Putnam TD handed over command to
Lt Col P J Hubert OBE on 26 January. We wish
Colonel Richard well in his new post as TA Colonel
East at HQ SEDIST and welcome Colonel Peter and
Carol-Ann; we also wish them a happy tour with us.

We congratulate W02 D Cadywould (CSM B Coy)
on being made a MBE in the New Year Honours List .

Sgt J M Sajdler of B Coy won the Burberry Trophy
which is awarded to the most outstanding volunteer
soldier in London each year . He is to be congratulated
not only on this achievement but on the devotion and
commitment he has shown to the TA which such an
award entails .

Pte C Lee must be one of the few private soldiers to
have been awarded the Territorial Efficiency medal:
he was presented with it in early December by Lt Col
Putnam at Hornsey . Lee joined the TA some 13 years
ago when he arrived from the West lndies; his service
has been loyal and anyone who has served with him
wi ll have a story to te ll about ' our Clem' .

Finally, W02 (OM SI) RH Webb has been working
wonders with cross-country and orienteering teams.
The A Coy team comprising W02 Webb , LC pl J A
Diaper and Pte S J Diaper won the SEDIST orienteer-
ing TA Championship at Aldershot on 17 March .

BY APPOINTMENT TO
HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DEPOT THE QUEEN'S DIVISION 55
RRF. W02 (RQMS) Bream was promoted and went
The Depot continues at capacity strength with to 5 UDR in June, his place being taken by W02
some 17 platoons and the Junior School of Music Bernier (ex-2nd Bn). Having been promoted, W01
under training. In the ten adult platoons we have 114 Rowney was sent in March (kicking and screaming by
who are badged QUEENS and in the seven Junior all accounts!) as RSM of The Bermuda Regt . His
platoons, 57 are destined for the Regiment. We await place in the training office has been taken by W02
the next batch of Juniors in July and September this lrving-James (formerly 2nd Bn). W02 'Arthur Daley'
year, but generally the future of Junior training at the Cooper (ex-2nd Bn) contin ues to have his fingers in
Depot is, as a result of the ' Groom Study', under most Depot pies, more noticeably the shoot, golf,
cycling, second hand cars and minding ones!
review.
Lt-Coll G Baillie Iright) hands over command to Lt Col
The winter season has seen the more traditional C N S Wellwood RRF, on 27 January 1984.
activities: ROMS Bream (formerly 1st Bn) has
occasionally graced the football pitch as part of the The PRI and Regimental Shop is still expanding
Depot team, which although has not had a good cup under the guidance of Capt ' it's a Bargain' Maloney at
run this year is doing well in the Eastern District a rate that will soon interest the Monopolies Commis-
sion . For those passing through the Depot and who
League. are unable to use the shop at RHO, your custom
would be welcomed. Officers and WOs who are either
The hockey team is cu rrently enjoying considerable leaving the Regiment or else have outgrown their
success in the Infantry Cup Competition, having SD / Mess Kit, and are looking to sell those articles, are
reached the UK final. The Band tends to dominate the invited to trade them through the PR I.
squad (don't they everywhere!) and are ably led by
W01 (BM) Davis, well supportd by the BSM, W02 Finally, it is with deep regret that we record the
Bruton, both formerly of the 3rd Bn. Lt Nelson and Cpl death in January of Mrs Maureen Broad, wife of W02
Clemence (formerly 1st and 2nd Bns respectively) are Broad (ex-1st Bn). W02 Broad wishes to express his
regular players and, together with W01 Davis, have thanks to all those at the Depot and RHO who helped
represented the Infantry . him through the difficult period and also to those
members of the 1st and 2nd Bns for their sympathy
The snows of the New Year provided much amuse- and support at the funeral.
ment for the Junior Companies in Scotland and head-
aches for the MTO. Whilst on the way to Kingussie for
their week's skiing tra ining, members of the Junior
School of Music were well imprisoned in the
Drumochter Pass for 36 hours, but, we are told,
managed to provide some excellent musical entertain-
ment for their fellow civi lian inmates! In addition to
the ski training undertaken by our own EL Wing in the
Spey Valley, Lt Nelson took a party of juniors on the
slightly more arduous Exercise ' Snow Cross Miner' at
Silberhutte which produced some very satisfying
results in the Langlauf races for the Depot.

Having progressed well through to the third round
of the Soldier Cup, the Depot squash team eventua lly
fell foul of an experienced Staff College, Camberley
team. Queensmen representing the Depot side were
Maj Russell and Cpl West (formerly 1st Bn).

The Depot Skill at Arms Meeting was held in mid -
March , D Coy winning all the major trophies . Sgt Hills
(ex-2nd Bn) produced a good score in the Henry
Whitehead Rifle Match to come second; he was
second also in the SMG Match .

Albuhera Day celebrations included a barbeque
lunch for all ranks , followed by a potted sports
afternoon and in the evening, the Officers, Warrant
Officers and SNCOs gathered for the Silent Toast and
a Dinner. Preparations are already well under way for
the Grand Reunion which is to be held on 15 July . We
are hoping to see as many old friends as possible for a
day that promises to be great fun . Looking ahead to
the autumn, the Past and Present Dinner will be held
in the WOs' and Sgts' Mess on 6 October .

Of the Regimental personalities at the Depot, Lt Col
Baillie left at the end of January to get his knees brown
in Nigeria and handed over as CO to Lt Col Wellwood

56 Bassingbourn at the end of January 1983, but when I
got my certificate from the Selection Centre it said
THE JUNIOR SCHOOL OF MUSIC that I could not join until the beginning of May. Just
before I was due to go, I got another letter saying that I
by W01 (BM) Davis would have to wait until June 27th!

One aspect of the Depot which rarely gets a men- Soon the big day came when I was to leave my
tion in our Journal is the Junior School of Music . lt is abode in Kent and make the journey to Bassingbourn :
the responsibility of the Bandmaster and Staff of the it was exactly one year and one month , from when I
Junior School of Music to train all the junior and adult first went up to the Careers Centre until the day I
Bandsmen for the nine regular bands of the Division walked through the gates.
(soon to be seven).
On arrival at Bassingbourn Barracks, I was amazed
At present on the staff there number four Queens- at the size of the place and the amount of people in
men - W01 (BM) T Davis (ex-Bandmaster of the 3rd training. I was soon sorted out, and I ended up in
Bn ), W02 C Bruton (ex-3rd Bn), Sgt C Hull (ex 3rd Balaclava PI, D Coy . We were then taken away and
Bn / Diehards) , Cpl G West (ex-1st Bn) and eight put in our sections. At first we didn't speak much to
Queensmen in training amongst a total of 20 Junior each other, but it was not long before we all became
Bandsmen. good friends . lt was a good experience to mix with
different people the same age as yourself , who were
Training covers every aspect of future employment, from various parts of the country with different
including medical training as a lead-up to their backgrounds .
eventual Medical Assistant Class Ill Course/ Exam.
The trainee Bandsmen come from all areas of the The first week of our training was mainly spent in
cou ntry (some from outside the Divisional recruiting showing us the very basics of Army life.
area). All are auditioned by the Bandmaster before
they are accepted into the Army. In the first six weeks we seemed to do a lot of PT
(about four or five lessons a week) and most of the
The Junior School of Music perform at most Depot time we didn 't look forward to it, but it was all for our
functions such as Mess Dinners, Passing Out Parades benefit. Some of the training has been hard - like the
and various public engagements; in addition, they endurance runs - but after a while you realise how
undergo Education, PT and Adventure Training in the much fitter you've got over the months.
same way as other Junior Soldier platoons. The main
difference between a Junior Soldier and a Junior The Exercises have been fun : the only thing which
Bandsman is that the latter will undergo two years sometimes lets them down is the weather, and sentry
training as opposed to one year: this is to achieve the stags!
standard required for a Junior Bandsman to take his
place in a Regimental Band . At the time of writing, our platoon is getting ready
for the Pass Out Parade (21 June) and our newly-
There is a constant demand for the Junior School of issued No 2 Dress uniform is being tailored to fit .
Music to put out a band for social functions , which is a
drain on tuition time: like every other department in About once a week we have Drill with our CSM ,
the Depot we seem constantly pressured with not practising for the big Parade . We are all looking
enough hours in the day, but somehow we survive! forward to it and going to our Battalions, but some of
My only failure to date is to get the Depot to accept us w111 be too young to go and w111 have to stay at the
Sussex by the Sea as the Depot March - but we're Depot until we are old enough.
working on it!
So far the Army life has been enjoyable and
THE WORMS-EYE-VIEW completely different to anything which I would have
done in civvy street.
by J / Pte Robbins (destined for 2 QUEENS)
I find that the more you put into a full-time job like
So far I have been in the Army a total of nine months the Army, the more satisfaction you get out of it at the
and have had many va ried experiences : some of them end of the day. Now I am looking forward to a good
have been pleasant and some not so! Army life is long ca reer in The Queen's Regiment .
completely different to what I had imagined.
STOP PRESS!
When I went to go to the Army Careers Centre , I
was told about how good it was and all the marvellous The Depot Hockey team beat Depot The
things that I would do while I was in training, but they Kings Div 2-0, in the Infantry (UK) final played at
never mentioned all the PT, inspections and square Aldershot on 11 April and are congratulated on
bashing, etc which we would have to do . becoming the Infantry (UK) champions. The
team then travelled to Minden to play 2 R
The first six weeks of basic training don' t seem so Anglian in the UK / BAOR final on 18 May and ,
bad now that I have settled down in the Army style of after an ex hilarating game were beaten 0-1 in
life ; at first, though , it seemed like hell . I stil l extra time .
remember, after I had got through Selection Centre,
that I decided to go out running in the mornings . lt
wa s the same every morning. I used to wake up early
and say ' not today - I' ll go tomorrow'. I was to go to

IJLB 57

BAGSHOT PARK face, and on a couple of occasions missed by footing
altogether. The ladder climb back up was even worse:
by JLdr Chaplin I had to feel for every rung and could not look up as we
were climbing straight up the waterfall. A couple of
I spent three days at Bagshot Park in November times the ladder twisted and I nearly came off (thank
1983. it is the RAChD Centre and is located near goodness for the safety rope!)
Camberley.
Once I reached the top I felt very pleased it was
The grounds surrounding the building itself were in over. All we had to do now was climb back up 'pe rse-
immaculate condition, and far bigger than I expected. verence pot' which, as I have already explained, is
We had a tour of the building when we first arrived; very similar to a 60ft high chimney. Apart from being
the interior was beautiful. The walls and ceiling of the stuck a couple of times and using vast amounts of
Indian room were in carved wood, with panels of dif- energy, I finally reached the top. I really felt as though I
ferent designs and in each corner hung a tapestry, had achieved something.Aithough I'm not sure if I
each telling a story from the bible. The chapel was ever want to go caving again, I certainly found
surprisingly quite modern after having visited the something out about myself during the week and
Indian room. Unfortunately we could only spend an actually enjoyed myself too.
hour in the museum, but I could easily have spent
longer there . lt had pieces from the two World Wars INTER PLATOON 7-A-SIDE COMPETITION
and some crosses constructed out of rulers which had
been made in prisoner of war camps. Each platoon in Salamanca Coy entered a team in
this event which took place on a wet and windy
During the visit we visited the Royal Military Saturday in March.
Academy Sandhurst and were shown the Indian
Army room and various museums there. All the teams did very well, with some notable per-
formance from future Queensmen - in particular
During the week we had a few guest speakers who JLdrs Cornhill, Elsey and Beasty .
told us about their various experiences in the army.
One Padre had been in the Falklands campaign and Unfortunately 9 PI lost in the final by 14 pts to 8 pts.
explained how one soldier had turned to the bible 11 PI lost in the semi-final, and 10 PI were runners-up
when faced with death . lt was a very enjoyable week in the plate competition.
and a pleasant change from the training at IJLB .
THE REGIMENTAL REPRESENTATIVE
CAVING IN THE MEN DIPS
IN DENMARK
by JCpl Beasty
by Maj A C Dawson
From 18-23 March 1984 I spent a week's caving in
the Mendips - one of the activities open for the From a Regimental point of view it has been a quiet
platoon to choose; the others - rock climbing, period in Denmark . However, a NATO exercise con-
canoe ing and outward bound were taking place at ference in mid-April provided an excuse to hold a
Penhale Camp in Cornwall. cockta il party for the Denmark Branch of The Queen's
Own Buffs Regimental Association . Being the day
I had never been caving before so I was quite before the start of the Easter holiday, attendance was
apprehensive as we travelled down to RAF Locking , understandably not as high as on previous occasions ;
where we would be staying for the week. nevertheless, about 20 former Buffs and their wives
were able to come , as were the British Ambassador
W e visited Swilders, Stoke laie Stoker, Longwood and Mrs Mellon, Colonel lversen and Mr Preben
and Tlrupp laie caves but it is the latter which I shall be Hornung, the artist who painted the recently-acquired
describing. picture of HM Queen Margrethe.

The cave reaches a depth of 400 feet and to reach At 3 am on 8 March I found myself renewing
this point we had to do a fair amount of climbing, acquaintance with the Queen 's Life Regiment in
abseiling , crawling and squeezing! Unfortunately for Aalborg. Naturally, I did not select the time myself ; I
me, no sooner had I entered the cave that my light was sent as the NATO monitor on a nation -wide
went out and for lengthy periods I was moving in operational readiness test of the Danish forces . Sadly,
darkness . However at the more difficult parts of the Col S E Christensen, Regimental Commander of the
cave, the others in the party shone their lights in my Queen's Life Regiment, retires at the end of June .
direction to help me out.
On 25 April , HM Queen M argrethe came to visit HO
The entrance to the cave was a 20ft ladder pitch and Allied Forces Baltic Approaches . A very full
this was followed by a succession of tight squeezes programme enabled her to meet just about all the
and traverses . Then came the dreaded ' perseverance Staff and their families. The visit concluded with a
pot' - a 60ft narrow drop, rather like a chimney. W e lunch to which the Commander, Lt Gen 0 K Lind,
were all lowered down and continued on our way . kind ly invited me on account of the Regimental con-
After a couple of very tight squeezes we reached our nection ; incidentally, it has just been announced that
next task , an abseil down about 70ft, in a waterfall! General Lind will take over the post of chief of
As my light was still not working, I found this a Defence, Denmark, in October this year .
terrifying experience, as I could not follow the rock

58

J Ldrs Cornhill and Elsey !extreme left) eagerly await their medals after being runners-up in the final of the
seven-a-side competition .

Queen's Cadets resident bandmaster from previous service!) Mac has
served in France, North Africa , Italy and Greece.
Kent
He joined Kent Army Cadet Force in 1973 as a 2Lt
Maj R FP McGinley MBE retired from a life in khaki with their 2nd Bn and went on to command the Unit
(nearly 50 years) at the end of 1983. ' Ma c' (as he is from 1980 to 1982. In September 1982 he took over
known to many) was CO of 1st Cadet Bn The Queen's command of 1 Qu een's (KACF).
Regt (Kent ACF) .
Maj M cGinley is married with three children, one of
He started his career with the Army in 1934 (aged whom is with the United Nations in Geneva . He lives
14) with the 19th London Royal Engineers Search light in Rough Common , near Canterbury, and works as
Regt (TA) . On his 17th birthday he joined The Queen' s Department floor manager for Rice mans (Canterbury)
(Royal West Surrey) and six months later transferred Ltd .
to 4th /7th Royal Dragoon Guards . In 1942 he acquired
another cap badge - the 17th / 21st Lan cers. He Maj David Martin moves from County HQ,
became a Territorial so ldier in 1957 with 4th Buffs Maidstone, to take command of the Battalion ;
(TA ), which became 7 Queens (T) on t he 1966 married , with two children, he lives in Hawkhurst.
amalgamations .
Maj McGinley is non-ceremoniously carried
As a Sgt Major with 5th Queen's (TA) he re ce ived Leros Barracks on retirement.
an MBE in the 1969 Birthda y Hon ours li st. Whilst
walking down the stairs of the palace after the
ce remony the band stru ck up ' Mac the Knife' -
coincidence, or a friendly gesture ? (he did know the

Sussex 59

Dedication of No 10 (Eastbourne) Cadet An air portable Land Rover was borrowed from the
TA and a banner stating ' Army Cadet Force
Platoon's New Standard 1859-1983' was draped over the front . On board were
four cadets dressed in uniforms of the different years .
For the first time in their history, No 10 (Eastbourne)
Cadet Platoon have their own Standard. The crowds of holiday makers and residents (in
places up to 20 deep) , gave us a wonderful reception .
The Dedication Service took place at All Souls
Church, Eastbourne on Sunday, 4 September 1983, (Extract from Cadet Journal, December 1983)
with a large number of VIPs and local dignitaries
present. lt was conducted by the vicar of All Souls , South East London Sector
the Rev A T Hmdley and two Army Cadet Force The administrative headquarters of the Sector is in
Padres, the Rev J Lloyd-James and the Rev J West-
muckett. On the return march to the TA Centre the the Duke of Yorks HO in Chelsea where the CEO, Maj
salute was taken by the Honorary Colonel , The Earl M1ke Eastap, QUEENS, is normally to be found. He
De-La Warr, DL, after which the parade was knew a lot about the Sector when he joined in 1980 as
dismissed and a Reception was held at the Royal he had, as an RSM in the Queen's Regt from 1967-70,
Engineers Club in Eastbourne. commanded 35 Cadet Training Team which looks
after us so well from its base in Woolwich . The Sector
The Platoon now looks forward to parading its new Headquarters and Training Centre is at Holly Hedge
Standard in as many local parades as possible . House which is a large Drill Hall with offices, garages,
etc ., set in its own grounds on the western end of
Eastbourne's Centenary Carnival 1983 Blackheath . This is in the final stages of a complete
modernisation and provides an excellent training base
Because 1983 was Eastbourne's Centenary Year, 1n the m1ddle of the Sector . The army has been in
the theme of the Annual Carnival was 'Life Through occupation since 1888 when the original house and
the Last 100 years '. grounds were leased from the Earl of Dartmouth by
the Honorary Colonel of the 2nd Volunteer Battalion
This gave 10 Platoon the opportunity to inform the of The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regt .
public just how long it is since the formation of the
Army Cadet Force. (Extract from Cadet Journal, February 1984)

Join a Queen's
Battalion of the

TA

See back cover
for details

60 the City, which will make our next Freedom March
more meaningful. A full report on the ceremony
REGIMENTAL SECRETARY'S NOTES appears under a separate heading (see pages 83-84).

Regimental Headquarters AN APPRECIATION OF

We said farewell to our last RCO , Maj Harry Yorke MAJOR GUY WEYMOUTH
and his wife Angela (together with their horses) who
left us for 2 QUEENS in late December last year . Maj by Col John Shipster CBE DSO
lan Jones is now firmly in the chair although , shortly
after arrival , he obviously found the pace so hot that (late Regimental Secretary)
he had to retire to Headley Court for three weeks! He
is now busily visiting schools and nurturing our con- Maj Guy Weymouth finally retires on 31 July 1984
ta cts in them. By the time you receive this edition we after some 17 years continual service at Regimental
will also have said farewell to Donna Norris who has Headquarters. lt is no under-statement to say that the
held the fort on her own for us on many occasions in whole Regiment owes him a large debt of gratitude for
the past, when we have been short of staff . We wish all that he has done .
her every success for the future .
At the outbreak of World War 11, Guy was a volun-
Band Reforming Parade teer soldier with the London Scottish. He was shortly
afterwards (having had a spell as staff-car driver to his
A full report on the Ceremony, together with the CO!). commissioned into The Queen's Own Royal
speech The Colonel of The Regiment gave, appears West Kent Regiment. He was captured by the
elsewhere . But, suffice for me to say that the Albu- Germans in North Africa and became a POW in Italy.
hera and Quebec Bands were very properly formed at By a daring tunnel escape, Guy, along with others,
Ebrington Barracks, Londonderry on Saturday 31 broke out of their POW cage. Aided ·by the locals,
March 1984. The Parade was a splendid affair, which good fortune and Italian vino, he made his way back
drew deservedly high praise from all present. to Allied lines; for this exploit he was awarded the
MBE.
The Colonel of The Regiment
I first met Guy in 1956 when I worked with him at
Brigadier Charles paid his first visit as Colonel to all Eaton Hall Officer Training School at Chester. We
three of his Battalions during an impressive four days became friends from that moment on. Being in differ-
visit to Northern Ireland (29 Mar to 1 Apr) . He first ent Regiments I could of course not foresee that 21
visited 3 QUEENS in Belfast, where he toured the City years later, we would serve together in the RHO of a
Operational Area and spent the night with them . The Regiment that then had no being!
following day he attended the parade in which The
Regiment exercised its Freedom of the City for the Guy was the first Regimental Secretary of the
first time since it was granted to the Royal Sussex newly-formed Queen's Regiment in 1966. He had the
Regt in 1961. This was followed by the Band Reform- daunting task of coping with the 'paper jungle'
ing Parade at Londonderry with 2 QUEENS . The visit created by the numerous committees and sub-com-
ended with 1 QUEENS at Omagh . mittees of those early days, dealing with disparate
subjects covering every aspect of our Regimental
TA Enhancement being. lt is interesting to look back and note that Guy
served as Secretary to the first two Colonels of our
As you are now aware , the Regiment and The Royal Regiment - Lt Gen Sir Richard Craddock and Maj-
Regiment of Fusiliers are to form a new battalion in Gen Fergus Ling. Since the establishment of the new
London . lt is to be based on the 6/7 QUEENS Edg- large RHO on 1 January 1978, Guy worked with me on
ware Coy , the 5 RRF Balham Coy and expanding the implementing General Rowley's new policies and
6/7 QUEENS Camberwell Platoon to company thinking , during our first formative five years .
strength, to form the three rifle companies . Bn HQ Seventeen years at one RHO and serving four differ-
and HQ Coy are to be established at Clapham . I was ent Colonels of The Regiment must surely be a
hoping to announce the title and badging principle of record!
the new battalion which has already been agreed by
Brig Charles and Gen David Woodford , Colonel of Personally speaking , I cannot imagine the RHO
The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers ; however, C in C without Guy . I valued his vast knowledge of Regi-
UKLF has applied new title and badging criteria which mental affairs. He is a man meticulously neat in dress
will now require the two Colonels to meet again . I and prose ; many is the time that he has corrected my
hope that by our next issue these two outstanding own phrasing, and no doubt, in his capacity as Editor
matters will be cleared , but whatever is finally of the Journal he will again in this appreciation!
decided , this is an expansion and good news for the Additionally , Guy is a sensitive and talented man; not
Regiment . many people know that he is a very good portrait
painter. What is more important, he is a ' gentleman ' in
Haberdashers' Livery Company the real sense of the word .

Th e Reg iment is now officially affiliated to Th e We all wish Guy and his wife Pat many years of
W orshipful Company of Haberdas hers and t his was happy retirement in nearby Hythe and hope that he
marked by an Affiliation Ceremony which took pla ce will keep in touch with his many friends.
on Tuesday 7 Febru ary 1984 at Haberda shers' Hall ,
Staining Lane. W e now have a tangible aff iliation with

61

RCO's REPORT

by Maj I R Jones

Officer Recruiting

As stated in the previous bulletin, the number of
app licants for a commission in The Regiment is
improving, along with the quality. However, there is a
very high wastage rate, be it through failure at the
medical examination, RCB , the initial Regimental
Interview or The Colonel of The Regiment's Accep-
tance Board : even then, some candidates change
their mind at the last moment - both for the Army
and the Regiment - and some fail to pass out of
Sandhurst. For the year 1983-84, out of a quota of five
Reg C, one SRC , and seven SSCs, there are eight
already accepted with a futher two to be interviewed .

Ten potential officers have visited 1 and 2 QUEENS
in Northern Ireland and thoroughly enjoyed them-
selves. There have also been three highly successful
visits to Sussex Schools by the 1st Bn led by their
Adjutant, Capt Rob Walker, the emphasis being on a
junior officer's life in a regular battalion . Greatly
appreciated by the Schools, it is hoped to visit more in
the early winter .

Soldier Recruiting

Although the forecast strength for the Battalions as
at 1 July is only two under establishment (from a 21
under establishment as at 1 April) this does not give
any grounds for complacen cy . On the current fore-
cast, the figures show an expected shortfall of
between 150 and 200 in April next year.

Cumberlalld Sword and Kirke's Cane The Deputy Colonel. Col John Holman OBE, with

Competitions Top: Cdt CMS Jason Callery , winner of The Cumber-
land Sword Competition.
These competitio ns were held once more at
Crowborough Camp and proved to be a resound ing Bottom : Cdt Cpl Andrew Cameron , winner of The
success. The weather again was kind and the Cadets Kirke's Cane Competition.
did not need the bashas they erected at lunch time on
Saturday 7 April. 84 Cadets from Kent, Surrey, Note : Both winners are members of Kent ACF.
Sussex and London Army Cadet Forces competed for

the prizes.

Col John Holman, the Deputy Colonel , presented
the prizes . For the second year running the
Cumberland Sword has been won by a member of the
Huntleys Pl atoon, Kent ACF ; this year Cadet CSM
Jason Callery, aged 17 was the winner . The Kirke's
Cane was won by Cdt Cpl Andrew Cameron, aged 15,
who gained the same number of points as the runner-
up to the Cumberland Sword - a very creditable

performan ce .

Once aga in our thanks must go to the St Johns
Ambulance Brigade team for their assistance and also
for the cooks from 5 QUEENS (V) who coped most
admirably . Without their help and that of the
Regimental Information Team , the weekend could
not have been the success it undoubtedly was .

62 Journal , Life Members should initiate a Journal Order
·Form which includes a Bankers Order for the payment
The Regimental Information Team
Once more the RIT is about to embark on the very (currently) of £3 per annum .

full summer season of school visits, fetes and shows THE QUEEN'S REGIMENT
- at least, it is hoped that they will. As all their OFFICERS' CLUB
transport has been removed from them , it is a
question of begging on a day to day basis ; at the time Income and Expenditure Account
of writing, there are only two vehicles, a Land-Rover Year ended 31st December, 1984
and a 4-ton belonging to the ACO and 1 Royal Anglian
respectively. Should any reader be in a position to 1982 Income 3514
rectify this situation, it would be appreciated. 3288 Subscriptions 166
Investment Dividends
What with running the above-mentioned Cadet 75 Donatio n 476
Force Weekend , staging a Charity Run through Kent, 2 Deposit Interest
Sussex and Surrey (which has raised £1500 to date) 668 Life Members 4156
and their normal duties, the RIT have not been idle in 79
keeping the name of The Regiment alive in the Regi- Expenditure 1142
mental Area . This year's KAPE tour will be led by Capt 4112 Regtl. Jnl subscriptions 100
Hill and will concentrate on Kent and Sussex; a report Regt. Cricket Club
on this tour w ill appear in the next Journal. 1062 Pr ese ntati on 240
100 Office requisites 15
OFFICERS' CLUB 2 Silver Fund subscriptions 104
40 Bank charges
Cocktail Party 246 Audit Fee 273
12 Wedding present engraving 310
Members are reminded that the annual party will be 46 Wedding presents 526
held, as before , at Haberdashers' Hall , Staining Lane , 556 Subscription distribution
EC2, on Friday 12 October (6.30 to 9 pm). Further 490 Corpo rati on Tax reserve 170
details and pro-forma for 'warning in' will be sent to 24
members in August . 1101 1963 less over-reserve 62
453 1982
Honorary Members Office Machinery 2966
4108 Printing
Captain M E Barrow DSO, Royal Navy (Retd) , Clerk 4 1190
to the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers, has Surplu s income over
been appointed an Honorary Member. 4112 expenditu re 4156

Wedding Presents 30 DINNER CLUB 790
1015 526
Appreciative letters have been received from Capts 1101 Income 48
J S Graham and J V Ashton and Lt PT Crowleyforthe Donation
engraved silver salvers presented to them by members 2146 Cocktail Party subscriptions 1364
of the club as wedding gifts. Subscription distribution
Wines sales
Subscriptions
Expenditure 369
Some confusion appears to exist about the rates of Cocktail Party 152
subscription to the Officers' Club . 778 Drinks
176 Gratuities 202
For Regimental serving officers (both Regu lar and 100 Hire or premises 723
Territorial) the curren t rate is £7 per annum. A number 300 Food
of Territorial officers are still paying only £5 and it 1354 641
would greatly assist the Secretary and Treasurer if 792 Surplus income over
those concerned would kindly instruct t heir banks to 1364
increase their standing orders to £7 in good time for Expenditure
payment in March 1985.
2146
For all other members other than Honorary and
Associate (non-paying) members, the rate is £5. A
number of members who have retired recently are still
paying the serving rate; they are advised to instruct
their banks to reduce their standing orders
accordingly .

Life Membership
This option is open to retired officers for a fee of

£15.75. This sum does not include a Journal
subscription and so, for continued receipt of t he

BALANCE SHEET THE QUEEN'S AND QUEEN'S OWN BUFFS

as at 31st December 1983 CRICKET TENT CLUB 1984

1982 Investments at Cost Please come and support the Regimental Tent
753 which will be open on the St Lawrence Ground at
747 1618 British Assets Trust Canterbury for the following matches:

1500 PLC Ord . 25p shares 1753 4, 6 and 7 August - Kent v Leicestershire I Britan-
nic Assurance Championship)
1399 Lake View
Sun 5 August - Kent v Leicestershire !John Player
Investment Special League)

Trust PLC Ord 25p shares 1746 8, 9 and 10 August - Kent v Surrey !Britannic
Assurance Championship)
815 Drayton Japan Trust
All serving Queen' s Regiment Officers, Regular and
(ria~fe?~~fu~5f~~~es 2000 TA , are members without paying any subscription .
Retired officers of The Queen' s Regiment and the
5499 Founding Regiments are required to pay an annual
subscription of £3: every member is entitled to bring
Current Assets one guest, free

360 Stock of wedding presents 1000 Catering

345 Cash at bank - An excellent lunch will be available !price £5 per
head) on 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9August but please complete a
Current Account 181 booking form obtainable from RHO as no spare
lunches can be provided on the day. On Sunday 5
8739 Deposit Account 5752 August the bar will be open but no lunches will be
served; and on 10 August it will be possible to order a
9444 6933 Ploughman's Lunch for £1 .25. Tea and bar facilities
will be available throughout the week .
Less: 75
Current Liabilities 181 Sunday 5 August lone-day match)

46 Audit Fee This is an informal day when the rules are relaxed,
453 Corporation Tax 1983 picnic lunches and dogs are welcome and it is hoped
100 Sundry Creditors that families, both young and old, will use the tent.

599 256 For further details !if you are not normally sent a
8845 6677 copy of the annual information sheet and meal
booking sheet) please contact Maj H C L Tennent at
10345 12176 RHO.

6450 Accumulated Fund 6454
4 General Fund at 31st
December, 1982 1190 7644
6454 :mgg Add: Surplus Income
792 over Expenditure 3891

3891 Dinner Club as at 31st 641
10345 December, 1982 4532

Add : Surplus Income 12176
over Expenditure

To the Members of the Queen 's Regiment Officers' Odds and Ends
Club
Regimental Hatters
We report that the above accounts, and Balance Sheet, One of our Regimental Hatters - Messrs A & L
dated 31st December, 1983, have been prepared from and
are in accordance with your books and records and the Corne Ltd ., of 154 Tooley Street, London Bridge SE1
2UA - is now incorporated in its parent company,
information and explanations given to us. Hobson & Sons I London) Ltd , but operating from the
same addresss ITooley Street).
31 St George's Place, Larking & Larking
Canterbury Chartered Accountants

and at Maidstone, Ash ford February 1984
Sittingbourne, Sandgate,
Aylesbury and Winslow

FOR SALE

Pair George boots, size 8M, complete with spurs

and fittings, previously worn by distinguished senior

offier now fallen on hard tfmes . Price £20 ovno . Apply

RHO ext251. AM

64 " The War of 1812 - Land Operations "
by George F G Stanley
Book Reviews
The Hon George Stanley is currently the Lieu-
A COMPANION TO THE BRITISH ARMY, tenant-Governer of New Brunswick; he is also Honor-
ary Colonel of one of our Canadian Alliances- 1st Bn
1660-1983 The Royal New Brunswick Regt ICarleton and York)
- inherited from The Queen's Own Royal West Kent
by David Ascoli Regt which formed the original Alliance in 1925.

Gregory 8/ax/and writes : He is a noted historian and author of a dozen books,
Lt Col David Ascoli has written a most va lu able a Rhodes Scholar and a teacher of history at three
Canadian Universities .
book . Its title has the connotation of a bible commen-
tary , which is appropiate enough, and the book it In his latest and most important work, the Hon
explains is the Army List. The evolution of the corps George Stanley has written a perceptive, elegant and
named inside it, their jostling for precedence, their exciti ng history of the land operations of the War of
pedigrees and honours, survivals and departures, all 1812 - a vital part of Canada' a past which shaped the
are described . course of relations between that country and the
United States to this day.
Precedence has for ever been a matter of dispute
and envy, and it has a section of its own. A maze of "Nos Soldats - L'Histoire Militaire du Canada
royal warrants obfuscates the journeys taken by many
regiments, and it is a relief to have Ascoli 's finger ade 1604 nos Jours"
pointing to the turnings. They revolve around the
decision to base seniority on the date on which regi- Th is is another book by George F G Stanley,
ments came on the English establishment. Observed published in 1980 !the text is all in Fren ch). Both books
unconsciously by Charles 11 - for the Royal Scots are available through the publishers, M acmillan of
made their first visit to England just before the raising Canada , Toronto.
of the Queen's - it was declared as a principle by
William Ill in 1694, violated by Anne, and re- LONDON - PARIS TRIATHLON
established by George I soon after his accession. lt
accounts for the bitterly resented low ranking of the The Army Physica l Training Corps, representing
18th Royal Irish and of the 21st Royal Scots Fusiliers; the British Army , entered two teams in this event
also for the position of the 31st, raised in 1702, above which took place over the weekend 9-10 June.
the 35th, raised in 1701 but in Ireland .
The event involved teams of four running 100 miles
Exactly when regiments became conscious of their from London to Dover; a channel swim; and a 300km
numerical ranking remains obscure. Ascoli states that cyc le ride from Calais to Paris.
they were listed in order of precedence in 1715,
numbering from 1st to 39th , and that in 1747 each The Regiment responded to an appeal by the
regiment was ordered to display its number on its organizers to cover the entry fees for the APTC team
regimental Colour. This in fact refutes the view that i£6000) by sending a donation of £25, and the
numbering was 'introduced' by the warrant of 1751, following appreciative letter dated 2 April was
which gave the first consolidatd list of regiments and received by the Colonel of the Regiment:
their authorised distinctions . lt also enhances the
accuracy of the officer' s reported retort to King ' Dear Brigadier,
Georgeat Dettingen : ' Sir, wearethe31st, not the Old The response to my requests to Associations
Buffs'. For operational purposes, however, the ever-
changing proprietary titles remained in use long after throughout the Army for help with funds for the
the issue of the 1751 warrant . London-Paris Triathlon has been fantastic. Coup led
with this response has been the individual
The Cardwell reforms are rightly presented as a contributions from over 1,000 past members of the
hard-won victory for the progressives against the high APTC .
priests of Wellingtonian tradition , but the politicians
are criticised for their failure to deal effectively with I started by writing thank you letters to all but have
what Ascoli describes as 'an awkward , if inevitable, found that I do not have the time or the staff to keep
dog of peace', the need to reorganise the Infantry up with the incredible response. I hope your
from 1957 onwards in relation to its dwindling size. All Association will therefore accept my apologies for not
that can be said for the resultant jumble is that it has at writing personally to thank the various committees
least become set in its lopsided shape. who have very generously helped.

There are no descriptions of battles in this book, Thank you again very much indeed for your
except for artists' impresions of 57 of them. Honours munificent response .
up to 1914 are listed with names of recipients beneath
them , and those awarded for the World Wars and Yours sin cerely,
Korea are shown beneath the names of their holders .
l t is a thorough and illuminating work , far from Alan '
overpriced at £14.50. I Lt Col A J Payne RA)

(Harrap, 1983, £14.50. )

65

m:b£ ~£gim£ntal QCbrtstmas QCarb 1984

Featured below is a black and white reprodu ction of a Drummer and Officer of the Light Company.
the coloured cover of this year' s Christmas Card.
From an original water colour painting by Mr Charles Inside the card will appear the Regimental badge
Stadden , the card is the third in our Regimental series and the four badges of our Founding Regiments
- this time featuring the forebears of The Royal together with the usual greetings .
Sussex Regt !size 163 x 123 mm) .
The cost, which includes matching envelopes, is
The picture shows a Recruiting Party of the 2nd Bn the same as last year, ie £1 .70 per dozen. Individual
35th Regiment of Foot outside the West Gate, Canter- orders to RHO please. I Bulk orders from Battalions,
bury, 1800. Left to right are: a Private of a Battalion the Div Depot and our Affiliated OCAs will be called
Company ; Sergeant of the Grenadier Company ; and for separately .)

For advertising rates apply to :
Combined Service Publications Limited
PO Box 4, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 7LR

66 PAYING A VISIT TO THE
QUEEN ELIZABETH MILITARY HOSPITAL,
THE
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION WOOLWICH?

by Maj R Waite Squire House at Woolwich provides hostel accom-
modation at £3 .50 per night if you are visiting Service
General or Ex-Service patients in the adjacent Queen Elizabeth
Military Hospital (or, indeed , in other London hospi-
Brig H C Millman OBE, Colonel of the Regiment, tals). Normally visitors from the UK may stay for 48
has now handed over the Chairmanship of the Associ- hours; those living abroad may stay a week. Meals are
ation to his Deputy, Col J C Holman, OBE. Brigadier available in the hospital at very reasonable prices.
Charles has been a tower of strength and under his
wise and kindly Chairmanship our two annual events Priority is given to the relatives of very seriously ill
have prospered - The Grand Reunion and the Past patients, casevacs from overseas and relatives visiting
and Present WOs' and Sgts' Dinner. He will, I know" service personnel in London hospitals. Most of the
continue to show great interest in the Association 's rooms are doubles with wash basins and tea and
affairs and we are grateful to him for all he has done on coffee facilities. There are bathrooms and toilets for
our behalf in the past. Colonel John Holman is well general use, a comfortable lounge with coloured TV
known to most of us and I am sure he will guide our and washing and ironing facilities. Babies cots are
affairs in the same forthright manner for which he is provided and there are plenty of soft toys and games .
renowned.
To book your bed , write or phone: The St John and
Association events planned for 1984 are: Red Cross Dept, Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital,
Stadium Road , Woolwich, London SE186XN (0 1-586
Grand Reunion, Sunday 15 June, Bassingbourn 5533, ext. 2436).
Barracks
THE ROYAL HOMES
The following is our outline plan:
The SSAFA Royal Homes for Officers' Widows and
1100 Gates open. Daughters - Queen Alexandra 's Court, St Mary's
1200 Drumhead Service (Old Comrades participat- Road , Wimbledon, SW19 7DE - comprises 75 self-
ing should arrive by 11.30 hours) followed by contained, well fitted, unfurnished, centrally-heated
1230 various static displays and events; Band flats and flatlets on a mature four-acre site amidst
1630 Concert by The Queen' s TA Band ; sale of gracious surroundings. There is a resident Warden (a
1700 retired Service Officer) and a resident Nursing Sister
regimentalia . for emergency medical treatment and ca re during
Bars open ; Lunch boxes available on short term illness.
repayment ; NAAFI refreshments on sale.
Widows and Unmarried Daughters of limited
Beating of Retreat . means of deceased Officers of all three Services are
eligible for admission provided they are between the
Disperasl. ages of 50 and 70 and are fully capable of looking after
themselves and their accommodation. The flats are
WOs' and Sgts' Past and Present Dinner - rent free, but residents contribute towards
Saturday, 6 October - Bassingbourn Barracks maintenance costs according to their means.

Tickets at £8 on application to : W02 D T lrving- Further particulars may be obtained from the
James, Depot, The Queens Division, Bassingbourn Warden (telephone 01 -946 5182) .
Barracks, Royston , Hertfordshire, SG8 5LX .
A WELCOME DONATION
The Dinner is open to all serving and retired WOs TO THE BENEVOLENT FUND
and Sgts of The Queen's Regiment and The Founding
Regiments. Capt Robert Leon of the US Army spent a short
time with the 3rd Bn in the spring of 1982.
The Executive and Annual General Meeting - 12
October - Duke of York's Headquarters , Last Christmas, in a greetings card which he sent to
Chelsea the Colonel of The Regiment, Captain ' Bob' enclosed
a cheque for £100.00 as a donation to The Regimental
1100 Executive Meeting Association Benevolent Fund . 'Time has not
1215 Annual General Meeting diminished my respect for the Regiment, nor the
comradeship I found ,' he says.
1130 The Field of Remembrance - St
1200 Margaret's (Westminster) - 8 November What a splendid gesture!
Capt Lean is an honorary member of The Officers '
Planting of Poppy Crosses by The Queen 's Club - Ed.
Regiment Association Secretary

Opening of The Field of Remembrance by Her
Majesty, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

SGT WILLIAM HENNER - 67

OUR OLDEST SOLDIER 7 Hamilton (formerly Buffs and Queen 's Regt , an RO
at HQ Western District and a fellow member of the
Mr W illiam Pember Henner, a World War I Private Church Stretton Branch of the RBU ; the former
in the 2nd Bn The Queen 's Own Royal West Kent Regt presented Sgt Henner with a Queen's Own shield
was 100 years old on 27 December 1983. (from The Queen 's Own Buffs Association) , and the
latter with a statuette of a present-day Queensman
At Mayfair House - an old peoples home in Church from the Colonel and all ranks of The Queen's Regt.
Stretton (near Shrewsbury) - on Boxing Day last
year, Sgt Henner (he gained his stripes with the Home William Henner enlisted in the Bedfordshire and
Guard in 1940) celebrated his 100th birthday . Hertfordshire Regt on the outbreak of World War I at
the age of 31 and, after recruit training , was posted to
Apart from the customary telegram from The their 2nd Bn in Karachi : he spent the whole of the war
Queen , he received congratulatory messages from on garrison duties in what is now Pakistan and in 1919
The Secretary of State (Health and Social Security). he joined 2 RWK , after that battalion had been deci-
the GOC Western District, the Church Stretton mated at Kut al Amara . He served with them in the
Branch of th e Royal British Legion , and Fulham Cologne area until his discharge a year later when he
Football Club . joined his uncle who owned a farm near Ludlow . Here
he fell in love with one of his cousins and married her ;
As well as several relations , who travelled from the they were living there when she died in 1975.
Brighton area for the occasion, two members of The
Queen's Regiment Association attended the cele- lt was shortly after this that William Henner settled
brations - the late Maj Mike Coyle (formerly Queen's happily into Mayfair House, a modern, well run old
Own, who died in February 1984) and and Maj Charles people's home in Church Stretton .

e
e
s

e

't

0

d
Jl
•t
e

Congratulating Sgt Henner at his 100th birthday party are Maj Charles Hamilton (leftland the late Maj Mike Coyle
TD .
Pic ture by The Shropshire Star

68 Transportation arranged for a soldier severely injured
and immobilised to go home from hospital for weekends ;
REGIMENTAL BENEVOLENCE his wife was also assisted with fares to visit him in hospital.

by Maj (Retd) A Martin MBE One of our soldiers assisted with the air-fare to visit a
dying father in his distant homeland .
The Benevolence Fund balance sheet for 1983 is
published below. The healthy surplus of income over On severa l occasions when a service family has suffered
expenditure for the year, the profit on the sale of bereavement, financial assistance with financial expenses
investments during the period and the upward trend in and / or headstones.
the market value of investments is all good news.
The organisation is there to help anyone in distress,
The \Jpsurge of new subscribers to The ' Day's Pay' not only financially but by a comforting word, by
Scheme from the 2nd and 3rd Bns is also encour- advice and by continued contact where necessary.
aging , the 1st Bn having been ' top of the league' for
some 12 months past. Only a few days ago one of the Regimental
Committee was asked by a grieving mother why such
So why all the fuss? Who needs more subscribers interest was being displayed in her well-being. He
with such a healthy surplus of income and appreci- explained that The Queen' s Regiment is a Family and
ation in value of investments? The answer is ea sy: the qualification for membership of that family is to
The Queen's Regiment does! lt is the avowed aim of have worn The Queen's Regiment cap badge or to be
the Colonel of the Regiment to have 100% member- a dependent, or close relative, of one who has. Then
ship, to build up the funds for future commitments - as in any well-ordered family - the loss, grievance
and finally to ensure that OUR Regiment is in a or distress of one is the concern of all.
position to help positively those members and
dependants who are in distress, regardless of the WE CARE - WILL YOU?
number of cases or the amount of money involved.
THE QUEEN'S REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
Currently the bill for assistance is only 11 o/o of income BENEVOLENT FUND

Ibut 102% of investment income). As the years pass , Income and Expenditure Account
more and more of our soldiers will leave the Colours Year ended 31st December, 1983
and enter old age / infirmity. That is why the Associa-
tion wants to husband its finances whilst increasing 1982 Income 6807
investment. 6578 Officers Day's Pay Subscriptions 22338
18678
Whilst on the subject of investment, it may not be 10120 Soldiers Day's Pay Subscriptions 1590
widely known that a committee of financial experts Tax Refunds : Investment Dividend 9212
meets three times a year to review both the Bene- 7500 9200
volent and Funded Charities investment portfolios of 7650 Day's Pay Subscriptions 7210
The Regiment. The committee comprises: 4336 Army Benevolent Fund Loans 4158
1126
Maj (Retd) E B G Clowes MBE, formerly Queen' s 917 Army Benevolent Fund Grants
Royal Regt and recently retired as Chairman of Target 406 Investment Income 321
Deposit Account Interest 7
Life ; Capt (Retd) M J Smith , formerly Queen's Own Donations
Postage 61969
Royal West Kent Regt and Queen's Own Buffs ; Capt
(Retd) Sir William Goring Bt, formerly Royal Sussex 56185
Regt ; Capt (Retd) R M Fox, formerly Middlesex Regt
(DCO) ; and Mr E W 'Chips' Shipley, Marketing 5074 Expenditure 4968
Manager, Lloyds Bank PLC. 7500 9200
7650 Assistan ce 7210
The committee acts voluntarily (and without 8975 Army Benevolent Fund Loans 8714
recompense) as investment advisers. In December Army Benevolent Fund Grants
1983 t he market value of the Benevolent Fund invest- 2 Grant, Day's Pay General Purposes Fund 4354
ments stood at £4408 ; ten years later, thanks to wise 4490 Postage 190
investment and the introduction of the ' Day' s Pay' 169
Scheme, that sum has appreciated to an impressive 143 Donations 5
£212,243 and is expected to pass the quarter million 115 Investment Expenses 19
mark during 1984. The Regiment owes a debt of Audit Fees 13
gratitude to its investment committee under the 33949 30
chai rmanship of Maj Edward Cl owes (who asks me to 22236 Wreaths and Flowers 125
point out that the committee is unable to offer a Presentation
personal investment advice service!). 56185 Reference Books
Office Equipment
Now to benevolence itself. Enough was said in the
last article about help given to those who have left the Printing
Regiment . What about financial help to serving sol-
diers and their dependants? Surplus Income over Expenditure 34997
26972
Here are some recent examples :
61969
Accommodation arranged and paid for, for wives and
Mums of soldiers from Northern Ireland admitted to
Queen Elizabeth Military Hospital, Woolwich.

69

REGIMENTAL SHOP BENEVOLENT FUND

Income and Expenditure Account BALANCE SHEET
Year ended 31st December 1983
As at 31st December 1983

1982 Income 18500 1982 Investments at cost per 150809
13936 Sales 115637 Schedule
Less : Stock at Cost 1st 13461 20
10939 19275 5781 (Market value £212,2431
January, 1983 14558 Current Assets 3608
14598 Purchases Cash in Hand 19816
859
25537 Less : Closing Stocks 31st 32736 13461 Cash at Bank - 1351
12076 13461 December, 1983 16773 15963 Current Account 16773
Deposit Account
1860 Gross profit 2537
Sundry Debtors
Shop Stock at Cost

34659 41588

Expenditure 84 140 Less : Current Liabilities 140
3 9327 Audit Fee 11358
9 Postage Sundry Creditors
51 Rebate / Refunds 45 25192 9467 11498 30070
110 50 Packaging Materials 17
1750 10 159 140829 180879
Insurance
1860 Artwork 2378

Carriage Charges 2537
Surplus income over

expenditure (to Funded
Charities)

REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION 111250 Accumulated Funds 137037
3551 General Fund 31st 14500
26972178509
137037 22236 31st December, 1982
Add: Profit on Sale of

Investments
Surplus Income over

Expenditure

GENERAL PURPOSES FUND Regimental Association
General Purposes Fund
Income and Expenditure Account 3377 31st December 1982 3792
3792 14151 1422 2370
Year ended 31st December, 1983 Deduct : Excess of
Expenditure over Income
Income
1982 Deposit Interest 20 140829 180879
Grand Reunion 1982
288 Donations w
1206 Sale of Lapel Badges
1422
1 1442
59

15~

Excess of Expenditure over
In co me

15~

25 Expenditure 147 To The Colonel of the Regiment, The Queen's
86 Audit Fees 46 Regiment
909 Wreaths 243
51 Grand Reunion 1982 423 We report that the above accounts, and Balance Sheet,
35 Association Newsletters
Printing 8 dated 31st December , 1983, have been prepared from and
5 Pr esentatio ns 575 are in accordance, with your books and records and the
23 WOs and Sgts Reunion 1982 1442 information and explanations given to us .
Postage
5 Advertisements 1442 31St . George's Place, Larking & Larking
Regimental Flags Chartered Accountants
1139 Canterbury
415 Surplus Income over and at Maidstone , Ashford February 1983
Expenditure
15~ Sittingbourne, Sandgate
Aylesbury and Winslow

70 The firm indications now are that there will be no
scope for accommodating the high initial / short-term
ASSISTED HOUSE PURCHASE cost of such a scheme in the foreseeable future, and
that Servicemen intending to buy their own homes
The following is the text of a letter from The would be ill-advised to delay purchase in the hope that
Adjutant General dated 20 March 1984 : financial assistance beyond that currently provided by
the Services will be forthcoming.
You will be aware that it has long been the services'
wish to improve upon the current limited provision for Other housing schemes including the discounted
assistance with house purchase by introducing a sale of MQs and other government schemes not
scheme which would give a substantial interest free specifically related to Servicemen are outlined in a
loan to Servicemen repayable over some 10-12 years . new Housing Guide for Servicemen due from the
You will know that Ministers and the Principal printers in the near future.
Personnel Officers have been keeping the scheme
under continuous review . I have been intimating for lt is important that Servicemen and Servicewomen
some time that the likelihood of an early introduction under your command should be in no doubt about
of AHP scheme was becoming more remote . How- where we stand on this issue and it would be appreci-
ever, I can now confirm that it has not been found ated if the widest publicity could be given to the terms
possible to make the necessary financial provision
(some £250m over the LTC period) to cover the cost . of this letter.'

News from our Affiliated Associations

The Queen's Royal
Surrey Regimental
Association of the

Queen's Regt

PRESIDENT'S NOTES Curtis who has guided us with much thought and
enthusiasm over the last six years . He took on the
lt is a great privilege for me to have taken over from Presidency at the time when our own RHO, and John
Geoffrey Curtis as President of the Association . I hope Reed , had to depart to Canterbury, and much was in
that during my time the Association wil go forward , as the air. Geoffrey firmly asserted his confidence in the
it has done, and will develop its activities and policies continuance of our Association and the need for us to
as the majority would wish . Having said that , I record be linked more closely with The Queen's Regiment.
what I believe our aims should be. They are threefold: That the Association has come through these years
first, to continue the enjoyment and comradeship of better established and with growing allegiance is of
our service in our Regiments together ; secondly, to great credit to his wisdom and his work on our behalf .
help and look after, as we can , any of our comrades Next, after his many years of devoted, dedicated and
and their dependants who may be in any sort of need ; effervescent service to the Regiment through all its
and thirdly , to enhance and hand on the memories of , changes , Maj Gen Rowley Mans has stood down from
and our pride in, our Regiments so that these can his Colonelcy of The Queen 's Regiment . On behalf of
continue to be in inspiration and of interest to our our Association I salute him for all the very great deal
su ccessors serving in what is now Our Regiment, The he has achieved, and welcome in his place, Brig
Queen' s Regiment of today . The Queen 's Regiment Charles Millman . We wish him well for his Colonelcy
carries forward our histories and traditions, and I and take pride that he too started his distinguished
know personally how much the Regiment does value career in Surrey.
its continuation from its founding Regiments ,
amongst which we as the senior have a special place . I w ish all members of the Association a happy year . I
hope that very many of you will be able to support the
At the same time as the change in the Presidency various occasions , so that with a good turn-out you
of the Association, a number of other important will meet and enjoy the company of your friends ,
changes in th e Regimental hierarchy have taken while at the same time making these occasions more
place, and there are a number of people to whom I worthwhile for us all.
w ould like to pay tribute . Firstly to Brigadier Geoffrey

MUSEUM NOTES Surreys. Although we were 'follow up' troops in the

This year being the 40th Anniversary of The Battle fourth and final battle and took no part in the actual
of Cassino, a display is being set up to illustrate the crossing of the Rapido, we in fact held a front line
part played by 1 Surreys in 78 Infantry Division who sector in all the previous actions ; twice in front of St
were involved in the second , third and fourth battles, Angelo village, and once in the area north east of the
and by 1/ 6 Surreys in 41nfantry Division who on the Monastery known as the 'Bowl', ' Snakes Head' and
right of the line of the 8th Army , successfully ' Phantom Ridge' areas. In our first spell we did little
assaulted across the River Rapido incurring heavy
casualties and after achieving their objectives, finally more than vigorously patrol our side of the river each
took part in the capture of Cassino Town . night based on farmhouses still occupied by the
Italians, as well as trying to keep count of the vast
Mrs Daphne Hill has been assembling material for numbers of shells and mortar bombs which
this display since last year, and also reading all descended like rain throughout the Battalion sector. I
available books on the subject! She would be grateful remember having to deal with a very peevish brigadier
for any additional information and / or photographs who was made to walk at least 200 yards from the car
from any reader. Mrs Hill is being assisted to a great park to my hedquarters! Remember we were under
extent by Maj Bill Deayton-Groom who is employing observation everywhere during the hours of daylight
his talents as an artist to produce two diagrammati c from the Cassino and Monastery hills .
maps of the battles, together with historical narratives
of the action. For our second spell in this sector we were loaned to
the New Zealand Corps, for their battle and I recollect
There will be a specia l ' Cassino Day' at the Museum attending Gen Freyberg 's pre-battle conference
on 22 September 1984. Lunch and tea will be availalbe somewhere in the hills near Mignano. He unleashed
in the Clandon Park Restaurant - it is advisable to on us an array of figures - so many guns, tanks, etc,
book for lunch by telephoning Guildford 222502; in support. From then onwards from our compara-
equa lly there are public houses close by where you tively quiet area we had a front seat view of the prelim-
can obtain a ' pub lunch'. Those coming specially to inary bombing of the town and Monastery, the attack
the Museum and not the National Trust house, should itself, and the airborne attempts to supply the luckless
bring proof of being a member of the Regimental Gurhkas clinging to Hangman's Hill. Later we lived in
Association or its allied associations - this will give the smoke screen laid down by massed artillery in an
you free entry to the Museum only. abortive attempt to blind the German OPs on the

We have made a ' Salerno' album for the archives Monastery Hill.
out of the material lent (and returned by us) only
because Maj Charles Cole had very kindly re-photo- Our next assignment was when 78th Division took
graphed well over 100 pictures for the Museum. In this over from a very tired 4th Indian Division to the north
album blank pages have been left to include anything east of the Monastery ('Bowl' and ' Snakes Head' ).
that our readers may sti ll send us.
This was quite the worst area we occupied . The
The winter working party met every Wednesday to enemy were as near as 80 yards from our FDL behind
lend assistance to Mr John Woodruff and Mrs Jean- ' Phantom Ridge' and daylight movement was
Anne Stock who , assisted on Tuesdays by ladies of severely restricted. One was unable to dig and we
NADFAS did a wonderful job cleaning the show cases took over a number of small sangars erected by the
and particularly medals , badges and buttons . Mrs Gurkhas, most of which had to be expanded to take
Rachel Roupell, apart from assisting in the cleaning , the rather larger Surrey' s! I was never more pleased to
has completely renewed a large commemorative ban- receive a signal to the effect that ' Col Smith had been
ner presented to those units who were in the first allotted a seat in the C in C's aeroplane to go to Cairo
seven Divisions (the ' Old Contemptibles' ) who fought on a few days leave' ! As we were at that time facing an
such a gallant rear guard action to stem the German enemy-held mountain known as Monte Caira, it took
advance through Belgium into France in the Great some time and a good many ' ruderies' before the
War ; it will be displayed in Room 2. The banner had accuracy of this signal could be confirmed!!
been laid up in Holy Trinity Church, Guildford for
many years. On my return from Cairo and after a brief spell of
training , out of the line near Capua , I found myself
Other members of the working party are Captains again attending a pre -battle conference near
Noel Tannock and Alan White ; Majors Peter Hill , Mignano . This time it was the turn of 4th (British)
Ronnie Fa irbairn and Peter Spearing and Lieut Division and Gen Dudley Ward. I found myself sitting
Colonels Peter Kimmerling, Tony Hannaford and Bob beside my old friend Lt Col 'Fatty' Thompson com-
Hill - average age, 65! Sydney Hill , an ex gunner, and manding 1st/ 6th Surreys and whom we were
a handy craftsman , has joined us through NADFAS . destined to follow when his attack across the Rapido
had gone through . Our brigadier ' Butty' Arbuthnot
CASSINO gave the battalion a rousing address finishing with the
words ' I will end by giving you an old Scottish toast -
by Col H B L Smith MC Here' s to us , there's none like us, more' s the pity! I'
We duly crossed the Rapido by bailey bridge and lay
I have been invited to contribute a few short notes up for 24 hours among the former enemy defences
on the Cassino battlefield where I was commanding 1
around St Angelo under sporadi c shelling. The next
day we ca rried out an unopposed attack which ended
in our being in contact with the Poles, who had
captured the Mona stery , and we were enabled to join
the pursuit to the Hitler line along Route 6.

72

~~!~ The Queen's Own Buffs
Regimental Association

(The Queen's Regt)

The Annual General Meeting and Inter-Branch sion with the Cathedral authorities about the correct
time of year to hold our Service. For two Septembers
Darts Competition, 14 April 1984 (if not more) we have suffered at the hands of vile
weather . A final approach by Lt Col Jim Shephard has
Thanks to the kindness and hospitality of 220 Field borne fruit and so after 1984, the Service will be held
Ambulance we were allowed to hold both these on the first Sunday in August as a regular thing. The
events at the Ditton TA Centre. price to be paid is that the Service cannot start until
1345 hours.
The Vice President, Col H B H Waring OBE
attended the AGM and, as the Chairman Lt Col Jim On 16 September this year the Address will be given
Shephard remarked, the number of branches repre- by the Very Reverend P C Moore, Dean of St Albans
sented was a great improvement. The accounts for and the outline timings will be:
the previous year were tabled and it was noted in
particular that over £17,000 had been distributed in 1205 'Fall In' sounded
Benevolent Grants . There was constructive and at 1215 March off
times lively discussion of events planned for the 1230 Congregation seated (non marchers)
coming year and by six o'clock most members had 1245 Service commences
worked up an enthusiastic thirst for the Inter-Branch
Darts Competition. The Reunion will be held at Leros TA Centre, Sturry
Road, Canterbury, by kind permission of Lt ColD HA
The Drill Hall was filled to capacity and despite the Shephard, commanding 5 QUEENS (V) .
initial doubts of some ladies from Canterbury Branch,
everyone was satisfactorily seated. Arthur Brown Tickets for carton lunches may be purchased
gave us the usual high standard of musical support through the Canterbury branch and further details will
and for most of the evening the dance floor was in full appear in the Association ' s Quarterly News
use. Summary.

The darts compet1t1on was fought fiercely and The Field of Remembrance 1984
furiously and some might say that it did not go accord-
ing to the form book based on recent years. The With the kind permission of the Dean and Chapter
winners - Dover Branch and the runners-up - of Westminster and of the Rector of St Margaret's
Ramsgate Branch - are to be congratulated on their Church, this year's Field of Remembrance will open at
results; so too are all the other competitors who did so 12 noon on ThursdayS November. A short service will
much to make it a sporting and happy evening. be held and any members of the Regiment who are
about in London are very welcome to attend.
Thank you Ken Parker and Maidstone Branch for
the hard work put into the organising of an excellent Our two former Regiments are usually allotted Plot
event. No 60 (to The Buffs) and Plot No 61 (to The Queen's
Own Royal West Kent Regt). Traditionally , on open-
The Maidstone Remembrance Service and ing day, HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother
walks around inspecting the plots .
Reunion, 1 July
lt is appreciated that The London (Buffs) and
Arrangements will be as they were last year, viz : London (RWK) branches may wish to have cere-
monies at the plots at other times but it would be nice
0945 Standard Bearers' Competition at the Old to have a Regimental attendance at the opening
Barracks. ceremony.

1015 Fall-In Inspection and 1025 hrs March Off. Poppy crosses are available from a selling stall when
1040 Service at Brenchley Gardens. the field is open but branches will be given an oppor-
1130 Service of Remembrance at All Saints . tunity to order them in advance.

(The Address will be given by the Reverend The Buffs Museum
George Bedford .)
The Museum Appeal has almost run its year and at
The Reunion will be at Ditton Community Centre . the time of writing has passed the£16,700 mark ; it has
Tickets for a carton lunch can be obtained from Mr K not, however, reached its target of £20 ,000. Even so,
G Parker, 25 Brenchley Road, Maidstone, Kent, price collections have been encouraging and perhaps there
£1 .50 - cheques made payable to The Madistone may yet be further donations to come .
Branch . No tickets will be on sale on the day.
There have been several interesting acquisitions
The Canterbury Remembrance Service and during the last six months : in parti cular, Brig E Foster

Reunion , 16 September

For several years there has been continuing discus-

Hall donated a number of books, prints, a drum and 73
two beautiful silver salvers which were wedding pre-
sents and carry the signatures of all the officers serv- Appeal. The Museum should now be in a much
ing in the 1st and 2nd Bns in 1928. stronger position to face the future.

With financial assistance from the Army Museums The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regimental
Ogiliby Trust we have recently purchased the com-
mission granted to Capt John Hetley in 1702- a fas- Museum
cinating document which reads:
lt had been hoped that the Museum would be open
' An ne by the Grace of God Queen of England, Scotland, at the beginning of 1984. Decisions beyond our con-
France and Ireland . Defender of the Faith . To our Trusty trol have put back the priority that we had previously
and Welbeloved John Hetley Esqre . and there is now no hope of a re-opening before the
end of the Summer, perhaps on 8th September- the
Greeting . We, reposing especial Trust and Confidence in Regimental Day.
your Loyalty Courage and good Conduct, do by these pre-
sents constitute and appoint you to be Capt. of a A good start has been made with the replacement
Company in Our Dearest Consort Prince George of Den- of the Regimental collection, some back in their old
mark' s Regimt. of Foot, commanded by Our Trusty and cases and some in beautiful new ones. The plan to
Welbeloved Lieutenant General! Charles Churchill. You place the last three Stands of Colours carried in battle,
are therefore to take the said Company into your care and into cases on the walls, is under way. The decoration
charge and duly to exercise as well the Officers as Soldiers has been completed and looks very fine with ceiling
thereof in Arms , and to use your best Endeavours to keep decorations picked out in gold . The grand looking red
them in good Order and Discipline . And We do hereby carpet is an unbelievable improvement on the previ-
Command them to obey you as their Captain, and you to ous plastic tiles.
observe and follow such orders and directions from time
to time as you shall receive from Us, your Colonel! or any The sad fact is that time is marching on for all of us
other your Superior Officers according to the Rules and and we do not know how long we can continue run-
Discipline of Warr. In pursuance of the Trust We hereby ning the Museum on a purely Regimental basis. As far
repose in you . Given at our Court at St James's the as the housing of the Museum is concerned it is in
Seaventh day of July 1702, In the first year of Our Reigne good hands but it is not sufficiently funded to ensure a
satisfactory future in the matter of acquisitions. lt is
By Her Majesties Command therefore planned to launch an appeal later in the year.

(Sgd) C. Hedges During the last year the Museum has received a
number of new items, in particular some beautiful
John Hetley Esqre . Captain' pieces of silver that had belonged to Col Padrington.

lt only remains to say thank you to those many Maj Bertie Blake has now retired as Honorary
Buffs and friends of the Regiment who have sup- Regimental Curator after a long and distinguished
ported us so loyally and generously during our reign. He has served the Regiment superbly well and
we all owe him a great deal. Mr Ken Hobbs has been
appointed as his replacement.

The Royal Sussex Regiment
Association

(Representing the Queen's Regt in Sussex)

RETIREMENT OF COL G J LANGRIDGE, TO Friday 9 March 1984 under the chairmanship of the
President of the Association. The following were also
After a tour of eight years as President of the Royal present: Lt Col GC M Bowser, Maj J F Ainsworth, Lt
Sussex Regimental Association and Chairman of the Col J R G Stanton, MBE, DL, Lt Col J R Stephenson,
Regimental Committee, Col George Langridge OBE, Maj V M A Tailby, Lt Col E G Hollist (Secretary).
announced his retirement with effect from 1 May
1984. His last official function was the OCA Reunion Apologies for absence were received from Brig J B
Dinner held in the Town Hall, Lewes on 28 April. Ashworth, CBE, DSO, Brig RE Loder, CBE, DL, Col
N B Knocker, and Col R R McNish.
Col John Buckeridge has been appointed as his
successor . ROYAL SUSSEX OFFICERS REUNION PARTY

THE REGIMENTAL COMMITTEE This annual event was held on Friday 9 March at the
Royal Commonwealth Society, Northumberland
The Royal Sussex Regimental Committee held a Avenue, SW1 . Col Langridge presided and 47 mem-
meeting at The Royal Commonwealth Society on bers were present.

74 thanked the Cadets, adding that this was the 22nd
ST GEORGE'S DAY year of their attendance. Cllr Peters replied and , in a
very interesting speech , concl uded by saying that he
This Regimental Day was commemorated with a admired the obvious strength and goodwill of the
Service in St George's Chapel, the Memorial Chapel Association and wished that similar feelings could be
of the Royal Sussex Regt in Chichester Cathedral on found in other walks of life .
Tuesday 24 April. lt was conducted by the Dean and
attended by the Mayor of Chichester and a number of Brig R E Loder then presented Col Langridge with a
guests and members of the Regimental Association : beautiful silver salver, subscribed to by members of
Col Langridge read the lesson. Thereafter a reception the Association, as a token of their sincere appreci-
was held at the Dolphin and Anchor Hotel at which ation of all that he had done for the Association in the
some 60 guests were present. past eig ht years.

THE ROYAL SUSSEX MUSEUM The Band played the Regimental Marc hes followed
The Museum now forms part of the Sussex by the singing of 'Sussex by the Sea' with the usual
Combined Services Museum at the Redoubt, East- encores. After dinner the Band of the 7th (Colchester)
bourne, and it is open daily from Easter to October. Cadet Platoon gave an excellent musical performance
Admission is free to members of the Regimental much appreciated by the Old Comrades.Another truly
Association and of the Queen's Regimental Associ- memorable evening .
ation with their immediate friends on production of
the appropriate Association membership card.

ANNUAL REUNION DINNER Col George Langridge TO, leads the guests at the Old

The 54th Royal Sussex Regiment Annual Old Com- Comrades Reunion. Picture by Stephen Tester
rades Reunion Dinner was held on Saturday 28 April,
as usual, in the Town Hall , Lewes : over 400 Old Com-
rades , 40 serving and retired officers and guests were
present. Col Langridge presided and the guests
included Cllr A R Peters (Vice Chairman Lewes
District Council) , Cllr Frank Mayhew (Mayor of
Lewes), Mr N C Walsh (Town Clerk), Mr M Moss
(Curator, Sussex Combined Services Museum) , and
Mr A Readman (West Sussex Record Office).

Prior to the dinner, guests and senior officers
formed a procession and, as they moved to the top
table , Cadets of the 7th (Chichester) Platoon Sussex
ACF, looking very smart in their scarlet uniforms,
sounded a fanfare. When all were seated Col Lang-
ridge called for two minutes silence in memory of past
comrades, during which the Cadets sounded ' Last
Post' and 'Reveille'. The Reverend Canon Waiter
Greenfield, MA, TD, Chaplain to the Regimental
Association , then said Grace.

During dinner, the cadets served beer, some of
which had been most generously donated by Char-
rington and Company and throughout the evening, a
delightful programme of music was provided by the
Band of the Royal British Legion (Little Common
Branch) , conducted by Bandmaster Brian Smith .

Col Langridge proposed the Loyal Toast to HM The
Queen and to Princess Juliana of the Netherlands,
Patron of the Royal Sussex Regimental Association ,
to whom a telegram had been sent on behalf of the
Association, on the occasion of her birthday (30
April).

The President then proposed a Toast to the guests,
thanking them for being present; in particular he

75

Regimental Association of
The Middlesex Regiment (DCO)

(Affiliated with The Queen's Regt)

OFFICERS' CLUB DINNER BENEVOLENCE

This was held at the Cavalry and Guards Club , 127 During the period 1 January to 30 April 1984,
Piccadilly on 11 May . benevolent grants totalling £1948 have been made to
our members .
Maj C J Bellingham EO , Secretary of the United
Kingdom Branch of The Royal Hong Kong Regiment DONATIONS £150
(The Volunteers) and the Reverend W E B Jones and £20
Mrs Jones, were guests of honour. The following donations have been made: £75

In accordance with our usual custom , widows and Middlesex & London Army Cadet Force
nearest relatives of former officers were invited as Gallipoli Association (we still
guests and the following attended: Mrs M Bower and
Miss J Bower (widow and daughter of Maj G A H have six members)
Bower), Mrs E Honeybun (widow of Maj LT Honey- Patients Amenities Fund of the Queen
bun), Mrs J Nolda (widow of Col DC L Nolda), Mrs D
Pike and duaghter Mrs R Hancock (widow and Elizabeth Military Hospital
daughter of Maj J I D Pike) and Mrs C Pollard (widow
of Lt Col J S B Pollard) . 56 members were present KOREAN WAR
including Maj-Gens Sir John Willoughby and C M M
Man . The following message was received fom 16th Field
Regt Royal New Zealand Artillery, Papakura:
ALBUHERA SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE
' From Commanding Officer and All Ranks sincere
The annual Service of Remembrance was held in greetings and best wishes on this the 33rd anniversary
the Regimental Memorial Chapel, St Paul's Cathedral of the battle of Kapyong .'
on 12 May and was conducted by the Rev W E B
Jones, former Chaplain to the 1st Bn in Korea ; Maj MUSEUM
Gen C M M Man read the Lesson . Although our
membership continually diminishes the numbers The reorganisation of the regimental museum has
attending this service actually increase and it was very now been completed and it is once again open to the
good indeed to see , once again, every seat occupied public .

ANNUAL REUNION The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers)
have recently presented a copy of the painting 'The
Thi s took place on 12 May in the Carisbrooke Hall of Lasting Honour' which dramatically shows men of
th e Victory Services Club: just over 200 members the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps and the 1st
attended which included a small party of Oueensman Bn The Middlesex Regt making a last stand on the
from the three battalions serving in Northern Ireland. outskirts of Stanley village on Christmas Eve 1941.
Du e to service commitments they do not find it easy to
get away and we very much appreciate their atten- ALBUHERA CLOSE, ENFIELD
dance. Our 2/ 8th Bn (resuscitated 1st Bn) held a
lun cheon party on the same day whi ch was attended Our 16 memorial homes and eight flats at Albuhera
by 51 members. As Secretary of the Regimental Close, Enfield , have re cently been highly commented
Association I thoroughly recommended the Vi ctory in the ' Best Residential Street Competition ' (Enfield in
Club for functions where the se rvice is first class. Bloom Campaign). All our properties are occupied by
former members of the regiment, priority being given
to those in re ceipt of war disability pensions .

76 Deaths

Marriages DURTNELL - On 11 November 1983, Maj R J
Durtnell , late QUEENS and formerly Queen 's Own
BAR DEN - ROBERTSON - On 7 January 1984, and Queen's Own Buffs.
LCpl S Barden to Miss Heather Robertson .
NIGHTINGALE - On 8 January 1984, Richard ,
COOK - LANGLEY - On 7 January 1984, Cpl BC infant son of Patricia (daughter of the late Brig Jack
Cook to Miss Cathy Arlene Langley. Fletcher and Mary Ray) and Christopher Nightingale.

HARNS - SHOTIER - On 7 January 1984, Cpl S BROAD - On 17 January 1984, wife of W02
D Harns to Miss Helen Shatter. McBroad , MT Warrant Officer, Depot, Queen 's Div.

SHEFFIELD - BENDALL - On 25 January 1984, MISKIN - In February 1984, Trefi , wife of A H
Pte S Sheffield to Miss Rosemaire lrmgard Bendall . Miskin MC of !field Court, Cobham (formerly RWKI.

HOWLED - HADFIELD - On 27 January 1984, BLANDFORD- On 10 February 1984, Maj (Retdl J
Pte M Howlett to Miss Jane Pamela Hadfield . S Blandford DFC of Lyminge (formerly The Buffs) .

BOWEN - COOMBS- On 18 February 1984, LCpl COURT - On 21 February 1984, Lt Col David Court
P S Bowen to Miss Ann Barbara Coombs. OBE, formerly The Buffs, Queen's Own Buffs and
QUEENS.
MORRISON - CURRAN - On 18 February 1984,
Pte P M Morrison to Miss Marcia Margaret Elezabeth CLARKE - on 23 April 1984, Pte N Clark of 2
Curran . QUEENS , killed by IRA terrorists in Londonderry.

PRESTON - BOSTOCK - On 27 February 1984 GIBBS - On 27 April 1984, Lt Col (Retdl D LA
Pte S J Preston to Miss Lorraine Bostock. Gibbs DSO , late the Queen's Royal Regt.

FISK - COCHRANE - On 10 March 1984, Pte T J
Fisk to Miss Janine Rose Cochrane.

DILLON - MAY - On 24 March 1984, Pte J S
Dillon to Miss Maxine Shirley May .

Forthcoming Marriages V

(extracts from the Daily Telegraph) STfJP PRESS!

CAPT J J B HISCOCK - MISS M C BEVAN- th!
JOHN. The engagement is announced between Capt final
Justin Hiscock, The Queen 's Regt , youngest son of cricket
Maj and Mrs A AT Hiscock of Guildford, and Marie- match
Ciaire, daughter of Maj and Mrs G W Bevan-John , of against
Pinner. HMS
Excellent
MR C MARKES - MISS L BLAXLAND. The
engagement is announced between Charles, at
youngest son of Mr and Mrs John Markes, of Recess , Whale
Co Galway, and Lucy, daughter of Maj and Mrs Island,
Gregory Blaxland , of Heppington , Canterbury . Portsmouth,

DR C C JOHNS - MISS C M SNOWDON . The held
engagement is announced between Christopher on
Charles, son of Mr PG Johns and the late Mrs Johns Saturday
of Chipstead , and Catharine Margaret, daughter of 2nd
Col and Mrs D C Snowdon, of Fovant, Wiltsh ire. June
Note : The marriage took place on 5 May 1984 at 1984,
Fovant and the couple are now living in Zambia where was
Or Johns is a PhD Geologist on contract to the won
Zambian Government - Ed. by
the
DR P B L DUMMETI - MISS S L DOYLE. The
engagement is announced between Paul , youngest uRegim ent .
son of Professor and Mrs Mi chael Dummett, of 54
Park Town , Oxford and Sarah (G innyl , eldest '-- '--
daughter of Col and Mrs Mi cha el Doyle , of 1 Ethelred
Court, Old Headington, Oxford .

MR G HODDER - MISS C SHIPSTER . The
engag ement is announced between Gregory ,
youngest son of Professor B Hodder of Cambridge
and Mrs N V Hodder of Powys, Wales and Caroleen,
on ly daughter of Col and Mrs John Shipster of
Woodbridge, Suffolk . The wedding is to take place on
Saturday 4 August at Woodbridge .

77

.----------------------OBITUARIES------------------------

LIEUT-COlONEl D N COURT, OBE In July 1953, four months after the Battalion 's
arrival in Kenya , David took over command of A
Maj Charles Hamilton writes: Coy from Col Ernest Edlmann when the latter was
appointed 21C . Shortly afterwards, I myself
David Court died after a long illness on 21 became h1s Company 21C. lt was during the eight
February 1984, two months short of his 64th short but eventful months in which he commanded
the Company, that many of us who served under
birthday. him were to learn by his example lessons that were
to stand us in good stead for the rest of our own
He was born at Beckenham, Kent, the youngest
of three children of Edward and Catherine Court careers.
and was educated at Dulwich College. He had
worked for the Royal Exchange Assurance Co for David always led from the front, frequently
only a few months, when war broke out in 1939. As leadmg patrols 1n the Aberdare Forest. His quick
he had already joined 5th Bn The Queen 's Own grasp of what was needed gained the confidence
Royal West Kent Regt as a volunteer , he was and support of the settlers above Mweiga , where
quickly mobilised and eventually went with the the Company was based and thanks to his high
Battalion to France, in April 1940. He took part in standard of leadership, a strong Company spirit
the fighting which followed in Belgium and in the
retreat to Dunkirk, from whence he was eventually emerged .

evacuated. Colonel David's tour of Regimental Duty came
to an end early in 1954 ; on 5 April he became GS02
In June 41, Colonel David was commissioned to ~aj Gen Hind (then Director of Operations
into the Queen 's Own and eventually joined 6 aga1nst the Mau Maul at a time when the tide had
RWK . with whom he served in North Africa and begun to turn. later he was to become GS02 SO
Italy, including the heavy fighting around Monte at HQ East Africa land Forces at Nairobi which
Cassino in the spring of 1944, in which he dis- enabled him to enjoy a quiet life with hi; young

tinguished himself. family.

After the war he joined 2 RaWppKoinintmeBnAtORh~ At the end of his tour, David was posted to the
becoming Adjutant, in which Home Counties Brigade Depot at Canterbury to
command the Potential Leaders Company .
co ntinued when the Battalion returned to
Later Colonel David became the first Buffs
Shorncliffe early in 1948 to become the Home officer to assume the GS02 appointment at HQ
Allied Land Forces where he and Mary quickly won
Counties Brigade Training Battalion . lt was during many friends and gained the high esteem which
our Regiment continues to enjoy in Denmark.
this period that he was granted a Regular Com-
In the autumn of 1959 he returned to Regimental
mission in The Buffs, back-dated to the date of his Duty w1th 1st Bn The Buffs for the last time, taking
over command of HO Coy from me . By this time
original commission. new problems were looming on the horizon with
the prospect of National Service coming to an end,
In January 49 Colonel David entered the Staff and amalgamation with his old Regiment The
College and on passing out was appointed Queen's Own also not far away . lt was the;efore
DAOMG (Maint) at HQ Scottish Command in very fitting that at the end of his two years in the
Edinburgh . lt was here that he met and married his Battalion , he was appointed the first Queen 's Own
wife, Mary, the daughter of a distinguished Army Buffs representative at the Royal Military Academy
Sandhurst, as a Company commander in New Col-
doctor. lege ; in due course he was promoted to Lt-Col.

David joined 1 Buffs for the first time in the Colonel David was only at Sandhurst for a few
spring of 1952, when the Battalion , under the com- months and in early 1963 he went to command 4th
mand of Lt-Col (later Brigadier) John Connolly, Bn the Federal Regular Army of South Arabia (as
DSO, was serving at Tel el Kebir in the Su ez Canal the Aden Protectorate Levies had now become).
Zone. In spite of being a staff trained major, he He found many things strange in an Arab Bat-
took over the appointment of adjutant from Maj talion ; nevertheless 4 FRA was a well-run bat-
Bob Crichton , who was similarly qualified. lt was talion, both administratively and operationally, and
Brig John Connolly's preference to leave the day- he was qu1ckly to earn the respect of his Arab
to-day running of the Battalion in competent officers and soldiers. Within a few months of his
hands ; indeed , the Connolly-Court combination assuming command trouble broke out in the
Radfan and 4 RFA was one of the first units to be
was to prove a formidable one. t hrown 1n to break up the dissidents . Colonel David
ea rned a C-in-C's Commendation for the part
David remained adjutant throughout the rest of played by his battalion .
the Battalion ' s stay at Tel el Kebir, its six months at
Dover, and the first four months of its 20-month
tour in Kenya at the time of the Mau Mau emer-

gency.

lt w as during this time that Colonel David 's
administrative ability came to the fore: he quickly
made his mark quietly but efficiently and with a

firmness tinged with compassion.

78

Obituaries con t i n u e d - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . ,

In the early autumn of 1964 David 's tour in COL H J S BROOKE, OBE
command of 4 FRA came to an end . He then held
two important international staff appointments, late The Queen's Own
firstly at HQ Allied Forces Southern Eu rope in
Naples as a GS01 , and secondly , also as a GS01 , Royal West Kent Regiment
at HQ Berlin, where his boundless energy, breadth
of outlook and diplomacy played their part, and Maj Shaun Stewart, MC writes :
earned him a well-deserved OBE. In April70 he was
transferred to the Special List and finished his ' Rajah ' Brooke, who died shortly before Christ-
Army Service as a GS02 at the Royal Military Col- mas 1983, com bined the professionalism of a
lege of Science at Shriven ham, a not too onerous regular soldier with a sense of fun and a concern
post, which allowed him plenty of time in which to for the welfare of others which is rare in any walk of
play golf. life and which the Army put to good use in a series
of staff appointments between 1945 and 1971 .
After retiring in May 74, Colonel David worked These brought him into contact with hundreds of
for Credit Factoring International, whose Manag- officers and men , many of whom have written or
ing Director was Roger Pilcher, a former regular spoken of his fairness and the trouble which he
Captain in The Buffs (Roger had served under took to deal with their and other's problems. Their
David in A Coy in Kenya) . He and Mary settled into gratitude is a fitting tribute to his memory.
a charming house at Weybridge, where they made
many local friends. ' Rajah ' was born on 20 February 1910 and
educated at Monkton Combe. He was com mis-
Tragically Mary after many months of suffering, sioned from Sandhurst into The Queen 's Own in
died in January 80, and after this , life for David was August 1930 and after a short spell in the Channel
never the same; shortly afterwards he retired from Islands with 2 RWK he joined 1 RWK in India
Credit Factoring International, but continued to (Bangalore and later Secunderabad). He was very
take a very active interest in his family and friends seriously ill there with paratyphoid and returned
and to devote more time to his two great sporting home to the Depot in 1937. In 1940 he was OC HO
passions of golf and fishing. Coy of 1 RWK and took part in the heavy fighting at
Oudenarde and the Forest of Nieppe before the
The last big occasion in David 's life- when his Battalion was ordered to withdraw to Dunkirk . He
Regimental friends gathered to meet him - was was made 21C when the Battalion was reformed
the marriage of his daughter, Gillian, to Maj John and, for a short time , was OC 4 Div Battle School
Pearson of the Royal Greenjackets, at the Royal before taking command of 10 East Surreys in June
Hospital Chelsea, conducted by Padre Waiter 42 at Portsdown. In March 1943 he married Helen
Evans, The Buffs old Chaplain from 1952-1957 . Tull . After his Battalion was broken up to provide
reinforcements in Normandy, Rajah went to the
lt was shortly after this that Colonel David Staff College and was then posted to GHQ Middle
himself fell ill ; after an operation, he made some East as AAG PS , where he served from early 1945
recovery but regrettably this was not sustained. to 1948, receiving the OBE for his work there. From
One last family occasion , which I was privileged to 1948 to 1951 he was AAG at HO Western
attend as a Godparent of Gillian, was the Command in Chester before joining the War Office
christening of her daughter, Charlotte, in March as AAG PS from 1951 to 1954. He then took over
last year . the Record Office at Warwi ck where, by all
accounts, he may well have made his greatest con-
David was sustained to the last by his tribution in a distinguished career. He made it his
indomitable Christian Faith, which he always job to visit every one of the 17 Regiments in his
shared with those around him . The end came on 21 bailiwick at regular intervals and did his best to
February, and the funeral took place six days later ensu re as much as was humanly possible that
at the Chapel Royal , Hampton Court Pala ce . The nobody should get less than six month 's notice of
Chapel was packed by his relati ves and numerous posting - no easy task at that time. His own integ-
friends ; amongst them , besides myself, were Col rity and high standard of reporting commanded the
Peter Critchley, Maj Noel Norris, Capt Roger absolute trust of the COs with whom he had to deal
Pilcher and RSM Bill Hickstead (who also worked and it was entirely f itting that when he retired from
for Credit Fa ctoring International) and our Army service in 1958, he was immediately
respective wives . appointed to a Civil Service (R01 I post as
Inspector of Reco rds at the War Office, a job he
After cremation , David 's ashes were Interred held until October 1971 .
next to those of his beloved Mary at Grantown ,
beside the River Spey, which they both loved so ' Rajah ' was a fine athlete in his younger days,
much . As we ourselves treasure his memory, we playing rugby for Sandhurst and both rugby and
extend to his family, especially his sons, Richard cricket for 2 RWK and then for 1 RWK in India . His
and Nicholas, and daughter Gillian, and their sharp wit was renowned and his talent for imper-
families our very sincere sympathy. sonation , notably in the legendary shows of his
time at Sandhu rst, were long remembered . He

79

Obituaries continued-------------------------------,

took a great interest in the Theatre and was the Battle of Britain), while the job itself was also of
delighted when his son Paul embarked on a interest to several HMG Departments. On the
successful acting career. His company was always outbreak of war, Pug was recalled and posted to
entertaining and he will be greatly missed by all 7th Bn The Cheshire Regt- a Machine Gun Bn -
who knew him . Our sympathy goes to his widow, as a Brevet Major. !This was the MG Bn of 15 lnf
Helen , his son Paul , and his grandson Thomas. Bde in 5 Div with which he was destined to serve
until the end of 1944.) He went to France with the
Lt-Col CS DURTNELL OBE BEF from Aldershot in October 1939, taking part in
the operations in France and Belgium until evacu-
late The Queen's Own ated from Dunkirk on 1 June 1940; this included
three months in the Magi not Line at the beginning
Royal West Kent Regt of 1940, and led to his claim to have been the first
Queen 's Own I he always considered that he was
Maj-Gen 0 E B Ta/bot_ CB, CBE_ OSO, MC, DL an RWK officer! I to command troops against the
writes : Germans and to give the order to 'fire' in February
of that year. Apparently Ito quote him) he got into
' Pug' Durtnell, who died peacefully at his home trouble with the French over this 'because it
at Hartfield , East Sussex, on 28 February, 1984, disturbed the phoney war, and he was threatened
aged 84, had , sadly for such an active man, been with a Court-Martial on a charge of 'When on
an invalid confined to a wheel-chair for the past Active Service, firing at an enemy'!
few years . Ably looked after by his wife , Sylvia ,
there is little doubt that his end was hastened by Back in the UK, Pug became 21C of the Bn
the tragic death of their only child , John , the training in Scotland and Northern Ireland for
previous November; John served with The overseas operations, preparatory to
Queen 's Own, Queen's Own Buffs and The accompanying 5 Div on its far flung journeys -
Queen' s Regt . India lvia the Cape) and then to the Burma front
after jungle training at Ranchi . In the autumn of
Pug was born on 17 June 1899 at Sevenoaks, 1941, 5 Div was switched back to the Middle East
Kent and after being educated at Felsted School !Iraq, Iran and Syria) to prepare for the invasion of
and the RMC , Sandhurst, he was commissioned Sicily, and Pug was promoted to command 7
into The Queen 's Own on 20 August 1918. He Cheshire. His Battalion took a full part in the
was very proud of , and interested in, his Kentish operations in Sicily and Italy !including Anzio) and
heritage and traced his family back to the 12th was one of the first British units into Rome in June
century, initially at Brasted, near Sevenoaks 1944: 5 Div was then withdrawn to Palestine .
Iwhere he has asked for his ashes to be laid to rest)
and earlier in the Penshurst area. ' Burke's Landed Pug, who had previously been Mentioned in
Gentry' includes several columns on his family . He Dispatches for his services in France and Belgium,
was also very proud of his family motto - ' Fear was awarded the OBE 'for gallant and distingushed
God, Fear No Man ' - and certainly did his level service in Sicily and Italy' . On arrival in Palestine,
best to live up to it. he was appointed Sub-Area Commander, Jeru-
salem and promoted to Acting Colonel; later he
After a short period with the 52nd Bn The Royal was transferred to a similar post at Tobruk where
Sussex Regt in the UK , Pug joined the 1st Bn The he was involved in the Crete operations. Pug
Queen 's Own at Gravesend in May 1919 and retired, for the second time, in December 1945 and
accompanied it to India that autumn . All his rejoined Trinidad Leaseholds Ltd . as Personnel
subsequent RWK service was as a Regtl Officer, Officer; this involved Positive Vetting responsibili-
initially with 1 RWK at Agra , Calcutta , Poona and ties and occasional visits to the West lndies. He
then Madras. He joined 2 RWK in 1928 in Guernsey gave up this job in 1954, on obtaining a R02
and accompanied it to Aldershot in 1930 ; it was appointment in Ml 11 at the War Office. Thus
during this period that he became a Machine launched on a PV career, he later was responsible
Gunner which was to stand him in good stead later for setting up the Army Security Vetting Unit at
during World War 11. From 1930 to 1934 he served Woolwich and commanded it as a Senior Security
as Adjutant with 5 RWK IHQ at Bromley, Kent) Officer until finally retiring. Appropriately, he lived
and then , after another year with the Home Bn , he for the rest of his life at Spyways Green , Hartfield!
rejoined the 1st Bn in India ISecunderabad and
Karachil returning with it to Shorncliffe , where it Pug was one of the several remarkable 'charac-
changed over with the 2nd Bn bound for Palestine. ters' produced by The Queen's Own between the
Wars , intensely loyal to his old Regiment , he
Pug retired from th e Army in April 1938, continued to attend all their functions until ill-
transferring to the RARO and obtained a very inter- health interfered: he was a member of both the
esting civilian appointment in the W est lndies as Bromley and the London IRWKI Branches of the
the Industrial Relations and Welfare Officer to the Regtl Association and a Vice-President of the
highly important Trinidad Leaseholds Ltd . !later, latter . He also continued to take an interest in his
this company produced mu ch of the petrol , etc, for war-time Cheshire Regt. He will be remembered,