The Gloucestershire Parachute Regiment Association would like to invite you and your partner, to an inspirational talk on ‘SAS Sea King Down’ talk, a Sunday Times bestseller, on Wednesday 2 April 6.30pm 2025, at Imjin Barracks, Gloucester. This is a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat true story of one soldier's Special Forces operations in the Falklands War.
Mark ‘Splash’ Aston joined the Glosters as a teenager and passed SAS Selection, joining Mountain Troop of D Squadron, 22 SAS. In 1982 D Squadron were sent to the South Atlantic in a direct action role. Splash took part on the landing on Fortuna Glacier, in the taking of South Georgia, and the classic SAS raid on the Argentine airfield at Pebble Island.
When tragedy struck their Sea King helicopter crashed in the freezing South Atlantic, Splash was one of just nine survivors. Evacuated to a hospital ship, Splash defied orders and a suspected broken neck to re-join his unit until the fight was one. It’s an incredible, inspirational story of overcoming all odds to achieve victory.
Entrance is £15 per person, which includes the talk, a curry or vegetarian buffet, tea and coffee. All proceeds will be going to the Gloucestershire Parachute Regiment Association charity - for veterans in distress, and their widows in need.
The author has agreed to sign books on the night – cost of a signed book is £12. There is also a cash bar. Please bring cash: £15 for entrance, £12 book, and bar.
HOW TO BOOK:
To confirm your attendance, please register first by email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - thank you. Please note that for security, we need to register names before the event, with Imjin Barracks.
PS Please feel free to forward the attached flyer to your friends who could be interested, thanks very much!
The funeral of Capt Ron Simpson, who has died aged 91 years, will be held at the Easthampstead Park Cemetary and Crematorium, Wokingham on Thursday 20 March 2025 at 14:30 hours. Car parking is available at the Crematorium. The location of the Crematorium is:
South Road Off Nine Mile Ride WOKINGHAM RG40 3DW
Although the address is Wokingham, Association members intending to attend Capt Simpson's funeral should note that the crematorium is South East of Wokingham and South West of Bracknell.
Good afternoon gentlemen and a belated happy New Year to you all,
Apologises for being a bit behind the golf admin power curve this year but I was waiting for final confirmation of a couple of dates. We have 10 meetings at an excellent selection of golf clubs planned for 2025 as follows
24 April 2025 – The Spring meeting at Cumberwell Park Golf Club, organised by John Ledgister. Please note that 24 Apr is a Thursday. As in previous years, this will also include a “fun Texas Scramble team warm-up” on the par 3 course.
2 June 2025 – Prince of Wales (PoW) Division Golf match at the Whitefields Golf Club at the Draycote Hotel, Rugby, CV23 9LF. Teams of 8 being organised by Arthur Christian.
5 – 6 June 2025 – The Annual Summer Meeting (timed to be held before the Hungerford weekend) at Upavon Golf Club.
The plan this year is to hold the main competition for the Regimental Trophies on Thursday 5 June and then
Host the Burma Cup on Friday 6 June. However, for reasons beyond my understanding agreeing a date with the Slashers has been challenging. Despite numerous attempts to engage with the Slashers (going back to July last year) the only reply we received was their schedule of events. With the clock ticking, course availability reducing, no comms from the Slashers (but knowing from their schedule of events that they appeared to be available) I made the decision to book Upavon for 6 June. I received an immediate reply stating that due to the PoW Div meeting they were unable to attend.
I very much hope that the Slashers reconsider and are able to play in the Burma Cup on 6 June. In the event that they are unable to attend please keep this day free – we have 6 tee-times booked.
Many thanks to Norman for producing the attached list (by no means exclusive as there are many other options) of accommodation options close to Upavon.
10 June 2025 – The Bristol ABF Charity Day at Henbury Golf Club. Please note that this is a new course for the event and it is being held a month later than in previous years. Our 7th year of entering and we have entered 2 x 4-ball teams since 2019. Always well organised and it would be good to play on a new course.
16 July 2025 – The Devon ABF Charity Day at Dainton Park Golf Club being organised by Trevor Ongley. Always a great event that gets booked up very quickly so I will be sending out the instructions as soon as I receive them from Trevor – lovely course, fantastic carvery and well worth the effort to drive down there.
1 August 2025 – The Slashers Annual Meeting at Puckrup Hall Golf Club (Tewkesbury).
19 September 2025 – The Dorset ABF Charity Day at Rushmore Golf Club. An excellent event and an addition since 2021 to our calendar. A lovely course half in Wiltshire and half in Dorset. One of the 2 teams that we entered last year won the event so it would be good to keep our name on the trophy this year.
2 October 2025 – The Autumn meeting at Upavon Golf Club.
6 October 2025 – The Rifles Regimental Golf Meeting at South Winchester GC. We have been entering teams since 2009, won the competition in 2011 and 2015 and came second in 2013, 2014, 2021 and again in 2024 – it is an extremely enjoyable event and I would like to enter a strong Regimental team this year and get our name back on the trophy.
A reminder that I still wish to encourage more “informal and ad hoc gatherings” throughout the year (many thanks to Andy Taylor for getting a 4-ball together for the Cirencester Seniors Individual open last July). The sort of thing I am thinking of is any of you booking, for example, 1, 2 or 3 tee-times at your club and then a quick message out to members on a first come first served basis. If anyone wishes to do this let me know and I can send out the initial email to get the ball rolling.
Please put these dates in your digital and analogue (i.e. paper) diaries now. Also please pass them on to all golf playing Farmers Boys, and advertise them at the other Regimental events that you attend throughout the year.
Many thanks and I look forward to catching up on “Golf Courses Various” in 2025.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Please see below the text of a notice published this morning by the Rifles Taunton Office:
"Many will wish to be aware of the recent death of General Sir John Waters GCB CBE who has died aged 89 years. John Waters was commissioned into The Gloucestershire Regiment in 1955 and assumed command of 1 Glosters in 1975. In due course it is anticipated that regimental and national newspaper obituaries will give their accounts of his considerable career and life. There will be a Thanksgiving Service on Friday 21 February at 2.00 pm at St. Andrews Church, Colyton, Devon, and a memorial service at RMA Sandhurst in due course. To aid planning for catering, those attending the service at Colyton are asked to notify the Taunton Office of The Rifles by 15 February (Mrs Debbie Hards - 01823 333434 or <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>). The Daily Telegraph (published today, Monday 3 February) carries a family announcement and an announcement in The Times is expected tomorrow, Tuesday 4 February."
The 13th AGM of the Rifles and RGBW Regimental Association will be held at the Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum at The Wardrobe, 58 The Close, Salisbury, SP1 2EX on Sunday 12 January 2025. @ 11:30
Limited car parking is available, but not guaranteed, in the Cathedral Close at a charge of £10 per day (part day parking is not available, so it is £10 for however long you stay). Otherwise the closest car parks providing payment by the hour are:
Lush House Car Park
Old George Mall Car Park
Parking at The Wardrobe can only be provided for members who are infirm or disabled. Any member who requires disabled parking is asked to apply to the Association secretary.
If you intend to attend the AGM please complete the form below
Steven Bowkett Secretary The Rifles and RGBW Regimental Association
Although normally we do not have a Coffee morning in December, there has been interest expressed in holding one on the 20th of December. So if you are up for a final 2024 get together can you post your interest so I can forewarn McKenzies of numbers. Thank you.
Good morning all. Once you have repaired your fences, cleared away fallen branches and trees, why not come for a well deserved coffee at this Fridays Swindon Coffee morning.
This Fridays meet will be the last of 2024, I'll let that sink in for a minute.
So young sirs, if you can make it this Friday around 10:00hrs at McKenzies in Wood Street for our monthly get together, please do so. All are welcome..
You will recall that I included a short piece about the Elizabeth Cross in the August Newsletter.
The Elizabeth Cross was launched in 2009. It is granted to the next of kin of Armed Forces personnel killed on operations, or as a result of terrorism as a mark of national recognition for their loss.
The award is available to the families of those who died in conflicts dating back to 1948, including the Korean War, the Malayan Emergency, the Falklands conflict and operations in Northern Ireland as well as more recent operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I have recently visited the MOD Medal Office (at the aptly named Imjin Barracks in Gloucester) where I discussed the issue of how an Elizabeth Cross is awarded. As I thought it is now automatically awarded since its inception in 2009. However, anyone whose relatives are eligible to receive the award prior to 2009 must apply by completing a form.
I have communicated with the MOD Medal Office and received confirmation that the following members of 1 DERR/ RGBWLI, who were killed on active service, or as an act of terrorism are entitled to receive the Elizabeth Cross but it has not been claimed: Corporal J. W. Leahy DERR Died: 08/03/1973 in Northern Ireland Colour Sergeant B. J. Foster DERR Died: 24/03/1973 in Northern Ireland Private M. Swanick DERR Died: 28/10/1974 in Northern Ireland Lance Corporal K. J. Pullin DERR Died: 17/07/1993 in Northern Ireland Lance Corporal P.E. Craddock RGBW LI Died: 27/03/2006 in Afghanistan To ensure that any surviving Next of Kin (NOK) receive what is a fitting award for a soldier who made the ultimate sacrifice I must track down a surviving NOK to apply for the award.
The official Next of Kin is the first person from the following list who is still alive. This order of precedence is based on Intestacy Law. A. Surviving spouse B. Eldest child C. Eldest/grandchild/great grandchild D. Parent E. Brothers and Sisters of the whole blood F. Children of brothers and sisters of the whole blood G. Brothers and sisters of the half blood H. Children of brothers and sisters of the half blood I. Grandparents J. Uncles/Aunts of the whole blood K. Children of Uncles/Aunts of the whole blood L. Uncles/Aunts of the half blood M. Children of Uncles/Aunts of the half blood N. Other
Please can I ask you to share this message far and wide on Social Media, Websites etc and help me track down the NOK for all those who served to ensure that the family rightly receives the award of the Elizabeth Cross?
"Summer at The Wardrobe" on 19 July 2025will be a family fun day with a DERR/RGBW theme, with open invitations to all former DERR and RGBW veterans, Regimental Association members, Patrons, Society of Friends members and Wardrobe volunteers.
Invitations will also go to former Wessex Regiment members, to Rifles adult cadets and to the local 5 Rifles community, if they wish to join us.
There will be music (various bands) food and entertainment, as well as an informal BBQ evening for those wanting to stay longer.
Eighteen members of the Association took part in the Royal British Legion Service and Parade at The Cenotaph in Whitehall, London this year led by the Association President, Brig (Retd) P E O'R-B Davidson-Houston CBE DL.
Trevor Jones, who served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment during 1956 - 58, sadly had to withdraw this year due to deteriorating mobility. He is the last Royal Berkshire soldier to have joined the parade. He did so for many years accompanied by his comrade of nearly 70 years, Peter Legg. Peter had to give up attending the Cenotaph last year in order to look after his wife. We missed them both.
The Association bids for 30 places each year so our numbers were down this year. It is always an uplifting and memorable day. A number of our members take the opportunity also to attend The Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey and to make an extended visit to London. The RBL Cenotaph Parade is a great opportunity to take part in a revered national event so, if you would like to attend in 2025, do let the Association Secretary, Maj (Retd) Steven Bowkett, know by email at <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>.
Seven members of the Association, led by Association President Brigadier (Retd) P E O'R-B Davidson-Houston CBE DL, attended the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday 7 November. The photographs shows Brig Davidson-Houston meeting HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, Messrs Scott McBryde and Paul Witcher and a view of the Association's plot at the Field of Remembrance.
To all members, please take a look at the following website www.justrifles.co.uk it has a get help page where you can get assistance with a wide range of issues including mental health support and all of it is totally free.
Just Rifles is a private not for profit charity that only helps serving and former Riflemen. It’s totally confidential and is aimed at Veterans from the Rifles family of Regiments., irrespective of when you served. Their mental health counsellor is an ex-Rifleman veteran. Please pass these details on to anyone from our Rifles family.
The funeral service for Colonel T B Dutton (Terry) who died on 19 October 2024 will be held at St. Michael & All Saints Church, Urchfont, Wiltshire, SN10 4QP at 14:00 hours on Monday 18 November 2024, following an earlier Commital Service for family only. There will be tea and refreshments in the Urchfont Village Hall, close to the Church, following the service. The family have requested that there should be no flowers but those who wish to may a charitable donation to Dementia UK. Directions to Urchfont and a link for making donations can be found at:
William Anthony Fox BILL Passed away peacefully in hospital comforted by his loving family, on October 25th 2024, aged 96 years of Moston. The loving and devoted Husband of Gemma. A precious and cherished Dad of Ian, Dee, Sean and Rosy. A caring and cherished Grandad of Imogen, Aimee, Isabella, Ava, Amelia and Lexi. Treasured Great Grandad to Florence and Matilda. Dear Brother to Joe, and loving God Father to Chris Hughes.
Bill was a Gloster & fought at the battle of Imjin River, & was then POW
Bill will be deeply missed but fondly remembered by all his family and friends.
Requiem Mass to take place at St Dunstan’s RC Church, Moston on Tuesday 19th November at 10:00am followed by Interment at St Joseph’s Cemetery.
All enquiries to Stewart McCrakan of Greater Manchester Funeral Service, Moston Tel: 0161 681 1864
The funeral of Mr Ivor Gardner who has died aged 104 years, will be held at St. Nicholas' Church, Bromham, Wiltshire, SN15 2EU at 13:00 hours on Monday 18 November 2024.
Mr Gardner served in the Wiltshire Regiment in WWII, landing with the 4th Battalion on 19 June 1944 (D+13). He fought through the Normandy bocage and on to the Seine, Nijmegen, the Crossing of the Rhine and into Germany until the end of the war.
Mr Gardner was a long standing and dedicated member of The Royal British Legion. They have asked that those assisting with the funeral (standard bearers and bugler) be at the church from 12:30 hours.
I have sent out tickets to those individual who requested to attend the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey, the opening of which is being undertaken by HM the Queen.More details are at -
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ASAP, so that I can post them this week.
Legacy donations
As we move out of Summer and into Winter we still have a very busy year ahead and I thought I would update you on some things that have been going on behind the scenes.
RHQ of the RIFLES in Winchester hosted myself with the Secretary and representatives from both the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Regiment Museum and the Rifles, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum for a very productive meeting to update us on what is happening in the wider Rifles family. A very useful meeting and one that helps ensure that we continue to support the current regiment's five Pillars (Regulars, Reserves, Cadets, Veterans and Communities) to the best of our abilities.
I was also pleased to receive an e-mail requesting that Joe Parker’s (a recently deceased Gloster soldier) family would like to gift a donation to the Association. I am pleased to say that a very much appreciated gift of money was made to the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum, which will, I know, be put to good use.
It made me think that as we all get older and turn our mind to the children and passing on family heritage, have we ever considered leaving a legacy statement in our will to either museum? It is inevitable that funding for the museums will not be forthcoming from the MOD in future and anything we can do to ensure our regimental legacy is maintained is to be supported. You will need to discuss any form of payment with your solicitor (or whoever draws up you will) to insert a clear statement such as: 'I give free of tax to (The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum,Custom House the Docks, 31 Commercial Rd, The Docks, Gloucester GL1 2HE , registered charity number 1095077) or (The Wardrobe 58 The Close, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2EX registered charity number 1184091), the sum of £________ for the purposes of maintaining the museum, and I declare that the receipt of one of their Trustees or other proper officer shall be a full and sufficient discharge.’
MailchimpWe use Mailchimp to maintain our list of members of the Association, however, it is only as good as the information it holds. We have recently upgraded our account and over the coming months we will start to update the data we hold for everyone receiving this newsletter. So when you do receive an e-mail asking you to update your details (or check they are correct) please do so, so that we can maintain an up to date mailing list. The last newsletter gave us the following ‘bounced' e-mails, so if anyone has contact with any of the following can you please ask them to get in touch and let the Association have their correct contact details:
Roger Rees
? Rodriguez-Veglio
Phillip Cooper
Michael Smith
Didier Jn
Keeping your details up to date
At the bottom of every Newsletter/e-mail from the Association you will see a link - ‘update subscription preferences’
if you click on the link it will allow you to make sure that the information held by the Association is correct and up to date.
If you unsubscribe we cannot send any Newsletters to you and you will need to re-register to receive them again!
lease also join the RIFLES Network at - https://theriflesnetwork.co.uk/?from=logout, or use the QR code below. Swift is also available as a very handy App for your smartphone, to keep you in touch with what is happening. This is the central repository for all welfare maters and guidance.
Swift QR Code
Please feel free to drop me an e-mail at - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions or suggestions.
The Rifles annual Regimental Golf Meeting on 7 October was the start of a very successful final week of the 2024 season for the The Farmers Boys. The DERR team of John Ledgister, Dave Gardner, Farren Drury, Ron Cooke, John Marsh and Arthur Christian came 2nd, missing out on top spot to 5 Rifles by only 4 points so it came down to the last few holes. Outstanding individual performances from John Ledgister, who came 3rd overall, and Farren Drury for winning the closest to the pin prize.
A few days later we held our autumn meeting at Upavon Golf Course – our final meeting of the season. Many thanks to Norman Minty for hosting the event at his local club and well done to Dave Gardner and Kev Flay who came 1st and 2nd respectively.
Keep an eye out for our 2025 fixtures towards the end of the year and please get in touch via the Association if you would like to play in any of our future meetings.
Please get in touch via the Association if you would like to play in any of our future meetings.
The DERR Golf Society (The Farmers Boys) entered 2 teams into this year’s Dorset ABF Charity Golf Day at Rushmore Golf Course (a lovely course near Shaftesbury with 9 holes in Dorset and 9 holes in Wiltshire) on 20 September 2024. A hugely enjoyable and successful day with 27 teams entering and raising over £4,000 for the ABF. Not only did the weather stay fine but the B Team of Farren Drury, Kev Flay, Arthur Christian and John Caiger came first, whilst the A Team of John Marsh, Ron Cooke, Steve Riddell and Tony Field put in a respectable mid-table performance. The A Team was on track for a top 5 finish until a disastrous couple of holes on the back 9 – but that is golf. The Wyvern Sunday Players, captained by Norman Minty came 9th.
Thirty years ago, C Company, 1RGBW, was deployed to Bugojno, Bosnia, as part of Op Grapple 5, from September 1995 to March 1996. Stationed in a shoe factory on the outskirts of Bugojno, we patrolled the main supply routes to deter banditry, manned observation posts like BM8 overlooking the front line between BiH and Serbian forces and operated a checkpoint between BiH and Croatian forces in the Volice Valley. Alongside these duties, we carried out crucial aid projects—delivering donated clothing from the UK and repairing schools to help local children return to education.
In September 2024, 14 veterans returned to Bugojno to revisit what was a formative and memorable tour. Our Company Commander, Farren Drury, reached out to the Stipo Derek school via Facebook to reconnect. The school was one of two we made safe during the 48-hour "Brandywine Challenge," which later expanded to five schools and returned 5,000 children to education. As we walked over, we met a local journalist who wanted to cover the story and contacted “Jupe”, the former BiH 307 Brigade commander, who came to the school and welcomed us like old friends. Touring the grounds, memories of the renovation work resurfaced, along with the heart-breaking letters children had exchanged with their British pen pals—raw, unfiltered accounts of life during the war.
Next, we visited our old base, the shoe factory, still much as it was 30 years ago, with bullet holes in the ceiling ventilation. The cold of that time came rushing back—temperatures dropping to -24°C, freezing water bottles and kettles alike. We then headed to Tito’s Lodge, which had once been part of our running route. Old habits kicked in as we cautiously stuck to the tarmacked roads, remembering the ever-present threat of mines.
Our journey continued up the hills east of Bugojno, where we were warmly welcomed by a family whose father had brought cakes to soldiers at BM8. Their hospitality, as 30 years before, was a reminder of the kindness we encountered amid the harshness of war. From there, we returned to BM8 itself, overlooking Bugojno, recalling how it provided a front-row view of the Serbian SA2 missiles streaking down the valley, leaving craters the size of double-decker buses. It was also the site of one of the largest contacts, where nearly 600 rounds were fired.
The convoy moved on to Gornji Vakuf via the Volice Valley, where we had manned a checkpoint between Croatian and Bosnian forces. It was here, in quiet moments, that the odd cow would occasionally trigger a landmine—a grim echo of the war.
In Gornji Vakuf, we paid our respects to Lance Corporal Wayne John Edwards at Edwards Bridge near the old UN base, where we had been evacuated during intense shelling. From there, we travelled to Sarajevo, passing the half-built ski chalets we once used as a FOB for patrols along the eastern supply routes.
In Sarajevo, we took part in a wreath-laying ceremony at the British Residence, led by the British Ambassador. We honoured the four RGBW soldiers killed in Goražde: Privates Ben Hinton, Phillip Armstrong, Martin Dowdell, and Chris Turner, who were killed in two separate incidents whilst on patrol in September 1994. We also remembered all 59 British personnel who lost their lives in Bosnia.
The trip concluded with tours of Sarajevo and Mostar, followed by a final celebration in Split.
It was a deeply meaningful trip, reconnecting with old comrades and revisiting the places that had shaped us. It felt like no time had passed. We shared stories from our time in Bosnia, some we had missed 30 years ago, and reflected on the role we had played in helping restore peace. Seeing the country now at peace was a powerful reminder of the difference we made.
The following former C Company, 1RGBW comrades participated: Anthony Boocock, Farren Drury, Steven Farley, Cain Howley, Matt Keates, Iain Lunt, Andy McGurk, John Morris, Lee Murray, Dave Paniccia-Brown, Alan Pocock, Craig Rogers, Colin Simmons and James Woodley.
Chairman’s Note: The four RGBW soldiers killed in Goražde are remembered in the Memorial Garden within the Rifles, Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum. Please do pay your respects next time you are in the museum.
NB. This article also appears on The Rifles 'Swift' website. The Rifles and RGBW Regimental Association assisted this event with a grant.
The Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum
The Wardrobe, Salisbury
The Society of Friends
Swift QR Code
