VETERANS - YOUR OPINIONS SOUGHT

UK Veterans get their say Hearing from our veteran community is vital and that is why the government has launched a UK-wide Veterans' Survey.   This is the first-ever exercise to collect feedback from the veterans' community across the UK coordinated by the Office for Veterans' Affairs and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).   The online survey was launched on 10 November and will be live for 12 weeks. The survey gives ex-UK armed forces personnel and their families the opportunity to provide direct feedback to the government on their experiences, access to and use of services for veterans. https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/veteranssurvey   Responses to the survey will help us better understand the experiences, needs and well-being of our veteran community, and guide future action.   It is important we hear a wide range of views, and we would like to encourage as many ex-UK armed forces veterans and their families to share feedback as possible. Your views matter, so please take part today. Complete the Veterans' Survey on the ONS website. https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/veteranssurvey

News has been passed to us from Hugo Cummins that Leory (Bobby) Greenidge living in London, who served with 1 DERR in the 1960's to early 1970's, has sadly died on 3 December.  No further details are known.  Bobby Greenidge is seen here in this photograph coaching Ptes Haddow and Fitzgeals after the range practice during 'C; Company's tour in British Honduras. Apart from being a good soldier he was a great battalion sportsman.

After bravely fighting a long illness Gary Paul Heatherwick died on 2 December 2022.  Gary hailed from Melksham and joined 1 DERR as a Drummer in the Corps of Drums.  Remembered for his good sense of fun, this image was extracted from the 'B' Company Imber Villagers Rioters' at the end of  an exercise whilst 1DERR were Demonstration Battalion. Funeral details will be circulated when known.

Ladies & Gentlemen,

Please find attached invite to the Imjin Commemorative Lunch 2023 sponsored by the Somerset Branch, Rifles & Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regimental Association. The invitation is open to all association members and Korean War veterans with their partners/chaperones and other branch invited local friends & guests.

This event has become increasingly popular over the years and in 2022 we maxed out our 140 seats, so please book early to avoid disappointment.

To ensure maximum publicity, this invitation will be sent out on the global mail distribution list and all associated Facebook sites. The following attachment is in PDF format for ease of reading/printing.

Best regards and take care

Martin Talling
Somerset Branch
Secretary & Treasurer
Rifles & RGBW Association

We are planning to hold the event once again at the Taunton Rugby Football Club, Veritas
Park, Hyde Lane, Bath pool, Taunton, Somerset, TA2 8BU on Sunday 23 April 2023 at 1200hrs for 1230hrs.
The two-course carvery & dessert menu, including tea & coffee, is £15.00p per person, which
is extremely excellent value, thanks to being generously discounted by the Association.
Online payment by bank transfer is the preferred payment option but cheques will also be
accepted, full details are attached.
Those who have been before to this venue are familiar with the superb food, the friendly staff,
the comfortable surroundings, the excellent ambience, and of course good company. There
are disabled facilities including a lift to the Hyde Suite. There will also be a raffle held after
lunch so please bring along a suitable gift.
The venue is easy to find just off J25 M5 and has parking for 250 cars. Please purchase your
reservations in advance from our Secretary Martin Talling; a booking proforma is attached.
Due to the continued success of this event and its popularity increasing, early booking is
strongly advised to avoid disappointment. We are capped at 140 seats (fully booked last
year).

As previously, we are giving additional focus on tracking down as many Korean Veterans as
possible and getting them to this prestigious event. There will be plenty of people attending
from Cardiff, Forest of Dean, Gloucester, Bristol, Stroud, and all along the South Coast, so we
ask all association members to try and locate these heroes and get them to the lunch. Their
numbers are fewer every year so; so, let us make a year to remember these veterans

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If you wish to attend, then complete the form below or click the button below for the return

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As is the custom our members attended various Remembrance Day Parades across the counties.

Featured below are some of the pictures of them.

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For those who are unable to attend Major (QM) Douglas Clifford Mortimer's funeral and who would like to see the service there will be a webcast o the service: Details are as follows:

This email is confirmation that a webcast is required for the following service:

Name

Douglas Mortimer

Location

East Devon Crematorium, Whimple, Exeter - Default Chapel

Date & Time

Tuesday 22/11/2022 13:00

Requester

Martin Hunns - Walter H Squires & Son, Tiverton

Use the PIN number below to access your webcast

Webcast Login PIN

792-8113

https://www.wesleymedia.co.uk/webcast-view

Webcast Viewing Instructions are available here.

Please note that by sharing the secure PIN number you give full access to view the service and access the on-demand features. Your PIN number will be activated no earlier than 14 days before the service date.

Event Number

1148234 - please quote this on all correspondence and when calling

Thanks,

Wesley Media Team

With less than a month left before the Ferozeshah Gathering I am just putting out a reminder for those who intend to be there but have not yet confirmed it with me, and those who have said they are coming but have changed their minds for one reason or another.

The shopping for food has begun and I need firm numbers quickly or one of wo things is going to happen.

1 Those who turn up without informing me will not get fed, or

2 I will have paid for food for someone who has not turned up and it will leave me in be more in debt than I usually am, and somewhat disgruntled!

Please let me know either way with response to this post or better still a personal message via Facebook Messenger.

Thank you.

Norman.

It is my sad duty to inform the Regiment that Major (QM) Douglas Clifford Mortimer died peacefully at 09:30 hours today 31 October 2022.

Born on 8 September 1925 Dougie enlisted on 05/08/1943 and after 6 weeks basic training was posted to the Essex Regiment for a further 10 weeks training at Brentwood and on completion was posted to the 2nd Battalion the Essex Regiment. Training thereafter was in preparation for a D Day landing, as 2ndEssex Regiment were to be part of 56 Infantry Brigade, together with 2ndGloucestershire Regiment and 2nd South Wales Borders. He did not take part in the actual D Day landings as he was in hospital in Southampton. His Pl Sgt had sent for a doctor, who came to the tent Douggie was billeted in prior to embarkation. The MO declared Dougie was not fit and he was sent by ambulance with an armed escort to hospital. From Southampton he was sent to a general hospital in Macclesfield. Recovering and being declared fit he was sent to a camp for reinforcements and together with many other personnel of the Essex regiment set off to join up with what they thought would be the 2nd Essex. This wasn’t to be the case. 43rd Wessex Division had been tasked to capture and hold Hill 112 overlooking Caen, which they did but, in the process, suffered very heavy casualties. The result was that Dougie with many Essex Regiment NCOs became ‘A’ Company 4th Battalion The Dorset Regiment . Dougie never did meet up with 2nd Essex again.

Dougie remained reluctant to talk about the fighting in Normandy except to say the fighting through the ‘bocage’ was horrendous, and that was the polite description.

At the endo of the war Dougie went as an ERE NCO to a bomb disposal unit in Bristol who were due to take about 70 German POW’s to Braunton, North Devon, to assist the Sappers clear the British Anti Tank mines that had been placed in the sand hills to prevent Saunton Sands beaches being used as a landing beach for a German invasion.

After that ERE posting Dougie was sent to 1st Battalion The Royal Hampshire Regiment who were the Training Battalion for the Wessex Brigade. Whilst with the Royal Hampshire’s he was sent to Warminster to attend a Senior NCO’s Tactic course, which he enjoyed and obtained a very good result, thereby gaining promotion to substantive Sergeant. On returning the Royal Hampshire’s he was posted to training Company and assumed the role of instructing the intakes of National Servicemen.

When the Royal Hampshire’s came to the end of their training commitment to the Wessex Brigade, they were due to be posted to BAOR, les Dougie who was promoted to S/Sgt to become an instructor on the Senior NCO’s Tactics course. Defence cuts within the Armed Forces saw the Senior NCO’s Tactics Wing closed and instead of re-joining 1 R HAMPS the MOD in its wisdom decided Dougie should be posted to 1st Battalion the Wiltshire Regiment in Hong Kong.

Dougie service in the Wiltshire’s is summarised as C/Sgt in 1953; WO2 in 1954; WO 1 in 1960; RSM 1 DERR in Malta from 1962 to 1964. Wessex Depot from 1965 to 1966 and granted a QM’s Commission in 1966.

QM Malawi Rifles 1966 to 1968; QM Tech 1 DERR 1968 and the QM in 1969 to 1973, leaving the Battalion in Berlin on being posted to Dubai where he served until 1976 and then assumed his last appointment working in Dusseldorf Rhine Army Rear HQ before retiring in 1977 after 34 years loyal service.

It doesn’t matter if you have served with us for six weeks or six years or served with one of our forming or antecedent regiments – we still care about you.

The Regiment’s TESCO voucher scheme is a one-off give away for serving and veteran Riflemen who are in genuine need of help as a result of the cost-of-living crisis. The details of how to apply can be found on SWIFT, which you will need to register and join.

This is for first time applicants only, so if you have applied for a voucher previously, please don’t apply again. 

Those members of the Association who follow the website of the Gloucestershire Regimental Association (https://www.glosters.org/) will be aware of his recent announcement to step back from his many voluntary duties he has down on behalf of the Glosters and this association.  Before you read the two messages that Phil posted to his readers, I would just like to record the thanks of the whole Association for his incredible work.  What is just as staggering is the amount of time and effort, he also put into his other passion canal longboats.

Phil thank you for everything you did for us, time to look after Sonia and yourself.

Roger Stone, who served with 1 DERR from 1970 to 1974 covering the tours of Catterick, British Honduras and Ballykinler, died on 20 September 2022. His funeral takes places this Friday 7 October at 12:00 at Canford Cemetery and Crematorium, Canford Lane, BS9 3PQ

Mr Brian Barkham Archer of Swindon, who served in The Wiltshire Regiment as a National Serviceman, died on 24 September 2022. After his initial 12 weeks training at Devizes, Brian joined B Company 1 Wiltshire at Knook Camp when they were Demonstration Battalion. within 2 weeks he became the batman of Major Stevens the then Demonstration Officer, then became the batman to the Commanding Officer Lt Co Wood and the Lt Col Hunter by which time the battalion were on their operational tour of Cyprus. 

Mr Tiddy Ferris at the age of 88 died inSeptember 2022.He served with 1 Gloucester's and was very proud of his service. He was the standard bearer of the Gloucester branch and served on the committee for many years. He was also a sportive member of the RGBW Severn branch. He helped in the SOG museum and had a lot of regimental knowledge. 

A calling notice has been sent out to branches asking for articles for the next issue of the Bugle magazine covering the period July to December 2022.  Articles should be on association activities and those that involve the public or local communities will be particularly welcomed.  Each Rifles Region (Midlands: North East: North West: South: South West) have about 400 words for all of their association articles so yours do not have to be lengthy, max 100 words.  What   is important are two good quality images  (of at least 1 MB in memory size) and please identify people in the images.  Closing date for all articles to be at RHQ Rifles is 9 January 2023, so please get any articles to me by 21 December so I can collate and forward to RHQ Rifles

The County Chairman of Gloucester, Captain Len Keeling, reports that on the 27 September 22 we held a Branch “Open Day” and sent invites to all branches and friends plus the public on the various military networks. This proved to be a tremendous success and as a result we managed to recruit 6 new members of much younger years from the 60 In attendance who hopefully will keep the flags flying for the coming years. Due to its success, it is intended to hold similar events twice a year organised be different branches to recruit younger blood and swap ideas. The one in September was organised by the Forest of Dean branch at the Ore-Pool Inn in Sling ( near Coleford). Hope this is of interest to our readers

Regimental Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum

There have been many voices raised concerning the state of the regimental memorial located at the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA). For members who have not been to Alrewas and seen the memorial it has a separate face for each of the Regiments, namely in antecedent order, The Gloucestershire Regiment, The Royal Berkshire Regiment, The Wiltshire Regiment, The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire) and the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. The memorial is made of Cotswold Stone, which whilst being a softer stone than, say granite, is synonymous with the three counties our regiments hail from. Due to the concerns raised at an AGM, prior to Covid, and concerns raised by recent visits, from a variety of Association veterans, we made contact with the National Memorial Arboretum, which resulted in the Association Secretary having an on site meeting with the Grounds and Landscape Manager, who look after the memorials with the arboretum. The NMA no longer allows Associations to carry out their own cleaning and maintenance of regimental memorials, due partially to eager volunteers using incorrect cleaning materials and thereby causing damage. As a result of the meeting with the NMA staff and the three options we were offered, the Association Secretary briefed inaugural meeting of the Rifles and RGBW Regimental Management Board.  Fortuitously for us The Rifles County Colonel of Berkshire had a professional knowledge of stone work and was able to add weight to the discussion. The Management Board have agreed to that it would be appropriate to contract the NMA to carry out the following: Steam cleaning inc. hand wash where necessary, of memorial stone a minimum of four times per annum Steam clean PAVED area a minimum four times per annum Machine mowing as required throughout mowing season Strim around memorial footprint as required throughout mowing season Re-painting memorial lettering maximum once per 10 years Due to our concern that 10 years may be too large a time lapse for the lettering we are asking for a review of the letting every 5 years. We will keep you updated with the negotiations.

In the previous edition of the Association News Sheet we gave an update on the health of Phil Miller, who created, administered and essentially was the sole lynch pin of this excellent web site.  Phil, for health reasons has acknowledged he can no longer devote the time and effort  required to keep this fine web site going. Phil approached Martin Talling asking him to take temporary custody of the data and administration of the website.  However with Martin being the Association County Chairman for the County of Bristol in addition to his role of Branch Secretary of the thriving Somerset Branch; taking on the mantle of permanent  administrator of the website is not a viable proposition. So this is an appeal to any member of the 28th/61st  who has either skill set or the preparedness to learn to come forward and assume the mantle of administering this excellent website.Anyone prepared to step forward should contact either Martin Talling or Len Keeling in the first instant or myself (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

David Hill who served with 1 DERR, lost his battle with cancer and died on 8 October 2022.  His funeral is being held at 14:10 hours on 27 October at Stourbridge Cemetery and Crematorium, 167 South Road, Stourbridge DY8 3RQ.  The wake will be held after the service at The Birch Tree, Vicarage Road, Brierley Hill, DY5 2PS. 

The family of Carl Geoffrey Hart, who served with the Wiltshire Regiment and was a member of the Salisbury Old Comrades Branch have informed us that he died on 26 September 2022 and his funeral was held on 10 October 2022 and asked that his friends and fellow veterans be informed.

We have just learnt that Chris Kaye, who served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment and carried on of the Colours on the amalgamation paraded of 1st and 2nd battalions The Royal Berkshire regiment after World War 2, died on 1 October 2022. Chris' funeral takes place on Friday 28 October at 14:30 hours at St Mary's Church, Station Road, Wargrave, RG10 8EU