On
Friday 16 January 2026 the DLI Assn commemorated the tragic deaths by
drowning, on exercise, of ten eighteen year old trainee soldiers;
eight DLI Trainees and two Trainees from the Duke of Wellington’s
Regiment, at the weir on the River Cocquet at Guyzance, on 17 January
1945, when training for WW2 operations in Europe. The Service was
held beside the weir at the Guyzance Memorial Stone,
on a cold, crisp morning, with
approximately 40 attendees drawn from the DLI Assn, the Duke of
Wellington’s Regiment, local councillors and folks from the local
community, including two DLI Assn Buglers, Kevin
Blackmore and James
Foster, and six Branch
Standards also on Parade.
The
Service was conducted jointly by DLI Assn Secretary Richard
Tough and Revd
Helen O’Sullivan
beginning at 1050hrs. Maj Mike
van der Gucht read the names
of the ten fallen young soldiers. Richard
Tough delivered ‘The
Exhortation’, before the Buglers sounded ‘Last Post’; then
‘Reveille’ followed ‘The Silence’. Wreaths were laid by Maj
Chris Lawton, representing
‘The Regiment’ and Capt
Peter Robson for the DLI Assn.
A member of the Duke of Wellingtons laid a wreath followed by local
Councillors and other private individuals. Revd Helen O’Sullivan
led prayers, culminating in ‘The Lord’s Prayer’. The Regimental
Hymn, ‘Abide With Me’ was sang ‘a Capella’, before Richard
Tough recited ‘The Kohima
Epitaph’. Graeme Winterington, a nephew of one of the soldiers who
died, addressed those assembled and read a very moving poem he had
written ‘A Place of Peace’. The Service closed with ’The
National Anthem’ and a Blessing by Revd
Helen O’Sulllivan. At the
end of the ceremony, attendees retired to Acklington Community
Centre, where an excellent buffet lunch was provided by the
Acklington Parish Community Team; this included two types of hearty
broth, which were very much enjoyed by everyone, especially if judged
by the number who went back for seconds!
Report by Richard Tough
Joanne Hutchinson provided the following photographs
LINK TO MORE PHOTOS HERE
https://bit.ly/4hAMzDo
