Durham Light Infantry Friends: August 2014

Jim Mulhall DLI war veteran who was taken captive in Monte Cassino and escaped in a stolen Red Cross Ambulance has donated to Durham Cathedral’s LEGO build for his 95^th birthday.

Jim signed up to fight in World War Two ahead of conscription and fought in Africa and Solerno before he was taken captive and imprisoned for three years.

After managing to escape and make his way back to Britain, Jim ended up travelling with a member of the English aristocratic Lascelles family. On arrival into Britain, they were met and taken to the Ritz for afternoon tea – the first time Jim had ever set foot in a hotel.

Now he shies away from life’s luxuries and instead of gifts for his 95^th birthday, he requested donations be made to Durham Cathedral’s LEGO Cathedral project.

Jim came with friends and family to place over 100 bricks on the model and build the Durham Light Infantry Memorial in the DLI Chapel.

Link to all photos HERE

Monthly Bulletin August 2014

SUSPENSION OF ASSOCIATION RAFFLE FOR 2014 REUNION SUNDAY

14.61.01 It has been usual for there to be an Association Raffle on Reunion Sunday run by the lead branch from the Reunion parade. However circumstances this year are different. There is no lead branch. The format of the reception at St Chad’s is not the usual one; members this year may well have further responsibilities with regard to dependents; there is no on-site PRI shop with whom branch prizes could be deposited and the context is such that selling of raffle tickets would be difficult to conduct. As a result it has been decided there will be no raffle this year so there is no requirement for branches to provide a raffle prize.

STANDARD BEARERS REHEARSALS
1. Standard Bearers are reminded of the rehearsals taking place on Reunion Saturday 13 September as shown below. With this being a special reunion is in important that Standard Bearers make a particular effort to attend the rehearsals as nothing is the same as usual and the Association, being in front of VIP guests and in the public eye, needs to show itself to best advantage.

1400 hrs Durham Market Place

1500 hrs Durham Cathedral

It is essential that standard bearers are on-time to ensure a proper and timely rehearsal, to be lead by the Association Chairman and Mr Steve Robson.
Dress: Dress for the rehearsals is smart casual. Standard Bearers will only need to bring their Standard and the carrying holster.

ROLL OF HONOUR
1. Listed below are the names of those former DLI and LI veterans who have died since the last Reunion whose names will constitute the Roll of Honour to be read out at the Cathedral Service on Reunion Sunday. Branches should check the list to ensure that no-one has been missed off and that names are spelled correctly. Any changes should be notified to the Association Secretary immediately.

David ALDERSON

Alan BAINBRIDGE

Joe BAINES

Colonel GC 'Kit' BARTRAM TD

Harry BELL

Maj (The Revd) Frederick John Barrie BLACKBURN, TD.

David BOWRON

Fredrick Charles BREGAZZI

Tom BURDESS

Mel CARROLL

John Henry CLOSE

Thomas Henry DOBSON

Lawrence DOBSON

Lawrence Richard DONKIN

Andrew DUNKELD

John FINLAY

Dennis FUDGE

Albert GASCOYNE

Frederick HALL

Ron HEDGES

Ron HUGHES

Lt Col John Howard JACOB MC

Robert Featherstone JACQUES

Stanley JARVIS

George KIRSOPP

Kenneth MADDISON

Reginald Alan MARSHALL

Donald MAUGHAN

Norman McKENZIE

Frank MOON

Danny NIGHTINGALE

Michael NORTON

John ORCHARD

Leslie OSWALD

Ron PALMER

Christopher (Trigger)ROGERS

Ivan Thomas Arnold ROGERS

John SMART

Keith STRAUGHIER

John (Totty) TAYLOR.

Sir Cyril TOWNSEND

Alfred TYERS

Lt Col Ronnie WALTON MBE

Patrick WELCH

Billy WELFORD

Arthur WILLIS

Maurice WATERS

Donald WOOD

Leslie YOUNG

BRANCH TRANSPORT AT THE REUNION
1. Branches are reminded that roads into the city of Durham will be severely restricted or closed on Reunion Sunday. It is suggested that Branch Transport should deposit their passengers at The Sands Car Park, to enable personnel to gain access to Millennium Place using the lift at Watergate. Its location is given in the letter accompanying Entry Passes and Lunch Tokens.
2. After the Dedication Association Transport from the Market Place to the cathedral is provided for disabled members and their carers only. It is restricted to a small number of shuttle busses and will take some time. Members who are able to make the journey to the cathedral on foot will find it much quicker to do so. A bus will also be available at 2.30pm from Palace Green to the market Place.

REUNION PARADE
1. Instructions for parading members of the Association have already been issued to Branches Secretaries by the Chairman. All Association Branches and Veterans and Officers who wish to parade should muster at the Gala Theatre in the Millennium Place at 0900 hrs. Tea/coffee will be available from 0830 to 0915 hrs. The Association will ‘Fall-in’ at 0930 hrs in Millennium Place.
2. Non-parading members and dependents/carers should be in their seats in the Market Place by 0945 hrs.

REUNION ENTRY PASSES AND LUNCHEON TOKENS
1. Applicants who applied for Entry Passes for the restricted area in Durham Market Place on Reunion Sunday and Lunch Tokens for Entry into St Chad’s College for the Reception should by now have received them. Everyone should check them carefully to ensure that their personal details and dependent’s details are shown correctly. Any errors should be notified to the Rifles Office immediately.
2. It is stressed that these Entry Passes and Lunch Tokens must be brought to the Reunion or entry will be refused. Security personnel on duty do not know Association members and are unable to admit people without the appropriate documentation.
3. It should be noted that DLI Members who did not apply for Entry Passes, or those who were not aware they would need them will not be able to gain access to the restricted area in the Market Place or to the reception at St Chad’s College. These people will have to watch the dedication and unveiling ceremony from outside the restricted area.
4. Please note that Entry Passes are not required for the DLI Reunion Service and reading of the Role of Honour in the cathedral, which is open to anyone wishing to attend.

MANNING THE PRI SHOP ON REUNION WEEKEND
1. Branches are informed that volunteers to run the PRI shop which will be on Palace Green on Reunion Saturday and Sunday have been found. The PRI stalls will be run by a member of the Association and a number the Royal Voluntary Services personnel organised by Mrs Paulene Gill of the Consett and Stanley Branch. Mrs Gill has been informed of the timings for this activity. If there are any further Association members or other reliable personnel hoping to act as volunteers at the PRI shop they can be accommodated, but their names should be passed as soon as possible to the Association Secretary

WORLD WAR 1 COMMEMORATION “TOMMY” STATUETTES
1. These statuettes are now available for purchase at the Rifles Office at a cost of £50.00each if collected. If postage is required this will cost more. Application forms for statuettes are available from the Rifles Office, from where the statuettes can be collected.
2. The World War 1 Commemoration “Tommy” is a limited edition of 100 statuettes individually numbered, each supported by a signed certificate of authenticity. Purchase is expected to be brisk.

LEGION D’HONNEUR
1. Secretaries are reminded that Application Forms for those veterans who fought in the battle for the Liberation of France, beginning with the Normandy Landings, who wish to apply for the Legion d’honneur awarded by the French Government in conjunction with the MOD, can obtain the latest amended application form from the Association Secretary. Alternatively the latest format is at Annex A to these minutes. Please do not use the original format as it has no contact details for the applicant. Veterans do not have to have served with the DLI to be provided with an application form.

DLI CHRISTMAS CARD
1. A DLI Christmas Card will be available again this year. It is linked to the start of WW1 and shows the Angels of Mons, the flags of the Allies and an appropriate Christmas Greeting. Packs will be available for purchase early in September. A 2015 calendar is still being considered.

DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH
1. The following deaths have been reported to The Rifles Office since the last bulletin.

Stanley Jarvis Died 2014 2 DLI Wuppertal

Maurice Waters aged 72 and ex 1DLI soldier died 20th July at James Cook Hospital Middlesbrough.

John Orchard Served 1 Bn DLI A Musician in the DLI Band Served in Berlin, Hong Kong and Colchester. After disbandment of the DLI John served as a musician in the Irish Guards. Died 21st July 2014

Kenneth Maddison Died Wednesday 13 August 2014. A former Corporal in the DLI . Served from 1961 to 1969.

May They Rest in Peace