The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin October 2014

82. DLI ASSOCIATION ORDINARY EXECUTIVE MEETING – 12 NOV 2014

1. This is a reminder for officials of the various branches of this meeting starting at 1400 hours at the Rifles Office Durham. At this meeting as well as well as routine business shown on the agenda branches will be asked if they are making bids for hosting of the DLI Indoor Games 2015.

82. MESSAGE FROM THE FAMILY OF TONY LYNN

1. The Secretary has received a card from the family of Tony Lynn thanking the Association for its support and presence at Tony’s funeral. The card says:

Dear Members

Just a little note from the family of Tony Lynn to thank you for your kind support and presence at his funeral. You helped to make the service a memorable and moving experience – a send off which was a great credit to our beloved Husband, Dad and Grandad, as well as the Durham Light Infantry

The collection raised just over £400 for Prostate Cancer UK.

Kind Regards

Margaret, Tony, Sharon, Melanie, Frank and Freya

2. I have written to Margaret to thank her.

82. OTHER EVENTS

1. Association members who are also members of the organisation named below are reminded of the following dates.

2. Sun 2 Nov The “Faithful” Inkerman Dinner Club Victoria Cross Stone Ceremony at the VC Stone, DLI Museum at 1045 hrs. This year we are particularly celebrating the life of Pte Adam Herbert Wakenshaw. VC Branch Standards welcome.

3. Fri 7 Nov The “Faithful” Inkerman Dinner Club Annual Dinner at the RBL Dubmire Club, 1900 bar open, Dinner 8.00pm (prompt).

82. WREATHS

1. Branches or members wishing to order wreaths for Remembrance Day or other memorial ceremonies should place their order early to avoid disappointment. The take up of wreaths this year has been considerable. You should state in your order whether you wish for DLI , Light Infantry or Rifles Wreaths.

82. CENOTAPH PARADE TICKETS

1. I still have at this time 6 tickets remaining for anyone wishing to join the DLI element of the ex-service parade. If you would like any of these ticket please contact me as soon as possible and I will despatch them to you, with other appropriate documentation.

82. DLI ASSOCIATION CHRISTMAS CARDS

1. There is a good supply of DLI Association Christmas cards at the Rifles Office. They are for sale in packs of 10 at £5.00 per pack and show on the front WH Margetson’s painting of the Angles of Mons, inside the flags of a representative group of the Allied Nations and a Christmas Message. Order early as there is likely to be a demand for these cards.

82. DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

1. The following deaths have been reported to The Rifles Office since the last bulletin.

2. Robert McLur 27 August 2014 Aged 78 years NS with 1DLI 1953-55, Later Cheshire Regiment TA. Former Sgt of the Liverpool Police

   Eric Meadley, Died on 30 Sept 2014. Served with the MT section of 1DLI. Eric was 88 years of age and a member of Hartlepool Branch

   Sgt ‘Ossie’ Oswald Henderson. Died 3 October 2014Aged 96 years.He Served 10 Bn DLI

   Jimmy Alderson No details known

   Major Robert Eric (Bob) Marsden. Died 15th October.  Served with 6 DLI

3. May they Rest in Peace

 

14. 

15. Elvet Waterside

    Durham

    21 Oct 2014

The Cleveland Branch of the WFA Meeting 21st October

1/7 Northumberland Fusiliers at Starfish/Hook and Gird Lines - Dave Barras

Dave will be talking about the actions of this battalion on the Somme from August to November 1916, where it took part in heavy and desperate fighting.

Meetings take place at the Royal Navy Club, William Street Stockton.

and commence at 8.00pm, members and non-members welcome.

First World War Talk

Saturday 18 October - 2.00pm

Harry Moses

Army Tactics and Roland Boys Bradford VC MC

 

Harry Moses will cover aspects of the evolution of infantry tactics during World War I, starting with the lessons that came out of the Boer War and influenced the BEF in France in 1914. He will highlight those aspects of infantry experience in the major battles of the conflict and the problems faced by its commanders as they sought to meet the challenges which a continental war placed upon a colonial army.
Brigadier Roland Boys Bradford VC, MC was one of the outstanding young officers, who entered the war as platoon and company commanders. Promoted to higher rank, their tactical awareness influenced the progress of the Army in the last 18 months of the war. Roland’s particular interpretation of the new tactics will be covered during the talk, which placed him high in the list of outstanding leaders produced by the war. His untimely death in November 1917 robbed the Army of a great soldier.

Tickets £3.00, (Plus admission) available in advance from the DLI shop or by calling 03000 266590.

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin September 2014

72. 15 SEPT 2014 SPECIAL MESSAGE OF THE DAY FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY ASSOCIATION, MAJOR PAUL WHARTON MM

I write to pass on to you my many thanks for your loyal support and efforts that you made to make this last weekend’s event the undoubted success that it surely was. I am sure that you all felt as I did an enormous sense of belonging to this fine Regiment and a feeling of being part of one big happy family. 
For those of you that were on parade you were superb and made my job as the parade commander extremely easy and pleasure to conduct, in fact, it was hard to distinguish the regular soldiers from the Veterans on this very important reunion and Regimental event.
Your marching, steadfastness and discipline were of the highest order and were held in a true Durham Light Infantry style which we have always known to be the highest.  May I also give a special mention to Steve Robson and all the Branch Standard Bearers and the Re-production Colours bearers for their drill and smartness on parade; you were all a credit to the Association. 
At this point it would be remiss of me not to mention the support that we all received from our families and friends throughout the lead up to the Reunion and in particular the support that you gave us and the Association on the day, thank you all.  Unfortunately it is with sadness that two of our veterans, Tony Lynn and Keith Straughier who were the driving force behind getting the DLI Memorial up and running and a reality are no longer with us, but they will always be remembered for the part that they played towards making this Regimental day a success. It was especially nice to see Jenny Straughier and Tony’s daughter Melanie and her husband Andrew join us and be part of this special reunion and dedication Service.

Of course many things go on behind the scenes before an event of this importance so may I also thank on your behave the following:  Lawrence Anderson the event officer, John Heron our Secretary, Kenneth Crawford our Association Padre, Chris Lawton the Regt County Secretary and Shirley from the Regt office for all they hard work towards making this Reunion a very memorable occasion.  

Finally, last but not least, may I thank Liz Pearson and her staff at St Chad’s College luncheon for looking after us all so well and supplying us, with a smile, endless amounts of food and drink.  I am sure that many of us went home very contented.
So now let us take pride that we have our own Regimental Memorial Statue in the Durham City market Place and be very proud that we can look back and say, I was present on Sunday 14 September 2014 on the occasion of the DLI Association Reunion and Dedication Service event.

Paul Wharton
Chairman
Faithful

72. DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE MEETING

    1. Be reminded of the DLI Association Executive Meeting on 12 November 2014 at 1400 hrs at the Rifles (Durham) Office

    2. All branches should ensure they are represented.

    3. The Agenda is to be found at Annex A

    4. Minutes of the DLI Executive Committee Meeting 18 June 14 will be available amongst the papers for the DLI Executive Committee Meeting on 12 November 14.

72. SUSPENSION OF ASSOCIATION RAFFLE FOR 2014 REUNION SUNDAY

14.74.01 The usual Association branch raffle run by the lead branch at the DLI Reunion was suspended for 2014 as the there was no Association Lead Branch, the venue was difficult in terms of any selling of tickets and the making any announcement of winners, and branch officials had too much to do. The Raffle will be held again in 2015.

72. MANNING THE PRI SHOP ON REUNION WEEKEND

    1. The PRI shop normally held in the at the stairwell of the College of St Hild and St Bede was instead held over 2 days on the Reunion Weekend on Palace Green as part of the WW1 Celebrations and events associated with the DLI Reunion and dedication of the DLI Statue in the Market Place. This was possible only through the efforts of Paulene Gill, Secretary of the Consett and Stanley Branch who organised ladies of the Royal Voluntary Services for the two days. This valuable service enabled the Association to take in excess of £550. A note of appreciation has been sent to the RVS.

72. DLI ASSOCIATION DRAW RESULTS

    1. Prize Winners in the DLI Association Draw 2014 are shown below.

    2. Cheques to the winners will be sent out by the Treasurer by the end of September.                 

    REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY CENOTAPH PARADE

    1. The Secretary has not yet received tickets for the London Cenotaph Parade. They will arrive at the Rifles Office in the next few days.

    2. The Secretary will send on to those branches the tickets and the Parade Instruction ordered earlier in the year. Members are reminded that a limited number of tickets for this parade are available, free, each year for which branches can bid.

    72. WORLD WAR 1 COMMEMORATION “TOMMY” STATUETTES

        1. These statuettes are now available for purchase at the Rifles Office at a cost of £50.00 each (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.

    72. “FAITHFUL” INKERMAN CLUB DINNER AND VICTORIA CROSS STONE CEREMONY

        1. Application Forms to attend the Dinner which takes place on 7 November 2014 at the Dubmire RBL Club Fence Houses have been distributed by the Secretary Mr Brian Laverick. Application should be made early to avoid disappointment.

        2. The Victoria Cross Stone ceremony takes place on 2 November at 1045 hrs. The ceremony is open to all. Branch standards are invited.

    72. DLI CHRISTMAS CARD

        1. A DLI Christmas Card is 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 of 10, 20 and 30 cards are available for purchase at the Rifles Office now. A 2015 calendar is still being considered.

    72. DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

        1. The following deaths have been reported to The Rifles Office since the last bulletin.

    Bernard Tanter Friday 15 August 2014 1 Bn DLI

    Capt Anthony Furness Lynn 29 August 2014 Served with 1 DLI, 2 DLI, 1LI, 2LI, NUOTC and 7LI

    Major JJ Clarke 2nd September 2014 served with KOYLI and 2LI

    Derek Monroe,DLI Association

    Norman McMahon, Secretary Sunderland Branch. Died at 11.30 on 12 Sept 2014.

    Michael Arnold Service No: 25084695. Served with 2 LI

    1998-2003

    May They Rest in Peace

73. 

74. Elvet Waterside

    26 Sep 2014