VE Day - 70th Anniversary

8th May 2015

To commemorate the 70th Anniversary of VE Day we will be opening our doors to everyone for free on Friday 8 May 2015.

Free admission to the DLI Museum & Durham Art Gallery for all

CHARITY EVENT

Richmond Town Hall May 2nd 2015 7PM – 10PM

Tickets are £20 to include canapés and a complimentary glass of wine.

Andy’s life dramatically changed when he was blown up by a Taliban I.E.D hear his inspiring story.

Andy will also be signing copies of his autobiography

‘Standing Tall: The Inspirational Story of a True British Hero’

All funds raised will be donated to the Friarage mental health ward and the KLB world challenge

TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM ANITA & KATIE

100th Anniversary of Bede Men dying at Ypres.

The annual act of remembrance took place at the war memorial at the college of St Hild & St Bede on Saturday 25^th April. The event was attended by the Mrs Sue Snowdon Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, councillor John Robinson Chairman of Durham County Council and Mayor of the City of Durham and Mrs Robinson the Mayoress. Also present were representatives of the college and DLI association veterans.

The annual ceremony which commemorates the sacrifice made by ‘Bede Company’, the eighth battalion of the Durham Light Infantry during the second battle of Ypres at Gravenstafel Ridge and others during the remainder of the Great War had special significance this year as it was one hundred years to the day the battle took place

After a short but moving service, the Band & Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force concluded the formal part of the event with the sounding of retreat.

Link to more photos

Link to T Griffith’s photos

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin April 2015

26. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE DLI ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVE

1. The Annual General Meeting of the DLI Association Executive took place on 15 April 2015 at 1400 hrs at the Rifles Office, Durham.

2. The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer were present.

3. 13 branches were represented. They were Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, City of Sunderland, Consett & Stanley, Darlington & Newton Aycliffe, Durham, Gateshead & Newcastle, Houghton-le-Spring, Ryhope & Silksworth, South Shields, Spennymoor, Stockton, Washington.

4. Apologies were received from Horden & Peterlee.

5. The minutes of the meeting will be distributed separately in due course after confirmation.

26. THE RESULTS OF DLI ASSOCIATION INDOOR GAMES

1. The Indoor Games took place on 22 March 2015 at Dubmire Royal British Legion Club at Fence Houses.

2. 139 members had expressed an intention of attending and 121 meals were booked and prepared.

3. The following branches attended: Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Consett & Stanley, Durham, Gateshead & Newcastle, Hartlepool, Houghton-le-Spring, South Shields, Spennymoor, Stockton-on-Tees, Sunderland.

27. DISCIPLINES RESULT
28. 

1. In 2015 the Overall Winners trophy was shared by Chester-le-Street and Houghton-le-Spring

2. RAFFLE

The winning numbers were, in order: 212, 954, 1040, 278, 75, 875, 671, 141, 4, 304, 637, 1074

3. THANKS WERE GIVEN BY THE CHAIRMAN AS FOLLOWS:

4. To the Houghton-le-Spring Branch for preparing the venue and for making all the arrangements.; to the Dubmire RBL Club, Fence Houses for providing the venue and preparing all the food and to the umpires for the various matches, to the Darts Scorers, to all the branches for donating the raffle prizes to all the members and their wives/partners for attending and making it such an enjoyable day.

5. LOOK FORWARD TO 2016

6. This year The Dominoes Trophy was not returned for the 2015 competition. Please note that all trophies must be returned each year in an engraved and polished condition to the Rifles Office immediately for presentation to the next winning team.

26. EVENTS TO MARK THE 70^th ANNIVERSARY OF THE LIBERATION OF BERGEN-BELSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP

1. The camp was liberated on 18 April 1945 by 113 Regt RA which had formerly been the 2/5^th Bn DLI. It is therefore fitting that the Association took part in both ceremonies.

2. INTEROPERA CONCERT - DARKNESS INTO LIGHT - IN DURHAM CATHEDRAL on 18 APRIL 2015. A grand concert of appropriate classical music, arranged by the organisation INTEROPERA celebrated the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen in April 1945. As part of the concerta representative party of two WW2 DLI Association Veterans, Colonel Alex Johnson and Mr Thomas Coyne and two DLI Association Standard Bearers, Mr Steve Robson and Mr Brian Anderson processed down the aisle of Durham Cathedral to Verdi’s Grand March from Aida, ahead of a party of children representing the children of the shoe commando of Bergen-Belsen camp, carrying shoes representing the shoes that the children of Belsen were required to make. It was an impressive and moving concert with Dame Ester Rantzen and Kevin Whately taking a leading part.

3. GATESHEAD JEWISH COMMUNITY AND GATESHEAD & NEWCASTLE BRANCH DLI ASSOCIATION A commemorative event with took place on the morning of 19 April 2015 at Gateshead Central Library. During this ceremony Lt Col John Heron and Lt Col Ted Kemp made a presentation about the part played by 113 Regt RA(TA) formerly 2/5^th Battalion DLI in the liberation of the camp.

26. VISIT BY THE DLI ASSOCUIATION TO CATTERICK GARRISON INFANTRY TRAINING CENTRE

1. The date of the Association visit to the Pass-off Parade for the Rifles Platoon at the Infantry Training Centre at Catterick Garrison was notified previously to branches as Fri 29 May 2015. The visit will conclude with a lunch at the Sgts’ Mess. Branches planning to attend should send approximate numbers as soon as possible to the Association Secretary at the Rifles Office Durham but not later than Thu 30 April 2015 so that the proper catering arrangements can be made.

26. LIGHT INFANTRY REUNION – Sat 6 June 2015

15.30.01 Members who are proposing to travel to the Light Infantry Reunion on the Association Coach must get their bids for places into the Chester-le-Street Branch as soon as possible. The coach will leave on Fri 5 June and return on Sunday 7 June.

26. LIBERATION OF SINT JOOST

1. As far as the Rifles Office is aware there have been no bids to attend the celebrations at the village of Sint Joost in the Netherlands which was liberated 70 years ago from Nazi occupation (20-21 Jan 45) by 9^th Bn DLI.

26. CENTENARY OF THE BATTLE OF GRAVENSTAFEL RIDGE ON 25 APRIL 1915

27.  

1. Members of the 8 &11 Battalions DLI Old Comrades Association will commemorate this action in which students of the College of the Venerable Bede, who formed the Bede Contingent of 8^th Bn the Durham Light Infantry at the 2^nd Battle of Ypres will remember the former students of the college at the Gravenstafel War Memorial on the Hild-Bede college lawn beginning at 1815 hrs, followed by a celebration dinner in the Gilesgate Armoury.

2. This action took place over 25-26 April 1915 in which 8^th Battalion DLI lost 574 NCOs & men as well as 19 officers. Alongside the Canadians of the Winnipeg Rifles they held the ridge long enough for a defensive line to be formed and occupied behind them.

3. Music for the Ceremony and the Retreat will be provided by the Band & Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force

26. DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

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

Mr Terrence (Tex) Beech Died Monday 30 March aged 70 years.He served wit KSLI and 3 LI

Tommy Calvert.No details

Mr Peter Downey A WW2 Veteran who took part in the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944 and served through the rest of the war with the KOYLI and the DLI

Mr David Connelly,a 90 year veteran who served in UK, Borneo, Cyprus, and Germany with KOYLI. A long-time member of the Stockton Branch DLI Association.

May they Rest in Peace.

 

 

Elvet Waterside

Durham

20th April 2015

A Selection of Photos from the Inter Opera production Darkness to Light

Western Front Association Talk

Tuesday 21st April at the Royal Navy Club, William Street, Stockton, commencing at 8.00pm.

‘The First Day of the Somme’ - 7^th Battalion Green Howards at Fricourt, by Steve Erskine a branch member

Steve will be talking about the actions of 7^th Green Howards on 1^st July 1916 at Fricourt, including the attack by one of their companies which had disastrous consequences.

Steve works for English Heritage and has worked at Richmond Castle for 3 years, giving tours of the site.

In 2008 Steve was awarded his Masters Degree in British First World War Studies from Birmingham University.

He is also the Editor of The Green Howard, the Regimental magazine of the Yorkshire Regiment and has published articles on the 7th Battalion of the regiment; its creation, development and operational history during The Great War and on its Commanding Officer, Lt.-Col. Ronald d’Arcy Fife of Nunnington Hall near Helmsley. He is a member of the Executive Committee of The Friends’ of The Green Howards Museum and Regional Case Worker for The War Memorials Trust.

In a nutshell – a busy man!

A small buffet is included - suggested donation is £3.00.

Military Talk - Bede Spirit; The Story of 8th Battalion DLI and its only action at Ypres Salient in April 1915

18th April at 2pm by Harry Moses

This talk traces the story of the ‘Bede Company’, 8th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry from its inception as a Volunteer Company of the Regiment until its first and only action at the Battle of Gravenstafel Ridge, Ypres Salient in April 1915.
The Company comprised students and ex – students of the Teacher Training College of the Honourable Bede, Durham City, who went to France with the Durham Brigade of the Northumbrian Division and were quickly involved in the 2nd Battle of Ypres, when the Germans used gas for the first time.
From 1875, on joining the College it was expected that every fit student would join the Volunteer Company – later Territorials – together with, at least one member of the College staff. They undertook the usual Volunteer and Territorial training, attending an annual camp and drills, during their two year teacher training course. On the declaration of war, many of the current students (1912-1914) were joined by ex-students who rushed to join the Company. Without firing a shot in anger, these lads were in action a mere 4 days of arriving in France. It is a story of sacrifice and courage in exceptional circumstances, 100 years ago this month.

Tickets £3.50 each (plus normal admission charge) available in advance from the DLI Shop or by calling us on 03000 266590.

VC Paving Stones Have Arrived

The museum has just taken delivery of the commemorative Victoria Cross paving stones - they will form an integral part of the new exhibition on Durham's recipients of the Victoria Cross in the First World War which opens in May.