Durham Light Infantry Association

MONTHLY BULLETIN April 2017
17.26. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE DLI EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

1. Branches are reminded that the AGM of the DLI Executive takes place at 1400 hrs on 19 April 2017.
   
2. Secretaries are asked to ensure their branch Annual Finance Statement and Strength return for 2016 has been completed and sent to the Secretary (the deadline date was 17 February 2017).
   
3. The Agenda for the meeting can be found at Annex A to the January 2017 Monthly Bulletin.
   
4. Branches are asked to ensure they are represented at this meeting.

26. THE WORKING TOGETHER GROUP OF THE ASSOCIATION, FRIENDS AND DLI COLLECTION
    
    1. The Working Together Group of the Association, DLI Friends and Staff of the DLI Collection at Sevenhills held another successful working workshop the theme of which was the Second World War. The members of the group are looking to the post WW2 period. Quite a number of the group served at this time and they are being encouraged to make up boxes relating to their own service or on someone they knew who served at that time or who has recently found out about their own links to the DLI in the visits to schools.

26. COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF GRAVENSTAFEL RIDGE – 22 APRIL 1915
    
    1. The 8^th &11^th Bns 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 that fought at the 2^nd Battle of Ypres. The commemoration to be conducted by the Rev Kenneth Crawford, Chaplain to the DLI Association and Rev Timothy Robinson, College Chaplain, will take place at the Gravenstafel War Memorial on the Hild-Bede college lawn on 22 April 2017 beginning at 1800 hrs, followed by a Retreat played by the Band & Bugles of the Durham Army Cadet Force. This year there will be no ‘pavilion’ so the retreat will be played in Caedmon Hall.
       
    2. After the Retreat members of the O.C.A. will retire to the Gilesgate Armoury for their Annual Dinner, while college personnel will attend a function in the college.

26. NEW BRANCH STANDARD FOR BISHOP AUCKLAND BRANCH
    
    1. Five Branch Standards from Durham, Darlington/NewtonAycliffe, Spennymoor, Stockton, and Chester-le-Street attended the dedication of the Roland Boys Bradford VC paving stone and unveiling of a statue to the ‘Fighting Bradfords’ at Witton Park on 11 March 2017, when the Bishop Auckland Branch had its new branch standard dedicated. Present were the Lord Lieutenant of County Durham Mrs Sue Snowdon, members of the Bradford family, past and present MPs, county and local councillors, members of the Witton Park community as well and veterans of the DLI and Light Infantry including the DLI Association Chairman Major Paul Wharton MM, serving officers of The Rifles, including Brig Charlie Collins, Colonel The Hon James Ramsbotham and the Rifles Secretary Durham, Major Chris Lawton. The service was conducted by the Chaplain to the DLI Association the Revd Kenneth Crawford with the vicar of Witton Park the Revd Elishiva Mechanic. Also present were General Sir Peter de la Billiere, who spoke eloquently at the dedication of the unique nature of the Durham Light Infantry and the soldiers who were part of it and in which Roland Bradford had served becoming the youngest Brigadier General in the British Army and which had influenced in no small way his own service life beginning as a DLI subaltern in Korea.

26. BISHOP AUCKLAND RAILWAY STATION GOLDEN THREAD PLAQUE UNVEILING
    
    1. The Bishop Auckland Branch of the DLI Association in conjunction with Bishop Auckland Town Council were present on Friday 17 March at 1030 hrs at the unveiling of a marble plaque in honour of the Golden Thread existing between the DLI, LI and The Rifles having been placed on the wall of Bishop Auckland Railway Station.   The Ceremony which honoured the many hundreds of serviceman of those Regiments who left Bishop Auckland from the Railway Station for service inn UK or abroad and through death or injury or other circumstance never returned. The ceremony involved a short service conducted by the DLI Association Padre, The Revd Kenneth Crawford, Major Paul Wharton MM spoke the words of the Exhortation, after which a Regimental Bugler sounded the Last Post, followed by a short silence and then the Reveille.    
       
    2. Other DLI Association members and Standards attended as well as councillors and staff of the Bishop Auckland Area Action Partnership (AAP) who had worked hard to bring this event to fruition.

26. BISHOP AUCKLAND BRANCH MEETING DETAILS – UPDATE
    
    1. Please note that the details for the monthly meeting of Bishop Auckland Branch have recently changed and are as follows: 2^nd MONDAY IN THE MONTH at 1900hrs RAFA Club, 43-47 Cockton Hill Road, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6HS

26. DLI ASSOCIATION INDOOR GAMES – 19 MARCH 2017
    
    1. The Games were hosted by Hartlepool Branch and held at the Belle View Club, Hartlepool.
       
    2. Results
       
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    4. 
       
    5. 

1. An examination of all the Results showed errors which have been corrected here. The Wooden Spoon had been presented to Stockton Branch, but this was incorrect. Horden & Peterlee should have been presented with this as can be seen from the Final Results Table. Horden & Peterlee can pick up the Wooden Spoon at the DLI Executive Meeting on 19 April 2017.
   
2. Thirteen branches took part in the games, 172 members attended and 128 meals were served, either Ham Salad or Beef Curry. The standard of the food presented was excellent and there was plenty of it.
26. LINK TO PHOTOS HERE

26. DEATHS REPORTED
    
    1. The following been reported to the Rifles Office since the publication of last month’s bulletin.
    2. WO2 Charles Terence Sore died Colchester 28 Feb 17 aged: 62 .He served with 2LI
       May He Rest in Peace
       
27. 
28. Elvet Waterside Durham,
    DH1 3BW
    31 March 2017