Change of Meeting Day

Darlington and Newton Aycliffe Branch Notice

From March 2015 the Darlington and Newton Aycliffe branch meeting will take place on the 1st Wednesday of the month, no change in location. First Wednesday night meeting is  4th March 2015.

The Muddy Choir A performance by Theatre Centre

Thursday 22 and Friday 23 January 2015 - 7.30pm

Saturday 24 January 2015 - 11.30am

Free performances for all at the DLI Museum & Art Gallery

The Muddy Choir is the story of three childhood friends - Will, Robbie and Jumbo - caught up in one of the deadliest battles of the First World War, and hoping their love of music will provide an escape.

The show takes audiences into the trenches of Ypres, introducing them to three teenage soldiers of the Durham Light Infantry. The show commemorates the heartbreak, humour, passion and desperation of those caught up in the War, and contains close-harmony versions of popular North-East folk songs of the period.

The Muddy Choir, a new show by Jesse Briton (Bound, Enduring Song), is the latest play commissioned and produced by Theatre Centre, a company with a 60-year pedigree in producing quality theatre for young audiences.

Tickets for all three performances are completely FREE. Please email us at dli@durham.gov.uk or phone us on 03000 266290 to book your places.

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin December 2014

92. ASSOCIATION INDOOR GAMES 2015

1. As reported in the Minutes of the Ordinary Executive Meeting held 12 November 2014 the Indoor Games of 2015 have been awarded to the Houghton-le-Spring Branch and will be held at the Dubmire Royal British Legion Club at Fence Houses on Sunday 22 March 2015.

2. It is the responsibility of the Houghton-le-Spring Branch to ensure they comply with all the requirements for the Games.

3. The Bar at Dubmire RBL Club will open by 1100hrs. Branch Registration will be up to 11.15 hrs. The Target time for the start of the Games is 1135 hrs.

4. Entry Forms can be found at the Annex to these Minutes. They must be returned completed to the Association Secretary by Friday 27 February 2015.

92. BRANCH FINANCE & STRENGTH RETURNS

    1. Secretaries are reminded that Branch Finance & Strength Returns are required from all branches for the Year Jan-Dec 2014 by 20 February 2015 on the proforma which can be found as Annex A to the November bulletin.

92. SEASON’S GREETINGS

    1. At the end of a wonderful year which saw the realisation of a long held dream of having a statue of the DLI soldier in the Market Place at Durham, which was unveiled at our Reunion on 14 September, from myself, Major Lawton and Shirley may we wish all members and their families a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, with thanks for your cooperation and hard work during the past year. Well Done.

92. MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

14.95.01 It is good to be able to report that Membership of the Association is thriving. During the course of the period from November 2012 until the present time I have registered 72 new members. Of course not all of them have served in the DLI , Light Infantry or The Rifles but a good proportion of them have do so, and we must encourage this.

14.95.02 I am getting applications form individuals living out of the area who cannot, except on rare or special occasions, be expected to attend a monthly branch meeting, but who need to be aware of what is going of in the Association. It is my intention to establish a RHQ Group for these people, which I will administer myself and keep these members informed of Association events and activities so they can play as full a part as possible.

14.95.03 I would ask secretaries who submit individual membership applications to me for their branch to ensure the proposed branch name is entered on the form. I have recently had 5 cases in which no branch name was entered and so because of the addresses of the members I have sent to the wrong branch secretary.

14.95.04 Because of the wizardry of modern computers I only require ONE passport size photograph of intending members. £2.00 Life membership fees should still be paid to Shirley Nicholson, the AO at the Rifles Office.

92. PUBLICISING BRANCH EVENTS

    1. The Secretary is sometimes asked to publicise events which the organising branch hopes that members from other branches will attend. In a number of cases the details given are too sparse to do the job properly. At Annex C to these minutes is a publicity form which can be used to send the Association Secretary details of forthcoming events.

92. DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

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

Mr Phil Parker, Saturday 29 November aged 64.

(late 1LI and Vice Chairman of the LI and Rifles Association Shrewsbury Branch)

Lieutenant Colonel Jack Rupert Hemsley, Saturday 29 November aged 71

(late KSLI/1LI)

T Wilkins (No details available)

Colin Rose,died Monday 22 December 2014. 8 Bn DLI, Light Infantry Volunteers and 5LI

Founder Member of “The Faithful” Inkerman Dinner Club

George Kenneth Lodge, 22nd December.

Morris Gourley, aged78. A member of the Gateshead and Newcastle Branch. He served with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the DLI.

George Brown aged 90, died 26 December 2014.in Ashbourne Nursing Home, Billingham. Served in 70 Young Soldiers Battalion Durham Light Infantry,later 2/4 Bn KOYLI

May They Rest in Peace

 

Elvet Waterside

Durham

23 Dec 2014

Hartlepool Bombardment 16th December 1914

The first major attack on British soil of WW1 took place one hundred years ago today. Three German warships fired over one thousand shells into the town causing wide spread damage and killing over one hundred.

There is an article in the current issue of The Durham Bugle,  magazine of the friends of the museum.

LINK to BBC Tees coverage

DLI Association wins Medal

Today, the DLI Association was presented with the Chairman's medal.

The Chairman's Medal is awarded to individuals or groups in recognition of services to County Durham.It is the highest honour that can awarded and is given to individuals or groups who have contributed significantly to communities in County Durham.

The citation reads “In recognition of the strong and continuing bond between the County of Durham and its Regiment since 1758”

Pictured. Councillor John Robinson J.P. Chairman of Durham County Council presents the award to Major Paul Wharton M.M., DLI Association Chairman.

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin November 2014

82. MINUTES OF THE DLI ASSOCIATION ORDINARY EXECUTIVE MEETING HELD 11 NOVEMBER 2014

1. The minutes of this meeting have been distributed electronically. Any branch which has not received them should check their email addresses, amend if necessary and contact the secretary as soon as possible.

82. CHAIRMAN’S CERTIFICATE 2014

1. The DCC Chairman’s Certificate of Recognition of the links between the Regiment and the County is being presented on Wed 3 December in the Council Chamber at County Hall Durham, to which DLI Association Members are invited.

2. The certificate will be presented  to the Association Chairman at 1000hrs, after which the council meeting follows. Association members may remain for the rest of the meeting or leave at that point, waiting elsewhere in the building for the buffet to which the Association members are invited which is scheduled for around 1130-1200hrs

3. Members/Branches interested in attending should submit their names to the AO Rifles Office Durham as soon as possible and at the latest by Monday morning stating whether they are remaining for the buffet.

4. Personnel attending should report to the County Hall by 0930 hrs.

5. Dress: Regimental blazer and tie, beret, medals, grey trousers, black shoes.

82. DURHAM BUGLE - ISSUE 29

1. there are still some packs of Durham Bugles at the Rifles Office awaiting collection by Branch personnel. It would be helpful if they could be picked up as soon as possible.

82. BRIGADIER MACGREGOR-OAKFORD’S LETTER – A MONUMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT

1. Any Branches requiring further copies of Brigadier RB MacGregor-Oakford’s letter should contact the Secretary.

82. BRANCH STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS AND STRENGTH RETURNS

1. Branch Statement of Accounts and Strength Returns should be in the format shown at Annex A to this Bulletin.

2. No further details of Branch Accounts are required.

1. Note: Completed forms should be returned to the Secretary by Friday 20 February 2015.

14.87 CONFIRMATION OF THE DETAILS OF THE ASSOCIATION INDOOR GAMES 2015

1. The Association Indoor Games 2015 will be held as follows:

2. Date: Sunday 22 March 2015

3. Location: RBL Dubmire Club, Fence Houses

4. Hosts: Houghton-le-Spring

5. Entry Forms and updated Rules will be issued to branches in the New Year.

87. DLI ASSOCIATION CHRISTMAS CARDS

    1. There is a good supply of DLI Association Christmas cards at the Rifles Office. They can be purchased in packs of 10 at £5.00 per pack.

87. PRI ITEMS FOR SALE AT THE RIFLES OFFICE

    1. There is a good stock of badged items on sale at the Rifles Office many of which would make good Christmas presents. Items include statuettes, clocks, pullovers, rain jackets, fleeces, berets, ties, ladies brooches, baseball caps, as well as books and many items of small memorabilia.

87. DLI ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

    1. Several Branches are still using the old Membership Application Form

    2. The Secretary would be grateful if applications were made on the new form.

    3. The new form enables electronic data to be noted and this is increasingly the manner in which contact is made with members.

    4. It would be helpful if Branch Secretaries would ensure that the Branch that the applicant intends to join is entered on the form, so that the Association Secretary can send the Membership Cards to the correct Branch. The Joining Fee is £2.00.

    5. Copies of the new Application Form can be obtained from the Secretary. Please ensure a passport size photo is sent with the Application Form. Only ONE photo is required.

87. DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

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

    2. Major John Charles Howard Cunningham MC TD, died Wednesday 22 October 2014. Commissioned into The KOYLI. 15 January 1953 took over 11 Platoon D Company 1 DLI.

       Gilbert Williams (Buck), died Thursday 23 October 2104. Served with 1DLI in Signal Platoon 1961-1969

       Mr Ken Bedlington, Died Thursday 23 October 2014Served with the DLI, a dedicated member of the South Shields Branch and the Royal British Legion

       Major Philip C Alexander,died 28 October 2014 Served with the Durham Light Infantry

       Pte Morris Richardson,Served with Ox & Bucks LI - 1951-1953 in Egypt & Cyprus

       Reginald Dixon (Dixie) died suddenly on Sunday 26 Oct 2014.1LI, RCT (Princess Margaret’s Driver) Ripon, Devon, Cyprus, Northern Ireland

       May They Rest in Peace

Elvet Waterside

Durham

17 Nov 2014

First World War Talk - Home Comforts

Saturday 15 November - 2.00pm

Ann Wall and Eileen Brereton of the Red Cross will be speaking on the work of the Great War Red Cross Auxiliary Hospitals in the North Riding. They will discuss the community effort providing comforts for the soldiers both at home and away as well as attending to their diet and medical treatment along with a display of Red Cross artefacts.
The talk will describe the activities of the thirty two hospitals in the North Riding which included village halls, stately homes, a workhouse and County Hall in Northallerton. The work of the voluntary aid detachments (VADs) will be explained using local women’s experiences gleaned from personal diaries written at the time as well as the Red Cross war reports.

Cost £3, plus museum admission charges. To book, call 03000-266-590. also available in advance from the DLI shop .