Western Front Association Talk

Tuesday 17^th March, at the Royal Navy Club, William Street, Stockton, commencing at 8.00pm.

8^th Battalion Durham Light Infantry at Ypres, April 1915

Our speaker is Clive Bowery and he will be talking about the actions of 8 DLI at Boetleers Farm and Gravenstafel Ridge during the Second Ypres.

Having only been in Belgium a few days the battalion was thrust into action in this desperate battle and suffered heavy losses.

The battalion’s actions here would, as with most battalions have been recorded in a few paragraphs in the war diary.

However due to an enquiry into the battalions actions at Boetleers Farm a unique record has been preserved that shows what actually happened in great detail.

A small buffet is included.

Suggested Donation is £3.00."

Museum Talk: Life on the Frontline

Saturday 14 March 2.00pm

Current Riflemen reflect on their recent service in Afghanistan.

This talk will bring to life the personal experiences of a modern Rifleman and explain the role played by the Army today.

‘Life on the Frontline’ gives a voice to the Riflemen behind the headlines of Op Herrick, The British Army’s deployment in Afghanistan and exploring what it means to serve in The Rifles today from a variety of perspectives. This talk has been arranged with the Rifles Collection.

Tickets, priced £3.50 (plus admission, which is free with an Annual Pass) are available now from the DLI Shop or by calling us on 03000 266590.

Easy Fundraising

Just a reminder that you can raise funds for the Friends by using Easy Fundraising when shopping online. It does not cost you anything and it is simple to set up. After joining just remember to go via their website when you shop on line and the retailer will make a donation to our funds.

1) Visit www.easyfundraising.org.uk

2) Click on 'Find a cause'

3) Type in DLI and you will see that DLI Museum Friends drops down for you to click on and select

4) Click the green 'Yes - Sign me up' button

5) Enter your details, click Register

BUYING ON THE EASYFUND RAISING WEBSITE

1. Open the Easyfundraising website,

2. Save the site to your Favourites or Favourites Bar

3. Enter your email and password details again.

4. If you wish you can tick the ‘Remember Me’ option and save having to enter the information again.

5. From the A-Z drop-down list of Retailers select your first chosen retailer.

6. When the retailer name appears details also appear of the fund raising benefit for DLI Museum Friends.

7. Your chosen retailer and other favourite sites can be selected at this stage and saved to the easyfundraising website Favourites for quick future access.

8. Select the large orange box ‘Go Shopping’ and complete your purchasing.

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin February 2015

15.07 THE CALLING NOTICE FOR THE DLI ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD 15 APRIL 2015

15.07.01 The calling Notice can be found at Annex A.

15.08 GRANTING OF THE FREEDOM OF HARTLEPOOL TO THE RIFLES PARADE

15.08.01 The Freedom of the town of Hartlepool is being awarded to THE RIFLES, on 21 March 2015 which will be exercised by 3 RIFLES. Hartlepool Branch DLI Association has been asked to provide 20 marching veterans who can march at 140 p.p.m. for a distance of about 1 mile. Dress is regimental blazer, beret and tie, grey trousers and black shoes (no anoraks etc).

15.08.02 Hartlepool Branch has reported it can only supply 10 marchers to that standard so there are 10 places available to members from other branches. Each Branch may nominate up to 2 members for consideration. Their names must be with the Chairman DLI Association, Rifles Office by 1 March 2015. If there are too many nominations there may have to be some selection.

15.08.03 These members will attend the official reception in the Civic Centre after the parade. Other members of the Association are welcome to be spectators, but cannot be part of the official reception.

15.08.04 The parade will step off after the Bugle Major sounds the advance at 1045hrs sharp.

Further details will be made available later.

15.09 INTEROPERA EVENT – DARKNESS INTO LIGHT

15.09.01 InterOpera is a small charity which brings very high quality opera to audiences who would not normally experience it. In association with Holocaust Memorial Day Trust they are putting on an event in Durham Cathedral on 18th April to commemorate the liberation of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp by 113 Regt RA, formerly 5 DLI. The DLI Association is providing a standard bearer and two WW2 veterans to take part in this production.

10. INFANTRY TRAINING CENTRE CATTERICK PASS-OFF PARADES 2015

    1. The ITC at Catterick has informed us of the dates for the Pass-Off parades in 2015. It has been the practice for the Association to support one of these parades each year culminating in a reception at the Sjts’ Mess.

    2. The dates of the parades still to be are held are 13 Mar, 24 Apr, 29 May, 14 Aug, 11 Sep & 02 Oct 2015. Interested individuals can make their own arrangements to attend any of these but the official DLI Association visit will be 29 May. The chosen date will be confirmed later.

    3. Branches will make their own travel arrangements to meet at the parade location, where seats will be provided for them, and transport to the Sjt’s Mess afterwards. A contribution towards the meal will be required.

10. ENRTY FOR THE ASSOCIATION INDOOR GAMES

15.11.01 Branches are reminded that completed Entry Forms for the Indoor Games must reach the Secretary by 27 February 2015.

15.11.02 Remember – No Gladiators

15.11.03 Remember – No doubling up. It you cannot enter the full team, only enter those competitions for which you can guarantee an entry without doubling up.

15.12 LIGHT INFANTRY REUNION

15.12.01 Applications to attend this reunion may be done directly to the coordinator at Shrewsbury (Capt RGW Gittings) or through Maj Chris Lawton at the Rifles Office Durham. Each branch has been provided with the General Instruction from Shrewsbury, (including form B-1) which can be completed by the individual or by the Branch. This form completed must be received at the Rifles Office Shrewsbury, Copthorne Barracks, Shrewsbury, SY3 8LZ no later than 24 April 2015. It is important that your details are not submitted on a Branch list as well as an individual list.

15.12.02 Draw Tickets for the Light Infantry and Rifles Association Draw are available at the Rifles Office Durham. They come in books of 10 tickets at £10.00 per book, individual tickets are £1.00 each. It is important that we sell as many tickets as possible to enable the organisers of the reunion to recover their costs. If branches have not yet collected their share of the draw tickets I would grateful if they would.

15.13 BROOMSIDE COMMUNITY EVENT - SATURDAY 9^TH MAY 2015

15.13.01 Steve Robson has made this office aware of an event to take place in the Broomside Community Centre which he wants all Association members to be aware of and support if possible. Stuart Lawson will run a WW2 VE Day Celebrations event on Saturday 9^th May 2015 in the Broomside Community Centre and everyone is invited, especially Standard Bearers. It will be a dress up day in the dress code of the actual VE Day or blazer and berets for Standard Bearers.  The Point of Contact  (POC) is:  Stuart Lawson on 0191 5262747. There will also be a Service of Remembrance. All are Welcome.

15.14 LIBERATION OF ST JOOST

15.14.01 Sint Joost village was liberated 70 years ago from Nazi occupation (20-21 Jan 45). The village is planning a small monument, to be unveiled on 2 May, for their liberators, and will carry the names of the KIA of the British 7th Armoured Division (better known as the Desert Rats). Also there were the 9th Durham Light Infantry (DLI). They suffered heavy losses, with 9 KIA and tens of wounded. The village "work group" is trying to trace veterans and relatives, and investigate whether there is interest to attend he ceremony on 2 May.

15.14.02 If you fought in Sin Joost, know of veterans who did or would light to attend the ceremony in Sint Joost on 2 May please let the Rifles Office know as soon as possible.

15.15 ASSOCIATION ACCOUNTS AND STRENGTH RETURNS

15.15.01 Financial Summaries and Strength Returns should reach the Rifles Office by 20 February 2015.

DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

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

Jack Peterson, died 11 January 2015.  Jack was a member of the Spennymoor Branch.

Mr Norman Young, died 19th January 2015 Aged 81 years he was born on 29th January 1932. He served in the 1st Bn DLI and was a former Branch Standard Bearer and member of the Gateshead and Newcastle Branch DLI Association.

Philip Peek, born 16 March 1922 and died 13 Feb 2015, aged 92 years. He served with the DLI Home Guard during WW2, in the Heugh Battery, Hartlepool and transferred to the RA(TA), reaching WO2.

Also founding member of the Hartlepool Branch DLI Association

May they Rest in Peace

 

Elvet Waterside

Durham

16 Feb 15

The Cleveland Branch of the WFA Meeting Tuesday 17th February

The Morant Diaries

Our speaker is Gill Parkes from the Durham County Record Office and she will be talking about Brigadier General Morant who served as Commanding Officer of the 10^th Battalion Durham Light Infantry throughout the Great War, serving with distinction.

He kept diaries of his time with 10 DLI and they were recently purchased at auction.

Gill be giving a talk about these remarkable diaries which give life to the official ‘dry’ pages of history that tell the story of 10 DLI in the Great War.

A small buffet is included.

Suggested Donation is £3.00.

Venue Royal Navy Club, William Street, Stockton, commencing at 8.00pm.

Military Talks Programme 2015

The programme of talks at the museum has just been announced.

Saturdays at 2pm

Our commemorations of the anniversary of the First World War continue throughout 2015. We are hosting a number of military talks on the First World War as well as a variety of other military subjects including 19th century conflicts and recent experiences of operations in Afghanistan.

Heavy Tank Mark 1 Female

The Rifles in Afghanistan

• 14 February Devil's Wood by Sean Godfrey. The Battle for Delville Wood and Longueval, Somme 1916.
• 14 March Life on the Frontline. Current Riflemen reflect on their recent service in Afghanistan.
• 18 April Bede Spirit by Harry Moses. The story of Bede 8th Battalion DLI and its only action of the First World War at Ypres Salient in April 1915.
• 16 May Witton le Wear by Anne Yuill. The Story of a County Durham village during the Great War.
• 20 June The War Behind the Wire by John Lewis-Stempel. The life, death and glory of British prisoners of war, 1914-18.
• 18 July The role of the Durham Light Infantry in the Peninsular War by Mark Thompson.
• 19 September A doctor's experience on the Western Front by Ian McArdle. Dr. Charles Wilson, a young Medical Officer and his experiences right behind the Front Line at Ypres and the Somme.
• 17 October The Woman Who Didn't Exist by Clive and Kath Richardson. The true story of Bowburn wife and mother Margaret Burns in the aftermath of the Great War.
• 14 November The development of tanks during the First World War by Stuart Wheeler. The design and development of tanks during World War One and the evolution of tank tactics from September 1916 - November 1918.

Tickets for each talk cost £3.50 plus admission (which is free with an Annual Pass) and can be purchased in advance from the DLI Shop or by calling us on 03000 266590 during opening hours. - visit our website for more details on our talks and upcoming events.

The Durham Light Infantry Association

Monthly Bulletin January 2015

 

1. DLI ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP - RHQ GROUP

15.01.01 The Association has some concerns about members who live too far from the Durham area or who have mobility problems, and therefore cannot attend branch meetings and who as a result can lose contact with the events and activities of the Association. It seems to me that there is little point in being a member of the Association if you are never informed about Association activities.

15.01.02 New or current members who fit into this category will be placed into a new RHQ Group to whom DLI Association information will be sent directly. This does not mean they would be removed from their current branch list. It may be that current members know of some who might be proposed for this group. Clearly this will give them the opportunity to take part in activities about which they previously did nor hear, or even just be pleased they are in the picture about what is going on, even if they are unable to be part of these events. If you know of members who would fit into this category, and who would like to receive this service, please let the Secretary know their email address and they will be included.

15.01.03 It is therefore even more important than ever that the Secretary is made aware of Association activities which are occurring in and around the county. Secretaries are asked if they could send such information to the Secretary on the proforma, “DETAILS OF AN EVENT TO BE CIRCULATED BY THE ASSOCIATION SECRETARY”, which was included in the December 2014 Monthly Bulletin, so that members can be informed about them.

15.02 BRANCH FINANCE & STRENGTH RETURNS

15.02.01 Secretaries are reminded that branch finance & strength returns for the period 1 January 2014 – 31 December 2014 should reach this office by 20 February 2015. The appropriate form on which to make the return can be found as Annex A to the November 2014 Bulletin.

15.03 STOCK ITEMS

15.03.01 The Association has recently purchased some new items of stock including

DLI lapel badges 20mm (³/₄”) in size , with pin & butterfly clip, which are also ideal for placing at the centre of Remembrance poppies. They are priced at £2.50 each.

15.03.02 Full size cap badges are no longer available from the original suppliers and a new supplier is being sought by the Association. As a result, at present, the Office has no cap badges for sale.

15.04 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATIONS

15.04.01 The DLI Roll of Honour read in Durham Cathedral in Sept 2014 contained the names of 50 former DLI officers and soldiers, and more deaths have been reported since then. Although not all were members of the DLI Association it is good to be able to report that despite this the DLI Association continues to thrive. During the period from November 2013 until January 2015, 73 new members have been enrolled.

15.04.02 Clearly the ideal situation would be that these new members would be former members of the DLI, LI or Rifles. However this is not always the case and it should be known that new members are welcome, both male and female who have served in other regiments or corps, or arms of the services, or none at all.

15.05 LEGION D’HONNEUR FOR NORMANDY VETERANS

15.05.01 It is now some time since Normandy Veterans applied for the decoration of the Legion d’Honneur to be issued by the French Government to all those British Veterans who served in the Liberation of France in the period 1944-45.

15.15.02 I am pleased to report that there has recently been some movement with regard to this. The hold-up has been associated with the administrative task required to sort through the enormous number of applications. Let us hope that it will now not be too long before the medals begin to arrive.

15.06 DEATHS REPORTED THIS MONTH

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

George Kenneth Lodge Died 22 Dec 2014. Served with 6^th Bn DLI.

A Normandy Veteran and later a POW. Member of the Chester-le-Street Branch DLI Association

Morris Gourley born 26 March 1936,died 24 December 2014

Served with the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the DLI. A member of the Gateshead & Newcastle Branch DLI Association

George Brown born 20/07/1924 died 26 December 2014

Served in 70 Young Soldiers Battalion DLI.Later 2/4 Bn KOYLI

Major Victor John Howells psc born 14 March 1926.

died 18 December 201414 at Tiverton Hospital.

Thomas Vaughan died 27 Dec 2014.

Served 2 Bn DLI 1943-1946 in India & Burma

Cyril Close died in January 2015

Assault Pioneer 1DLI Korea. Member of Bishop Auckland Branch.

Martin (Marty) Donlan died 11/12th January 2015. Served in 1LI.

Mr John Lannigan (Joe) Died Sat 10 January 2015. Served with the  D.L.I.

May They Rest in Peace

 

Elvet Waterside

Durham

16 Jan 15