The Buglers Association of the Light Division and Rifles

must have served with John Sparks and I could have asked him what John was like. We couldn’t hear anything that happened inside save at one point we heard clapping which I guessed later was for a tribute by John’s daughter Leonie. The singing of ‘Morning has Broken’ also drifted out to us.

David decided he needed a sit down in the café so we went down together and were enjoying some excellent coffee when a throng of mourners passed by following the hearse to the cemetery which was on the outskirts of the village. Colin Cranswick who was in the front carrying a standard later said that it was a mile away. David was unable to walk any sort of distance so instead we followed some of the stragglers across the road into the Houghton Arms where the reception was to be held. It was lucky that we did because when the crowd returned from the cemetery, they formed a queue at the bar stretching out of the back door. Unfortunately, because we were inside, we failed to hear the bugle calls over the village. I enjoyed talking to some of the others including a woman who had come over from Benidorm especially. The man next to me lived in Doncaster but knew a lot about the locality. He said that in the Thatcher era Houghton Main was often mentioned on TV and the radio during the coal strike. That probably explained the number of short sturdy men at the funeral.

David needed to get home so we departed before the buffet was opened. Colin and the bugler still hadn’t been served when we took our leave. I couldn’t help noticing that most of the men at nearby tables had two or three pints lined up in front of them, Australian style.

Stuart Anderson

Hon-Sec.

HAPPINESS IS “PERMISSION TO CHECK THE BELT” IN THE NEW

The Buglers Association, a fully constituted Rifles’ Regimental Association, is now well established and has earned a sound reputation for its bugling excellence, something which we are all extremely proud of. The programme of events each year is extensive nationwide and continues to grow, along with our status and diversity of events. Our constitution and rules ensure that our Buglers adhere to the highest regimental standards.

On 16th January 2019, our Buglers once again had the honour of sounding the calls to mark the 210th anniversary of the death of our founding father Sir John Moore, held at his memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral. This year, it was the turn of Barry Dixon and Jake Pugsley. Barry travelled down from the North East for the honour of sounding the calls and was joined by Jake, who is a serving member of The Rifles based in London. This event and attendance at choral evensong that precedes it is a very special event.

Another unique event took place on Anzac Day 25th April 2019 when the chalk downland emblem of the Map of Australia (originally created by Australian Forces in 1917) at Hurdcott Farm in Wiltshire was officially opened by the Australian Deputy High Commissioner, in the presence of the Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Troughton. David Mence and Kirk Richardson sounded Last Post high on the Wiltshire Downs to the acclaim of all who attended. ral, and has become a very accomplished bugler and proud member of the Association. In fact, he is now teaching others to do the same! Pete is a former KOYLI bugler and proud Yorkshireman who has played continuously since his youth and is a regular attendee of events across Yorkshire and beyond. Pete joined us on Horseguards Parade in 2016 where he doubled off the square with us as a youthful 76 year old and we are certain that he will outlive most of us!

On 1st June, the Association supported the LI Reunion in Shrewsbury as we have done for the past 6 years, but this year was different - there was no band! Unfortunately, the Rifles Waterloo band was committed to Georgia so our Buglers had to stand in for them rather than support them as we usually do. Our Buglers spent the day playing along to our recently acquired, powerful sound system. This was a very credible alternative and provided a good marching sound but this was no substitute to a live band. However the day ended with an excellent concert, when our Buglers were joined by the Veterans Band of the Light Division and the Rifles under the direction of Tex Calton for an excellent concert. Once again a great celebration of veteran music!!

All the events that our buglers attend are significant to the organisers, but there are the ones that are significant to the Association. Such an event at the Featherstone War Horse Memorial in Yorkshire saw our newest recruit, Kev Fawcett, a former CSM of 2LI, sounding the calls alongside our oldest member, Pete Bate, who will be 80 next year. Kev had never played while serving but wanted to give it a go in later life. He was a natu

Another annual Association favourite is the RGJ Gathering held in Winchester. Once again Buglers sounded the calls at the memorial service in the