Book of Remembrance Ceremony

ANNUAL BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY

Winchester Cathedral 16 November 2019

At 11.00 hrs on an autumnal Saturday North flank of the Nave, which dates from the 1340’s in November 2019, around 40 6 GRRA and features a range of military memorials. Canon members, family and friends gathered Brian Rees, who led the service, began by welcoming at Winchester Cathedral for the annual us to the Cathedral and setting the scene for the Book of Remembrance Ceremony. In keeping with service, with its additional relevance as it was the tradition, the event started with a team photograph 60th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Title, in front of the memorial outside the West Front, whereby the 6th Gurkha Rifles became the 6th Queen taken (as it transpired) by the Bishop of Winchester, Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles. who happened to be passing and was handy with an iPhone. Following a short prayer by Canon Brian, Mani Rai read a passage from Ephesians, after which Anthony Inside, the setting was majestic and uplifting, and Wakeman MBE, who was himself present at the our 45-strong congregation fitted neatly into the granting of the Royal Title, turned the page in the

Front, from left: Linda Dilks, Beth Richardson-Aitken, Felicity Groves, Louise Anderson, Rachel Mackinlay, Ciska Roselaar, Joanna Smith, Anthony Wakeham (behind Joanna), Tony Groves, Marie Pett, Brian O’Bree, Sudha Rai, Doris Neville-Davies, Biru Thapa, Ken Neville-Davies, Jeremy Toyne, Mani Rai, Rambahadur Gurung.

Book of Remembrance and read the names. There ensued a minute’s silence, followed by a lament played by the piper, Corporal Lokraj Limbu QOGLR. After the Kohima epitaph the wreath was laid by Birbahadur Thapa, followed by the Gurkha Collect and the Lord’s Prayer.

To finish what had been a moving and well-planned service, Canon Brian blessed and dismissed us to make our way up the hill to the Gurkha Museum in Peninsula Barracks for the AGM and bhat.

Jeremy Toyne

Antony Wakeham turns the page in the Book of Remembrance

Rear: Ian Dilks, John Anderson, Michael Amoore, Robin Amoore, Alistair Roberts, David Bredin, Simon Lord (behind Antony), Bob Richardson-Aitken, John Mackinlay (behind Bob), Gary Ghale, Paul Gilham, Ray Pett, Anthony Vosper, Ria Briggs, Jack Furtado, Anne Corbett, Duncan Briggs, Rodney Corbett, Donald Ruffell. Not in the photograph: Jane Channing, Lorne and Anne Campbell, Carolyn Roberts, Mike and Angela Wardroper.