Wiltshire Branch

Prior to Gareth’s departure he asked a ‘fellow Brother’ David, in his Masonic Lodge to do him a favour and to always look after the Northern Ireland memorial stone. David, true to his word, after Gareth passed away, went down to St Johns Gardens in his professional capacity as a stone mason cleaned it up, repaired and repainted the gold lettering. This is something David has said he will always do as long as he is able. Our thanks go out to him and as we knew he collected regimental plaques a RGJ wall plaque was presented to him for the service he has given us.

Once again this year we are trying to arrange a coach to transport some of our member to Winchester for Veterans’ The Rifl eman’s Dinner is to be held on 3rd October 2015. Applications will be sent out to all NW Branch Members sometime after the Summer Ball.

A report of all these events will be made in the next edition.

Until next time, yours in green from all the committee of the NW Branch

Mark Lydiat Secretary melydiat@yahoo.co.uk 0151 283 0391 or 07415 092193

Halfway through another year already! where does all the time go, we have been enjoying ourselves in Wiltshire, starting the year with our AGM in January, as reported in the Swift and Bold, committee remains the same this can be viewed on our Branch website.

In February we gathered at the Hunters Moon for our Ladies dinner night, we have been away from the Hunters for a couple of years as it was up for sale, but this is now off the cards so we gave it another go, a very good evening was had with well over forty sitting down, one of our best attended functions for some time.

Then in April we went for something new and had a Thai Buffett Lunch on Sunday the 7th, this was held in the Thai Rice restaurant, Warminster due to numbers the owners closed to the public so we could hold a private lunch, and very good it was, as much as you could eat, one I hope we can repeat next year, well done Phil and Val for the organisation of both these functions

Last month saw us along with The Royal British Legion Warminster Branch, on Sunday 24th in Heytsbury Village manning the water point on the fi fth and fi nal day of The Forces Charity run / March, retracing the route that 2nd Bn Ox & Bucks took in 1942 Devon to Bulford total distance of 135 ish miles the oldest runner a lady over 70 years who has taken part in over 250 marathons looked fresher than some of us handing out water! Dutch Holland came through in a Project 65 tee shirt bearing L/Sjt Tich Rayner’s name, Dutch was not the only face that was known to us, but was the only one running, all the others were on the safety team, although our Branch may have an entry next year “watch this space”. We had moved our location this year to the Red Lion which gave us more space, and once the water point closed sixteen of us sat down to a very good Sunday roast. True to say the event doesn’t need as many of us that turn out, but it is always a good excuse to “swing the lamp” and just get together with wives, partners.

Dutch Holland.

Events coming along: August: A Mexican BBQ, October: Our 17th Annual dinner, Cabaret / dance, November: Remembrance weekend, and Skittles with a fi sh and chip supper, December: Christmas Eve drinks.

We will have members at both Veterans Day, and Greenstock.

Branch meetings: July 16th, September 3rd, and December 10th all are Thursdays, held in the Warminster Conservative Club, commencing at 20:00 hours,

One piece of bad news as I write this our Webmaster Lee Massey is in Bournemouth hospital after having a leg amputated above the knee, this is the second time the other leg was amputated below the knee a while back,

Lee is now under going tests for a heart condition, our thoughts are with both Lee and Gwyneth at this time.

Brian Darvill

Branch Chairman brian.darvill@live.co.uk