The Queen’s Own

(Living History Group)

Gazette

Summer 2013

Colonel Crispin Geoffrey Champion, 1936-2013.

Our beloved Patron, Colonel Crispin Geoffrey Champion, passed away on the 8th July 2013, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. His passing was very peaceful and his wife Dawn and Virginia, his daughter, were with him at the time. Born in Tenterden in Kent, Colonel Champion attended Wellington College before being commissioned from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst into The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment in 1956. He became Aide-de-Camp to General Craddock, the Commander of the British Forces in Hong Kong, before attending the Royal Air Force Staff College at Cranwell in 1970. Colonel Champion went on to become the 2nd Battalion’s Commanding Officer, serving in Belize,

Gibraltar and Northern Ireland. From 1981 to 1984 he was the British Army Liaison Officer at Fort Munroe in Virginia in the United States of America, and from 1988 to 1990 he was the Commander of the Eastern Sovereign Base in Dhekelia, Cyprus. In 1991 he became the Chief Assessor of the Gulf War for the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall. Colonel Champion was the President of The Queen’s Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment, (PWRR) Regimental Association as well as the Bursar of several schools including Battle Abbey School and Bedgebury School. We were truly honoured when he accepted our invitation to be our Patron. Colonel Champion always had time for the Members of The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group and went out of his way to make us all feel valued by acknowledging our efforts in keeping the memory of the Regiment alive and making us all feel welcome at Regimental Association meetings. Colonel Champion’s funeral took place in the presence of his family and close friends on Monday the 29th July 2013 at 9.30 am at the Kent and Sussex Crematorium, Tunbridge Wells and was followed at mid-day by a Service of Thanksgiving for his life at St Mildred's Parish Church, Tenterden, Kent. Colonel Champion leaves his wife Dawn, daughter Virginia and two grand-daughters, Georgia and Annabelle. We offer them all our sincerest condolences. A true Officer and Gentlemen Colonel Champion will be missed by us all.

NB.

Service details with grateful acknowledgement and thanks to the Kent & Sussex Courier

Issue No.12 Summer 2013

Colonel Champion’s First Command We are indebted to Barry Knight of the Maidstone Branch of the Queen’s Own Buffs Regimental Association for sending us a copy of this photograph of 2nd Lieutenant Crispin Champion’s first Command – Nile Platoon at the Depot in 1956.

Barry is pictured on the right at the end of the rear rank. Sergeant Rickwood is seated to the right of 2nd Lieutenant Champion. Two ‘Section Leaders’ (Ex. Cadets) can be seen wearing their armbands in the front row.

Chairman’s Column.

Dear All Sadly I need to start by saying how much we have lost in the passing of our Patron. Our beloved Crispin, a true gentleman of amazing stature and ‘Champion’ in every sense of what we do as the QO RWKR LHG, supporting and encouraging us, taking time to visit us at our events and even bring a bottle of rum to us at The War & Peace show each year! Approving and wearing our Group tie which was fashioned after the Regiment’s own design, so many wonderful facets of a man who was clearly born to lead and command. Rest at ease Dearest Colonel - Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family – you

will forever to remain in our hearts. I’m sure the Colonel would want me to congratulate you all on the events that you have turned out to so far this year and borne so proudly the rampant stallion upon your caps, from the closed door’s drill at Hildenborough Village Hall to the excellent turn out you chaps and lasses made at Frontline Folkestone and most recently Tenterden our annual flagship event, which I must say went very well in this new format! Let’s make it even bigger and better for the Centenary year 2014. Lots of work has been done and is being done on Project Aquarius behind the scenes with meetings and school trips put together to hopefully eventually gain some funding! The Tertre Memorial is going great guns too and I will make more of this in a separate report. I’m very pleased to see the Woolley’s and Adam Mills in kit and enjoying the friendly and professional set up of the Queen’s Own - Welcome into the family lads! Onwards and upwards!

NB.

Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group Benefactors

The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group would like to thank Eddie Francis of Sevenoaks who has kindly given the Group a 1917 Mk3* SMLE and matching Bayonet from his own collection. Eddie visited Tenterden and saw the Group in action and wanted to pass on his SMLE and bayonet to us in the knowledge that we would out it to good use at our displays and at events. In recognition of Eddie’s generosity he has been made an Honorary Member of the Group and welcome him to our ranks and hope to meet up with him again soon at one of our events.

We would also like to record our appreciation to Major Peter White M.M. who has loaned the Group two Mk3* SMLEs, a Lee Enfield No 4 and a Bren gun for use at events and at our displays.

Further thanks go to Captain Micky Gwilliam and his family who have loaned their Regimental Drum to the Group and who have given permission for us to have it sympathetically restored so that it can be used at events. Finally, we would like to say thank you to John Ferneyhough who continues to loan the Group his Regimental tri-colour Flag which is flown or displayed proudly by us at all our events. We are indebted to all of these kind benefactors who have

entrusted us with their prized possessions and we will ensure that they will continue to have pride of place at our displays – We appreciate their kindness and trust.

NB.

“Past, Present & Future”.

Private 1574 Donald Arthur Hodge, 7th Battalion, The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment The Imperial War Museum’s Sound Archive has a series of ten reels of taped interviews of Private Hodge’s experiences

during the Great War which give a fascinating insight into his life before the War, his enlistment and training, his Front Line service and reflections after the Armistice. Private Hodge was over 100 years old when he was interviewed and listening to the tapes his sense of humour had lost none of its edge! The IWM Archive can be found at: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80030348 The above image of Private Hodge (1894-1997) is reproduced with kind permission of its photographer

Jim Holden (www.jimholden.co.uk)

The War Illustrated Spring / Summer Campaign 1916 – The Royal West Kent Regiment

Know the Drill!

Sgt Hanmore led a training session in May at the Hildenborough Village Hall. We reproduce the notes for the benefit of all as practice makes perfect …!

QO RWKR Malayan Emergency Bronze Sculpture – Stage 3 The road to Matfield has become very familiar to me. This is where the bronze has been cast. On yet another trip there recently, I was able to see, and fine-tune, the hollow wax components, that have been cast in bronze. The figure looked like an oversized red Airfix kit. These elements, once encased in concrete, have been transformed from wax, to metal. The 29th July was a very emotional day for me. Not only was I to attend a Service of Thanksgiving for a man so entwined in the sculpture, but also to see, for the first time, the completed bronze. On a personal note, Crispin Champion will always be the essence of that particular creation. The Livingstone Art Founders have done an amazing job of translating the original clay master, into this bronze tribute to men of the Royal West Kent Regiment.

It will, literally stand the passage of time, and encourage the viewer to reflect on the debt we all owe, to the fallen. Before the bronze is unveiled on 15th September 2013, a subtle green patina will be applied to the uniform and equipment. A positioning footprint of the fixing devises attached to the sculpture will now be supplied to the stone mason, who will create and supervise the instillation of the granite plinth, ready for the unveiling.

PB.

Frontline Folkestone – 9th June 2013. Everybody mustered on the very grey windy cliff top just along from the Grand Hotel, on the Leas in Folkestone. While we were waiting for the organisers to arrive we all put the finishing touches to our uniforms. Puttees, gaiters, ties, etc.

When the organisers arrived and started erecting the four main ‘gazebos’. One for the WAAC’s area, one for our own QO RWK Regiment Recruitment area, one as a Rest Camp for the soldiers and the final one for the nurses and first aid post. We welcomed, Chantelle, William and Chantelles’s Granddad, Harry, all in period costumes, to our flock, (hopefully also as new members!) who were guests of Dave Smyth. John & Isobel also attended. (They had caught the train down.) Hopeful to juggle his camera and walking stick to get some photos of the day’s events.

The event started at 11 o’clock. Chris, Dave & myself were based with the schoolgirls dressed as WAAC’s, plus their ‘Literature teacher’ (we think) who was in Captain’s attire, (although he was not sure what rank he was!). Martin suggested he have a Batman as he was wearing his Sam Brown incorrectly! The girls read various literature/poetry excerpts from the Great War. It then fell to Dave Smyth and Chris Bingham to try and teach a little Rifle Drill to the ‘trainee WAACs’, using the new training rifles recently made by Baldrick and Chris. After the drill (and many hats blowing off later), Dave let the girls back to their Gazebo to warm up and continue reading their Great War literature. After a brief interlude, Dave attempted to get

the girls marching. A few did seem able to grasp left, right, left right, but not for very long I’m afraid. Corporal (recently promoted) David Smyth then gave in gracefully and dismissed the girls.

Richard (L/Corporal Heald), Connor (Pte Young) and Adam (Pte Mills) were based at the First Aid Gazebo. The girls, dressed as Great War nurses and VADs, practiced their first aid skills on them. Connor was first treated for a leg wound and Adam a head wound. Richard was treated for an arm injury and enjoyed having his arm put in a sling. The girls pretended to offer the Corporal and Privates alcohol to help the pain, and multiple cups of tea. Richard, Connor and Adam all dictated letters which the girls wrote down which could be sent to loved ones back home.

Richard was not allowed to smoke his pipe until he was deemed to be better, and when he actually did light up the girls all giggled, not believing he actually was going to smoke this strange looking pipe. Richard then pretended to fall asleep and pass out onto the ground. The girls screeched ‘What do we do!?’ - Well he is okay so they must have done something right! Peter and David manned our Recruitment Gazebo. With all their display boards, John’s revamped ‘A’ boards, typewriter

and period music playing, and waited patiently for recruits, and waited and waited. … You get the picture! So that just left Martin and Ashley enjoying leisure time in the Rest Camp. Playing games like table top skittles, dominoes and drafts, with the girls who were dressed in Edwardian costumes. It did not get any warmer as the day went on. It stayed very windy and cold, and very quiet on the East Folkestone Front! Roughly about 1 pm, the troops gathered around the Recruitment area, where Chris Bingham produced containers of food he had foraged from the night before (Kira’s 18th birthday party food to be precise). It went down a treat – thanks Chris & Di. David escorted Chantelles’s Grandfather, Harry (who fought at Arnhem on D-Day) to the Grand Hotel for a wee drink. When they returned, David had very rosy cheeks, (we have the pictures to prove this). They had had a few tipples and had obviously enjoyed a lovely liquid lunch! (Jealous? – just a little!). Whilst enjoying our nibbles, a large flock of students from the school orchestra arrived and set up shop complete with an assortment of instruments and they proceeded to play and sing a selection of music from the Great War era. About 2.15pm Peter and David started packing their recruitment display away. The troops spoke about the next outing at the Museum, and we all said our fond farewells and then went on our way.

Jan B

Tertre Memorial School Presentation – 12th June 2013. In support of the Tertre Memorial Project Pop H and I journeyed to Saint Ghislain to meet some of the children who will be taking part in the Community Dedication of the Tertre Memorial on the 23rd August 2013 and to spend the morning presenting to the School.

A total of 38 eager and excited students took part in the morning 'Show & Tell" Presentation from which 20 students will be chosen to read the names of the Fallen at the Dedication events. The students were joined by Monsieur Le Director (The Head Teacher!) Members of the teaching staff, the Council's Heritage Director and a visiting United States Army Colonel from the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) at nearby Casteau, north of Mons! Having all sung for our supper we adjourned to a nearby restaurant for a splendid luncheon hosted by the Mayor of St Ghislain & Tertre.

Maidstone Museum Multi-Period Event and Re-Launch of the Maidstone Branch The Queen’s Own Buffs Regimental Association – 22nd June 2013. The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group paraded with the support of Keri and Alyson from the 50th (West Kent) Re-enactment Unit, and Pete Cosgrove, Rob Pile and Jonathan Prince who were portraying the Regiment in 1940’s BEF and Malaya at Maidstone Museum. This was in support of the re-launch of the Maidstone Branch of The Queen’s Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment, (PWRR) Regimental Association (QOBRA). The Great Hall was packed with displays of various periods in the Regiment’s history and John and Isobel Bellingham were on-hand with the Group’s display boards on which John had attached photographs from all periods including those which featured some of the QOBRA Members present albeit in their younger days!

The re-launch of the Maidstone Branch attracted a good number of past and prospective new members and over forty attended the meeting which was held in the Library Room that afternoon. Your Hon. Secretary was elected Hon.Secretary of the Branch and your Chairman had the honour of being appointed the Branch Standard Bearer.

Major John Barrell OBE., TD the Chairman of the Maidstone Branch handing the Branch Standard into the safe custody of Nigel Bristow, the Branch Standard Bearer.

PZ.

“Pack Up Your Troubles” – Tenterden – 29th & 30th June 2013.

For most of us, this year’s Tenterden

event really began on the Friday.

Those Members who were loading

kit a Nigel’s, others sorting out and

loading their kit from home and for

one member – Katrien – setting off

from her home in Belgium to catch

the 10am ferry to England! Having

arrived at my house at lunch time

and after a short stop for something

to eat, we then loaded her car along

with the Group’s mascot, Juliet, and

set off for Tenterden. We arrived

around 2.30 pm to find much

activity around the Tented Encampment and up in the Station area where the "Lest we Forget" Tank was

being unloaded from its somewhat massive trailer. Everyone seemed hard at it beavering away sorting out

their part for the weekend’s event.

Katrien, Juliet and I duly started to unload and helped to layout the Recruitment Hall and Photography

Booth displays near the Station restaurant, the outside of which was to be transformed into an ‘Estaminet’.

Having succeeded in doing this we were in need of something to eat and made our way up to the local Fish

& Chip Shop only two minutes up Station Road. Both Katrien and I then settled down to have a nice

‘Dad’s Army’ style fish and chip supper – with no soggy chips! Katrien had made sure that there was a nice

cider to hand ensuring the meal was even better and it went down a treat - as Corporal Jones used to say

“A real meal!” Saturday dawned bright and sunny. The forecast was set fair for the whole weekend and

with lots of sun promised. Before we kicked off, a great breakfast of bacon and eggs washed down with

tea was once again provided by Richard and Connor so all the troops were raring to go.

The weekend was entitled “Pack Up Your Troubles!” and everyone seemed to be in the right frame of

mind to do just that – if we had any troubles then they were well and truly packed away and everyone got

stuck into making this the best event ever. Before the public were admitted Ciaran organised us for some

Group photographs, some of which included our ladies and supporters.

The public began arriving in small

numbers at first and soon got into the

swing of what was on offer again in this

lovely setting of the Kent & East Sussex

Railway. In the Recruitment Hall and

Photography Booth we had a steady

stream of ‘volunteers’ wanting to join up

to answer Lord Kitchener’s call – “Your

Country Needs You!” and to take the

King’s shilling.

I think our youngest recruit was under

six years old, anyway when sitting on the

chair in the Photo Booth and wearing a

Tunic and Cap, her feet did not touch the ground. The day proved very successful and many donations

(totalling £145.00) went into the bucket for our chosen charity, The Forces Children`s Trust. If our

youngest recruit was 6, our oldest was 92! She arrived at our table in a wheel chair borrowed from the

Railway and really entered into the spirit of the afternoon. I took her details and signed her up. She also

took a Field Service Post Card before I invited her to have her picture taken in uniform. She was up for

this alright but as we wheeled her to the door of the hut, she explained that she could walk in ok and got

up out of the wheel chair. I put my spare uniform jacket on her along with my cap and she posed for her

photograph. The smile on her face was a sight to see and seemed to make her day.

A little to one side and under a large Marquee but without sides, just outside the Restaurant was our female

pianist and accordion player. As our recruiting table was situated outside, both Peter and I enjoy the strains

of "It`s a long way to Tipperary" and "Pack up your Troubles" and many more popular tunes.

On other parts of the Railway, the rest

of the guys were really working hard.

The chaps on the Platform, loading and

off-loading the General Service Wagon

as well as performing marching drills and

down at the tented encampment, there

were displays of Bayonet fighting using

the Frame with the large sack filled with

straw.

Back up on the main concourse in a large Marquee, our friends from The Field Ambulance Living History

Group were holding forth with all things medical and explaining to some quite large and attentive

audiences the line of medical evacuation along with the roll of the Royal Army Medical Corps during the

Great War. Peter "Doc" Hobbs and Guy Aston are to be congratulated on their very authentic portrayal

and huge knowledge on their chosen

subject, very ably supported by the

nurses and other colleagues. At one

point I had a lady and gentleman come

up to us and say how impressed they

were with The Field Ambulance Living

History Group and could I tell them

whether Peter and Guy were just very

well inform good actors or did they have

real medical experience. I explained to

them that yes indeed, Peter had seen

action out in Bosnia and on top of that

he was just brilliant at putting the subject

across in the way he does. I also told them that Guy over the past few years had learnt so much, plus he

has a happy knack of getting an audience involved.

In the same marquee that The Field Ambulance Living History Group were giving such a brilliant talk and

display, John and Isobel Bellingham were telling the public all about the Tank, Water Cart and it’s

restoration. John and Isobel work so darn hard at this. John updates the display stand with pictures of the

restoration work and he also produces great display boards to augment his very own ‘Show & Tell’ display.

Isobel supports him in this as well as producing the loveliest goodies for everyone to enjoy - cakes and

buns pies and quiche Lorraine’s, mmmmmmm does my waist line no good though! I must mention The

Spinning Jenny’s - the little orchestra and singers who performed on the platform when trains pulled in -

Sheila Jones and Karen Birkett giving their all – Well done ladies and thank you.

A little further along and near the main entrance was the replica Great War Tank. I must say it certainly is

an eye catcher and I think Kevin and Tony had a lot of interest shown in their project by the general

public. The following day was even better as far as the weather went and the crowd numbers were greater.

The area outside the Restaurant was often packed and several groups in costume turned up

including members of the Bexhill Classic Cycle Group and at one point we even had sing song and a

conger line going on over there!

You know, sometimes it is the small things over a weekend that stay with you. During Sunday at our table,

Peter and I had the privilege to meet a young man by the name of Kane. He was totally wheelchair bound

but the smile on his face spoke volumes. He had almost no speech but talking to him and his family it soon

became clear he was mad about soldiers and soldiering. His face was camoed up and he was wearing a

modern style helmet. His mother had explained to us that his room at home was filled with mementoes of

his many trips and visits to things military. He had been across to Normandy and just loved it. So of course

we signed him up and got him into the hut, put my spare tunic around his shoulders. We replaced his

helmet with my cap, laid a rifle on his tray in front of him and took some photographs. Ciaran did two for

him - one showing him fully kitted up and in his chair and one which was a full face portrait which his

Mum and Dad thought was wonderful.

We also had some very special guests over from Belgium. Our dear friend Patrick who has been so helpful

with regards to getting the Memorial out in Tertre to the stage it is currently at, came over with his father

and nephew. He said he was so pleased to see us in action and it has given him much food for thought

with regards to next year’s commemorational events. He was most impressed. It was his first time he had

visited England and thought the British very hospitable and helpful.

And so ended a very successful "Pack Up Your Troubles" weekend. We must say a huge thank you once

again to Lawrence and our very good friends from The Rifles Living History Society for all their help over

the weekend - to everyone from The Field Ambulance Living History Group - to the Louise Denny the

pianist and accordionist, and the ladies from The Spinning Jenny’s - to Kevin and Tony from “Lest We

Forget” and their replica Tank and to Liz, Chris, Graham and all the Kent & East Sussex Railway staff. But

most of all, "Chiefly Yourselves" - The Members of The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living

History Group - You pulled off another great event!

Pop H.

Project Aquarius – Tunbridge Wells Grammar School Presentation – 4th July 2013. In support of Project Aquarius Richard H, Chris B, Pop H and I travelled to Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys to spend the day presenting to Groups of Year 8 and 9 students about the Great War and Project Aquarius. We gave a three presentations lasting just under an hour each to a total of 60 students who we then asked to support our Project by helping to produce educational material that can be used to explain about the role of the Tank, Water Cart in the context of supply and logistical operations during the Great War. The students listened intently as Chris and Richard regaled them with tales about the restoration culminating in showing them a short video of the wheelwright bonding the steel tyres to the ash rims. The students were then invited to come up and try on the equipment and this proved to be the highlight of the presentation! After a great day we escaped with all our kit intact and the School has promised to start work next term on the supporting materials.

PZ.

Fort Amherst Training Afternoon – 14th July 2013. Braving Gallipoli temperatures the QO RWKR LHG paraded to take part in an afternoon training session at Fort Amherst in Chatham. Under the expert tutorage of Sergeant Hanmore and Corporal Smyth the Squad reached new heights in performance with changing arms on the move, right and left squad wheeling and mastering in unison (well almost!) the infamous “Halt!” Here a couple of photographs of the afternoon's training...

The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment receives the Freedom of Royal Tunbridge Wells – 15th July 2013 The 2nd Battalion of The Princess of Wales Royal Regiment paraded to receive the Freedom of Royal Tunbridge Wells on Monday the 15th July 2013. A few of us attended to support the Regimental Association in congratulating the Regiment and to witness them receiving the honour which was bestowed by the Mayor of Maidstone.

War & Peace Revival Show – 17th / 21st July 2013. Well boys, another year on the line. Fighting heat, dust and flying stick grenades. After turning up on the pitch with a very shallow trench, the “Tuesday diggers” soon got to work with tent pitching and filling over 150 sandbags the trench started to take shape. On waiting on the “Messiah” to turn up with the GS Wagon and the Regimental stores the “diggers” contemplated on how to fill the space. The following day began again with a GALLIPOLI climate and the boys got stuck straight in with trench decoration and design. Soon the 1918 KENT TRENCH started to look better and better. As the railway started up and began its first runs to run in the track, the view from the trench was spectacular against the skyline of sandbags and pickets.

The school visit was well received by all, the schools were in the trench looking at kit and asking questions before you could say Stand To! Pte Connor Young got stuck in without hesitation as the trench host and was a true gentleman throughout to the day. Both Pte Young and Pte Mills made use of the time to develop areas of the trench to get out the sun, along with vital kit shopping for the week. Ashley and Martin Cox came every day and was in trench from sun up to sun down manning the bays and keeping the trench manned at all times. By the end of the week it was clear that the Kent trench was going well. The money buckets were starting to fill up nicely and by midday the camp was full of photographers wanting their WW1 shots. All were subject to a lens in the face when trying to eat lunch, have a smoke, or just take a moment leaning against the sand bags. Cpl Smythe was posing for the cover of “Trendy Trench” magazine continuously. Pte Ian Woolley was appointed the Lewis gunner, but after half an hour I think secretly wished for a pistol or a sharpened mango as it would be less to lug about. For the most of us the heat was too much to put on our tunics and webbing, but for those who tried it was clear you could do nothing but stand still and get in the dusty breeze. By midday the line was stood too with enemy stick grenades fitted with crow scarer’s, an MG34, Colt 45s, a flame thrower a gas firing Maxim and half on Messines Ridge!

By the weekend the Platoon was at full strength with the Woolley's and Corin from the Rifles. All incoming fire was returned by Pte Bingham with snap shooting spotted by Corin, followed by improvised grenades of blue clay. “Well bowled sir!” At the start of the weekend it was clear our trench was becoming quite an attraction. With comments such as “Now that is what I call a trench” and “It’s the best one I have seen them do.” The fact we had an actual No Man’s

Land helped with the correct trench orientation and 10ft of shell craters before hitting the German wire. Over the weekend the sun baked the clay and crumbled it and the sandbags started to set in to their permanent positions. This added an extra realistic look to the diorama. Also the fact that Hurricane Connor swept through the trench in the evenings adding chard and burnt out sections of the trench for us to discover in the morning. Saturday nights entertainment was provided by Pte Harry “PATCH” Woolley, with everything he's ever seen at the show is some “CRAZY @!*!”. (You had to be there).

Sunday was our traditional Memorial Day. Most years we have participated with a field Church Parade, (helmets and respirators), as seen by many behind the line photos. This time was different. After Binyon’s “They shall grow not old” The “Queens Own” fixed bayonets in the trench and conducted a two minute silence with the audience. With rifles at the high port or at the ready, everyone slightly ducked down crowded around the exit point. A soft breeze was all that could be heard as people retreated in their own thoughts of what must have gone

through those men’s minds and what drove them to get out of the only protection between them and the German wire. You could have heard a pin drop. On the whistle, (an original 1918 dated one). We clambered out and advanced. I think everyone during the wait for whistle automatically felt a chill that was hard to shift. It’s an iconic moment with the Great War; you can't help feeling a sense of loss and absolute tension. So then, the Prizes - We were awarded over all 1st place for the Public’s choice and 2nd place for Best Living History Display by the Event Judges. So a great outcome all round - A great effort and a hard show to beat. We and a few other displays such as the Home Front Group are a different face with military vehicles and living history. A GS Wagon and a working narrow gauge train is something even we don't see every day, to put those things in a back drop of wire, sandbags and men eating, sleeping, living and breathing the Great War landscape is a very rare thing to see. Lads..............VERY WELL DONE! - Roll on 2014!

LH.

Tertre Memorial I am delighted to report something concrete regarding the progress of the Memorial construction! From when the foundations were dug at the time of the St Ghislain School visit in June …

The beginning of July saw the groundwork preparation completed and the foundations laid …

We continued to receive photographs ‘From the Front’ which showed the steps being crafted …

Work then began on the core which was completed in mid-July with the cement poured into the shuttering framework to produce the core …

The Kentish Rag Stone cladding was safely delivered to Saint Ghislain at the end of July and awaits fixing to the core … At the site work has begun on the Memorial Gardens and the shuttering removed to reveal the core …

With the Rag stone cladding and the securing of the slate plaques the finished Memorial emerged …

There are many people to thank for helping achieve Nigel Bristow’s vision which we now see before us in the form of the completed Memorial commemorating the 6,866 men of all ranks who gave their lives for the cause of freedom during the Great War. Our thanks go to – Daniel Olivier, the Mayor of St. Ghislain & Tertre, Patrick Demarbaix, Violette Charles and Benoit Desmet from St. Ghislain & Tertre; Warren Hanson and Peter High from Dignity U.K.; Nigel Tugwell, Matt Hartman, Bradley Loader and Colin Wright from Brenley Construction; The Regimental Association; Rex Cadman; our ‘Johnnie-on-the-spot’ Katrien Clarysee and all the Members of The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group who helped to raise funds. A detailed account of the Community Dedication will appear in the Autumn edition of The Gazette!

PZ.

Notes from the Orderly Room Diary.

Much will be said of the passing of our Patron by many who knew him far better than I, yet I am certain that irrespective of how long he had known someone, they were all made to feel by him that they were friends and that his fellowship was offered without condition. It was only fitting then that such a great man deserved a truly fond farewell from those that knew him and on a glorious summer’s day in the heart of the English countryside family and friends gathered to say goodbye at Saint Mildred’s Parish Church in Tenterden for a Service of Remembrance. The church was packed and the Standards of the Queen’s Own Buffs Regimental Association were proudly displayed

in honour of their President. A true Officer and Gentleman, Colonel Champion touched the lives of many and will be missed by all. As we approach the Commemoration events of 2014 the demand from event organisers continues and hardly a week goes by without another request in the Orderly Room post box! We have a packed event calendar and look forward to our best year ever. The re-launch of the Maidstone Branch of The Queen’s Own Buffs, The Royal Kent Regiment, (PWRR) Regimental Association (QOBRA) was a great success and the Maidstone Branch offers our Members a real ‘home’ as Associate Members – Once again I would like to encourage you all to join the Regimental Association and the Maidstone Branch where a very warm welcome awaits you all.

PZ.

Poets Corner Trench Duty

Shaken from sleep, and numbed and scarce awake, Out in the trench with three hours’ watch to take, I blunder through the splashing mirk; and then Hear the gruff muttering voices of the men Crouching in cabins candle-chinked with light. Hark! There’s the big bombardment on our right Rumbling and bumping; and the dark’s a glare Of flickering horror in the sectors where We raid the Bosche; men waiting, stiff and chilled, Or crawling on their bellies through the wire. “What? Stretcher-bearers wanted? Some one killed?” Five minutes ago I heard a sniper fire: Why did he do it? . . . Starlight overhead – Blank stars. I’m wide-awake; and some chap’s dead. Siegfried Sassoon Published in Counter-Attack, 27 June 1918

Siegfried Loraine Sassoon CBE, MC was commissioned into 3rd Battalion (Special Reserve), Royal Welch Fusiliers as a Second Lieutenant on 29 May 1915. On 27 July 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross, the citation for which read:

“2nd Lt. Siegfried Loraine Sassoon, 3rd (attd. 1st) Bn., R. W. Fus. - For conspicuous gallantry during a raid on the enemy's trenches. He remained for 1½ hours under rifle and bomb fire collecting and bringing in our wounded. Owing to his courage and determination all the killed and wounded were brought in.” Sassoon was subsequently promoted to Acting Captain in 1918.

Caption Competition Submit your caption to the Orderly Room before the 8th September 2013 to win. All entries will be judged by the Chairman whose decision is binding! Spring Gazette Competition Winner

There were no entries received for the Spring Caption Competition so the prize rolls over to this edition … Remember – You have to be in it to win it!

Dates for the Diary. August 2013 17th & 18th – Combined Operations Show – Headcorn Aerodrome, Kent. 23rd – Tertre Memorial Dedication – Tertre, Belgium. 24th to the 26th – Military Odyssey – Kent County Showground, Detling, Kent. September 2013 15th September – Regimental Reunion – Maidstone, Kent

November 2013 2nd November – ‘Finding My Past’ – Regimental Museum, St Faith’s Street, Maidstone, Kent.

Regimental Gazette.

New Members. The Chairman and all ranks wish to welcome the following as new Members and Friends of The “Queen’s Own” Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group who have joined our ranks since the publication of the last edition of the Gazette:

Eddie Francis (Honorary)

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SPECIALIST BATTLEFIELD TOURS 2013

11/15 August – Redcoats to Khaki – a return to one of our favourite tours covering Waterloo, Mons Le Cateau, Landrecies & Etreux - £645:00

8/15 September – 1915 The Forgotten Front – Including studies of Neuve Chapelle, Festubert, Cuinchy, Aubers Ridge & the first use of British Gas at Loos - £645:00

20/25 September – Hidden Gallipoli - *New Tour* led by author Stephen Chambers this tour studies Lala Baba, Chocolate Hill, Kirketep Ridge, Hill 60, Scimitar Hill & Morto Bay - £1195:00

6/11 October – The Vosges Mountains – This spectacular walking tour studies Le Linge, Tetes des Faux & Hartmannswillerkopf, led by Mike Sheil & Clive Harris £725:00

10/14 November - Ypres Armistice Tour – combining Armistice day in Ypres & a series of walks including, The Bluff, Pilkem Ridge, Oosterverne Wood, the Menin Road & Zeebrugge - £645:00

2014 13/17 April – Somme Strolls

4/9 May – Walking Gallipoli

23/26 May – Walking The Messines Ridge with Ian Passingham

15/19 June – Walking Arras with Jon Nicholls

13/17 July – In the footsteps of the German Army with Jack Sheldon

7/12 August – The Aisne/Marne 100 years on

21/25 August – Mons to St Quentin 100 years on

21/26 September – Gallipoli

3/6 October – Somme Strolls with Clive Harris Battle Honours Ltd F26, Business

Technology Centre, Bessemer Drive, Stevenage, Hertfordshire

SG1 2DX 01438 791020 www.battle-honours.co.uk

enquries@battle-honours.co.uk

WFA Tours 2013 – from £425:00 9/12 August - WFA Archaeology Tour Andy Robertshaw & Clive Harris 25/28 October - WFA Chairman’s Tour “Messines” - Jack Sheldon and Clive Harris

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“A COUNTY REGIMENT”

A County Regiment - 1st Battalion the Queen's Own Royal West Kent

Regiment - Malaya 1951-1954

by

Ron Harper, Paul Riches and Adrian Walker Brockley Press

Ron Harper and his colleagues have arranged, in conjunction with the Regimental Museum in Maidstone, a reprint of the above book. It is now on sale at the Museum priced at £19.95 (plus £3.50 postage).

To place an order, please email with your name and address to museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk upon receipt of your payment, goods will be dispatched. Cheques should be made payable to 'Maidstone Borough Council'. Alternatively the Museum can accept payment by debit or credit card. If you require any further information then please contact: Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery St Faith’s Street Maidstone Kent. ME14 1LH Telephone: 01622 602838 Email: museuminfo@maidstone.gov.uk or Ron Harper 105b St Asaph Road, Brockley, London SE4 2DZ

Tel: 0207 639158