NEWSLETTER 2016
RGJ Band & Bugles
2015 Reunion Report
The 2015 reunion was held, as in previous years, at The Winchester Club, on Saturday 10th October commencing at 12 noon.
The secretary, Dave Timms, again made a big effort to arrive at the clubroom before reunion attendees and members of the Waterloo Band - but yet again he was too late. Ex-members and Waterloo members were again inside and outside the club awaiting his arrival.
The secretary eventually set himself up (with the help of Jon Windeatt) at the entrance, opened the books and started to sign-in members and guests - all this WITHOUT having to stave off the usual tremendous headache of previous years.
Some new faces in attendance this year from the Light Division - Peninsula Band - Light Infantry and four serving members from the band of The Rifles.
The Waterloo Band provided the dots (music) and music stands, along with a few musician’s for the annual blow, and along with ex-members and a few from The Rifles Band the blow got going at approximately 12:30. Conducting this year where Peter Connibear (ex-Depot Bandmaster) and Jack Leeming (ex-3 RGJ Bandmaster). A good selection of music was played this year: Amparito Roca, The Dambusters, Ballet Egyptian, Jersey Boys, Irving Berlin Showstoppers, Calling All Workers, Beguine Festival, Bandology, and with the high turnout of buglers (again) High On A Hill plus a few well known Band & Bugle marches were performed. The Regimental Marches where ‘busked’ (and some missed out) at the end, which concluded the annual blow - all had a jolly good time….. and a laugh.
The annual ‘blow’ over, it was then time to draw the raffle. This year there were more prizes on offer and looked like an endless supply. The tickets where drawn whilst lunch was being served so as to save time. Thank you to those that donated raffle prizes - the majority of which were sourced by Tony Dowd - who again organized this. A very big thank you to him.
Lunch consisted of: Chicken & Chips, Bangers an Mash, beans and peas, followed by apple pie or cheesecake. This gave members the opportunity to soak up the 3 or 4 hours worth of John Smiths already consumed before starting over again.
Following lunch the secretary gave his ‘Annual Sermon’ taking the opportunity to thank everyone for attending the reunion, and a warm welcome was extended to the new members joining for the first time this year. Special thanks were given to members of the Waterloo Band and Bugles for their selfless efforts, despite being very busy with their own engagements [helping out with the Salamanca Band and performing at the rugby the following day]. The manageress and staff of The Winchester Club were also thanked and congratulated on looking after us – with liquid refreshment and the fantastic buffet.
NEXT YEAR - 2016
2016 will be the 50th Anniversary of the forming of The Royal Green Jackets, and to mark the occasion there will be a “Veterans Day” held on Saturday 9th July in Winchester. It will be a family day/afternoon. Gates open at 12:30 – Bar Closes 01:00. During the course of the afternoon re-enactments will be taking place. There will be stalls, beer tent, food tents, Marching Bands and much more – Please keep an eye on the RGJ Association website and the RGJ Band & Bugles website and Facebook Group for more details nearer the time (March-April).
DRESS CODE: to be smart casual – NO shorts or flip-flops
There will be a number of Bands taking part, including the Band & Bugles of The Rifles and the Quirinus Band & Bugle Corps (QBBC). For those that are not familiar with the name - they are a German civilian band and bugles led by an ex-Green Jacket/Light Infantry bandsman, who have adopted the Green Jacket style - from the Shako right down to the George boots. They are very good - take a look on YouTube if you haven’t already.
Also, DO NOT forget Horse Guards next year 2/3 June 2016
Since our 2014 reunion I have been informed that the following members are no longer with us
Robert Williams -- 2 RGJ Band
3 June 2014
Pat Walsh --1 RGJ Bugler
26 Dec 2014
Dave Scott -- 1 RGJ Band
27 Jan 2015
Steve Chapman -- 1 RGJ Bugle Major
17 May 2015
Steve Poole -- 1 RGJ Band
19 June 2015
Frank Cutler -- 2 RGJ Band
23 July 2015
A toast to absent friends preceded a moment’s silence
The next RGJ Band & Bugles reunion will take place on Saturday 8th October 2016 – please make a note on the fridge/diary/ and in your head
What the secretary forgot to mention – and it will be published on the Band web site and Facebook page, is the following:
“Because of the unacceptable number of ex-members/guests indicating their intention to attend the reunion, ordering food and then failing to attend - without notice. I will, from now on, need to have payment up front.
For those members in attendance, but didn’t notice, there were 30 plus chicken portions left, and a lot of apple pie”
Next years menu will consist of:
Chicken Curry (Hot or Very Hot) and bits
Steak & Kidney Pie an Chips (Mash)
Apple Pie & Custard
Mixed Fruit Salad & Ice Cream/Cream
The online Return Form will be active from beginning of February 2016
NEXT REUNION
Saturday 8th October 2016
Regents Park 2015
2015 was the 33rd Anniversary and was well represented by Association members, ex-Band members and others. After meeting for a chat and a cuppa in/at the Café we all wondered down to the Bandstand where a small wreath laying service was conducted by Paddy Procto. The laying of the wreaths was followed by the sounding of the Last Post and Reveille – performed by Bugler Peter Tresadern.
I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of myself, and ex-members of 1 RGJ Band, in thanking Paddy and Peter, also a big thank you to all those people in attendance. Thank you.
It was with great
pleasure, for some of 1 RGJ Band, to meet up with Keith Powell (the late Keith
“Cosey” Powell’s youngest son).
Keith felt that he could at last come down to Regents Park Bandstand and meet up with some of us and join in the days events. He had travelled down from his home in the North East the day before, so as not to be late.
It was also
pre-arranged that Keiths late-fathers guitar would be presented/returned to
him, by Clifford Mann - himself an ex-1RGJ band member - after being looked
after for some 32 years by Cliff’s mother, this was a very moving moment in
itself.
PLEASE NOTE - in 2016 the London Branch of the RGJ Association will be attending the bandstand on the nearest Sunday to the 20th July, (17th July) we will still be there on the actual day, Wednesday 20th July (meet at 10:30-11:00am).
IN ATTENDANCE - 2015
If your name is missing please inform the secretary - as you did not sign in and owe him £10
1 RGJ – Ox & Bucks
BALL, John BENTON, Len BOWEN, John BRIGGS, Malcolm
BROCKMAN, John BROWN, Bill BROWNE, Stephen BUCKLAND, John
CALLAGHAN, Dave CHESTER, Dave CLIFFORD, Chris COWAN, John
DOWD, Tony EATON, Mick EVANS, Terry FARNDELL, Brian
GREY, Don GREY, Fred HORNE, Doug MANN, Clifford
MOREY, John MUNNIK, Peter PEET, Dave PENTITH, John
PYSH, Roman ROACH, Les SALSBURY, Graham SALWAY, Ken
SHEIL, Darryl SLINN, Ray STUTT, Bernard THOMPSON, Jack
TIMMS, Dave WEARING, Dave WESTON, Mick WINDEATT, Jon
TOTAL = 36
2 RGJ - KRRC
AHMET, Mitch BROWN, John CANNON, Dave CRAVEN, Brian
CUTLER, Tony DOREY, Les DUNNCAN, Ken EAST, George
GILES, Keith GOODWIN, Gary HENDERSON, Ken HENDERSON, Ken (Jnr)
HINDE, Ian HODGSON, Les MARSH, Chris MARSH, Tim
MARTIN, Kevin NOBLE, Peter PATRICK, John RANDALL, Derek John
SPICER, Tom THROWER, John
TOTAL = 22
3 RGJ – RB’s
ARNEY, Paul BAILEY, Terry CALDWELL, Gorge CULL, Tim
GLEDHILL, Bill GOUDIE, Tom HAMER, Ian HARDING, Ian
HELM, Bob HOOKINGS, Henry JULL, Graham MURFIN, Dave
LEEMING, Jack LYMER, Tony MATHIESON, Bill MORRIES, Antony
SEALEY, Roger STRANGE, Roy SWANN, Ken TRESADERN, Michael
TYLER, John WEST, Ken KERLEY, Mike
TOTAL = 23
WATERLOO BAND - DEPOT & OTHERS
BETTS, Roger CONNIBEAR, Peter MANN, Jackie
ROBERTS, Martin SALSBURY, Racheal SCOTT, Stanley
YOUNGER-SWORD, Craig BROWN, Mike RIFLES, Band x 3
TOTAL = 11
GRAND TOTAL OF ATTENDEES = 105
(Not including Wives/Partners/Guests/etc)
APOLOGIES RECEIVED
1 RGJ – Ox & Bucks
Ayres Alan
Bray Clinton
Calcutt Colin
Day Bob
Dennis Norman
Downton Roger
Elliott Steve
Evans Bob (Ernie)
Flower Ivor
Forty George
Gary Peter
Hall Charlie
Hosking Peter
Jackson John
Kavanagh Steve
Lamont Peter
Lawrence Paul
Little David
Lynch Ian
Miles Sandy
Mitchell John
Nelson Paul
Pearce Jim
Prime Martin
Selley Chris
Sumner Mike
Todd Alan
Williams Bob
Wolfendale Darren
Wolfendale Colin
Total = 30
2 RGJ – KRRC
Andrews Ray
Basset Fred/Chris
Bond Kevin
Cook Ken
Cook Keith
Curry John
Donaldson Don
Dulson Gregory
Duncan Roy
Evans Keith
Halford Bret
Hicks Robert
Marshall Leigh
Murphy Michael
Nicol Adrian
O'Shea David
Pilgrim Alan
Salmon Laurence
Scarborough Dave
Smith Steve
Total = 20
3 RGJ – RB’s
Ambrose Steve
Atherton Malcolm
Bainbridge Anthony
Blanchard Ernie
Byrne Shaun
Chadwick John
Chapman Keith
Cooke David
Cross Pete
De La Rue Richard
Napier John
Newman Nick
Sanger Mike
Shaw Bryan
Thorne Darryl
Toye Tosh
Tresadern Stuart
Tresadern Peter
Turner Paul
Wallis Alan
Total = 20
OTHER
Atchison Mark
IllIngworth Hannah
Swift Roger
Rogers-Davis John
Total = 4
TOTAL APOLOGIES = 74
If your name is missing please inform the secretary
Also if you know an Ex Band or Bugler who might be interested in joining us ask them to contact the secretary