Scots Guards Association Newsletter THE ASSOCIATION That some no longer serve with the colours does not matter. What does matter is that we are all of us Scots Guardsmen, bound together in the Queen's service until we die by a chain the links of which are invisible, but are as strong as steel; Constantly striving in all that we do to maintain the high traditions of loyalty and devotion to duty upon which the Scots Guards were founded. General Sir Michael Gow GCB Major M M Davidson Secretary & Editor October 2014 Volume 16 Issue 9 Website www.scotsguards.co.uk Inquiries 0845 230 1642 E-Mail sga@scotsguards.co.uk NEWS FROM THE BRANCHES Aberdeen and North East of Scotland Branch Members from the Branch continue to go and support other Branches at their dinners. Jimmy Clunes and Bill Bery has been doing this now for a number of years. This year's Branch Dinner is on Friday 31st October at the Tree Tops Hotel, Aberdeen. Fife Branch This year's Dinner is on Friday 1st November 2014 in Dean Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy. Durham and Yorkshire Branch Monthly Sunday Luncheon – On 14th September seven and a half (!) dined at the Forresters Arms, at Coatham Mundeville and enjoyed a very good meal, reasonably priced and the raffle raised £11.00. On Sunday 5th October we intend returning to the Comet at Croft, on the A167 south of Darlington at 1pm. Why not come along and join us. The Branch is planning to hold a Burns Supper on Saturday 24th January 2015 at the Bishop Auckland Golf Club. Members of the Durham & Yorkshire Branch at their Sunday Lunch STARS ON PARADE Former Sergeant Gary Jamieson who was badly injured in 2010 had a very successful charity dinner in 2012 which was attended by some members of the Association. He is now organising a project this year which is called Stars on Parade to take place on 5th November in the Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow and one of his tasks is to assemble a choir. This year's show is based on WWI and he would like some of the choir to be made up of veterans. If anyone is interested in becoming a member of the choir, please contact Gary at gary@ourscottishheroes.org.uk. SWINTON QUAICH The bi-annual Golf Competition took place on Friday 5th September at Thornton Golf Club in Fife. This was the first time the Competition was played at Thornton, as it is an easier walking course – just thinking of the older members of the golfing fraternity! The turnout was very disappointing but for all those who came, we had a very enjoyable day, apart from the weather. George Jenkinson Captain of the Glasgow Team looking a bit wet on the course. All players arrived in good weather, although a little dull but by the time the first group played off, the rain had started and it did not stop until almost the end! Despite the weather, everybody completed their round and it was good to have the holders of the Swinton Quaich taking part to defend their title. The 1st Battalion also sent up a team led by Major Rory Shannon and the Fife Branch were out in force this year with two teams competing – still not good enough to win though! The former Director of Music, Lt Col David Price, came along and played and was looking very well after all the treatment he has gone through in the last year for cancer. Well done, David – good to see you back. The Chairman, Lt Col Johnny Stewart, presented the prizes. Winners Runners Up Glasgow Fife A Team Winner Scratch 2nd 3rd Jimmy Banks WO2 Alan Dowd 1SG L/Sgt McLean 1SG Winner Handicap 2nd 3rd Lt Col Johnny Stewart Tom Rogers Glasgow L/Sgt McKenzie 1SG Senior Scratch Senior Handicap Most Golf Played Magic Two's George Jenkinson Glasgow Major Munro Davidson TGC Lt Col David Price Jimmy Banks All those who played in the Swinton Quaich at Thornton Golf Club SHROPSHIRE SACRIFICE St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury is holding weekly WWI remembrance services on Wednesdays at 5pm from 27th August 2014 until June 2019 to remember by name every man and woman listed on a Shropshire War Memorial in the week of the 100th Anniversary of their death. We will be remembering members of the Scots Guards as follows: Richards, Charles 17th September 2014 Bulkeley, Thomas Henry Rivers CMG, MVO 22nd October 2012 Doody, Albert 22nd October 2014 Harding, Charles 22nd October 2014 Hart, Thomas 29th October 2014 I hope that you will be pleased to know that we are honouring their service and sacrifice in this way. All are welcome to any or all of these short (approximately 30 mins) services and so do please publicise this however you can and we would be delighted if anyone from the Association were able to join us, although we realise that there may not be anyone available within reasonable traveling distance. Others from the Regiment will be remembered in similar services during the coming 5 years as the 100th anniversaries of their deaths occur. The names of those to be remembers each week are shown on our website: www.stchadschurchshrewsbury.com/ww1-services However, if you, or anyone else, would like to have someone else remembered during one of the services, please simply let us know. We are happy to include men and women from any conflict with or without a connection to Shropshire. The information used to produce the lists for these services is also being used to produce a county Roll of Honour for WWI and the information will be available on line in a fully searchable format. DEATHS Merseyside Branch 23879026 George Williams died on 4th September 2014 Not a Member of the Association Bob Clark died on 29th August 2014. DIARY DATES 4th October 2014 10th &11 October 2014 Dundee and Angus Branch SGA Annual Dinner Invercarse Hotel, 371 Perth Road, Dundee DD2 1PG The Malaya Dinner Scots Guards Club, 2 Clifton Terrace, Edinburgh EH12 5DR 11th October 2014 Carlisle, Dumfries and Galloway Branch SGA Annual Dinner Shepherds Inn, Rosehill Estate, Carlisle CA1 2RR 17th October 2014 Merseyside Branch SGA Annual Dinner Adelphi Hotel, Ranelagh Street, Liverpool L3 5UL 29th October 2014 London Branch SGA Annual Dinner The Union Jack Club, Sandell Street, London SE1 8UJ 31st October 2014 Aberdeen & North East of Scotland Branch SGA Annual Dinner The Treetops Hotel, 161 Springfield Road, Aberdeen AB15 7AQ 6th November 2014 Memorial Garden Opening at Chapel Square, Wellington Barracks, London. 7th November 2014 Fife Branch SGA Annual Dinner Dean Park Hotel, Chapel Level, Kirkcaldy, Fife KY2 6QW 7th November 2014 Manchester Branch SGA Annual Dinner The Ukranian Centre, 31 Smedley Lane, Manchester, M8 8XB 14th November 2014 Ayrshire Branch SGA Annual Dinner RAFA Club, Fresson Avenue, Prestwick KA9 2GX 21st November 2014 Preston Branch SGA Annual Dinner Ashlar House, 2 Saul Street, Preston, PR1 2QU 28th & 29th November 2914 Scarlet and Gold Concerts in the Cadogan Hall (Massed Bands of the Household Division) (tickets booked through Cadogan Hall from mid-August). 7th December 2015 through Household Division Carol Concerts (tickets booked Lesley Manchester at the Guards Chapel) 1100hrs and 1800hrs. 16th March 2015 Easter Choral Concert 2015 in the Guards Chapel (tickets available through Household Division Funds). 26th April 2015 Regimental Remembrance Sunday 10th & 11th June 2015 Beating Retreat 2015 with the Massed Bands, King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery and other Supporting Music (tickets on sale from January 2014). ARMED FORCES DAY The next Forces Day will be held in Guildford on Saturday 27th June 2015. FRIENDS AFTER 50 YEARS In September 1964 three young men joined the Scots Guards and ended up in the same squad at the Guards Depot. After a hard 23 weeks of training, they passed out of the Guards Depot and made their way to the big Regiment. The three were Jimmy Bank, Ron Clemison and Munro Davidson. Jimmy, being a piper, went to the Piping School for a short time then to the 1st Battalion in Malaya. Ron and Munro were posted to the 2nd Battalion at Caterham. Over the years they all went in different directions although often they found themselves serving together after various posting away from the Regiment. Jimmy became Pipe Major of the 1st Battalion and was there for a number of years. Ron and Munro were both commissioned and became Quartermasters of the1st & 2nd Battalions respectively. After retiring from the Army, Ron became the Regimental Welfare and Finance Officer. When Munro retired he was employed by the Royal Household and was appointed Superintendent at Windsor Castle. Jimmy went to work for one of the big financial companies in London but still kept on playing the Pipes. Fifty years on and they meet up from time to time for the odd game of golf or at any of the Regimental functions or Association Dinners. They passed out in Sgt Duffie's Platoon 1965 Jimmy Front Row 1st on the left, Munro 3rd Row 1st on the left ,Ron 3rd row 5th from the left Ron,Munro and Jimmy after playing golf in the Fife Branch meeting in July this year.