The Veteran Issue 8
The Quarterly Magazine of the Alicante Branch of the Royal British Legion, Issue 8
The Quarterly Magazine of the Alicante Branch of the Royal British Legion, Issue 8
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
September 2022 - November 2022 <strong>Issue</strong> 8<br />
<strong>The</strong><br />
<strong>Veteran</strong><br />
<strong>The</strong> Quarterly Magazine of <strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch<br />
of <strong>The</strong> Royal British Legion<br />
Alicante<br />
Service for HM<br />
Queen Elizabeth II<br />
"<strong>The</strong>y shall grow not<br />
old, as we that are<br />
left grow old,<br />
Age shall not weary<br />
them, nor the years<br />
condemn.<br />
At the going down<br />
of the sun, and in<br />
the morning, We<br />
will remember<br />
them."<br />
Remembrance
TABLE OF<br />
CONTENTS<br />
3. Introduction - Les Dewson Branch Chairman.<br />
5. New Members<br />
7. 72 Standards on parade - Jack Kemp<br />
9, <strong>The</strong> Gulf War Medal.<br />
10 "Least we Forget" <strong>The</strong> Gulf War.<br />
15. 'We Served' Kings Own Scottish Borderers.<br />
19. Branch News.<br />
25. Remembrance Sunday.<br />
30. A Spanish Hospital Experience - Malcolm Gregory.<br />
40. <strong>The</strong> Scottish Poppy.<br />
42. Ready for anything - George Berridge.<br />
43. <strong>The</strong> video page.<br />
44. Forcast of Events.<br />
46. Military Humour.<br />
Contact us<br />
Les Dewson - Alicante Branch Chairman<br />
Sue Parkes McConnachie- Vice Chairperson<br />
Janet Brickhill - Branch Community<br />
Support<br />
Hamish McConnachie - Web Master &<br />
Publicity<br />
Alicante.Chairman@rbl.community<br />
Alicante.Vicechairman@rbl.community<br />
Alicante.BCS@rbl.community<br />
Alicante.Web@rbl.community<br />
2
Les Dewson<br />
Alicante Branch<br />
Chairman<br />
A<br />
nd now the <strong>Veteran</strong> Magazine<br />
has caught up with me’<br />
I was honoured to have been<br />
asked to take on the role of Chairman,<br />
somewhat surprised, definitely daunted<br />
but, a privilege indeed. Without<br />
question an invitation and challenge I<br />
know I would have regretted not rising<br />
to. Reflecting on the motto ‘Service not<br />
Self’ it was the right thing to do and as<br />
our new committee came together it<br />
was clear that we have built a strong<br />
team.<br />
I am a relative newcomer to the Royal<br />
British Legion, not joining the branch<br />
until 2019, when we arrived in Castalla<br />
International. As a non-member<br />
witnessing the camaraderie of those<br />
attending the weekly meetings and<br />
reading about the support offered within<br />
the local community, during the<br />
pandemic it was obvious, to join was<br />
the right thing to do. A member and<br />
neighbour invited me to do so and, join<br />
I did.<br />
So where did it all begin. I was born in<br />
Hull in 1959, son of a Police Officer and<br />
domestic goddess (Mum), the eldest<br />
among a brother and two sisters.<br />
Schooling was a challenge, and it is<br />
only now that I realise that I was<br />
probably dyslexic, in an era where<br />
the term had probably yet to have<br />
been properly defined. I came out the<br />
other end relatively unscathed and<br />
decided that a career in the Royal<br />
Navy was for me. March 15 1977, I<br />
boarded the train from Hull for HMS<br />
Raleigh and there the adventure<br />
began.<br />
I joined at a particularly exciting time<br />
for the submarine service, although<br />
to be honest I had no knowledge of<br />
this. A fleet of new hunter killer<br />
submarines had just been ordered by<br />
the Ministry of Defence, the budget<br />
for this project was immense and I,<br />
without putting my hand up or<br />
stepping forward, had apparently just<br />
volunteered to be part of it.<br />
As a Radio Operator Submarines, I<br />
joined HMS Resolution, a part of the<br />
United Kingdom's strategic deterrent<br />
in 1979.<br />
3
'As our new<br />
committee<br />
came together<br />
it was clear that<br />
we have built a<br />
strong team'<br />
'To join <strong>The</strong><br />
RBL was the<br />
right thing to<br />
do'<br />
It was a steep learning curve, as a<br />
submariner you must be a ‘Jack of all<br />
Trades’ and a master of most of them. Two<br />
promotions later, as a young Petty Officer I<br />
joined HMS Repulse, a sister ship of HMS<br />
Resolution. In 1985, I joined HMS Torbay<br />
under construction in Barrow-In-Furness.<br />
<strong>The</strong> newest addition to UK submarine flotilla.<br />
As the Resolution class of deterrent<br />
submarines approached decommissioning,<br />
HMS Torbay was like swapping a Ford<br />
Anglia for a Ferrari.<br />
On promotion to Chief Petty Officer, HMS<br />
Triumph followed and became a footnote in<br />
history by becoming the first submarine of<br />
any nation to transit the Suez Canal. HMS<br />
Sceptre ended an exciting and eventful 15<br />
years in the Hunter Killer community. 2001 I<br />
was promoted to Warrant Officer 1 and spent<br />
the remaining 9 years of my service<br />
predominantly in a sea training organisation,<br />
which included periods of training and at sea<br />
on Dutch, Polish and Pakistani submarines.<br />
April 28, 2010, I returned my ID card and<br />
thus ended a long and rewarding career.<br />
Running parallel to my service life but, in<br />
every way more significant, in 1981 I was<br />
lucky enough to meet my wife Denise, a<br />
fellow branch and committee member. She<br />
served as a Wren at the Naval Base in<br />
Faslane, Scotland. We married in 1985 and<br />
have two amazing children. Dominic a Doctor<br />
in the RAF currently seconded to<br />
Portsmouth, and Callum a Police Officer in<br />
Leicester.<br />
'Service Not Self '<br />
4
New Members<br />
<strong>The</strong> following new members have<br />
joined the Branch since the last issue<br />
Lynn buttery<br />
Ron Bridges<br />
Jayne Bridges<br />
Malcolm Elliot<br />
Rob Wood<br />
Lesley Wood<br />
Branch Membership now stands at<br />
177 Members
<strong>The</strong> Royal British Legion and<br />
Legion Scotland say Farewell<br />
to her Majesty Queen<br />
Elizabeth II<br />
It is with deepest sorrow that<br />
the Royal British Legion<br />
marks the death of our<br />
Sovereign and Patron, Her<br />
Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Queen has served as<br />
Patron of the Royal British<br />
Legion since February 6<br />
1952. We are immensely<br />
thankful for her faithful<br />
service, and we join the<br />
entire Armed Forces<br />
community in mourning her<br />
loss. Her unwavering<br />
commitment to the Armed<br />
Forces will be deeply missed<br />
and our sincere condolences<br />
are with the Royal Family at<br />
this time.<br />
6
72 Standards on Parade<br />
Article by Jack Kemp, Alicante Branch President<br />
<strong>The</strong> news that hit the United Kingdom and indeed the world on the evening of Thursday 8th<br />
September that Queen Elizabeth II had passed was deeply upsetting to everyone. We have<br />
been hugely privileged to have had Queen Elizabeth II serve as Patron of <strong>The</strong> Royal British<br />
Legion since 6th February 1952.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first rehearsal was on<br />
Wednesday night, early hours of<br />
Thursday morning, leaving the<br />
accommodation at 22:00 hours<br />
and returning at 07:00 hours the<br />
next morning. <strong>The</strong> following days<br />
leading up to the funeral involved<br />
drill sessions, briefings and of<br />
course many, many hours on<br />
continued kit preparation,<br />
nothing was left to chance. On<br />
the day of Queen Elizabeth II<br />
funeral, it was up for an early<br />
breakfast at 05:30, then off to<br />
central LONDON to our staging<br />
post not far from the Cenotaph.<br />
When the Queen passed OPERATION LONDON BRIDGE<br />
was immediately called, the plan was created as early as the<br />
1960s and revised many times in the years before her passing.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Royal British Legions part in this Operation was to<br />
provide 72 Standard Bearers from across all of the Counties<br />
and Districts, from the Overseas Branches, Germany<br />
represented by Helen Hefferman, Belgium represented by<br />
France Frison, and Spain represented by Jack Kemp were all<br />
selected to represent the Overseas Branches (Photograph on<br />
the left)<br />
Notification came via email from the Commemorative Events<br />
Team on Saturday 10th September 2022, I can confirm that<br />
Mr John Pratt the District Standard Bearer for Spain District<br />
North was initially selected, unfortunately for John he was<br />
unable to attend, I was then nominated by the National<br />
Parade Marshal to represent Spain and the Overseas Branches<br />
along with Germany and Belgium. On arrival in London on<br />
Tuesday 13th September 2022, we all booked into our<br />
accommodation and immediately started on equipment<br />
preparation for the rehearsals and kit inspections that would<br />
follow.
<strong>The</strong> hours slowly ticked away until it was time to ensure we were all looking our best,<br />
checking each other’s dress and equipment, then formed up outside in our positions ready<br />
to march onto Whitehall and form up each side of the Cenotaph as per the photograph on<br />
the above.This was a moment in history that we will always remember, for the 72 Standard<br />
Bearers that were selected in was a great honour and a privilege to represent <strong>The</strong> Royal<br />
British Legion, our Counties, Districts, and of course all of the 85 Overseas Branches. I<br />
would personally like to thank Philip Walden the Chair of the Ceremonial Working<br />
Group, the Commemorative Events Team and John Thornhill the National Parade<br />
Marshal and his team of Parade Marshals which included Norman Espie, David Brown,<br />
Laura Hayworth, John Grimes, and Kevin Lliffe, thank you all for ensuring everything was<br />
taken care of and the 72 Standard Bearers were able to provide the best possible final Act<br />
of Homage to Queen Elizabeth II.<br />
God Save <strong>The</strong> King.<br />
72 Standard Bearers<br />
and Parade Marshals<br />
outside MOD Main<br />
Building<br />
Jack Kemp – Standard<br />
Bearer Representing Spain<br />
& the Overseas Branches<br />
at the Funeral of<br />
Queen Elizabeth II<br />
8
Military awards, medals and decorations of the United Kingdom<br />
Gulf War Medal Ribbon<br />
Ribbon Bar with Rosette,<br />
denoting entitlement to Clasp<br />
Gulf War<br />
Medal<br />
Gulf War Medal with Bar<br />
Reverse<br />
<strong>The</strong> Gulf War Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1992, for issue to officers and<br />
men of British forces who served in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia during Operation Granby<br />
(the Liberation of Kuwait) in 1990–91.<br />
Two clasps were authorised for those who served in Kuwait during the Iraqi invasion,<br />
and for those who took part in operations to liberate Kuwait:<br />
:2 Aug 1990<br />
Awarded to the members of the Kuwait Liaison Team who were in Kuwait on this date,<br />
and who were taken hostage by the invading Iraqi Army.<br />
:Jan-28 Feb 1991<br />
Awarded for seven days continuous service between these dates in the designated <strong>The</strong>atre<br />
of Operations. This clasp signifies service during the actual war.<br />
In undress uniform, a rosette is worn on the medal ribbon to denote the award of either<br />
clasp.<br />
:Without clasp<br />
Awarded for thirty days continuous service in the Middle East (in a defined area of<br />
operations, including Cyprus) between 2 August 1990 and 7 March 1991.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re was no minimum qualifying period for those decorated for bravery (including a<br />
mention in dispatches and a Queen’s Commendation), while the period could be reduced<br />
for those killed, wounded or taken prisoner.<br />
Ribbon Bar with oak leaf for Mentioned in Dispatches<br />
9
"Least we Forget"<br />
<strong>The</strong> Gulf War<br />
Operation Desert Storm<br />
Persian Gulf War, also called Gulf<br />
War, (1990–91), international conflict<br />
that was triggered by Iraq’s invasion of<br />
Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Iraq’s<br />
leader, Saddam Hussein, ordered the<br />
invasion and occupation of Kuwait with<br />
the apparent aim of acquiring that<br />
nation’s large oil reserves, canceling a<br />
large debt Iraq owed Kuwait, and<br />
expanding Iraqi power in the region. It<br />
was the first major international crisis of<br />
the post-Cold War era, and the U.S.-led<br />
response would set important<br />
precedents for the use of military force<br />
over subsequent decades.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Iraqi invasion of Kuwait<br />
Tensions in the Persian Gulf began to<br />
build during the summer of 1990, with<br />
Iraq adopting an increasingly<br />
belligerent tone toward Kuwait. On July<br />
17 Saddam launched a televised verbal<br />
attack on Kuwait and the United Arab<br />
Emirates for exceeding the oil export<br />
quotas that had been set for them by<br />
OPEC. A day later Kuwait was accused<br />
of stealing oil from the Al-Rumaylah oil<br />
field, which straddles the border<br />
between Iraq and Kuwait.<br />
As criticism mounted, talks between<br />
the two countries in Jeddah, Saudi<br />
Arabia, broke down on August 1.<br />
Hours later, early on August 2, Iraqi<br />
armoured divisions invaded Kuwait.<br />
Active resistance to the invasion<br />
lasted about 14 hours, during which<br />
time an estimated 4,200 Kuwaitis<br />
were killed in combat. Although<br />
remnants of Kuwait’s 20,000-man<br />
army maintained a spirited defense<br />
over the next 36 hours, the Iraqi<br />
takeover of Kuwait city was<br />
completed with little difficulty.<br />
At 11:11 AM on August 3 Kuwait<br />
Radio fell silent with these words:<br />
“Arabs, brothers, beloved brothers,<br />
Muslims. Hurry to our aid.” Sheikh<br />
Jābir, his cabinet, and senior<br />
members of the Ṣabāḥ family fled to<br />
Saudi Arabia to establish a<br />
government-in-exile.<br />
On August 10 foreign diplomats were<br />
given a two-week deadline to close<br />
their embassies in Kuwait and move<br />
to Baghdad. On August 28 Saddam<br />
declared that Kuwait was now the<br />
19th province of Iraq.<br />
10
During the occupation of Kuwait, Iraqi<br />
troops began a systematic campaign of<br />
pillage, rape, torture, murder, and theft<br />
of Kuwait’s economic assets. <strong>The</strong> Iraqi<br />
occupation government condoned the<br />
removal to Baghdad of medical<br />
equipment from hospitals, the assets of<br />
the Kuwait Institute for Scientific<br />
Research, treasures of Islamic art from<br />
the Kuwait National Museum, and $1.6<br />
billion in gold and cash from the<br />
Central Bank of Kuwait. Amnesty<br />
International reported that Iraqi soldiers<br />
had carried out hundreds of<br />
extrajudicial killings and taken several<br />
thousand Kuwaiti civilians prisoner.<br />
<strong>The</strong> international response to the<br />
invasion of Kuwait.<br />
<strong>The</strong> diplomatic response to the<br />
invasion was swift. On August 6 the<br />
United Nations Security Council<br />
passed Resolution 661, which imposed<br />
a ban on all trade with Iraq and called<br />
on UN member countries to protect the<br />
assets of the legitimate government of<br />
Kuwait. A day later the first U.S. troops<br />
were sent to Saudi Arabia.<br />
<strong>The</strong> key supporters of Kuwait, apart<br />
from Saudi Arabia and the Arab Gulf<br />
states, were Egypt and Syria.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Iraqi regime began rounding up<br />
hundreds of Westerners and holding<br />
some of them at strategic military and<br />
industrial sites as “human shields” in<br />
the event of attack.<br />
On August 28, the same day that Iraq<br />
declared that it had annexed Kuwait,<br />
Saddam said that women and<br />
children would be allowed to leave.<br />
<strong>The</strong> plight of the remaining hostages<br />
resulted in a procession of Western<br />
politicians and celebrities to Baghdad.<br />
In a sudden and dramatic move, on<br />
December 6 Saddam announced that<br />
all remaining hostages would be<br />
released.<br />
U.S. Pres. George H.W. Bush eating Thanksgiving<br />
dinner with troops in Saudi Arabia 1990.<br />
Operation Desert Shield<br />
Saddam’s conquest of Kuwait had<br />
been achieved in short order, and he<br />
seemed poised to continue his<br />
military push into Saudi Arabia.<br />
Conquering Saudi Arabia would give<br />
Saddam control of more than 40<br />
percent of the world’s oil reserves as<br />
well as two of the holiest sites in the<br />
Islamic world, Mecca and Medina.<br />
With Iraqi troops on the Saudi<br />
border, King Fahd, in an<br />
unprecedented move, invited<br />
Western and Arab forces to deploy in<br />
the kingdom in support of the Saudi<br />
defence forces.<br />
11
Operations Desert<br />
Shield, Storm &<br />
Sabre<br />
<strong>The</strong> U.S. immediately dispatched<br />
elements of its Rapid Deployment<br />
Force.<br />
Over the following months the U.S.<br />
military carried out its largest overseas<br />
deployment since World War II. By<br />
mid-November the U.S. had more than<br />
240,000 troops in the Gulf and another<br />
200,000 on the way, and the United<br />
Kingdom had sent more than 25,000,<br />
Egypt 20,000, and France 5,500. Some<br />
25 other countries, including Canada,<br />
Syria, Bangladesh, and Morocco, had<br />
committed troops and weapons to the<br />
military buildup that was designated<br />
Operation Desert Shield.<br />
Operation Desert Storm<br />
<strong>The</strong> two phases of Operation Desert<br />
Storm were a coalition air operation<br />
(January 17–February 24, 1991) and a<br />
ground offensive dubbed Operation<br />
Desert Sabre (February 24–28). Allied<br />
forces had three main objectives during<br />
the air campaign: to establish air<br />
supremacy, to destroy strategic<br />
targets, and to degrade Iraqi ground<br />
forces. Coalition pilots had gained air<br />
supremacy by January 28.<br />
By February 11 coalition forces had<br />
sunk the last Iraqi naval units.<br />
On January 18 Iraq responded to the<br />
Allied air offensive by launching Scud<br />
missiles at the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv<br />
and Haifa in an effort to draw Israel<br />
into the conflict and splinter the Arab<br />
coalition. Two days later Scuds were<br />
fired at targets in Saudi Arabia.<br />
Between January 18 and February 25<br />
Iraq fired 39 missiles at Israel, killing at<br />
least 3 Israeli civilians and injuring as<br />
many as 200. <strong>The</strong> U.S. exerted<br />
tremendous diplomatic pressure on<br />
Israel to refrain from retaliating directly<br />
against Iraq;<br />
Medical vehicles of the 1st British Armoured Division<br />
positioned north of the Saudi-Iraqi border<br />
Operation Desert Sabre, the coalition<br />
ground offensive, began on February<br />
24, 1991, with an advance to the<br />
Euphrates by the U.S. XVIII Airborne<br />
Corps (82nd and 101st Airborne and<br />
24th Infantry divisions, plus the French<br />
Daguet Division). Meanwhile, the 1st<br />
and 2nd Marine divisions, along with<br />
Egyptian, Saudi, and other allied units,<br />
attacked Kuwait to tie down Iraqi<br />
forces.<br />
12
<strong>The</strong> main coalition attack was launched<br />
on February 25 <strong>The</strong> 1st and 3rd<br />
Armored, 1st (Mechanized) Infantry,<br />
and British Armoured divisions broke<br />
through the defenses on the Saudi-<br />
Iraqi border, That same day the 1st<br />
and 2nd Marine divisions, having<br />
cleared extensive Iraqi minefields on<br />
the Kuwaiti frontier, sharply rebuffed a<br />
series of Iraqi armoured counterattacks<br />
and broke through to capture the<br />
airport in Kuwait city. On February 26–<br />
27 the VII Corps, along with the 1st<br />
British Armoured and 24th U.S. Infantry<br />
divisions, engaged and destroyed the<br />
Iraqi armoured reserves, including<br />
Saddam’s elite Republican Guard<br />
divisions, near Basra. <strong>The</strong> remaining<br />
Iraqi forces in Kuwait collapsed and<br />
fled to Basra, suffering heavy<br />
casualties and forcing Saddam to<br />
accept a cease-fire on February 28.<br />
Casualties.<br />
Estimates of the number of Iraqi troops<br />
in the Kuwait theatre range from<br />
180,000 to 630,000, and estimates of<br />
Iraqi military deaths range from 8,000 to<br />
50,000. Allied casualties, by contrast,<br />
were remarkably light. Just 147 U.S.<br />
personnel and 47 British troops were<br />
killed in action; for the duration of<br />
Operations Desert Shield and Desert<br />
Storm, U.S. noncombat deaths actually<br />
exceeded combat fatalities in the<br />
Kuwaiti theatre. Approximately 1,000<br />
coalition troops were wounded.<br />
Coalition troops and Kuwaiti civilians celebrating the<br />
liberation of Kuwait<br />
Operation Desert Sabre lasted just<br />
100 hours. Large numbers of Iraqi<br />
troops surrendered without fighting.<br />
Remains of an Iraqi convoy near Kuwait city, Kuwait<br />
Friendly Fire<br />
<strong>The</strong>re were four incidents during the<br />
Gulf conflict in which British soldiers<br />
were killed or injured by friendly forces.<br />
Nine soldiers were killed and 16 injured<br />
in these incidents. One incident when<br />
nine soldiers were killed and 11 injured<br />
in two Warrior vehicles belonging to the<br />
3rd Battalion <strong>The</strong> Royal Regiment of<br />
Fusiliers Battle Group and including<br />
three Queen's Own Highlanders was<br />
engaged by an American A-10 aircraft.<br />
"LEAST WE FORGET" 13
Members of the Queen's Own Highlanders Battle Group celebrate<br />
the end of the conflict<br />
What is Gulf<br />
War Illness?<br />
Royal British Legion research suggested<br />
up to 33,000 UK Gulf War veterans could<br />
be living with the syndrome with 1,300<br />
claiming a war pension for conditions<br />
connected to their service. In 2007 the<br />
Royal British Legion produced a<br />
comprehensive report entitled Legacy of<br />
Suspicion, which made<br />
recommendations about necessary<br />
research and compensation. <strong>The</strong> Royal British Legion is still campaigning for the UK<br />
government to properly address symptoms experienced by veterans of the Gulf War.<br />
From 1995 to 2005, the health of combat veterans worsened in comparison with<br />
nondeployed veterans, with the onset of more new chronic diseases, functional<br />
impairment, repeated clinic visits and hospitalizations, chronic fatigue syndrome-like<br />
illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, and greater persistence of adverse health incidents.<br />
Shortly after the end of the Gulf War in 1990-91,<br />
veterans of the conflict began to report similar<br />
health issues when they returned home.<br />
Initially, reports emerged from the<br />
United States that Gulf War<br />
veterans were developing unusual<br />
illnesses. <strong>The</strong>se were followed by<br />
similar reports from the UK,<br />
Denmark, Canada and Australia in<br />
1993.<br />
In all these cases, previously fit<br />
veterans had developed unusual<br />
diseases, illnesses and symptoms.<br />
14
WE SERVED"<br />
<strong>The</strong><br />
King's<br />
Own<br />
Scottish Borderers<br />
he regiment was raised to protect the city of<br />
Edinburgh at the crisis of the Glorious<br />
TRevolution,as William of Orange laid claim to the<br />
crown. <strong>The</strong> Scottish government issued a commission to<br />
form a regiment of foot to David Leslie, 3rd Earl of Leven,<br />
one of William’s right-hand men and on 18th March, going<br />
George Mollins, KOSB<br />
1961 - 1970<br />
through the town ‘by beat of drum’ his recruiting parties managed to raise 800<br />
men in just a few hours. <strong>The</strong> Regiment was blooded at the Battle of Killiecrankie<br />
on July 27th of that year. From this disastrous encounter with Dundee’s Jacobite<br />
rebels, only two regiments emerged with honour, one of them Leven’s, as it was<br />
then called, after its colonel. As a result it was taken on to the permanent<br />
strength of the army.<br />
In 1691 the regiment was in Ireland, again engaged against the Jacobites and<br />
fought with valour at, Ballymore, the siege of Athlone and the sieges of Galway<br />
and Limerick.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Regiment was in action again in 1746, but this time in Scotland, when at<br />
the battle of Culloden in April of that year it took part in quelling the last of the<br />
great Jacobite rebellions (indeed it was the only Scottish regiment to have<br />
fought against the rebels in all three insurrections).<br />
15
With the introduction of regimental numbering in 1751, the regiment became<br />
the 25th Foot and it was as such that it took perhaps its most famous battle<br />
honour at Minden on 1st August 1759. Here, in an allied force under Ferdinand<br />
of Brunswick, with five other British infantry regiments, the 25th marched in line<br />
against 10,000 French cavalry and broke the enemy centre. It was a<br />
remarkable feat and is still celebrated every anniversary of the battle.<br />
Following prolonged garrison duties on Minorca from 1768 to 1780, the<br />
regiment was sent to relieve Gibraltar, and in the same year, for a number of<br />
reasons, was retitled ‘the 25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot’<br />
In 1801 the Regiment was sent to<br />
Egypt with Sir Ralph Abercromby’s<br />
force and took part in the capture of<br />
Alexandria, thus earning, the right to<br />
bear the emblem of the Sphinx on its<br />
Colours.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1st battalion spent the most part of<br />
the Napoleonic Wars in the West<br />
Indies. Martinique was taken in 1809,<br />
and Guadeloupe in 1811. During this<br />
campaign the Battalion lost more men<br />
through disease than as a result of<br />
enemy action. Also during this period,<br />
in 1805, at the order of King George III,<br />
25th of Foot Minorca c 1768<br />
the regiment was retitled the ‘King’s Own Borderers’ and its facings changed to royal blue.<br />
Having been posted to Gibraltar (1858-63) and Malta (1863-64), in 1864 the first battalion<br />
was sent to Canada to suppress the Fenian rebellions.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Regiment’s most active postings of the Victorian era however, were to Afghanistan and<br />
Burma. In the former the battalion distinguished itself in the Bazar Valley in 1878 and the<br />
Khyber Valley in 1880. In Burma, served with the Chin Lushai Expedition (1889-90). <strong>The</strong><br />
national origins of the Regiment were further recognised in 1887 when it acquired its lasting<br />
title ‘<strong>The</strong> King’s Own Scottish Borderers’.<br />
From 1900 to 1902 the 1st Battalion served<br />
in South Africa fighting the Boers. Taking<br />
part in the action at Paardeberg, it went on to<br />
fight in the Traansval and at the battle of<br />
Rustenberg in October 1900 and in May the<br />
following year at Vlakfontein and<br />
Lambrechtfontein. A considerable number of<br />
decorations were awarded, not least the<br />
regiment’s first VC to Lieutenant GHB<br />
Coulson.<br />
Right: KOSB Signallers Boer War<br />
16
<strong>The</strong> Regiment has been known by several names<br />
including:<br />
Leven's Regiment<br />
25th (Sussex) Regiment of Foot<br />
<strong>The</strong> King's Own Borderers<br />
<strong>The</strong> King's Own Scottish Borderers<br />
World War I<br />
At the outbreak of war in August 1914, the two<br />
Regular Battalions and the two Territorial<br />
Battalions (4th and 5th) were mobilized. In<br />
addition, ‘New Army’ Battalions (6th, 7th and<br />
8th) were raised, together with a 9th Battalion,<br />
which provided reinforcements for the other<br />
Battalions, and a 10th (Garrison) Battalion.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 1st Battalion fought on the Gallipoli<br />
Peninsula and their story is typical of that illfated<br />
campaign.<br />
In April 1916 the battalion was moved to Beaumont-Hamel on the Somme. Here they fought<br />
in support of the Inniskillings on 1st July. In December they fought on the Ancre and April<br />
1917 in the battle of Arras at Monchy. In August of that year they won two VCs in the battle of<br />
Langemarck. In November they fought at the battle of Cambrai and in the new year in the<br />
bloodbath of Passchendaele. In October the battalion marched into Ypres.<br />
<strong>The</strong> 7th Battalion lost about two-thirds of its strength and the<br />
8th over one-third at the Battle of Loos. It was here that<br />
famously piper Daniel Laidlaw of the 7 climbed out of the<br />
trench in the face of shellfire, machine guns and gas and,<br />
inspiring the men to attack, for which he won the VC.<br />
World War II<br />
1st battalion KOSB embarked for France in 1939 as part of<br />
the 3rd division of the BEF. <strong>The</strong>y crossed the Belgian frontier<br />
in May 1940, and like the rest of the force, out gunned by an<br />
enemy of overwhelming numerical superiority, they were<br />
ordered to withdraw.<br />
Fighting their way to the coast, on the night of 31st May/1st<br />
June they were evacuated from the beaches of Dunkirk<br />
With the allied invasion of Europe in 1944, 1st battalion KOSB<br />
was there at the forefront, returning to France on D-Day, 6th June. <strong>The</strong>y fought through<br />
Normandy and around Caen until the town capitulated, and then advanced north through<br />
Belgium and Holland to the Rhine and Bremen.<br />
Post World II<br />
<strong>The</strong> too often neglected war against the Chinese and North Korean was hard going and<br />
fought in extreme climatic conditions. On the night of 4th/5th November 1951 the Battalion<br />
was holding a position on a narrow, ridge in the Kowang-San region. Throughout the day the<br />
soldiers had been subjected to a concentrated barrage of shell and mortar fire, and, as night<br />
fell, the Chinese infantry advanced an entire division of 6000 men. <strong>The</strong> positions of the<br />
forward companies were overrun, but the Battalion stood its ground, and repulsed the<br />
Chinese attack. No less than 31 Borderers were killed with 90 being wounded and 20 made<br />
Prisoners of War. Over 1000 Chinese had been killed. Private Bill Speakman was awarded<br />
the VC for his part in the battle, and 2nd Lieutenant. William Purves received the DSO – the<br />
only National Service officer to have won that honour.<br />
17
In Malaya during the similarly neglected Emergency from 1955 to 1959,<br />
1st Battalion was in the jungle, fighting ruthless Communist terrorists of<br />
the MRLA Malayan Races Liberation Army. <strong>The</strong> KOSB operated from<br />
Batu Pahat and a forward base Tac HQ at Yong Peng. One of the key<br />
roles in the jungle was that of the dog handler. <strong>The</strong>re were 21 dogs in<br />
the Malayan jungle trained to scent the enemy. <strong>The</strong> tactic was hugely<br />
successful. By the end of their two and a half year tour 1 KOSB had<br />
killed 8 terrorists, wounded some others. <strong>The</strong>re are 22 recorded<br />
contacts but that is not illustrative of the everyday war of nerves.<br />
From 1962 to February 1964 the battalion was on internal security<br />
operations in Aden and in May 1964 was fighting Yemeni insurgents<br />
in the Radfan Mountains. In the following year the battalion was posted to Borneo, patrolling<br />
the Malaysia-Indonesia border. Action during the 1970s, to late 1990s was principally<br />
centred around Operation Banner, the British Army’s ongoing peacekeeping duties in<br />
Northern Ireland.<br />
On New Year’s Day 1991, with the<br />
Battalion on leave and key officers<br />
abroad, the order came to mobilise for<br />
service in the Gulf. Three weeks later<br />
they were deployed as part of<br />
Operation Granby/Desert Storm and<br />
after training in Saudi Arabia moved into<br />
battle positions, crossing into Kuwait at<br />
the beginning of March. <strong>The</strong>ir principal<br />
role was mopping up pockets of<br />
resistance and the processing and<br />
guarding of POWs and a new Battle<br />
Honour, ‘Gulf 1991′, was awarded.<br />
In March 2006, the Regiment became <strong>The</strong> King’s Own Scottish Borderers<br />
Battalion of <strong>The</strong> Royal Regiment of Scotland. On the 1st August of that year, the<br />
Royal Scots and KOSB Battalions merged to form the Royal Scots Borderers,<br />
1st Battalion, <strong>The</strong> Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS).<br />
George with 1 KOSB in Aden<br />
Folkestone<br />
Drum Major 1 Scots
Branch News<br />
Remembrance Service for HM the Queen<br />
<strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch of the Royal British Legion held a moving<br />
service for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Sunday 18th<br />
September. <strong>The</strong> Branch was joined by over 50 members of<br />
the local community to pay homage and remember the life of<br />
the Queen. <strong>The</strong> Service sponsored by the Alicante Branch of<br />
the Royal British Legion left tears in many eyes, a fitting<br />
tribute to our late queen. <strong>The</strong> Branch was joined by Mark<br />
Benton who played the Last Post and Reveille.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Service was started<br />
with a prayer for the Queen<br />
by service organiser<br />
Hamish McConnachie.<br />
Branch Vice Chairman Les<br />
Dewson<br />
gave the eulogy whilst Sue<br />
Parkes McConnachie<br />
recited a very moving<br />
poem dedicated to Her<br />
Majesty, the wreath with<br />
the Queens Cypher was<br />
laid by Jean Le Brock -<br />
Smith. Bob Routledge gave<br />
the final prayer and the<br />
service was brought to an<br />
end with the national<br />
anthem and a toast to King<br />
Charles III.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Royal British Legion<br />
has been honoured to have<br />
Queen Elizabeth II as it's<br />
Patron since 1952.<br />
While having royal<br />
patronage from its founding<br />
in 1921, the Legion<br />
received its "Royal"<br />
appellation in 1971 on its<br />
golden anniversary.<br />
(left) Ed Morris (Chairman) Mark<br />
Benton Bob Routledge, Hamish<br />
McConnachie, Mary Kemp, Les<br />
Dewson and Sue Parkes<br />
McConnachie.<br />
19<br />
Mark Benton and Branch standard Bearer Mary Kemp during the Last Post
Annual General<br />
Meeting<br />
Held at Glenn's Restaurant Castalla 6th October 2022<br />
<strong>The</strong> outgoing Chairman, Mr Ed Morris (Left) hands over the Chairmanship of the Branch to Mr Les Dewson<br />
<strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch held their Annual General<br />
Meeting on Thursday 6th of October 2022 at<br />
Glenn's Restaurant in Castalla where the three<br />
year plan and future events were discussed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> outgoing Chairman, Ed Morris then<br />
handed over the conduct of the Branch to our<br />
new Chairman Les Dewson who thanked Ed<br />
and his committee for the hard work that they<br />
have carried out during the last year. <strong>The</strong> new<br />
Committee for the period 2022 - 2023 was<br />
then sworn in.<br />
<strong>The</strong> meeting was attended by over thirty<br />
Branch Members and guests. We wish Les<br />
and his new Committee all the very best for<br />
the coming year.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Branch was also introduced to our<br />
new volunteer Standard Bearers who will<br />
start their training on the 13th of October<br />
in time for the Remembrance activities at<br />
both Branch and District level.<br />
Denise Dewson<br />
Deputy<br />
Standard Bearer<br />
Bob Routledge<br />
Branch<br />
Standard Bearer<br />
Debbie Routledge<br />
Deputy<br />
Standard Bearer<br />
20
New Branch Committee<br />
At the AGM on the 6th October the following Members were selected<br />
to serve on the Branch Committee for the period<br />
2022 - 2023<br />
Les Dewson<br />
Chairman<br />
Sue Parkes - McConnachie<br />
Vice Chairperson<br />
& Membership Secretary<br />
Tony Horton<br />
Secretary<br />
Ron Bridges<br />
Treasurer<br />
Janet Brickhill<br />
Community Support<br />
Bob Routledge<br />
Standard Bearer<br />
Hamish McConnachie<br />
Webmaster & Publicity<br />
Ed Morris<br />
Poppy Appeal<br />
Organiser<br />
Denise Dewson<br />
Committee Member<br />
<strong>The</strong> following positions are vacant: Membership Secretary, Recruiting &<br />
Retention Member, Social Activities Member.<br />
21
Poppy Appeal<br />
Launch (PAL)<br />
Benidorm<br />
15th October 2022<br />
Several members of the Alicante<br />
Branch took part in this year’s<br />
Poppy Appeal Launch (PAL) on the<br />
Benidorm seafront, the Parade<br />
Marshall, Jack Kemp the Alicante<br />
Branch President took command of<br />
the parade whilst Mary Kemp<br />
carried the District Standard. <strong>The</strong><br />
Branch Standard was paraded by<br />
our new Branch Standard Bearer<br />
Bob Routledge. Several branch<br />
members took part in the parade<br />
and marched along with other<br />
veterans behind the Torrevieja<br />
Pipes and Drums . <strong>The</strong> parade was<br />
attended by the mayor of Benidorm,<br />
Captain Stephen McGlory, Defence<br />
Attaché at the British Embassy in<br />
Madrid and the National Vice Chair<br />
of the Royal British Legion, Lynda<br />
Atkins.<br />
<strong>The</strong> large crowd of onlookers were<br />
once again given a first class<br />
display that showed that the Royal<br />
British Legion was alive and well in<br />
Spain.<br />
Alicante Branch Standard Bearer Bob Routledge (Right)<br />
Branch Members Ed Morris and George Mollins<br />
21
Branch Monthly<br />
Meeting<br />
..<br />
Held at the International Club El Campello<br />
3rd November 2022<br />
Ron Bridges<br />
Branch Treasurer<br />
·<br />
• 1 נ-,ע\ 1<br />
Alicante<br />
<strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch held its November meeting on the<br />
3rd of November at the International Club in El Campello.<br />
<strong>The</strong> meeting was opened by Chairman Les Dewson, a<br />
very good and informative and professional meeting<br />
followed by an excellent lunch, well done to the new<br />
Committee. <strong>The</strong> new Branch Treasurer, Ron Bridges was<br />
introduced to the members, well done Ron for taking up<br />
the gauntlet. Both Ron and his good lady Jayne had been<br />
Branch Members in the past and have now rejoined<br />
Welcome back.<br />
Our Branch President Jack Kemp on<br />
behalf of the Chairman presented the<br />
Chairmans award of appreciation to<br />
Mary Kemp for the work she carried out<br />
as BCS, Standard Bearer and<br />
Committee Member, Mary remains a<br />
Branch Member and takes up a new<br />
role as District Standard Bearer.<br />
Also on the Chairmans 'hit list' was<br />
former Chairman John Pratt who has<br />
represented the Branch as<br />
Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and<br />
Deputy Standard Bearer. John also<br />
represented the District as District<br />
Standard Bearer. A real Branch<br />
stalwart.<br />
22
Poppy<br />
Collection<br />
2022<br />
Many thanks to all our Poppy Sellers and Members who gave up their time to set<br />
up stalls and distribute Poppy Boxes to local business's, special thanks to Fiona<br />
Dillon, Ed Morris, Les Dewson, Bob and Debbie Routledge, Jayne Bridges and<br />
Sue and Hamish McConnachie. <strong>The</strong> final total will be published in the next issue<br />
Well done to Sue<br />
McConnachie for<br />
raising the sum of<br />
189 Euros in her<br />
Poppy Appeal Raffle.
Remembrance Sunday<br />
Sunday 13th November<br />
Garden of Remembrance, Castalla International<br />
<strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch<br />
had a full programme<br />
for our Remembrance<br />
service which took<br />
place at the Garden of<br />
Remembrance on<br />
Castalla International<br />
on Sunday 13th at<br />
10:50.<br />
Left: <strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch<br />
Chairman, Les Dewson welcomes<br />
Branch and Community Members<br />
to the Service.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Service was opened with a short<br />
prayer given by Branch Webmaster and<br />
Publicity Member Hamish<br />
McConnachie, followed by the<br />
Community Choir with an excellent<br />
rendition of 'Abide with Me'. <strong>The</strong><br />
welcome given by Branch Chairman<br />
Les Dewson covered the solemnity of<br />
the occasion in that this would be the<br />
first year for many who were unable to<br />
see our late Queen taking part in the<br />
Remembrance parade at the cenotaph<br />
in London.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Chairman's welcome was followed<br />
by Branch Vice Chairperson Sue<br />
Parkes McConnachie who rendered the<br />
poem by John McCrae 'In Flanders<br />
Fields'.<br />
Members of the Community Choir who without<br />
doubt brought an air of remembrance and hope<br />
with their renditions of 'Abide with me' and<br />
'Jerusalem'<br />
25
<strong>The</strong> wreath laying which was done to the pipe<br />
tune Flowers of the forest which<br />
commemorates the defeat of the Scottish army,<br />
and the death of James IV, at the Battle of<br />
Flodden in September 1513. Flowers of the<br />
forest is normally only played at funerals or<br />
memorial services and was played at Queen<br />
Victoria's funeral in 1901.<br />
Wreaths were laid by the British Vice Consul<br />
from Alicante Elizabeth Bell, an Alicante<br />
Branch Member, Tony Horton Branch<br />
Secretary and Joan Mollins.<br />
<strong>The</strong> last post was played and a two minute<br />
silence was held in all solemnity by the<br />
attending audience, followed by Reveille. <strong>The</strong><br />
Branch Chairman then gave the Exhortation.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Branch had three Standard Bearers on<br />
parade, Debbie Routledge, Spanish National<br />
Flag, Denise Dewson, Union Flag and Bob<br />
Routledge the Alicante Branch Standard. All<br />
three Standard Bearers only took up their<br />
duties after the October AGM. Bob<br />
Routledge, the Branch Standard Bearer has<br />
worked hard to get himself and his deputies<br />
ready for the Remembrance Service. Well<br />
done all.<br />
Wreath layers, Tony Horton, Elizabeth<br />
Bell and Joan Mollins<br />
Christine Pratt then gave a<br />
rendition on the poem '<strong>The</strong><br />
Poppy' followed by the choir<br />
with Jerusalem.<br />
<strong>The</strong> national anthems of spain<br />
and the United Kingdom were<br />
played and it was noticed that<br />
the audience sang 'God save<br />
the King' with gusto.<br />
<strong>The</strong> closing prayer was given<br />
by Ed Morris, Branch Poppy<br />
Appeal Organiser and the<br />
service was closed by Sue<br />
Parkes - McConnachie with<br />
the Kohima Epitaph.<br />
"WE WILL REMEMBER THEM"<br />
26
Branch Chairman, Les Dewson with<br />
Elizabeth Bell<br />
<strong>The</strong> British Vice Consul from Alicante<br />
Christine Pratt<br />
After the service Mr Les Dewson <strong>The</strong> Alicante<br />
Branch Chairman said<br />
"A total of nineteen Branch and<br />
Community Members volunteered<br />
to take part in this very important<br />
service and make it a great success. It<br />
was heartening to see so many<br />
Branch and Community members<br />
present from the Branch catchment<br />
area and beyond. On behalf of my<br />
Committee and myself I would like<br />
to thank Branch and Community<br />
Members for their attendance here<br />
today"<br />
Sue Parkes McConnachie<br />
with<br />
Hamish McConnachie<br />
27
Alicante Branch Committee<br />
Members attend District<br />
Course<br />
Spain District North held a very Successful<br />
Branch Management course including Office<br />
365 and MAP (Membership Administration<br />
Portal) in October. <strong>The</strong> two day course was<br />
held at the Expat Centre in Quesada which<br />
provided first class facilities. <strong>The</strong> course was<br />
run by Paul Franks, District Training Officer<br />
with welcome assistance from the District<br />
Chairman, Jack Kemp. Students attending<br />
from the Alicante Branch included Sue<br />
Parkes - McConnachie, Vice Chairperson, Ed<br />
Morris, Poppy Appeal organiser, Tony<br />
Horton, Branch Secretary and Hamish<br />
McConnachie, Branch Webmaster and<br />
Publicity member. Louise Franks who will<br />
shortly be taking over the post of District<br />
Assistant Treasurer joined us for the second<br />
day. <strong>The</strong> general opinion of the course was<br />
that it was well run with good content and<br />
the facilities were ideal for a small course.<br />
<strong>The</strong> District has very experienced trainers<br />
who are willing to share their time and<br />
experience so that Branch members holding<br />
posts can be trained to the required standard.<br />
This course is a must for any Branch Officer<br />
or Committee Member to attend.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Course was also attended by Members of<br />
the Torrevieja and Hondon Valley Branches<br />
District Training Officer Paul Franks with<br />
Alicante Branch Vice Chairperson and<br />
Membership secretary Sue Parkes - McConnachie<br />
Above Hamish McConnachie and left Tony<br />
Horton
Above Ed<br />
Morris Branch<br />
Poppy Appeal<br />
Organiser<br />
Left husband<br />
and wife team<br />
Paul and Louise<br />
Franks<br />
29
A Spanish Hospital<br />
Experience<br />
Branch Member Malcolm<br />
Gregory wrote to a friend<br />
to share his experience in a<br />
Spanish Hospital, Malcolm has<br />
kindly agreed to share that<br />
experience with his fellow Branch<br />
Members.<br />
Subject: Hospital Visit<br />
I thought I would be like Scott<br />
of the Antarctic and drop you a<br />
line whilst I reside for a<br />
number of days in Alcoy<br />
hospital. Unlike Scott, I know I<br />
have an escape plan that will<br />
work which should see me<br />
extracted from here next<br />
Tuesday.<br />
Eight sleeps in total.<br />
סח Unfortunately I have<br />
method of getting this note to<br />
you before I go home as there<br />
is סח Internet connection, still it<br />
gives me something to do to<br />
take the boredom factor away.<br />
AII is going well. To say it has<br />
been "interesting" would be an<br />
understatement. I was<br />
admitted חס Monday evening<br />
at six pm, more חס that later.<br />
Malcolm Gregory<br />
Thank you for all your goodwill<br />
wishes, they were and are<br />
greatly appreciated. lt is nice to<br />
know I have a family and good<br />
friends who care.<br />
I share a room with a 57 year<br />
old Spaniard called Antonio,<br />
Tony to his friends. He speaks<br />
less English than I speak<br />
Spanish which is going some!<br />
We have some very very funny<br />
conversations. He came into<br />
hospital at the same time as I<br />
did but having had keyhole<br />
prostate surgery he hopes to<br />
leave today. Of course my<br />
prostate has to be bigger than<br />
everyone else's requiring open<br />
surgery! it's either that or they<br />
want to practice their old style<br />
surgical skills on the<br />
uncomplaining British.<br />
30
You would think that Antonio's long and<br />
typically loud renditions, during which he<br />
tells me chapter and verse the problems<br />
he is having would be lost meחס , but<br />
not so, with lots of sign language and no<br />
doubt many wrong assumptions and<br />
bad guesses חס both our parts we get<br />
by, we think!<br />
ln our most recent conversation he has<br />
been trying to explain to me the<br />
importance of sitting down initially to pee<br />
pee (his words) once all this tubing stuff<br />
has been removed. He didn't do this,<br />
admitting to me that his pee pee went in<br />
four different directions traveling at<br />
greater speeds than he had grown used<br />
to. He said it would be very good for<br />
watering the garden but not good in<br />
public areas. ln a funny sort of way I will<br />
miss him and his equally loud extended<br />
family who visited him daily.<br />
You would think that as we both have<br />
been in some pain it's probably not such<br />
a good idea to talk so much as laughing<br />
pulls our stitches, in my case stitches<br />
that look like industrial style metal<br />
staples. Hope they don't rust! On<br />
balance though it's best to laugh about<br />
things.<br />
Alcoy hospital is a modern facility with a<br />
good reputation for patient care. <strong>The</strong><br />
specialist Urology ward is on the fourth<br />
floor of the main building. AII rooms are<br />
for two patients only each room having<br />
en suite facilities. We have pay TV, I<br />
note there are no adult channels,<br />
perhaps wise considering the main<br />
reason that we are all in here.<br />
This linked with the fact that we all at<br />
some stage or another have tubes<br />
pushed up our willies.It hurts when<br />
fart at present, wouldn't want to<br />
make matters worse. AII the staff<br />
which includes the Doctors, Nurses,<br />
Auxiliaries and Cleaners are very<br />
friendly and very conscientious.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y appear to enjoy their work and<br />
move around with enthusiasm. Not<br />
once have felt they resent me being<br />
here. <strong>The</strong>y are all very smartly<br />
dressed. My bed linen, nightshirt and<br />
towels are changed daily. Rooms<br />
are scrupulously cleaned everyday. I<br />
have a south facing window and a<br />
beautiful mountain view. Visitors are<br />
allowed at any time day or night. I<br />
have a reclining leather chair which<br />
gives some comfort to anyone who<br />
wants to stay overnight. ln this<br />
hospital it is not true that a family<br />
member is expected to be in<br />
attendance to take care of their<br />
relative's mundane needs. <strong>The</strong><br />
morning after my operation a very<br />
kind young auxiliary nurse gave me<br />
a bed bath. Very nice experience!<br />
<strong>The</strong> NHS<br />
could probably<br />
learn a lot<br />
from this<br />
hospital and<br />
it's staff. AII in<br />
all I guess it is<br />
okay here !!<br />
But not like home .<br />
31
My Hospital experience day by day<br />
Monday.<br />
Having waited a long time for this operation I was pleased to get the telephone<br />
call from Debora, our friend and interpreter advising me of the date. I had about<br />
six days warning which gave me ample time to mentally adjust to the forthcoming<br />
situation I knew I would have to leave my dignity and any thoughts of<br />
embarrassment at the hospital entrance. My intent was to keep calm and just lay<br />
back and think of England!<br />
Once I had cleaned the Naya windows and the oven! June released me from<br />
further duties and I drove with Debora to the hospital, a short journey on the<br />
motorway of 30 minutes.<br />
<strong>The</strong> admission process was very efficient and quick, within 15 minutes I found<br />
myself in my room wearing my designer dress, problem was that I had to put it<br />
on back to front which if you were not careful exposed one's bum, god forbid. Still<br />
when in Rome etc. etc. and anyway I figured Debora had seen a few before in<br />
her hospital experiences.<br />
<strong>The</strong> real excitement came when the nurse spoke to Debora informing her of my<br />
planned evening entertainment. Two bottles at timed intervals of a solution which<br />
would clear and clean any blocked drain, followed by a private parts shave. Oh<br />
Dear!<br />
At this point I bade farewell to Debora, not wishing for her to see a grown man<br />
cry. <strong>The</strong> nurse with the two bottles was very nice, I think she understood my<br />
concerns for this unnatural activity. She said "Hold for as long as possible<br />
Malcolm" waving bottle number one in her hand. Well, she had only been gone<br />
two minutes when a desperate feeling and a hot flush came over me, I dashed at<br />
a speed which would have seen me beat Usain Bolt, to the en suite, Not good, I<br />
failed to reach the finishing line depositing the contents of my bowel just short of<br />
the toilet bowl. Result dirty dress and a need for a mop. Luckily the colour was<br />
not as expected, clearly there was more to come later in the final race of the<br />
night.<br />
My nice nurse returned some hours later with bottle number two. This time I had<br />
adjusted my starting blocks and I had thought up a cunning plan. This time I was<br />
going to win, after all l couldn't ask for a second dress! <strong>The</strong> minute she left I<br />
intentionally false started, walking slowly to the finishing line. I waited a while and<br />
then Alleluia. <strong>The</strong> drains were now clear.<br />
32
Free time now to rest חס my bed contemplating "the shave", Would it be the<br />
same nurse or the prettiest of nurses that I had seen on the ward earlier<br />
I waited and waited but nobody came. Eventually I drifted off to slumber hoping<br />
to avoid dreaming of the unavoidable shave to come.<br />
I couldn't have been asleep more than ten minutes when a Phil Mitchell look<br />
alike from East Enders woke me flashing his razor at me. His sign language<br />
confirmed his intentions. Or was this the dream I hoped to avoid?<br />
No it wasn't. <strong>The</strong>re then followed a moment in my life that I wish to forget. It is<br />
no laughing matter when a complete stranger grabs your todger holding a<br />
sharp razor and plies his trade. What would the regiment say, me an ex major<br />
and all that, not even I have twisted and bent my John Thomas in so many<br />
directions, I wondered if it was really necessary, if they had instructed me I<br />
would have done it myself. I guessed that the pretty nurse was off duty,<br />
Phil departed satisfied and I drifted off to sleep again but not before<br />
being told that I was first on the list for surgery the following<br />
morning. Typical, not even a lie in.<br />
Tuesday<br />
I was awake before the scheduled time of 6.30am. Having had<br />
nothing to eat since Monday lunch and no water since my<br />
nightmare of the night before I was starving and gagging for a<br />
drink. Due to my early operation there was no sympathy for me. I<br />
carried on being hungry and thirsty. A nurse arrived with a trolley<br />
and I thought, "Here we go again, what's next". I need not have<br />
worried, she simply fitted a tap to my lower arm for the multitude of<br />
liquids that I would receive in subsequent days.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y came for me at 8.15 am as they said they would. In my bed I was pushed<br />
down corridors and via a lift to the operating theatre. I kept my wits about me<br />
wanting to know where I was going but trying to avoid the thought of passing<br />
the mortuary. I didn't. Things were looking up. A pun perhaps,I was lying on<br />
my back.<br />
Once in the operating theatre my biggest surprise of the day was being told<br />
that I would not receive any anesthetic. What! My potential panic was quickly<br />
cast aside when they said it was a spinal injection for me. Crikey, I hadn't<br />
Googled this in advance and knew nothing about it. I was shortly, via a<br />
practical demonstration to find out how effective and amazing a spinal injection<br />
is.<br />
33
Sat naked on the side of the bed the injection was administered by<br />
the Doctor. It was uncomfortable. No, it hurt.<br />
I was then transfered to the actual operating table. Within<br />
probably a minute I could not feel my legs, a few seconds later<br />
from the chest down I was gone !<br />
Two doctors conducted the operation, one male and one female,<br />
both looking very young. Was one of them in training ? I hoped<br />
not !<br />
Although I had been screened from seeing the actual operation I could see around me the<br />
hive of activity taking place, there were at least six other people in attendance. I heard every<br />
word the Doctors were saying although I understood very little. It was good however to hear<br />
no mention of Barcelona football team or the weather so I guessed they were concentrating<br />
on the job.<br />
I only felt movement in my upper body when I suppose they were applying pressure. At the<br />
stage when I began to wonder what parts of my inner body were now probably resting<br />
outside my body I decided to relax, lay back and think of England. <strong>The</strong> gurgle of the blood<br />
sucking machine did however fascinate me !<br />
<strong>The</strong> operation took about 40 minutes, I knew it was over when I counted the fourteen<br />
staples being inserted into my stomach with a noisy staple gun.<br />
Post operation recovery was incident free, I rested for the remainder of the day having no<br />
visitors due to the fact that we all thought I would be still sleepy due to anesthetic.I was<br />
however quite warm.<br />
Wednesday<br />
Not a good nights sleep, no problems with pain from the operation which pleased me, but I<br />
slowly got hotter and hotter developing an itchy feeling on my skin over various parts of my<br />
body. This slowly got worse throughout the day.<br />
My first visitors arrived mid afternoon. It was good to see June, Mike and Jan. Thank you<br />
Mike for being the taxi driver.<br />
It is true that "Absence makes the heart grow fonder". It surprised me how quickly I was<br />
missing June, even though she moans at me daily when I am at home. Still I guess we are<br />
not alone in this.<br />
Having previously advertised the fact that I did not want or need any soppy get well cards,<br />
fruit, chocolates and all such nonsense, but would readily accept envelopes containing<br />
money (joke) I was pleased to get a card from Joan and Doug. To my delight it contained an<br />
envelope with a very new 50 euro note in it. "How very generous of them, they should not<br />
have given me so much"<br />
On further scrutiny of my unexpected wealth all became clear. Who would have thought that<br />
such a lovely couple were running a counterfeit money making operation in their under<br />
build, hidden behind a front known as a Christian Fellowship Group. Being such a friendly<br />
couple their secret is safe with me. lt was a brilliant joke which made me laugh. Thank you<br />
to them.<br />
34
Shortly after June, Mike and Jan had departed it was good to see Ed who<br />
popped in to see me. Ed's ability to communicate in Spanish impressed<br />
Antonio, who was probably coming to the conclusion that all Brits were like me<br />
and were only good at sign language. Thanks for your company Ed.<br />
By early evening I was so very hot, sweaty and itchy that I decided to call in<br />
the Cavalry with a phone call to Debora. I wanted the Doctor and Nurses to<br />
fully understand my discomfort and see how best we might relieve the<br />
symptoms. Debora was at her Gym at the time but willingly left and joined me<br />
at the hospital. What a good girl she is.<br />
Although I was beginning to think that the young surgeon wearing designer<br />
clothes must have left a scalpel inside me, which my body was trying to reject,<br />
the prognosis from the hospital was that I might be allergic to the bedding, in<br />
particular the white sheets which are washed with an extremely strong<br />
detergent. One other patient currently in the hospital had the same symptoms.<br />
For my part I was not convinced having never been allergic to anything in my<br />
life. lnterestingly June had a condition similar to mine a week or so ago which<br />
Dr Rosa was treating with antihistamine tablets, her problem has now gone<br />
away.<br />
Anyway, the outcome of all this is that I am now the "special one" who now<br />
sleeps in green sheets (what the difference is I don't know) I am also being<br />
pumped full of various unknown liquids and now on a course of antihistamine<br />
tablets. Additionally I have moved my bed so that I can gain more benefit from<br />
the cool air from the air conditioning unit. I am also using a portable electric fan<br />
that Debora kindly brought in. I am currently sweating like a mad lunatic and<br />
itchy all over. I think Antonio is freezing to death !<br />
Thursday<br />
Firstly it is our 43rd Wedding Anniversary today, luckily I remembered to buy<br />
June a card which I will give her when she visits today. lt is not true that I<br />
orchestrated my hospital admission to avoid the expense of taking her out for<br />
a celebration meal.<br />
Surprisingy, I had a reasonably good night considering how I had felt eight<br />
hours ago. God knows what they gave me but it must be working. I still itch but<br />
am much cooler, I am on the mend. Antonio did not die in the night having<br />
covered himself with a blanket.<br />
35
Progress was made today with the removal of the stomach drain, one less<br />
Tesco bag to carry around. I am left with two saline type drips into my arm tap<br />
and a catheter which has its own Tesco drainage bag. I am up and mobile but<br />
not very good at steering the frame which carries the drips and bag. Question.<br />
Why do I covertly compare the colour of my Tesco bag contents with that of the<br />
other patients that I see on my morning and afternoon walks ? I cannot wait for<br />
the day when my colour is almost normal, I will have bragging rights in the<br />
corridor then.<br />
<strong>The</strong> nice female Doctor visited and explained that she was now going to move<br />
the catheter to where the prostate is. Now, even with my limited understanding<br />
of the human anatomy I know this is not going to be funny ! it wasn't, it gave me<br />
"sweaty eyes" probably like my grandson Joshua had when he watched a sad<br />
film.<br />
June visited late morning thanks to Brian and Rita. It was good to see them all.<br />
Brian of course who is never without the means to take a photograph, did just<br />
that. I am not sure what he plans to do with it but I refuse to be blackmailed.<br />
Anyway, I think in my latest dress which has buttons down the front I look pretty<br />
cool !<br />
Everyone who has visited me so far has mentioned or complained about the<br />
weather. Sitting in my room with bright sunshine shining through the window<br />
and enjoying the benefits of cool air conditioning, it is easy for me to forget that<br />
the temperature outside is well plus of 30 degrees on a daily basis. I hope it<br />
lasts for the visit of brothers Ken and Albert and my sister in laws Eileen and<br />
Linda in early to mid September. It hasn't rained here for 3 months.<br />
<strong>The</strong> remainder of the day was uneventful other than Antonio getting excited<br />
about the prospects of going home tomorrow. <strong>The</strong> fact that he was going home<br />
in the morning did not stop the daily visit of his extended family who stayed<br />
late, talked very loud and kept me from my music. His wife and daughter are<br />
however very nice, they speak a little English and it is clear to me that they<br />
enjoy the challenge of trying to speak English.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y both work as auxiliary staff in the hospital and promised to visit me daily<br />
whilst I am here. How nice of them. I never thought that I would become an<br />
English language teacher, I can't even spell.<br />
Friday<br />
I was woken by the muted sounds of distress coming from Antonio's bed. It was<br />
6.30am and he was having his catheter removed prior to going home. Of<br />
course he told me it hurt. He then spent the rest of the morning<br />
36
visiting the toilet with varying success. First a dribble, then two dribbles, then<br />
three dribbles etc etc. Yes, he reported back to me each and every time even<br />
though I tried to change the subject or pretend to be asleep. It was though very<br />
funny. I will not forget his advice on watering the garden ! He left the hospital at<br />
lunch time with his wife and daughter. We parted as if we had know each other<br />
for many years, I guess our common interest in Prostates bonds us together.<br />
Progress for me today is that I need not be the "special one" any longer, as I<br />
feel fine. My drips have been removed and the antihistamine tablets have<br />
stopped. I still have the green luxury bedding as a precaution. Fine by me.<br />
My main challenge is now to drink at least four litres of water daily to flush my<br />
system out. Not easy, try it. I know already that the company who have the<br />
bottled water vending machine business situated in the corridor must be<br />
making a fortune.<br />
June visited me this afternoon. Mike again, being the friend that he is drove the<br />
taxi. June told me that my lovely granddaughter Jessica had nominated me for<br />
the Ice Bucket Challenge. Sadly I cannot do it at present as it would upset the<br />
cleaners and probably the Doctors too. I would have willingly done it the other<br />
night when I was worried about the scalpel ! Perhaps Gramp will stand in for<br />
me?<br />
With the absence of Antonio I had a quiet night for a change reading my book,<br />
catching up with these notes and drinking gallons of water. At least I won't<br />
have to worry about getting up for a pee in the night.<br />
Saturday<br />
A fairly good nights sleep although taking no exercise means I tossed and<br />
turned a lot. Fine, until the catheter pump which normally rests on the bed falls<br />
off the bed taking part of my anatomy with it. Better than an alarm<br />
clock I can tell you !<br />
A quiet day today in solitary confinement, as ו was not expecting any visitors.<br />
Antonio's bed remains empty awaiting the next patient.<br />
It seems a long day, already I am talking to myself and my water bottle ! How<br />
Terry Waite and others survived so many years in confined isolation without<br />
going mad is beyond me.<br />
My Saviour was the promised visit of Antonio's daughter. She stayed for<br />
around an hour improving her English vocabulary. My Spanish failed to<br />
improve.<br />
37
Sunday<br />
A good nights sleep.<br />
A day of rest ! Very little to report other than a very welcome visit from June<br />
and Mike. ו continue to consume gallons of water and can see the change in<br />
the colour of my output, all is going well. Tomorrow I will walk the corridors<br />
with bragging rights ! Fingers crossed for an escape on Tuesday.<br />
Shortly after June had left I felt a bowel movement was imminent. Off I went<br />
to the en suite. Parting company with the contents of my bowel was satisfying<br />
as it is an important factor in my recovery. <strong>The</strong> seat was comfortable so I sat<br />
awhile. Suddenly the door burst open and I was confronted by a very large<br />
nurse wanting to take my temperature with a telephone<br />
type device. No excuse me or oh sorry ! She just stuck<br />
the probe in my ear and carried on as if I was in bed I<br />
felt a bit vulnerable sitting there with my dress around<br />
my belly button. Usually they ask if I have had a<br />
"Caca, on this occasion she didn't, I wonder why? My<br />
final ounce of dignity has just gone out the window, I<br />
surrender, from now , I don't give a Caca !<br />
I was released from solitary confinement at 6.30pm on<br />
the arrival of Herman, another Spaniard who says he<br />
speaks no English. I broke the ice and already he has<br />
spoken a few words back to me in English. He is<br />
accompanied by his friend David and his two very tall daughters who I have<br />
chatted to. A third daughter lives in England. Thankfully this family appear not<br />
to talk as loud as the last but there is time yet. <strong>The</strong> poor man is suffering<br />
renal failure and a urinary track infection and is in pain ..<br />
Antonio's daughter popped in again to say Hola which was nice.<br />
Tomorrow I have an early start as I have an appointment at 9 pm to see an<br />
anesthetist in readiness for my next operation. No stopping me now. Debora<br />
will be here to accompany me.<br />
Herman has just produced a Pay TV card and asked me if I like football. I do<br />
now, fearing he prefers those very amateurish and loud Spanish quiz shows.<br />
Herman's family have now gone home for the night. He now engages in<br />
conversation with me, we will get on fine.<br />
Monday<br />
Up at 6.30 am for morning ablutions. I need to be ready by 8.45 am for<br />
Debora's arrival. Yes a long time but accompanied by my Tesco bag I need it.<br />
38
I have learnt from practical experience that if you rush around with your bag<br />
attached sooner or later you are going to trip over a tube and have watery<br />
eyes.<br />
Dr Tenza Tenza who in my mind is now one of the best prostate consultants<br />
on the planet, visited me as Debora arrived. Good timing. Fantastic<br />
news, ו can go home today, one day earlier than planned provided that once the<br />
catheter had been removed I could pee pee with bearable pain.<br />
Debora sorted my anaesthetist appointment out resulting in me not having to<br />
walk the hospital corridors in my designer dress. Debora in addition to being<br />
a really good family friend is most certainly excellent value for money<br />
in her professional field.<br />
I called June on her mobile to give her the good news and cancel her visit.<br />
No answer. I then called Brian and did the same. Thank you Brian for offering<br />
again to bring June to visit me. I called June a second time this time she<br />
answered.<br />
At this very moment in time a nurse arrived with a syringe type thing, lifted<br />
my skirt and sucked out some liquid from a connection in the catheter tube,<br />
no problem there, she then left, I continued the conversation with June<br />
saying I think shortly they will take the catheter out. We had a conversation<br />
about her missing my first call due to being outside clearing Bonnie's Caca.<br />
Suddenly the nurse reappeared, I figured that this was it and I indicated that I<br />
would terminate my call. She said 'No No Problem' and in a flash, again lifted<br />
my skirt and not so gently pulled my catheter out. Bugger !<br />
I have to admit that at that moment in time I was not really concentrating on<br />
June's conversation. I asked her if there was any anxiety in my voice, she<br />
said "a little". Bloody right there was. This place is crazy.<br />
Some might say, it is cool talking to your wife on the telephone whilst a nice<br />
nurse manipulates your willy but I do not recommend it.<br />
I am now told to drink mucho aqua, here we go then, get ready to water the<br />
garden. Nothing happened for a while but then it started, I sat down the first<br />
time as Antonio had suggested, he was right, I thought, June's not going to<br />
accept this in the bathroom.<br />
I am now well into double figures, I have my release documentation and<br />
await Debora's return to pick me up. I have decided that I must stop drinking<br />
water in order to have a fighting chance of getting home without an<br />
embarrassing situation arising in the car with Debora.<br />
It will remain a secret as to what happened next. Adios.<br />
39
Why is the Scottish Poppy<br />
different?<br />
Whatever it looks like, the poppy is sold to raise money to support the<br />
Armed Forces and veteran community.<br />
Did you know that not all Remembrance poppies look the same?<br />
Although the poppy is a universal symbol of remembrance, the way each country makes them<br />
is very different.<br />
It is not a Scottish poppy vs the rest of the UK poppy thing – they are both sold to raise money<br />
to support the Armed Forces and veterans' community, but there is a noticeable difference<br />
between what they look like and where the money raised by them goes.<br />
What are the differences?<br />
When the Edinburgh-based factory that makes the Scottish poppy was set up in 1926, the look<br />
of the poppy was redesigned for sale north of the border.<br />
<strong>The</strong> two-petal poppy, still sold in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to this day, has a leaf<br />
attached, something charity Poppyscotland says is botanically incorrect.<br />
<strong>The</strong> distinctive Scottish poppy – a four-petal poppy made from vibrant red, crimped paper –<br />
was designed by Lady Haig.<br />
"<strong>The</strong> myth in the Lady Haig Poppy Factory is that the Scottish poppy is botanically correct so<br />
when you see a poppy growing wild in the field, it will have four petals," he said.<br />
"But it doesn't matter about the myths and urban legends between the poppies, it all<br />
symbolises the sacrifice that our Armed Forces have given over the last 100 years.<br />
"It's about the symbolism, it's about having the opportunity to wear a poppy should you<br />
choose."<br />
Who is Lady Haig?<br />
Lady Haig was the wife of Earl Haig, Commander in Chief of the British Army from 1915 until<br />
the end of the First World War.<br />
40
Earl Haig set up the British Legion in May 1921 to support injured ex-servicemen and their<br />
families in the aftermath of the brutal and deadly WWI. <strong>The</strong> word Royal was added in 1971 to<br />
celebrate the charity's 50th anniversary.<br />
Earl Haig was keen for the poppies made in France to be sold to the people of Britain so that<br />
much-needed money could be raised to help First World War veterans.<br />
However, the demand for poppies outgrew the ability to supply them so very few poppies<br />
made their way to Scotland.<br />
Lady Haig's Poppy Factory<br />
In 1926, Lady Haig decided to set up her own factory to supply her home country of Scotland<br />
with poppies.<br />
<strong>The</strong> small factory at the bottom of the Royal Mile, in the grounds of Whitefoord House, was<br />
in a shed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> operation was described by Major (Ret'd) Charlie Pelling, Lady Haig Poppy Factory<br />
manager, as being: "Three or four blokes and a pair of scissors and a bit of crepe paper and by<br />
the end of the 20s she was employing over 100 men making the Scottish poppy and making<br />
other items that could be sold to raise money to help Scottish ex-servicemen and their<br />
families who were in distress."<br />
<strong>The</strong> design of the Scottish poppy has not moved far away from Lady Haig's original vision of a<br />
four-petal, crimped flower with no leaf.<br />
What is the difference between the Scottish<br />
Poppy Appeal and the Royal British Legion<br />
Poppy Appeal?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Scottish Poppy Appeal was originally<br />
separate from the Royal British Legion's<br />
appeal in England, Wales and Northern<br />
Ireland.<br />
Poppyscotland is a separate charity within<br />
the Royal British Legion group and merged<br />
with RBL in June 2011 to share resources<br />
and expand the reach of both.<br />
41
"Utrinque Paratus"<br />
"Ready for anything"<br />
Submitted by<br />
George Berridge<br />
<strong>The</strong>y say that knowledge dispels all fear, but I'd like to make it very clear, although they joke, and<br />
laugh, and sneer, behind those laughs, there's sometimes fear.<br />
Yet neither shirk, nor yet complain, these men who know of hardships pain, they're men who jump<br />
out of the skies, who's only reward, is sheer surprise, their lives depend on silk and cord, for that is<br />
all they can afford...<br />
And death is no stranger to these men, whose friends have gone, so dear to them, for no one knows<br />
the mental strain, that passes through the strongest brain.<br />
When the word goes back, "PREPARE FOR ACTION". and all stand up within a fraction.<br />
As strops fly back from hand to hand, in this routine that's been well planned, his heart pounds at<br />
a frantic rate, but he mustn't pause, nor hesitate.<br />
"CHECK EQUIPMENT", is the next command, as flashing hands, like lightning land, on the next<br />
mans chute, to check his ties, before the dispatchers, the doorways pries, "ACTION STATIONS" is<br />
the next command, as they clear their strops from hand to hand.<br />
Now in their sticks, they gently shuffle, each man by now, his voice well muffled, now the slow<br />
march, forward glide, and each his own fears, try to hide.<br />
Each man his container, tightly grasps, as though life, were forever past, confidence seeking, in this<br />
grip of steel, as the aircraft comes to an even keel.<br />
"RED ON", "STAND IN THE DOOR", and all they hear, is the 'THUD' on the floor,<br />
"GREEN ON", and now it's "GO", and into space, they madly flow, in the slipstream they now<br />
career, a mad sensation, mixed with fear.<br />
<strong>The</strong>n, in a second, "Whoosh", it's there, a beautiful canopy, filled with air, they go beneath the<br />
hidden moon, these men with berets, Brave Maroon.<br />
For them, there is no turning back, even those, that confidence lack, for them, it is but tiny<br />
threads, that hold their lives above their heads.<br />
So when you hear the angels pray, say our prayer the airborne way.<br />
May the defence of the Most High be above and beneath, around and within us,<br />
in our going out and in our coming in,<br />
in our rising up and our going down,<br />
all our days and all our nights,<br />
until the dawn when the son of righteousness shall arise<br />
with healing in his wings for the peoples of the world<br />
through Jesus Christ our Lord.<br />
Amen.<br />
'UTRINQUE PARATUS/AD UNUM OMNES'.<br />
42
<strong>The</strong> Video Page<br />
Our Video page is designed to complement and give further information on articles<br />
that appear within the <strong>Veteran</strong>.<br />
Click Here<br />
Click Here<br />
Kings Own Scottish Borderers<br />
Edinburgh Tattoo<br />
Alicante Branch Remembrance Sunday<br />
Click Here<br />
Click Here<br />
<strong>The</strong> Gulf War<br />
Royal British Legion Festival<br />
of Remembrance 2022<br />
43
Forecast of Events<br />
Alicante Branch normally meets at 13:30 pm<br />
on the 1st Thursday of the month:<br />
All meetings are followed by a Social Lunch within the local area.<br />
Our weekly casual 'Meet & Greet' takes place at the No Problem<br />
Bar on Thursdays at 15:00. Come along and meet some of the<br />
members.<br />
December - No monthly meeting.<br />
December 15th - Branch Christmas Lunch - Bernie's Restaurant El<br />
Campello.<br />
January 12th - Branch monthly meeting at Casa De Culture Castalla<br />
followed by lunch at Bar Stop.<br />
January 23rd - Burns Night - Black Bull Castalla.<br />
February 2nd - Branch monthly meeting at <strong>The</strong> International Club,<br />
Cami Reial de la Vila Joiosa 22 El Campello, followed by lunch.<br />
March 2nd - Branch monthly meeting at Casa De Culture Castalla<br />
followed by lunch.<br />
44
Alicante Branch<br />
Royal British Legion<br />
Pre Christmas Lunch<br />
Friday<br />
16th December<br />
Bernie's Restaurant<br />
Calle de San Vicente,<br />
El Campello<br />
Contact Christine Pratt<br />
chrispathome52@yahoo.com
During training exercises, the lieutenant who was driving down a muddy back road<br />
encountered another car stuck in the mud with a red-faced Colonel at the wheel.<br />
"Your jeep stuck, sir?" asked the lieutenant as he pulled alongside.<br />
"Nope," replied the colonel, coming over and handing him the keys, "Yours is."<br />
What Time Is It?<br />
MILITARY HUMOUR<br />
During the planning stages of a very<br />
large military operation, Operations<br />
HQ received a radio request for a<br />
"Time Check."<br />
<strong>The</strong> Operations HQ lackey asks,<br />
"Who's calling?"<br />
"What difference does that make?"<br />
"It makes a lot of difference," says<br />
the lackey. "If you're a Reservist<br />
Unit, it's 3 o'clock. If you're an<br />
Infantry Unit, it's 1500 hrs. If you're<br />
the Navy, it's six bells. If you're the<br />
Armoured Corps, the big hand is on<br />
the 12 and the small hand is on the 3.<br />
If you're the Artillery, it's Thursday<br />
afternoon."<br />
Emergency management: “Always<br />
remember that if one engine fails<br />
on a dual-engine plane, you’ll still<br />
have enough power to safely reach<br />
the scene of the crash.”<br />
Painting, oil on canvas<br />
"<strong>The</strong> arrival of the<br />
electricity bill"<br />
Try to look<br />
unimportant; the<br />
enemy may be<br />
low on ammo and<br />
not want to waste<br />
a bullet on you.<br />
Don't look<br />
conspicuous; it<br />
draws fire.<br />
Never draw fire;<br />
it irritates<br />
everyone around<br />
you.
Proud Parents<br />
Branch Members Laurence and Denise Duffy's daughter Claire(2nd from left)<br />
collecting for the poppy appeal at Waterloo station. Claire's team collected £2000 on<br />
the day. Well done.<br />
Jon Pratt son of Branch<br />
Members John and<br />
Christine Pratt. John<br />
Joined the Royal<br />
Anglian Regiment in<br />
1986 and served in<br />
Northern Ireland, Iraq<br />
and Afghanistan he<br />
completed 22 years<br />
regular service in 2015<br />
and is now serving with a Cadet Training Team as a Full<br />
Time Reservist on an FTRS contract.
Branch Chairman Les Dewson on<br />
Poppy Duty<br />
"Wishing all a merry Christmas<br />
and a successful New Year"
Poets<br />
Corner<br />
In Flanders Fields<br />
In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow<br />
Between the crosses, row on row,<br />
That mark our place; and in the sky<br />
<strong>The</strong> larks, still bravely singing, fly<br />
Scarce heard amid the guns below.<br />
We are the dead. Short days ago<br />
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,<br />
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,<br />
In Flanders fields.<br />
Take up our quarrel with the foe:<br />
To you from failing hands we throw<br />
<strong>The</strong> torch; be yours to hold it high.<br />
If ye break faith with us who die<br />
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow<br />
In Flanders fields.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Poppy<br />
I am not a badge of honour,<br />
I am not a racist smear,<br />
I am not a fashion statement,<br />
To be worn but once a year,<br />
I am not glorification<br />
Of conflict or of war.<br />
I am not a paper ornament<br />
A token,<br />
I am more.<br />
I am a loving memory,<br />
Of a father or a son,<br />
A permanent reminder<br />
Of each and every one.<br />
I'm paper or enamel<br />
I'm old or shining new,<br />
I'm a way of saying thank you,<br />
To every one of you.<br />
I am a simple poppy<br />
A Reminder to you all,<br />
That courage faith and honour,<br />
Will stand where heroes fall.<br />
John McCrae<br />
I did not die<br />
Do not stand<br />
By my grave, and weep.<br />
I am not there,<br />
I do not sleep—<br />
I am the thousand winds that blow<br />
I am the diamond glints in snow<br />
I am the sunlight on ripened grain,<br />
I am the gentle, autumn rain.<br />
As you awake with morning’s hush,<br />
I am the swift, up-flinging rush<br />
Of quiet birds in circling flight,<br />
I am the day transcending night.<br />
Do not stand<br />
By my grave, and cry—<br />
I am not there,<br />
I did not die.
Burns Night<br />
Wednesday 2;th January<br />
lnternationalClub<br />
Cami Reial de la Vila Joiosa 22<br />
EICampello<br />
Pipe Major Brian Day<br />
Torrevieja Pipes & Drums<br />
Formally Scots Guards<br />
In aid of the Lodge Santa Faz annual charity<br />
First Pipes 19:00<br />
<strong>The</strong> Elche Childrens Home<br />
Menu<br />
Chef : Mark Dignan<br />
Cock - a - Leekie Soup<br />
Or<br />
Roast Vegetable, Pesto and Parmesan Parcel<br />
*<br />
Haggis,Neeps and Tatties<br />
Or<br />
Chicken Breast Creamy Tarragon sauce<br />
Vegetable and Potatoes<br />
*<br />
Cranachan<br />
Or<br />
Apple Pie and Custard<br />
Vegetarian Main available on request<br />
25Euros<br />
Please contact Barry Hovell on hovellbarry2@gmail.com or 722486493<br />
for bookings and menu choices
Burns Night<br />
Black Bull<br />
Castalla International<br />
Monday 23rd January<br />
Traditional Fayre and Poems<br />
Bookings being taken at the Black Bull or<br />
Whispers Bar & Tapas in early January<br />
cost 18 euros pp of which 2 euros will go to<br />
the 2023 Poppy Appeal<br />
<strong>The</strong>re will also be a raffle of Scottish produce in aid of the<br />
Royal British Legion Poppy<br />
Appeal 2023
<strong>The</strong> Alicante Branch<br />
of the<br />
Royal British Legion<br />
"Service not Self "<br />
Visit our website at<br />
http://branches.britishlegion.org.uk/branches/alicante