months. Mid-February saw 161 members, ladies and guests turning out for the Jubilee Party Dinner and Dance at the Savoy Hotel, Bournemouth. A menu to celebrate the fifty years was enjoyed and the Loyal Toast made in Jubilee souvenir engraved glasses which diners retained as a keepsake. Between cabaret and disco, it was a fine opportunity over the weekend for members to meet and exchange news. There had to be winners the Winter Warmer Draw, our Spring fund-raiser, and Lt Col (Retd) Stuart Sibley MBE, Harry Reid and Fred Kemp obliged. Middle of March and we had literally Gone to the Dogs, being a visit to Poole Greyhound Stadium enjoyed by 50+ members. The Household Cavalry Association - Dorset Trophy was won by LIGHTATTHEEND, an apt name for a dog that won by four lengths. The Tote did well, as did the Chairman, and an enjoyable evening was had by all. April saw the Committee and Quarterly Meetings again, and emphasis placed on attendance on Cavalry Sunday and the Regimental Associations AGM’s and Dinners. Many members attend all the regimental events, including the third half ’s. In August, we attended the Ellingham Show in Somerley Park. This is a quintessential English country show, horses, dogs, sheep, jams, crafts, horses and now Dorset Squadron! The Silver Stick kindly allowed the Regimental Information Team to attend with us and
‘fly the flag’. Our thanks to the President, Lord Normanton, for allowing us into his ‘back garden’. We again raised money for the charity and managed over £400 on the day. Heavy rain prior to the event curtailed the launch of the Jubilee Balloon Race - which was carried over to another day. The show is on every year so perhaps we shall see you on Saturday 9th August 2003? October hailed the 21st AGM followed by the Annual Dinner and Dance. Maj. Gen. Sir Simon and Lady Juliet Cooper were unable to attend the 20th Anniversary in 2001 so to our satisfaction they kindly agreed, for the third time, to attended this year as Guests of Honour. Col Simon Faulkner was also invited, but was unable to attend due to water duties, (hoses and buckets of sand) - planning to keep London safe in the fire-fighters disputes. The largest gathering of 212 had The Savoy Hotel running at full steam and the Black Tie dress certainly added to the occasion. Over £420 was raised by raffles for our sponsored charity, and come 2am a certain bribe ensured the disco played on as over 120 diners were on the floor. November arrived, as did the Association, at the Tank Museum for the Service of Remembrance. A full cavalry band, in amongst tanks form all recent wars reminds us of our purpose and those who made the supreme sacrifice were remembered. A curry lunch in the Sgts’ Mess after and the chance to meet with some of the serving soldiers helps to cement the generations of Household Cavalry.
60 members enjoyed a late Christmas Lunch and the chance of going home with the odd £300, £200, or £100 prize from the 21st Birthday Draw added a degree of spice to the event. With a superb view over the gardens, an accomplished pianist in the background, good food and company made for a most enjoyable afternoon. And who won the prizes? Lt. Gen. Sir Richard Vickers, Maj. (Retd.) Jack Peck and Capt. (Retd.) Derek Stratford that’s who. In the course of the year over £1202 was raised for our sponsored charity, East Holton Driving Centre near Wareham, a local non-centrally supported charity that helps people of all ages who are severely disabled to get out and work driving or riding horses and ponies. Particular note and thanks must be made to Sid Dodson for raising over £1000 for the charity over the recent years from his talks and music. Sid is one of our Gentlemen Trumpeters, a group of ex-musicians and trumpeters from both regiments who provide us with fanfares and calls on our events and some from outside events too. Our hats off to you Sir, and be named as Messrs. Sid Dodson, Pete Wilson, George Hayne, Bruce Worthy and Lez Bulloch, you are a great credit to this Association and excellent ambassadors for the two regiments.We look forward to 2003 with gusto, our membership is increasing and events are well supported and we hope to meet and greet old friends and colleagues throughout the year.
Features Berlin - A Double Helping By Major J A Dimond, MC Formerly The Royal Dragoons he ROYALS twice had a Squadron in Berlin, first in 1947 and again later in 48/49. I was lucky enough to be the Second-in-Command of the Squadron on both occasions.
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1947 Post-war demobilisation had reduced the Regiment to two Sabre Squadrons - X & Y. X was a merger of A & D; Y comprised of B & C. X Squadron under Major (later Lt Col) Philip Fielden MC was assigned to Berlin. We took over from a Squadron of the Inns of Court Regiment who were dis-
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banding and from whom we gained a troop of long-term soldiers. MacKenzie-King Barracks in the residential area of Wilmersdorf were just big enough for a Squadron, although the hangars and vehicle park were about 1/4 mile away. Throughout Europe 1947 was one of the coldest winters on record, and we spent much time snow clearing, unfreezing frozen locks and checking anti-freeze. Berlin, like Vienna, was a quadripartite city, controlled by the four major allies who had won the war - Britain, USA, France and Russia. In 1947 also the prewar embassies and consuls were being
re-established, and we were occasionally invited to a reception in one of them. Our favourite was the French Embassy, where champagne and haute cuisine were liberally dispensed. By August the cold of winter had been forgotten and the Squadron was asked by HQ British Troops Berlin to man the turnstiles at the lower entrance of the Maifield Stadium for the first post-war British searchlight tattoo. This proved to be a formidable accounting task, as we sold tickets in three languages - English (including of course American), French and Russian; and four currencies. From