WO’s and NCO’s Mess he Mess activities were ignited by our first function of 2002, that being the annual ‘State of the Nation’ dinner. The Commanding Officer addressed the Regiment reminding us all of our past achievements in 2001 and what challenges lay ahead for us all during The Queen’s Jubilee year. He informed the Mess that he believed the year was to be one of the busiest ones on record, he was not kidding.
T
After two years steering the mess, it was time for RCM Maxwell to jump ship and take up his commission as the Captain in charge of the Training Wing at the Household Cavalry Regiment in Windsor. A farewell dinning out was organised in February prior to his departure, friends and family travelled from as far away as Canada to attend and he was given a night to remember. The Mess congratulates him on his promotion and wish him all the best in his new job. The Mess welcomes the new Regimental Corporal Major WO1 Kitching and hopes he enjoys his term in the chair. The remainder of the early part of the year was taken up with hosting christenings and various association meetings. As mark of respect and decorum all mess functions were cancelled for one month as a result of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother passing away. An extensive refurbishment of the Mess was taken on with a new bar facility being installed and various decorations being renewed. This is a major task and should be completed ahead of schedule in Spring 2003.
Officers Mess was invited to our own version of the Sport of Kings. This evening turned into yet another gentlemen’s sport, the one that is played at Twickenham, but that’s another story. To record our own version of events that had occurred throughout the year a ‘Skits’ night was organised by WOII Button and CoH Jones amongst others. No stone was left uncovered by the team of impersonators. The most true to life figure was that of LCoH Park who hosted the evening, words alone could probably not do justice to his outfit and performance as WOII Peers. Towards the latter part of the Training Camp the Officers invited the senior members of the Mess to a game of cricket. The Captain of the team CoH McMullen pooled together the mess’s leanest and meanest cricket stars, this as you can imagine took a considerable amount of time to achieve. The scene was set for a championship performance by the two messes, it was close run thing but the Officers mess were victorious by the slenderest of margins. During the months of September and October Mess functions declined as a result of the manpower shortages due to OP FRESCO commitments however in November the Mess hosted HCMR and HCR Wives Club Christmas Party. RCM Kitching did his duty and donned the Father Christmas outfit to enable him to deliver Christmas presents to all the ladies in attendance. Fine gifts as diverse as Dinner for two at the Mandarin Hotel to a set of Charlie Chaplin bookends were raffled off to support the Wives Club.
The Regimental Corporal Major “No wonder I couldn’t find fence 3”
The year 2002 as been a unique year. Not only has the Mess life provided entertainment for all Mess members during this busy year but also has hosted a number of VIPs. Some of the guests to the mess include Her Royal Highness Princess Anne, Admiral Sir Michael Boyce Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Michael Jackson Commander in Chief Land and Lieutenant General J P Kiszely Commander Regional Forces. As I sign off the mess is looking forward to the Brick Hanging Ceremony, this year the Brick is being hung by Major (retd) Tommy Thomson. We all look forward to this event and other events in 2003 with the same gusto as we do every year.
The functions resumed in May as the mess hosted the Combined Cavalry Association Memorial Service. As per usual all Cavalry Regiments were represented and many old friendships were rekindled. As the Jubilee approached the mess members decided that we would celebrate the occasion by holding a Jubilee Cabaret Dinner and Dance. WOII (SCM) Panter worked exceptionally hard to organise it and achieved a wonderful event. The Mess was united with the annual Training Camp at Bodney with the usual enthusiasm along with its full forecast of events arranged this year by WOII Dixon the President of the Mess Committee. WOII Gentle started the entertainment by providing the mess with a night of ‘video horse racing’. The
Chief of the Defence Staff, Sir Michael Boyce, presents LS & GC medals to FLCoH McDonald F, CoH Jones J and CoH Tennent.
36 Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment