Tyne Cot
On Friday 23rd October 2009, a group of fourteen Adults and eighteen Cadets left Sinfin at 0700 hours to travel to Belgium. The purpose of the trip was to be at the unveiling of The Sherwood Foresters Western Front Memorial at Tyne Cot Cemetery on Saturday 24th October 2009. The trip was used as a chance to live history as the route followed was similar to that used by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire men in The Great War. The TSA, WO2 Dave Platt, showed a number of DVDs and held a quiz between the adults and cadets - a close-run competition. Dave had prepared, also, a pack of information for each person on board the coach: this included a number of World War One songs which were sung by all on board as we travelled through Flanders. Shortly after settling in at the Hotel and after an evening meal, it was time to go to the ceremony at the Menin Gate. A wreath was laid by the outgoing Lord Lieutenant’s cadet, Sarah Shergold.
After breakfast on Saturday, we went to Tyne Cot in readiness for the unveiling ceremony. The Lord Lieutenant’s party arrived at 1100 hours and the Colour Party from the 2nd Battalion marched on. The Deputy Colonel of the Regiment, Colonel Peter Dennis, then gave the welcome speech. Following an explanation of the history behind the event by Maj John Cotterill and by two descendants of Foresters lost in the Great War, the unveiling of The Memorial was performed by Sir Andrew Buchanan Bt, Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire, and by Mr Willie Tucker, Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. The Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, Lt Col Simon Banton, gave the vote of thanks to the Belgian hosts and His Excellency Geert Bourgeois, Deputy Prime Minister of Flanders, responded. A Service of Remembrance was then held, wreaths were laid and The Last Post was played by the buglers of the Last Post Association. Following the Valediction and the National Anthems of both Britain and Belgium, the party spent some time in the Tyne Cot cemetery which is situated in the Ypres Salient.
Having been fed and watered extremely well at the local school by the good people of Zonnebeke, the party then joined the High Sheriffs of Nottinghamshire, Micheal Rowen, and Derbyshire, Sir Henry Every Bt, at the Passchendaele Museum for the planting of an Oak Tree descended directly from Sherwood Forest’s Major Oak. The ceremony over, the Party toured the museum which included a special section on The Sherwood Foresters supplied by RHQ. A short coach trip then took everyone to Poperinge where we saw the cells, yard and post where a number of men were shot at dawn during the war. A pleasant meal, a good night’s sleep and back to Blighty on Sunday after an experience which most of us will never forget.
104 October 2010
Nepal
As part of the Cadet 150 celebrations in 2010, Derbyshire ACF are planning a three week expedition to the Himalayas in Nepal during which sixteen Cadets and eight Adults will trek to Everest Base Camp, Climb Kala Pattar (5545 metres) and Island Peak (6189 metres). To start the fundraising campaign, eight Officers and Adults have been climbing the mobile climbing tower at Knook Camp on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire and completed the climb at 1930 hours on Wednesday 12 August 2009. Mount Everest is the highest mountain on earth, as measured by the height above sea level of its summit – 8,848 metres (29,029 ft). The mountain, part of the Himalaya range in Asia, is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal, and Tibet, China. To achieve this climb from sea level to the summit required adult members of the Expedition Team to make 1106 ascents of the climbing tower over the 14 Days of Camp. The eight members at camp all committed themselves to make 139 ascents of the tower during their stay at camp - equating to approximately 10 ascents per day. Each team member has been raising sponsorship from friends, family and ACF colleagues to help get the fundraising underway. Climbers included Lt Col Chris Young (expedition organiser), Lt Andy Smith (expedition leader), 2Lt Nicky Beesley, SMI Eddie Grant, SSI Ian Powell, SSI Danny Wilson, SI Rachael Smith and SI Jay Kirwin.
The Mercian Eagle
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