e-mail Extracts from Issue 101 Dec 03

VICTORIA CROSS RESEARCH
Alfred J Askin alfy@victoriacross.co.uk wrote to say in May 2003 there were now only 15 surviving holders of the VC.
See his majestic site at: www.victoriacross.co.uk which states: 'Owing to the age and state of many of the graves of VC recipients it is necessary for them to be refurbished. Donations for this may be paid into The Magnolia Trust, c/o This England Magazine, PO Box 52, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GL50 1YQ.'
Click here to see, on this B&C site, a page devoted to our Norfolk VCs.
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Afternote Nov 05
Alfred J Askin died in Aug 05. The site is now continued by his grandson Rhys Adams research@victoriacross.co.uk

SGT STANLEY LOCKE 4 TP NO 1 COMMANDO
Andrew Locke came across our B&C site and wrote:
My father, Stanley Benjamin Locke, is now old and frail but when I was a boy he told me about a battle he had with the Japanese on a hill in Burma. I think he called it Hill 70 and he mentioned being led by Lt George Knowland. My dad said that he was with No 4 Tp of No 1 Commando and was a Sgt.
Is there any way to get the names of the 24 men who were under his command? I noticed that your story on the web site mentions that only ten men were not wounded. My dad used to have pieces of metal come out of his body for a few decades after the war.
My dad is back in hospital for the second time in a few months and I would appreciate any information that you may be able to compile as he would like to hear about his mates.
Contact Andrew via the Norfolk Section Editor or RHQ, Britannia House, TA Centre, 325 Aylsham Rd, Norwich, NR3 2AB, Tel 01603 400290.
Click here for an account of how Royal Norfolk Lt George Knowland won a posthumous VC in Burma while attached to 1 Cdo.
B&C 101

PTE TEARLE
Richard Tearle saw the obituary in B&C 100 Jun 03 for William Cecil Chapman, written by Maj John Denny, and was particularly interested in the sentence about the notable patrol engagement in the Sami-Chon valley, Korea, on 3 Mar 1951:
'Mr Tom Henson was awarded the MC and Pte Alf Tearle, the signaller, a MID. (Mention in Despatches. Ed). I was on the net and listening to Tearle’s cool and calm reporting and his steadiness in that melee was inspirational.'
Richard wrote: 'I am researching into Tearle Family History and was wondering if you could furnish me with any details about the Private Tearle who is mentioned.'
If you can help Richard contact him via the Norfolk Section Editor or RHQ, Britannia House, TA Centre, 325 Aylsham Rd, Norwich, NR3 2AB, Tel 01603 400290.
B&C 101
Click here for a response from Tom Henson MC. B&C 102
Click here for a response from Jo Smith whose father was a Tearle, from Beds. B&C 102
Click here for a response from Paul Moseley who has the Military Medal awarded to LCpl SJ Tearle. B&C 103

B (BRUTAL) COY SKULDUGGERY REFUTED BUT STAND OUT MEMORIES CONFIRMED
B&C 98 Jun 02 carried an account by Maj David Reed TD VRSM, former OC D Cambridgeshire Coy, 6 RANGLIAN, of alleged ‘B Coy Skullduggery’ and an account of some ‘Stand Out Memories’ at Shorncliffe Camp in 1983.
John Whatley wrote:
‘In 1983 I was CSM B Coy and remember the assault course competition incident graphically and so does WO1 Ray Ranson, then CSM C Coy. The lady in question was definitely Angie Caulder. Incidentally, we are both still serving, myself as 2IC 49 Bde Specialist Training Team and Ray as one of my senior instructors.
By the by, there was no B coy skullduggery. We merely ensured we got ahead of D coy before they could put in their customary half dozen objections!’
(So now we know! Thanks John. Ed.)
See 6 R Anglian archives.
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16 PL D COY 1 NORFOLK DEC 1915
Gordon Caldecott wrote concerning a research project: ‘Have you the names of Officers that served in 16 Pl D Coy 1 Norfolk in Dec 1915? I have a postcard dated 6 Dec 1915, from a soldier called Jack Bunn to his mother at 72 Newmarket Street, Norwich.
Judging by what he is requesting to be sent by his mother I guess he’s an Officer. I may be wrong but I’ve got to start somewhere!’
Webmaster Comment: We have nothing in RHQ Norwich so it was suggested Gordon tries Kate Thaxton at the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. If you have a list please contact Gordon at generalservice@tiscali.co.uk and copy it to the Norfolk Editor.
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1 NORFOLK MACHINE GUN SECTION IN TIBET 1903-1904
Julie Marshall wrote from Victoria, Australia:
I am updating a 1977 annotated bibliography and history I compiled on British relations with Tibet. The Younghusband Expedition played a major part in these relations and the role played by the regiments in the expedition form an important part of its history.
I am trying to trace a 1933 article in ‘The Britannia’ by AL Haddow entitled ‘Tibet 1903-1904. With the Machine Gun Section, 1st Battalion the Norfolk Regiment’.
I was unaware of this article until I saw it referred to in an article by Michael Carrington in the Tibetan Review in 1999. As each item is annotated in my bibliography I need to see it before I can include it, or at least get the full details and the page numbers.’
Julie added: I am negotiating with Routledge Curzon to publish the book and I hope to finish it by mid-way next year so hopefully it will be published by the end of 2004 or early 2005. It covers British relations with Tibet and the Himalayan states (Sikkim, Bhutan, Nepal, Assam) from 1765 to 1947. Thus it also covers other major campaigns of regiments of the British Indian Army such as the Anglo-Nepalese War of 1814-15.

Our Norwich RHQ stalwart, Simon Hatch, fresh back from his TA Camp with the East of England Regt, immediately set to, located and photocopied the relevant Britannia and sent it to Julie. She was delighted.
Thanks Simon.
B&C 101

COMPLIMENTS ABOUT THE B&C SITE OBITUARIES
JHR : Your Obituary site is outstanding. Have just found Col Dick Flower, a great supporter of his old war-time Ox & Bucks. He supported their Old Comrades at Normandy, Den Bosch and 43rd LI Founding Day at St Edward's School.
Keep up the good work.

WO2 Bryan Shanks: I have followed the progress of your site, which I might say is very easy to navigate and full of what I like, tit bits, not lengthy articles. I have also been saddened to learn of the passing of some of those I knew. Even so, well done for putting these news items where they can be seen easily. However I notice there are still many around I recognise from days of old.
(Click here for more from WO2 Bryan Shanks. Ed.)

Webmaster Comment: Thanks Gentlemen!
B&C 101

YOUNG MAY MOON
Bob Fry is a British re-enactor in the USA, on the left in the group photograph. He wrote: 'We interpret the 9th Foot (1777) or Burgoyne's Expedition. I was given your site address by a friend because of the old Regimental March' Young May Moon'.
Can I obtain any sheet music for it? We would also be interested in any more info you could provide about the song beyond your web site. Finally, I would like to use the music as a back round for my web site at: http://HM_9TH_FOOT.tripod.com
Thanks for all your help.
Cheers
Bob Fry

Webmaster Comment: Bob was advised to try a good search engine like http://www1.sympatico.ca through which the tune was located, for the sheet music and words. Bob later requested formal permission to be affiliated and promoted Major.
An interesting fact is that we in UK recently received from RMA Sandhurst the Colour carried in the 1776-1777 Expedition, rescued by the Commanding Officer.
B&C 101
Click to hear the old Regimental March 'Young May Moon'

WO2 BRYAN SHANKS
B&C 100 carried a piece on the late Raymond Benjamin Watts and mentioned WO2 Bryan Shanks formerly of Chadwell Heath, Essex. Bryan wrote:
Although I lived in Chadwell Heath from 1973 to 1996, I originate from Norfolk, born at Needham, near Harleston, joining The Royal Norfolk Regiment from Attleborough (living in Great Ellingham at the time) in 1950. My 2 elder brothers were Royal Norfolk pre-war but were transferred to other units, going through North Africa, Sicily and Italy. The eldest was recalled for the Korean War. I met him briefly out there for about two hours. He also met up with his old sparring partner, Winkie, God Bless him!
Joining the battalion at Dover Castle, I went to Korea, Hong Kong (a short detached spell in Malaya) Colchester (HQ 19 Inf Bde), Depot Norwich, Cyprus, Iserlohn, then met up with the ‘dumplings‘ on amalgamation. I then did two years at Chelsea, back to Harwich, British Guiana, Felixstowe, Aden/Radfan, Celle, Catterick, Northern Ireland, Cyprus and retirement.
I worked in telecommunications with the GPO then went to the Civil Service as a staff trainer and set up one of the first IT courses. Then it was as an office and financial manager with Skills Training Agency, ending as Employment Manager (Training.) Retired early and assisted one of my sons in a construction business in Newcastle, retired again then assisted another son with property development in London. Finally retired in 1999 to follow my hobby of WW1 research, particularly the War Memorials and the men inscribed on them. I have completed booklets of 2 Norfolk villages. At present I’m the middle of a book on the Attleborough Memorial and have just finished one of 1485 names for the local council, Barking. It was placed in the Central Library and the local Heritage Museum in Nov 2001. At the moment I am turning it into a website, which should be online shortly.
I do keep Britannia in the public eye in this area and when people see the badge it always raises a few questions and surprisingly enough is well recognised Although was still at school on D-Day, until recently I was Hon Sec of the local branch of The Normandy Veterans Association. There is one ex Suffolk D-Day Vet so we have the usual regimental banter. Last year in Colville Montgomery, Normandy, we met a Royal Norfolk coach party on Pilgrimage. Occasionally I make a visit to Minden Day and keep in touch with some ex-members of 1 R Norfolk and 1 R Anglian.
(A string of crossed-paths! Chadwell Heath is where I was a newspaper boy, I served with 19 Inf and Mech Bdes 1987-1999 and Gt Ellingham is where I now live! Ed.)
B&C 101

FORWARD RECCE GROUP
An e-mail enquiry came from Maj Don Gregory in Dawlish, who had read the obituary for Maj Mike Gunton in B&C 97 Dec 01, for the address of Freddy Herring, with whom he has served. Don mentioned serving in Central Africa so the lamp was swung and connections passed. While I was OC Luanshya School CCF he was SO2 Cadets in Lusaka and knew my Headmaster/Area Commander, Maj Fred Thompson - alive and well at age 82. Don issues a free print copy of the ‘Federal Army and Central African Forces Association’ with regular e-mail updates to those connected and details of an annual Oct reunion lunch. If you are interested, contact Don via the Norfolk Section Editor.
The paragraph title is in his newsletter section listing those who have passed on, with the apt sentiments: ‘May their duties be light and their hopes high’.
B&C 101

CAPT PHILIP CHARLES SEEKINGS
Brian Stoker asked if we knew anything about Capt Philip Charles Seekings: ‘a pre-war regular soldier serving in the 2nd Bn and commissioned into the Norfolks during WW2. He finished the war as a temporary major and was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished services in Burma. He served in Malaya and Korea post WW2.’ Our RHQ files indicate he joined the Association on 14 Dec 1932 and was commissioned 2Lt for War Service on 2 May 1943. Does anyone have any more information or a photograph?
Contact Brian via the Norfolk Section Editor or RHQ, Britannia House, TA Centre, 325 Aylsham Rd, Norwich, NR3 2AB, Tel 01603 400290.
B&C 101
After Note Dec 03:
On 15 Dec 03 in came, from Peter Seekings in Oz:
'Are you still looking for the whereabouts of my uncle whom I believe is now living in Norwich ? If so I will endeavour to track him down.'
Brian has been informed and we await further details.
The internet is a wonderful thing!
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