1dclimemorabilia

Bodmin Depot, the first glimpse of home for 10 weeks for many young National Servicemen of the year 1953. The Editor was one such fresh faced young bloke, and the memories today (December 2006) are as fresh and clear as if it all happened yesterday. This web site is offered to the many surviving 1DCLI soldiers of yesteryear who care to reconstruct those adventurous times by cross communicating by email and Blog Comments, in the hope that old friends and comrades can be re-discovered. The evolving Blog Pages and Light Infantry Guestbooks that are linked to this page, offer great opportunities to tell your story, recall those challenging times, and assist many family members of the younger generations, to find out more about "Dad's, Uncle's, Grandfather's" military history and DCLI service. We are not a research service for military records, but rather a link to the past, where the living, who are now in their '70's and 80's can record their part in 1DCLI history. This famous Regiment - as are many others - has been merged again and again within the re-construction of the modern British Army, but to many of us, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry ("The Dukes") will remain firmly in our memory as we vividly picture our sailing, that dank and dismal evening of 19th February 1954, on HMT Empire Clyde from Liverpool Docks, bound for the West Indies. Remember the Band playing "Now is the hour"? Could the Irish Sea ever have been more rough? So GOYA !! you "Old Soldiers" and make the effort to build a memorable record of our youth. Dig into your photo albums and climb into the attic to retrieve your memorabilia. Web technology today makes it all very simple. Even if your old photos are tattered and torn, bent and faded, we can fix 'em. Just GOYA!! Use the published photos and captions to trigger long forgotten escapades and names, and fond memories, and wishful thoughts for "The Good Old Days".

"We do not merit glory until we know the value of time" (Marquis de Vauvenargues).

"A" Company 1DCLI circa 1954, Prospect Garrison, Devonshire Bermuda with the outgoing CO Major 'Toots' Williams and new CO Major Tony Marsh. 140 odd blokes in this photo with some notable absences (at the time) and now (2008) many sadly have passed on. Contributions from the Jamaica contingent are beginning to flow. Disappointingly though, many of the surviving "A" Company lads in the above photo are still unable to GOYA! Give it a go lads and share those old memories and photos with your Old Mates who would love to hear from you.

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Donald Swanson, son of Neil "Swanny" Swanson has provided an interesting piece of history for our website. "Some years back in Gibraltar, those regiments which had 'Gibraltar' as a Regimental Battle Honour, had their Regimental identity turned into mosaic images which graced the floor of the city centre Piazza (an open square or public place in a city or town, esp. in Italy) . Sadly on my most recent visit to Gib. I found that these symbols of regimental pride have given way to more commerce based interests (no surprise there then!). However, rummaging through my photo archives last night I came across a copy of the DCLI mosaic which I photographed way back in 1979!

This image may have some value in the hearts of those who know more about the origins of the placing of the mosaics than I, and for that reason I am sharing image with you so that you can do likewise with your wider audience of likeminded contacts. With regards, Donald Swanson".

(Photo left) From Bill Eaton taken at the recent Colours Ceremony at Bodmin. Left to right, Dennis Wilton, Terry Simons, Billy Mitchell, Reg Norris, Bert Angwin, C Prior. Thanks Bill.

(Photo right) Forwarded on Monday 26th November 2007, taken at the funeral of Don Puckey at Bodmin, Jim Kelly to Swanny's left is to forward other names. Our condolences to Don's Family, we would have loved to have heard from Don during happier times to gain his contributions to our websites. Don was a good friend and soldier mate to all of us in Bermuda. RIP Don.

(Above) "A" Company 1DCLI Hamilton Bermuda circa 1954

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John (Griff) Griffin 1DCLI 1953 - 1955 has contributed the following photographs

(Left) John and Jenny Griffin remodelling the Wild West at Brean circa 2006. Griff was one of the first 1DCLI mates of the 1953 Bodmin Intake to get in touch with Editor and supply many old photos and recollections of our glorious past! Griff is in touch with Dave Beck, Graham Bradshaw and Vernon (Bill) Edwards in Canada - so hopefully in 2007 we'll see more developments from the ex-Brissol lads. Griff is shifting property residence early '07 from Brissol to Somerset. (Right) John and Jenny getting the Darwin sun in OZ circa 1995 (Check that Griff!). Wish you were here!

"Jesse James" Griff Griffin and his Gang at the annual Cowboys Event at Brean in Somerset where Johnny Griffin and Jenny keep the locals in order. Did you do a quick change for the photos Griff. Taken June 2007

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Neil (Swanny) Swanson 1DCLI 1953 - 1955 has contributed the following photographs

(Left ) West Cornwall, South Cornwall and Truro Branch Banners of the DCLI Association teams paraded at Shrewsbury 2006. All 9 pictures (left and below) accredited to Neil "Swanny" Swanson 1DCLI 1953-1955. Bodmin Depot, Crownhill Barracks Plymouth, HMT Empire Clyde to Hamilton Bermuda on 19th February 1954, 3 Platoon "A" Company, Prospect Barracks, Devonshire. More of Swanny on "A" Company Bermuda 1954-1957 (hotlink). CLICK ALL PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

Light Infantry Weekend June 2005 - Bugles of the Light Infantry entertaining LI Association Members & Guests

(Picture right) LI Weekend June 2005. (L to R) Terry Joll ex - RSM SCLI, Neil "Swanny" Swanson 1DCLI, Nobby Clarke 1DCLI, Mike Sadler RAOC, Terry Male "B" Coy 1DCLI Jamaica, Gordon Causely KRRC, Dennis Wilton "E" Coy 1DCLI Belize, ? SCLI.

(Picture right) DCLI Association Lucknow Dinner 2006 at Marazion Restaurant, Penzance. (Left to Right) Standing: B Ponder, C Pryor, Nobby Clarke, R Norris, Clarence Pryor, A Collins, B Fox, B Angwin, Major P Mitchell, (President West Cornwall Branch LI Association), Seated: Neil Swanson, D Barrett, P Tippett, Frank Baxter (Hon Sec), Terry Joll. Many of the lads have Bermuda time behind 'em, Editor will attempt ID on 1DCLI 1954-1957 Prospect Garrison, Devonshire in due course.

Just in (8th & 9th Feb '07) from Swanny. Photo left was taken at last Armistice before the parade in Penzance. Photo of Marine Steven Howes and Cpl Ben Quick who is serving with 40 Commando in Devon. Ben recently returned from Afganistan and Iraq. Both of these men were in my Outward Bound section in the RM Cadets when I was there as their Sergeant Instructor while I was serving in RM Reserve. Steven Howes is now a police officer serving in the Met Police. Both these men have made me a very proud man !!!

(Photo right) This is Nobby Clarke at The Armistice Parade in Penzance the last time he carried The Light Infantry Standard before his last heart attack. Nobby has carried our Standard for the last twenty years all over Cornwall and every year at The Light Infantry Weekend at Shrewsbury. What a loyal member to our Branch he has been.

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Below: This is photo of DCLI veteran from 5th Bn DCLI one of the few who survived the Battle of Hill 112 in Normandy1944. What a gentleman!! I met him at LI Reunion at Shrewsbury 2005. This picture is Bob Jones and his Son taken at Arramanche in France at Memorial Parade for N Vets Association. (Thanks to Neil Swanson for photo).

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BREAKING NEWS - 29TH MAY 2007

Editor here Cheps! I'm sure you'll agree that the following is an appropriate place to lodge this updated piece of news - 'cos it's not exactly "A" Company stuff for posting to that site, where I have hotlinked John Goddard's name . John J Goddard, 1DCLI Bugler, "HQ" and "B" Companies, Jamaica, now has his Memoirs published that includes many photographs, including one of Bugler Mark Ware, pictured left on a lazy Jamaica Sunday morning in 1954. This Memorabilia connection provided the link as Mark is pictured with Swanny on 2nd February 2007 at Dickie Dyer's funeral (gathering displayed above). John Goddard and his wife Sheila live less than 1 hour from Brisbane on Queensland's Gold Coast, and he and I, with our ladies, had a fine lunch on Sunday 27th May, where I collected all his memorabilia to publish his Memoirs.

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(Published March 2007) Courtesy Alan Mitchell - Bodmin Re-Union 2005: Will get Alan to re-send photo to remove text obliterations. Rear rank: T. Berich, Fred Philips, J. Reardon, T. Nichols, (One more name needed Alan!) Centre rank: J. Gilbert, D. Wooldridge, B. Lark. Front rank: Neil "Swanny" Swanson, Alan Mitchell, P. Trethake. Photo now republished on our latest "1DCLI Memorabilia Supplementary Pages" website.

Recent photo of Jim Kelly and son Dave at a DCLI Regimental function. Jim has kindly contributed many Bermuda 1954 - 1956 photographs, mainly of 4 Platoon lads and Sgnt Fred Thomas (RIP). Several of which have been edited and published on the "A" Company site, the remainder will be posted in due course. The site/s are growing daily now with comments and photos starting to flood in - so hereto an appeal for all 1DCLI Mates of the Bermuda era to contribute, and to also post comments on the related Blog pages. John Tenniswood and Editor are having a fine time posing anecdotes, jokes and weaponry quizzes to each other and we'd like some fresh blood (so to speak!!) Tempus Fugit lads!!

Tom Strike of 4 Platoon "A" Company 1DCLI Prospect Garrison Bermuda 1954-1956 is recently (July 2007) in touch with Editor in Brisbane and Keith Mannings in Frome. Pictured left: Driver Tom Strike at Weymouth Camp Dorset in 1958. The Annual Camp of 4/5 Battalion "D" Coy DCLI (T.A.) . Tom served 6 years in the T.A. resigning in 1964. Tom now lives in South Australia - since 1975 - about 120 kms into the country from Adelaide and is contactable via this Editor Thanks Tom for your photo left. See Tom's other photo posted to the "A" Company site.

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Photo above left taken at DCLI Museum Bodmin on 24th June 2007. Harry Patch signing "The last fighting Tommy" for Rex and Phyllis Brain: Above Right: Osnabruck Farewell Parade 1959. Both from Rex Brain.

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(Cpl?) Raymond Woods #23319589 Intake June 1956. Son Vince Woods has forwarded Ray's picture and some brief details so far (more to come soon) in the hope that someone, somewhere can respond and fill in more details. Vince seems to recall that Ray was in 3" mortar platoon, which in the Editor's opinion would have placed him in either of the Jamaican bases or possibly Belize, during our Caribbean posting. The Rifle Company ("A" Company) posted to Prospect Garrison, Bermuda was equipped only with 2" mortars. Ray died in 1982 (RIP).

This inquiry for Ray is a brilliant example of how the Blog and Guestbook pages can be made to work. Within 72 hours of Vince's first postings, we have been able to receive an emailed old photo of Ray (taken we presume at Bodmin - out of sight of Sgt Cook!! - at the slope arms and with fag!), doctored it to a better tonal quality, and publish it here. We'll gradually add more photos and details as information flows from Vince.

In the meantime, follow the hotlink below to peruse extracts from Hugo White's "One and All" to locate the postings of the various Companys of 1DCLI during the Caribbean era. http://lightinfantry.wordpress.com/2006/11/15/first-time-test-blog/ We are publishing approved "Caribbean" references to assist in research for the era.

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Below: Minden 1952. Back row l to r: Kellow, ?, ?, ?, Whiskey Morgan, Jack Madron, ?, Mid Row: ?, ?, ?, John Evans, ?, Blackmoor, Maunder. Front row: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Cpl Carling, ?, ?.

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Jack Calloway 22679146: 5th June 1952 Intake

Below: A collection of photographs from Jack covering the period Bodmin - Minden - DCLI & KSLI

Above Top left: French bren gun carrier at Hamunder, Ruhr. Above bottom left: 3" Mortar squad, Above right: 5th June 1952 Intake Bodmin Depot. Below left: Jack & Dave Saunders on QL truck, Minden 1952. Below centre left: French Foreign Legion Band & Bugles, Hamunder Ruhr 1952. Below centre right: Best Rifle Shot of the Intake 1952. Below right: Minden Barracks

(Additional ID's in group photo above: Marshall Tamblyn seated on right front row - he was Jack's close mate from Pelynt Near Looe, Cornwall, Seated front row left is John Dunn, - his father was RSM (DCLI) in Mogadishu and was killed while fighting along with many casualties - date about 1947-8.