Uncategorized – Sirmoor Rifles Association

Major Tom Attwood
Brigadier Anthony Berry
Major Norman Corbett
Mrs Alison Corbett
Mrs Sarah Covernton
Brigadier Sean Crane
Colonel John Croft
Mrs Sue Croft
Colonel Chris Darnell
Lieutenant General Sir Peter Duffell
Mr Gavin Edgerley-Harris
Major John Harrop*
Brigadier Nigel Haynes
Colonel Nick Hinton
Brigadier Bruce Jackman
Mrs Carol Jackman
Mrs Penny Little
Mr Edward Mackaness
Mrs Sarah Mackaness
Mr Mark Pettigrew
Louise Roest
Cor Roest
Mrs Caroline Shaw
Colonel William Shuttlewood
Major David Thomas
Mrs Joanna Thomas
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Venning
Mrs Venetia Venning
Major Charles Ward
Mr Michael Willis
Major Nigel Wylie Carrick

Antiques Roadshow BBC 1 – Sunday 2 February 2025 – Major E J ‘Steve ‘ Stephenson late 3/2GR

An episode ( originally broadcast in October 2023 ) of the Antiques Roadshow was shown again on Sunday 2 February 2025 , and featured the medal group and two England Football international caps awarded to Major J E ‘ Steve ‘ Stephenson who was killed on 8 September 1944 in the Battle of Point 1433 and Tiger while commanding C Company 3/2GR . Colonel Nick Neill OBE MC wrote a detailed account of the action in which his friend ‘Steve’ Stevenson was killed in the 1993 edition of The Journal which he concluded as follows …’ for my money, and with my intimate knowledge of Steve as a friend and my familiarity, gained by experience, of the Japanese soldier as an indomitable fighting man, I would say to you that Steve’s actions, on the morning of 8 September 1944 were the stuff of which VCs are made etc …’

I was recently contacted by Bhomik Pradhan, the great-great-grandson of Subedar Major Fateh Sing Newar of the 2nd Battalion. He had discovered a pension document (click to download it) which referenced him. It relates to a ‘Jangi Inam’ (‘Warlike Reward’) a payment instituted by the Honourable East India Company in 1837 and awarded for meritorious military service. It was payable to a second beneficiary on the death of the person to which it was first given, in this case Jai Gopal Newar, Fateh Sing’s son. Although it is difficult to make out in the badly damaged document, it appears as if Jai Gopal was still receiving the pension in 1981 but Bhomik Pradhan is uncertain when he died and consequently when the pension would have ceased.

Fateh Sing Newar enlisted on 1 June 1890 and served on the North-West Frontier in 1897-8 including the Tirah expedition and the action at Chagru Kotal. He also went on the Abor Expedition in 1911-12. He was promoted Jemadar (Lieutenant) on 1st March 1912 and Subedar (Captain) on 9th August 1914. He is mentioned twice in the Regimental History. The first instance relates to the 2nd Battalion’s bravely-fought but disastrous first battle in the Western Front in France on 2nd November 1914, when under heavy German attack 31 officers and men were killed, including seven of the Battalion’s nine British Officers and four of the 13 Gurkha Officers. 64 officers and men were wounded and 37 missing presumed dead, although some were later found to have become prisoners of war. At one point there only remained in the front line the remnants of No 4 Double Company with Subedars Fateh Sing Newar and Dalbahadur Rana and Jemadar Suba Sing Gurung together with stray men of other companies and a reinforcing detachment of the Connaught Rangers, a total of about 150 men. They too were forced out of their position but their withdrawal route was blocked by enemy fire, dead and wounded so they stood and fought where they were. At nightfall they were reinforced by a further company of the Connaughts, whose commander told them to withdraw. Most did, but some men stayed with the British troops until the following morning. Subedar Fateh Sing Newar was later awarded the Order of British India, 2nd Class, for his coolness and gallantry in the battle.

Among the dead that day was the Battalion’s Subedar Major, Man Sing Bohra. A document in the Gurkha Museum, Winchester, records that Fateh Sing Newar took over as Subedar Major although there is no mention of this in the Regimental History. However, the history does record that on 25th January 1915 he was evacuated with bad neuritis. This may have been a euphemism for shell-shock or post traumatic stress disorder, conditions which at that time were not well understood or acknowledged.

The historian Chris Jupp has been able to piece together what might subsequently have happened to Fateh Sing Newar by looking through the Indian Army Lists of the period. Fateh Sing’s promotions to Subedar and Subedar Major are not recorded there, but this is not unusual for temporary or wartime promotions. He ceases to appear on the active list for the 2nd Goorkhas from 1916 onwards, probably indicating that he was medically discharged from the Army at some point in 1915. He no longer appears on the list of holders of the Order of British India from 1924 onwards, implying that he may have died in 1923.

Chris Jupp has also been very helpful in suggesting why Fateh Sing and his son Jai Gopal may have been in receipt of a ‘Jangi Inam’ award. The award of the Order of British India (OBI) 2nd Class brought with it the title of ‘Bahadur’ (warrior), which Fateh Sing is known to have had. Prior to the First World War the OBI also attracted additional pay/pension of 2 Rupees a day (first class) or 1 Rupee (second class). There was a strict limit of 100 holders of each class of the OBI and new awards could only be made on the death of a previous recipient. However, in the greatly expanded operations of the First World War there was a requirement to make many more than 100 such awards. Unfortunately the associated budget could not be enhanced to provide all the additional recipients with a pension and the 100-man limit (with regards to monetary payment as opposed to the number of medals awarded) remained in place. We assume therefore that Fateh Sing was also awarded a ‘Jangi Inam’ by way of compensation, as were perhaps other wartime recipients of the OBI. This provided a supplementary pension from a different (and presumably better-provisioned) budget but no additional medal or post-nominal letters. He nominated his son Jai Gopal as the second beneficiary, possibly because at the time of the award his wife had already died.

There are no known photographs of Fateh Sing Newar, but he may be one of the 2nd Battalion Gurkha officers in the January 1915 picture below which appears in the Regimental History. Unfortunately it is not annotated with the names of those shown. As he would at that stage have been the senior officer present, it is a reasonable assumption that he is one of the two seated in the centre of the picture.

Bhomik Pradhan is planning to continue his investigations into his great-great-grandfather’s history and has promised to let me know if he uncovers any additional material.

While in Nepal recently the Chairman of the Sirmoor Club Nepal, Captain Bharat Singh Thapa Chhetri, kindly invited me to lunch with a group of other Sirmooris at the Diyalo Foodland restaurant in Basundhara, Kathmandu. It was a most enjoyable event and a great pleasure to meet some old friends and make one or two new ones.

In the photograph below standing (from left): Sgt Tejbahadur Thapa, WO1 Passang Lama, Cpl Nauraj Gurung, WO2 Rumbahadur Gurung, Maj Yambahadur Rana MVO MBE, Rfm Janakbahadur Rana, Capt Sherbahadur Pun. Sitting: Cpl Harkabahadur Pun, CSgt Muktibahadur Gharti, Col Nick Hinton, Capt Bharat Singh Thapa Chhetri, Capt Karnabahadur Roka. (1st Battalion men shown in bold type – apart from me, as I served in both the 1st and 2nd Bns).

John was an enigma, what the Ancients called “sui generis” and I defy anyone to have put him in any sort of category.

There was wonderfully cynical observation of aspects of life and people and the absurdities of both, particularly those whom he did not respect; much of this can be read in his recent book “Memorable Encounters”.

Even from the time I met him on arrival at Slim in August 1955, when he was RSO in 1st Bn there were signs of an extraordinary life ahead of him which he did little to conceal; indeed I remember, with his fellow subalterns, being privileged to hear his entirely fanciful excerpts from speeches he was expecting to make at the Mansion House.

Although President of the Cambridge Union to which he had been elected, is a well trodden path for those with political ambition, I don’t think that that was John’s plan at that stage in his life; but making serious money definitely was and Warburgs was a helpful start enabling him to buy Trewinnard, a large house and small farm in Cornwall. Here, unconvincingly calling himself a farmer, he delegated flower and bulb production to Miloska while he, recently elected an MP, attended to matters of national importance in London.

During John’s campaign for his first General Election I believe to be apocryphal the report that he used a megaphone to persuade the good people of St Ives to vote for him by announcing “I am Nott, your Conservative candidate”; came the rejoinder from someone in the crowd “well who are you then, mate?”.
At the time of his presidency of the Cambridge Union, a formal photograph was taken of him stretched, languidly, full length on a sofa; it could have come straight out of central casting for a part in Brideshead Revisited. I had had a copy for years and he was very disappointed when, staying with me recently, I was unable to find it. Anyone else, photographed in a similar pose, would have been met with a dismissive and caustic reaction.

I was always surprised that John, who did not suffer fools gladly, rose to the top of the greasy pole of politics where, although he was highly intelligent, I imagine that compromise is a necessary element of success.

That leads me forcefully to de-bunk any suggestion that he fell out with Margaret Thatcher after the Falklands war. I asked John about this when we had lunch together very recently and he said that, of course, they had disagreements, but only when he told her that he had decided to leave politics and she wanted him to stay on as Defence Secretary did she make her displeasure very plain. Interestingly, when John went to the Palace for his audience of the Queen, which lasted half an hour with no one else present, Her Majesty also expressed disappointment that he was leaving; would it be impertinent to suggest that, perhaps, the Prime Minister had mentioned to the Queen the possibility of her Defence Secretary being persuaded to change his mind.

During the run-up to the Brexit referendum, it would not have been possible to have found two more ardent Brexiteers than John and I; neither of us could think of a single reason why anyone would choose to remain in the European Union. We had arranged to spend four days in John’s son William’s cottage in Devon, intentionally to fish for sea-trout, but actually whipping each other up into a xenophobic frenzy in which no adjective was left unused.

For our stay, John had confirmed that I was happy to eat curry, although I hadn’t realised that I was going to have to play my cards carefully to avoid having to have it for breakfast as well as all other meals. On our last morning, John arrived with yet another large bag of curry, from which he extracted the poppadom, carefully wrapped in greaseproof paper, and which for some reason (a bad one) he put in the oven; evidence that that was a mistake came when the smoke alarms in the kitchen and on the upstairs landing went off, emitting a noise so intolerable that one could imagine it being used to test the psychiatric resilience of aspirants to join the SAS. I shall spare you the full account of the unsuccessful attempts by a former Secretary of State for Defence and a retired land agent to silence this crescendo, but suffice it to say that the former ended up up a ladder tearing out of the ceiling by their roots the offending equipment, all more technically sophisticated trials having failed.

At our lunch together on the 15th September, although obviously tired and dressed as though he had spent the previous night under a cardboard box somewhere, John was, as ever, the same stimulating and entertaining companion.

I was very lucky to have known this man for so long and shall remember him with great affection.

The attached photograph shows the memorial in Dehra Dhun to Captain John Robinson, who was killed at the battle of Dargai in 1897. He was great-uncle to Colonel James Robinson, who as Colonel Brigade of Gurkhas visited the memorial to pay his respects in 2017. The Indian Army had kindly refurbished it for the visit.

An article about Captain John Robinson appeared in the Spring 2018 Sirmooree which gives more details about his story and two more photos of the Memorial.

THE SIRMOOR PISCATORIAL SOCIETY REPORT FOR 2024

The Teffont Fishing Club was kind enough to have us again on their water on the upper Nadder and to allow our picnickers to gather for lunch by the river on Tuesday 18 June. So, although it had poured with rain first thing in the morning, God again looked after His Own, as it stopped by 0900hrs and was a glorious English day by the time everyone arrived for a picnic at midday. There were 20 of us in total of whom 7 opted to fish as well. See the table below for who did what & when.

Next day, Wednesday, was supposed to be a serious fishing day fortified by lunch at the Compass Inn, but although 6 of us fished in the morning there were only 3 takers for the afternoon so it seems that the two half days are the most popular with the picnic lunch on the first day bringing most of us together. There is a table below of who opted for what. It was a particular pleasure to have Elizabeth Parkes with us continuing in John’s tradition with their daughter Emma and son-in-law Henry Coxe who caught his first Nadder trout – a decent one of 8” and here is the picture of a delighted Henry to prove it.

In fact, nearly everyone caught something as you will see from the table but nobly returned them all. Like a number of other clubs, the Teffont Club is trying to encourage wild fish in their river that are far more feisty to catch so we are encouraged to put back the smaller ones if undamaged.

Looking back, I have now been organising Sirmoor fishing for 27 years. Although it is hard to believe that we first started in 1997 when Andrew and Anne Johnston arranged 2 miles fishing on the Coln and gave us all a wonderful week-end package in their splendid Bibury Court Hotel. We learnt the basics of fly tying and casting on the front lawn of the hotel, and for 9 years it was our fishing highlight of the year. Then when they retired and the hotel was sold Christopher Bullock was instrumental in getting us on to the Meon in 2007 where we fished and picnicked for the next 12 years. I also organised fishing in Wales using the Wye and Usk passport system which was a great pleasure and John Urquhart with tremendous initiative got us fishing and shooting on the Isle of Lewis in 2021. Then in 2020 thanks to William Shutttlewood, we changed our regular venue from the Meon to the upper Nadder where we are now. William is a member of the Teffont club and has volunteered to take over so I am handing the arrangements over to him from next year onwards.

Do please make a note of the tentative dates for your diary that will be from Tuesday 17 to Wednesday 19 June 2025. Joanna and I will look forward to seeing you all there again if not before.

DAVID THOMAS

29 September 2024

SIRMOOR NADDER FISHING & PICNIC 2024 – SUMMARY.
	DAY 1. TUESDAY 18 JUNE			DAY 2. WEDNESDAY 19 JUNE
TFC Picnic & Fishing	0r Picnic Only in italics
		DAY 1			DAY 2
Details follow same pattern as last year	0900hrs RV at TFC field for Morning Fishing and Picnic	1200hrs RV at TFC field for Picnic & PM/EVE Fishing	RV at the TFC field as before	0930hrs RV for AM Fishing	1300hrs RV at Compass for Lunch	1430hrs RV for PM/EVE Fishing	Number & Size of Fish Caught & Returned.
David Thomas	0	1	David and Joanna Thomas	1	2	0	1×4″
Christopher Bullock	0	1	Christopher Bullock	1	1	0	2×8″
Nick Hinton	0	1		0	0	0	0
David Santa-Olalla	0	1	David and Jo Santa Olalla	1	2	0	1×10″ grayling
Henry Coxe	0	1		0	0	0	1×8″
Nigel Haynes	0	1	Nigel Haynes	1	1	1	1×5″, 1×7″grayling
			Gavin Edgerley-Harris	1	1	1	0
William Shuttlewood	0	1	William Shuttlewood	1	1	1	1×6″
			Bruce and Carol Jackman	0	2	0	N/A
Total Fishing	0	7	Totals	6	10	3
Picnic Only			Regrets
Joanna Thomas		1	Chris and Griselda Lavender – Opening the London Peninsular!
Caryn Hall		1	Dan Huntington – Fishing burns in Colonsay.
Bruce and Carol Jackman		2	Michael Willis – Away with friends
Charles and Caroline Ward		2	Tony and Sally Berry – In London
Jo Santa-Olalla		1	John and Val Urquhart – John has a broken femur. Will recover but slowly.
David and Franziska Scotson		2	Accomodation:
Elizabeth Parkes & Emma Coxe		2	1. Royal Oak, Swallowcliffe
Norman and Alison Corbett		2	David and Joanna Thomas 17/6 &18/6
Total Picnicing		13	2. Lamb Inn, Hindon
Total Party		20	Bruce & Carol Jackman 18 Jun

The SGS has enjoyed another excellent year of golf and associated activities. As the years pass there is a subtle shift in emphasis amongst members from the thrill of the physical challenge in trying to destroy a golf course at all costs, to the more esoteric enjoyment of companionship in adversity – that being the long rough! But with some 70 or so names on the Calling Notices (we are a broad church) there is amongst many an abundance of enthusiasm for whatever membership of the SGS might bring them.

In 2025 the Society’s programme began with the Championship Competition, held at East Berkshire. Although this followed promptly on the heels of the Centenary Championship at Royal Winchester late last year some 26 members turned out to compete for the coveted trophy, now 101 years old. The result was not known until the last group came in with David Santa Olalla (playing with the Society’s President) just edging the win from last year’s winner, Bijay Rawat. Kim Parsons (ex QG SIGNALS) won the Non-Sirmoori prize.

A victorious David Santa-Olalla

A return to Royal Wimbledon (RW) followed, under Mark Pettigrew’s excellent arrangements where we play with a cohort of fellow Club members. The sun always shines in Wimbledon, royal or not, the course is outstanding and the fish and chips at the end are the very best in London. Twelve SGS members participated and as is often the case when enjoyment is the key ambition there was confusion over which team had actually won. In the end we felt Christopher Lavender and David Harrison with their RW Member had just pipped the rest of the field.

We played Brokenhurst Manor in early September. This is a hugely popular venue where the day begins with breakfast with members (outstanding sausages!) followed by a round of golf on one of the country’s best courses where the greens a like silk and the rough accommodating. Twenty-five members attended with Richard Baxter (solicitor from Warminster) , Jonathan Howard (ex RH) and Jonathan Kemmis-Betty (son of) the winners. The tea at the end of the day was worth waiting for!

And finally, the Society broke new ground in late September at the Leckford Golf Club, part of the John Lewis Estate near Stockbridge. It is a world class nine hole course set in outstanding countryside. Fifteen members attended, expecting an outstanding day of golf. It began well in bright sunshine but sadly the storm moved in with increasing intensity to envelope us all by the time we reached the 15th hole. The day was rescued by an outstanding curry in the adjacent John Lewis Abbas hotel. We will return next year.

In sum, a very good season with something for everyone. Until 2025. Salaams.

THREE MEN IN AN AUDI

‘East and west on fields forgotten….
None that go return again.’

A E Housman A Shropshire Lad

After the Delhi Day celebrations held at Shorncliffe ; Nigel Haynes ,William Shuttlewood and John Harrop armed with a copy of Regimental History Volume II slipped under the Channel to make for the flat and dreary country that surrounds the village of Neuve Chapelle. The aim of the excursion was to visit the site of the 2nd Battalion action at Neuve Chapelle in 1915, the Indian Memorial plus other cemeteries with the
graves of regimental casualties as well as attend the Menin Gate ceremony and to visit cemeteries located around Ypres.

The 2nd Battalion’s contribution in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915 was discussed as features referred to in the text and contemporary maps were identified and salutary deductions made. The impressive and dignified Indian Memorial is located close by and respects were made to those 2nd Goorkhas named on the circular wall – which shares the same acoustic properties found in the Whispering Gallery at St Paul’s Cathedral.

The Indian Memorial at Neuve Chapelle

John Harrop and Nigel Haynes examining the names on the Indian Memorial

The Menin Gate was shrouded in scaffolding as part of a restoration project which made it impossible to identify most of the 54,000 names (including those from 1GR and 4GR), but the Last Post ceremony was extremely well attended. A day was spent visiting the Commonwealth cemetery at Tyne Cot for the Battle of Passchendaele and for comparison the German cemetery at Langemark as well as the fascinating museum at Hill 62.

The grave of 3424 Rifleman Ranu Thapa, 2nd Battalion 2nd KEO Gurkha Rifles, at Rue du Bacquerot No.1 Military Cemetery. He was killed on 20 December 1914 in the battles that took place from 10-21 December at La Quinque Rue in which one British Officer and 29 other ranks were killed, 40 were wounded and 62 missing and a further 24 evacuated with frostbite.

The tranquillity of every Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery and the simple gravestones with their defunct cap badges of those who made the final sacrifice in such horrific and unimaginable circumstances never fail to give cause for reflection.

JRH