ANNUAL REUNION

For all ex-Bandsmen and Buglers of

The Royal Green Jackets

and former Regiments

Location :
Held annually (originally) in  the City of Winchester - England (Home of The Royal Green Jackets) various locations around the country are considered as of late, so as to give those living far-a-field the opportunity to attend.

Aim of the Reunion :
To reunite ex-Bandsmen & Buglers of the Royal Green Jackets and former Regimental Band & Buglers of:
        The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (43rd & 52nd)
        The Kings Royal Rifle Corps (60th)
        The Rifle Brigade (95th)

Annual Reunion

Tony Dowd - out-going secretary (ex-Band Serjeant 1 RGJ)) organized the first Ox & Bucks (1RGJ) band reunion in July 1983 in respect of the late WOII Graham Barker's wishes (Band Serjeant Major - killed in the Regents Park bombing - 20th July 1982).

 

Graham had the initial idea and was in the process of collating information and address's just prior to the bombing. During the winter of 1982-83, whilst recovering from his own injuries, Tony took up the challenge from where Graham had left off.

 

From the first reunion in July 1983, attended by 40 ex-members, he gradually built up a mailing directory of over 150 ex-Ox & Bucks bandsmen.

 

Having traced ex-members from all over Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Canada and Bermuda, he then set about gathering names and address's of ex-bandsmen of the KRRC and RB's. Having run, with great success, the Ox & Bucks Band Reunion for nine years, and with the blessing of the Ox & Bucks members, he then organized the first Royal Green Jackets Band Reunion incorporating all three former Regimental Bands.

 

This took place in Oxford (Slade Park Barracks) in September 1992. Attendance has always been high, with equal numbers of members from each Band.

 

Boasting a mailing directory of over 400 ex-bandsmen (the oldest located - Cyril Beare MBE - joined as a bandsman in the 52nd back in 1926) Tony has now started to gather names and address's of ex-Buglers of all three Regiments.

 

It is now anticipated that Dave Timms, along with Tony's assistance, will continue to offer ex-members this continuing unique event.

 

Further Information

The reunion is financed by it's own members, and over the past couple of years it has been recognized, and now established, as an official Branch of The Royal Green Jackets Association.

 

With the ever-dwindling number of "Old Boys" due to ill-health, age and death, Tony feels that it is important to sustain the reunions and maintain the closeness that has always been shared by musicians, not just for the sake of the present ex-members, but for the future ones also.

 

And with the help of the newly appointed secretary, he hopes that the future will bring in, in time, ex-members of the newly formed Light Division Band who's roots are shared with those already contributing to the success of this unique annual event.

 

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