THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1986
PRINCE PHILIP VISITS HIS OWN REGIMENT *****
PRINCE PHILIP TODAY VISITED THE GURKHA REGIMENT THAT BEARS HIS NAME AND CHATTED TO GURKHA SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AT LYEMUN BARRACKS.
THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH FLEW IN TO THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE 2ND BATTALION, 7TH DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S OWN GURKHA RIFLES BY HELICOPTER FROM HMS TAMAR WHERE HE HAD EARLIER LUNCHED WITH SERVICE OFFICERS AT THE IR MESS IN THE PRINCE OF WALES BUILDING.
AT LYEMUN, THE 7TH DEO GURKHAS STAGED A REGIMENTAL PARADE FOR PRINCE PHILIP. THE PARADE WAS COMMANDED BY THE COMMANDANT OF THE 2ND BATTALION, LIEUTENANT COLONEL BILL DAWSON.
IT WAS A COLOURFUL SPECTACLE, WITH THE IMPECCABLY UNIFORMED MEN MARCHING WITH PRECISION BEFORE PRINCE PHILIP WHO WAS WEARING A TROPICAL PARADE UNIFORM. THEY WERE WATCHED BY A LARGE CONTINGENT OF OTHER MEMBERS OF THE REGIMENT AND THEIR WIVES.
AFTER THE PARADE, THE DUKE ADDRESSED THE REGIMENT, AND COMMENTED THAT IT WAS BOTH A SPECIAL AND ALSO A RATHER SAD OCCASION,
IT WAS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT WAS THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1958 IN SINGAPORE THAT HE HAD BEEN ABLE TO SEE BOTH THE FIRST AND SECOND BATTALIONS TOGETHER AND IT WAS SAD BECAUSE THIS WOULD BE THE LAST TIME HE SHOULD SEE THE SECOND BATTALION BEFORE IT WAS DISBANDED.
HE SAID THE MEN HAD GIVEN SPLENDID SERVICE AND HE HOPED THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO WHEREVER THEY WERE POSTED.
THE DUKE SAID: THIS IS A SAD OCCASION ALSO BECAUSE THESE FAMOUS OLD BARRACKS ARE SOON TO BE HANDED OVER FOR REDEVELOPMENT. BY THAT TIME, THEY WILL HAVE SERVED THE ARMY FOR EXACTLY 140 YEARS. I AM GLAD THAT PART OF THEM WILL BE PRESERVED AS AN AREA OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE AND TO THE MEMORY OF ITS GALLANT DEFENDERS IN DECEMBER 1941.
+ IN SPITE OF ALL THIS, THE REGIMENT WILL GO ON, AND I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT IT WILL FULFILL ITS DUTIES WITH ALL THE ENTHUSIASM AND LOYALTY FOR WHICH IT HAS BECOME FAMOUS SINCE IT WAS RAISED 84 YEARS AGO.+
AFTER ADDRESSING THE REGIMENT, THE DUKE CHATTED TO THE SOLDIERS AND THE IR WIVES,
HE TOOK TEA IN THE BRITISH OFFICERS MESS BEFORE DRIVING TO THE REGIMENTAL FOOTBALL FIELD WHERE HE WAS GIVEN A ROUSING SEND OFF AS HE BOARDED A HELICOPTER TO RETURN TO HMS TAMAR.