XN000022-1988-05-07 — Page 2

SATURDAY, MAY 7, 1988

VOLUNTEERS SERVE FOR 110 YEARS

*

MAY MARKS

THE 110TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMATION OF A VOLUNTEER FORCE IN HONG KONG. TODAY, THE ROYAL HONG KONG REGIMENT

(THE VOLUNTEERS) CARRIES ON THE PROUD TRADITION.

THE REGIMENT HAS JUST PREPARED A NEW PAMPHLET GIVING DETAILS OF MANY HISTORIC AND INTERESTING ITEMS IT HAS FOR SALE, SUCH AS CAP BADGES, PRINTS, AND ITEMS OF EQUIPMENT BEARING THE REGIMENTAL CREST.

THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE REGIMENT, LIEUTENANT COLONEL JEREMY HUTCHINS, EXPLAINED TODAY (SATURDAY) THAT THE FIRST VOLUNTEERS FLOCKED TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES TO HONG KONG IN 1854.

HOWEVER, THE BODY THAT WAS THEN FORMED HAD A WAS DISBANDED AS SOON AS FEARS OF A RUSSIAN INVASION, CRIMEAN WAR, HAD SUBSIDED. A SIMILAR FATE MET A FOUNDED IN 1862.

SHORT LIFE AND SPARKED BY THE VOLUNTEER FORCE

HOWEVER, ON MAY 3, 1878, AN OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WAS PRINTED IN LOCAL NEWSPAPERS CALLING FOR VOLUNTEERS TO DEFEND HONG KONG.

THOUGH THERE HAVE BEEN A VARIETY OF ADMINISTRATIVE AND ORGANISATIONAL CHANGES OVER THE PAST CENTURY, THE VOLUNTEERS OF TODAY STILL FULFIL MUCH THE SAME ROLE AS THEIR PREDECESSORS.

1878,

"THE FIRST PARADE WAS HELD ON THE AFTERNOON OF MAY 22, PROBABLY ON THE MAIN PARADE GROUND WHICH WAS WHERE THE HILTON HOTEL NOW STANDS, COLONEL HUTCHINS SAID.

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"THEY WERE AN ARTILLERY UNIT AND PRACTICE QUICKLY STARTED USING SEVEN-POUNDER, MUZZLE-LOADING, GUNS.

OR

INTERESTINGLY, THE PRESENT MOTTO REGIMENT, "NULLI SECUNDUS IN ORIENTE", ORIENT", DATES FROM THIS TIME.

NO SPECIAL

ANNIVERSARY.

CEREMONIES

OF THE ROYAL HONG KONG "SECOND

ΤΟ NONE IN THE

ARE PLANNED ΤΟ MARK THE 110TH

"WE ARE VERY MUCH A WORKING REGIMENT, STILL COMMITTED TO SERVING THE PEOPLE OF HONG KONG. I THINK THAT IS PERHAPS THE BEST WAY TO COMMEMORATE OUR HISTORY, COLONEL HUTCHINS SAID.

THAT HISTORY WILL COME ΤΟ AN RND PRIOR то 1997 WHEN THE REGIMENT IS DISBANDED.

HOWEVER, COLONEL HUTCHINS SAID THAT THE REGIMENT STILL HAD AN IMPORTANT JOB TO DO AND WOULD PERFORM EFFICIENTLY IN THE INTERIM.

COPIES OF THE PAMPHLET ON SOUVENIR ITEMS ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST FROM: QUARTERMASTER,

HONG KONG REGIMENT (THE VOLUNTEERS), SPORTS ROAD, HAPPY VALLEY, HONG KONG.

ROYAL

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