The London Regiment Anzio Dinner
8th July 2021The Cavalry and Guards Club
I was delighted to have been invited by Major Dominic Masters, Officer Commanding D (London Irish Rifles) Company of the London Regiment, to a dinner, commemorating the battle at Anzio in northern Italy, when Allied Forces broke through enemy lines and linked up with the US 5th Army. The battle involved many Battalions which now go to make up the London Regiment, which is why Anzio Day (14 May) was chosen as the London Regiment's Regimental Day. The dinner (which is traditionally held on the Thursday closest to Anzio Day, but which was postponed for obvious reasons) was held at the beautiful Cavalry and Guards Club, and it was a rare treat to have been invited. Before dinner we were read a moving first-hand account of the battle; after dinner the former Commanding Officer of the London Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Geoffrey Strickland (who has recently become a Liveryman of our Company) presented the Regiment with a magnificent silver model of their Headquarters on St Johns Hill, Battersea. There were also bagpipes, lots of bagpipes …
It was a pleasure to hear from Dominic of the great work that he and his colleagues have been doing, particularly in establishing the COVID testing regime at the start of the pandemic. The massive contribution that our reserve forces make to our country is, to a great extent, untold, which is a travesty.
D Company is also supported by the Worshipful Company of Founders, as well as by us, and it was lovely to meet their Master, David Robinson, and his wife Claire.
Foolishly, I neglected to take any photos of the evening, but on my way to the dinner I did spot this herd of elephants in Green Park