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Saturday 19 June 2021

Soldiers of the Queen (SOTQ): Issue 180

The Victorian Military Society recently sent me a copy of SOTQ (Soldiers of the Queen).

The articles included in this issue are:

  • The Royal Field Artillery at Tabanyama and Spion Kop, 17-26 January 1900 by Dr Robert N Davidson
  • The White Bearskin by Colin Dean
  • The Diehard Company on Home Service (Part One) by Graham Gillmore
  • The 44th (East Essex): The British Army's unluckiest regiment? by Wendell Schollander
  • Book Reviews by Andrew Smith, Roger T Stearn, and Stuart T Millson
  • Officers of the Victorian Military Society

There was lots of interest for me in this issue. As I live in Woolwich and I am the son and grandson of Gunners, anything about the Royall Artillery gets my vote, especially when it mentions Sir Charles Warren, whose life as a Freemason is something that I have researched and give talks about. I also lived for most of my pre-adult life in Essex, and the Essex Regiment (of which the 44th was part) was our local infantry regiment until it was amalgamated with others to form the Royal Anglians.

Another great issue that gave me several hours of enjoyable reading.

8 comments:

  1. As a former member of the RRF we trained at Bassingbourn barracks in the '70s with the Anglian regiment. All part of the Queens Division.
    Now, a decimated regiment and an army barely fit for defence of the UK never mind beyond these shores

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Khusru,

      The present army structure and ORBAT doesn’t make sense to me, and seems to have led to a very under strength force that is barely capable of meeting any of the commitments identified by the government. Talking to several serving personnel that I know, they are all complain about the vast number of understrength units that are equipped with faulty, inappropriate, or obsolete kit.

      It beggars belief.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Benjamin of Wight,

      Also known as the ‘Fighting Fours’.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  3. Bob,
    It is really good to open a magazine or a book and find articles and stories of great interest to you- and true, older books can be a blessing to find really good material to read and absorb. I've managed to trim down my collection of published material - to the bare minimum and really cherish those books and magazines that are certainly of sentimental value to me- I'm happy. All the best. KEV.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kev Robertson (Kev),

      Over the years I’ve collected all sorts of magazines, and regularly go through them and take out articles for archiving. The only exception is SOTQ, which is always so full of good stuff that it is quicker and easier to keep them as they are.

      I’ve also been pruning my book collection in order to free up space on my bookshelves prior to our proposed future house move.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete
  4. The 44th the unluckiest regiment? I'd be interested to read that one, since I've always figured the 24th was the unluckiest. Captured whole or decimated by disease multiple times, had a ship sink under them, annihilated at Isandlwana, charged at Chilianwala... hope to visit Brecon Cathedral someday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jennifer,

      I must admit that the 24th did experience quite a few catastrophes before the became the South Wales Borderers.

      All the best,

      Bob

      Delete

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