| All Arms Junior Leaders' Regiment /
Inns of Court and City Yeomanry Joint Luncheon The Officers Mess of the Rifles Club, Davies Street, London Thursday 24th. November 2011. |
| This inaugural joint luncheon was attended by John Burns, Fred Philpott, Geoff Graves, John Sabini (who organised it all) and me from AAJLR, with Laurence Ward (Merchant Navy), Brian Cook (MOD), Philip Gordon and Les Clarke representing the ICCY, together with guest Howard Morgan, formerly of the MOD, and was held in this prestigious venue in Mayfair. |
| We commenced the day at The Barley Mow, Duke Street a fine pub with a chequered history which includes being an ale house in the early 18th century, the Japanese ambassador's house before the First World War and then reverting back to a pub in 1919. It was also sprayed with bullets when terrorists attacked the hotel next door in 1976 – one bullet hole remaining – when it is reported that "customers and staff bravely fought back using bottles and glasses". A spurious claim I suspect but something which helps gives yet another London pub an element of quirkiness, which suits my character! |
| Then onto The Rifles Club, where we first gathered for drinks in the ante room, before moving into the adjacent Officers Mess to dine. The excellent three course luncheon with coffee was aided by copious quantities of wine before the port was passed around with attendant toasts to our Sovereign Lady, the AAJLR and last but not least the ICCY. |
| Following lunch we learned – courtesy of Mr Sabini – a little of the history of the building and F Company, one of five companies within 7 Rifles, and took a brief look around the first floor. This includes a very large drill hall which, as my pictures show, includes several memorials to the fallen and large wall plaques detailing some of the Rifles' campaigns. In the Officers Mess there are many very fine paintings (all of which one is allowed to photograph except for that of the young Queen Victoria which is loaned from the Royal Collection) and many items of silverware. One such – the Bushby Cup – is a 'peg cup' from whence the expression to be taken down a peg derives. This was explained to me in some detail by the very attentive Steward, who is a serving soldier on a two year posting to the Rifles Club. |
| This very enjoyable day continued back at The Barley Mow where all in attendance took the decision that the AAJLR/ICCY Joint Luncheon will become an annual event. Thanks go to John Sabini for making it possible. |
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