Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 01 December 1933
5th K.O.Y.L.I.
Denaby Company’s Prize Night
Appeal to the Ladies
There was an ample array of prizes at the annual “social” of B Company, 5th (Territorial) Battalion King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, in the Drill Hall, Denaby. For the first time, ladies were invited to the meal which preceded the distribution, and there was a crowded hall.
Captain Bracewell (officer commanding the company) said they had had a successful year, having regard to the fact that last year there was no annual training. The Company had more than held their own. They won three of the regimental trophies.
They sent two teams to fire in the West Riding competitions at Strensall, and did well in the rifle and machine-gun contests. They also had a successful week-end at the musketry camp, where most improvement was shown in the Lewis gun firing. He welcomed the presence of lady friends of the members and honorary members. It was important that the women should take an interest in the Company, for if the men did not get any encouragement at home they were not likely to be very enthusiastic about their work. In one practical detail the women could assist very much: the care of uniforms, and he suggested that they might be a little more critical of how their men turned out.
There was a rumour that they were to have an annual camp this year, and at Scarborough. It would not be all holiday, but Scarborough was a pleasant place to camp at. He hoped the camp would be the means of stimulating recruiting in Denaby; he had been a little disappointed in the number of recruits obtained during the year.
He welcomed Colonel Royle, who had come down to present the prizes. He also mentioned that that was probably the last time they would have with them Captain Edwards, whose service with the Company was almost expired, and whose influence had been very good.
Colonel Royle, Commanding Officer of the Battalion, said he was very glad to be with B Company again and to see the ladies present. They met under rather happier circumstances than last year, because the omission of the annual camp did a certain amount of harm. He hoped that at next year’s camp they would not only be the strongest battalion in the 49th Division, but would have nearly their full establishment.
All who had been to previous camps must have realised that the Battalion’s standard in training and sport was as high as ever. He did not think they would be disappointed about going to camp next year. He supported Captain Bracewell’s appeal to the men (and their women) to look after their clothing. Nothing that had happened during the past year could alter the fact that their service in the Territorial Army was worthwhile. The Secretary for War the previous week said the Territorial Army was the only alternative to conscription in England. He hoped every member of that Company would be proud of it.
That they had reached a certain standard of efficiency meant some pretty hard work on somebody’s part, and he took that opportunity of paying tribute to Captain Bracewell and the Company officers for their loyal support.
The trophies presented were:
- Regimental Cup for best platoon: Sgt. Robins (No. 5); won for seventh consecutive year.
- Regimental Cup for best recruits squad: Sgt. McGrath.
Shooting prizes
- 1, Sgt. Rocket; 2, Sgt. Robins; 3, C.Q.M.S. Squires.
Other ranks
- 1, Cpl. Hinchliffe; 2, Pte. Whitehead; 3, Pte. Plant.
Lewis gun
- 1, Cpl. Thompson; Cpl. Mulligan and Cpl. G. H. Jones (equal).
Other ranks
- 1, L/Cpl. Attwell; 2, L/Cpl. Botwood; 3, Ptes. Bradley and Falkingham (equal).
- Best recruit: Pte. Bradley.
- Best all-round section at camp: Cpl. Evans (No. 2).
- Tug-of-war: C.S.M. Brooks’s team.
Boxing
- Heavyweight: Pte. L. Whitehead, runner-up Pte. G. Smith.
- Middleweight: Pte. J. T. Elkes.
- Welterweight (consolation): Pte. C. Botwood, runner-up Pte. Oldfield.
- Featherweight: Pte. J. Hart.
A cup to the captain of the Company boxing team was presented to Pte. Oldfield.
Miniature range, honorary members
- 1, Mr. J. Kelly.
- 2, Mr. O. Houghton.
- 3, Mr. R. Grice.
Musketry medals won in All-England Territorial competition were handed to Sgt. Jarvis, Cpl. Monaghan, Sgt. Robins, C.Q.M.S. Squires, and Sgt. J. E. Jones.
A vote of thanks to Colonel Royle was moved by Lieut. Kinnaer and seconded by Capt. Kinnaire.