Canterbury 1983-1985
Following its lengthy period in Germany the Battalion returned to the United Kingdom, this time to Canterbury. From Canterbury it conducted operational tours to Northern Ireland and to Cyprus with the United Nations Forces and carried out Public Duties in London. In 1984 the Battalion was presented with new Colours by the Colonel-in-Chief. The old colours were cased and laid up in a chapel in Salisbury Cathedral. The new, and final, set of colours have also been cased and are now on display at the Regimental Museum at the Wardrobe. The presentation of colours was followed by another exercise in Canada, at Wainwright.
From Canterbury the Battalion moved to Northern Ireland for another Tour. Prior to leaving for the Province they held a service in Canterbury cathedral on the 27th May. As the Regiment did not have the Freedom of the City it was unable to march to the service with its colours flying and the Regimental Band leading. However, it did march to the service in column of route with its four companies, each 100 strong, and the drum major and front rank side drummers of the Corps of Drums to keep the pace and step.
THE CANTERBURY TIMELINE | |
EVENT | TIME/DATE |
Bn to Howe Bks Canterbury | January 1983 |
bn boxed in UK Army Novice Boxing Finals V 3 R.R.F. winning 5 Bouts to 4 | 17th March 1983 |
Northern Ireland training | March/April/May 1983 |
Bn farewell to Canterbury | 27th May 1983 |
Bn to South Armagh | 4th/5th June 1983 |
A Coy to Crossmaglen | June -October 1983 |
Bn to Canterbury (Block leave) | 6th October 1983 |
Bn to Greenham Common | 11th November 1983 |
Ferozeshah Parade | 21st December 1983 |
B Coy to Belize Exercise 'Mopan Rampart V111 | 11th January 1984 |
A & C Coys plus Bn HQ to Greenham Common | February 1984 |
Bn Practice deployment to Gatwick airport | February 1984 |
Spearhead Bn | 6 weeks Feb |
Brigade Exercise Salisbury Plain | April/May 1984 |
Bn boxing team to Germany to fight 1 Kings in Army Final | April 1984 |
Presentation of colours parade | 8th June 1984 |
Exercise 'Pond Jump West' Canada | 12th June for 5 weeks |
K.A.P.E. tour | 1st Week September 1984 |
D Coy tour of both Counties showing new colours | September 1984 |
Exercise 'Lionheat (Umpires) | September 1984 ? |
Mount Guard Buckingham Palace | October 1984 |
Bn to Cyprus | 10th December 1984 |
Bn return from Cyprus | June 1985 |
C Coy to Stanford training area | June/July 1985 |
K.A.P.E. Tour | July 1985 |
Bn assist Dover Tattoo | August 1985 |
bn beat retreat as farwell to Canterbury and hand over to 3rd Bn Queens Regt | November 1985 |
Bn to Aldergrove | November 1985 |
Regimental Journals Published in Canterbury
The Canterbury Pages
- Greenham Common 1983 (45)
- Presentation Of New Colours 1984 (126)
- Public Duties 1984 (51)
- South Armagh 1983 (75)