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May
2006
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Heads
Guest List of the
Jamaica Regiment’s 40th Victoria Cross Commemorations
Partial view of the head table where
Sir Howard Cooke (right),
Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Lewin (left)
and Major Hilverton Munroe
are seated together (2005).
Members of the Jamaica Regiment will shortly be commemorating the
Victoria Cross award, and Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Honourable Portia
Simpson-Miller, will head the guest list, as guest speaker, at the
first commemorative event, the Annual Victoria Cross Dinner.
During the month of May each year, starting on the last Friday of the
month through to the following Monday (which sometimes falls in June),
members of the infantry, which comprise three Battalions, host a series
of commemorative events in honour of two West Indians who by their great
display of bravery on the battlefield had received the British monarch’s
highest decoration for valour – the Victoria Cross. The celebration is a
unique time for the Jamaica Defence Force as it grants serving members,
not on, or warned for duty, a holiday that is not shared by the rest of
the Jamaican populace or other armed services. Those members of the
service who have to report for duty are given another day off in lieu of
that day.
History
On the reformation of the Colonial West India Regiment in January 1959,
it was decided to select a day, as a Regimental Holiday, to commemorate
a specific ‘Deed of Valour’, by members of the Regiment. The decision
was taken to commemorate the award of the Victoria Cross decoration to
Sergeant William Gordon of the 1st Battalion, The West India Regiment
and to Lance Corporal Samuel Hodge of the 4th Battalion, The West India
Regiment, which was awarded on 13 March, 1892 and 30 June, 1866
respectively. In addition to the military holiday, the commemoration
would also take the form of an annual dinner and church service.
2006 Commemorative Events
Victoria Cross Dinner - Friday, 26
May 2006.
Victoria Cross Church Service -
Sunday 28 May 2006.
Victoria Cross Day - Monday 29 May
2006.
It is customary that the Dinner and the Church Service are compulsory
functions for all Regimental Officers currently serving in the three
Infantry Battalions of the Jamaica Regiment. All past Regimental
Officers enjoy an automatic invitation. Additionally, certain
dignitaries, representatives of the Jamaica Regiment’s Allied Regiments,
and Defence Attachés in Jamaica, are invited. The VC Day is a Jamaica
Defence Force holiday for all members of the Force, which include those
not of the Jamaica Regiment.
Points to Note
This year marks the 40th commemoration of the Victoria Cross and will
honour, not the customary two, but three West Indian recipients of the
Victoria Cross.
The Dinner will be held at the Jamaica Officers’ Club at Up Park Camp,
Kingston.
The Dinner will start at 7:30 pm with cocktails, with the dinner course
at 8:00 pm.
The dress for the Dinner is Black Tie. Serving members will be attired
in Regimental Mess Kits.
Head Table Seating at the Dinner
The following persons will be seated at the head table:
Chief Guest - Honourable P L Simpson-Miller, Prime
Minister.
Chief of Staff - Rear Admiral H M Lewin.
Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel D P
Robinson.
Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel D G
Pryce.
Commanding Officer, 3rd Battalion - Lieutenant Colonel L P
Gordon.
Retired Commanding Officer - Colonel (Retired) R K
Barnes.
Approximately 120 to 150 persons are expected to attend. Among the
guests will be retired Chiefs of Staff, former Commanding Officers, the
Honorary Colonels or their representatives from the Allied Regiments -
Staffordshire Regiment (UK) and the Royal Canadian Regiment (Canada),
Defence Attachés, serving and retired officer of the Jamaica Regiment.
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