Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 1. pg60
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Christmas Day Dinner of 7th and 8th Berks
Image Details
| Title | Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 1. pg60 |
|---|---|
| Date | 1916 |
| Page number | Unknown |
| Publisher | Reading Standard |
| Description | 224 pages bound volume |
| Horizon Number: | 1246254 |
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OCR Text
CHRISTMAS DAY DINNER
T h e Christmas celebration s of th e 7th Battalion and 8th Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1914 w ere an even t o f outstan din g in terest. W ith a kindly th ou gh t fo r th e recru its w ho were
u n d ergoin g train in g at Reading, th e people o f R ea d in g g a ve freely o f th eir m oney and th eir services to m ake th e season one of u n forgetta b le jo llity fo r these exiles from th e fam ily circle. A s an
ou tcom e o f th is spirit of self-denial and good fellow ship both b a ttalions, or th ose N .C .O . s and men of th e b attalion s who did n ot receive leave, had a sum ptuous dinner of old-fashioned fare.
The din in g halls w ere th e Corn Exchange and Vincent's Garage which had been brigh ten ed by a p rofu se display of flags and stream ers, and which accom m odated a t lon g tables about 1,600 guests. The
dishes w ere served steam ing h ot and included th e ever-pop u lar plum -pudding. This was p rovided by pu blic gen erosity and so w ere fruit, tobacco, beer a nd mineral waters, w hich added so m uch to
th e en joym en t o f th e even t. In th e corn er o f th e hall an orchestra discou rsed m usic, perhaps as an aid t o easy digestion , and th e proceedin gs were fu rth e r enlivened by snatches o f song and volleys
o f jest. " H e re we are, H ere w e are, H ere we are again !" 800 lu sty voices would shout in unison at the arrival of a nother dish, and of course th at w a r classic, " I t â s a lon g w ay to Tipperary ," figured
in th e flow o f song. The diners w ere in th e h igh est spirits, th e best o f tem pers, and the Christmas spirit pervaded everyw here. They were having a ra ttlin g good time.
Photo by]
7th BATT. ROYAL BERKS REGIMENT IN THE CORN EXCHANGE.
[C. E. May.