Berkshire and The War: the "Reading Standard" pictorial record. Volume 4. p 908

1st Vol. Batt. Royal Berkshire Regiment Victory Dinner.

The part played by the Volunteers during the war has been one of quiet unobtrusive work, often in face of public apathy, and worse, scorn, and for a long time without any official Government support or assistance. In estimating the value of their work we must consider not only the actual service rendered, which was by no means inconsiderable, but also the constant state of preparedness in which the Force held itself, should the need have arisen to face an invasion or any other disastrous eventuality. No such need did actually arise, but if it had the Volunteers, we may be confident, would have translated their ever eager and keen spirit into terms of practical action.

Considerable interest therefore attached to the invitation dinner to all members of the Reading Volunteers held in the Town Hall on Feb 18, 1919, when the principal business which awaited the large company of diners, who numbered between two and three hundred, was the presentation of a handsome silver salver to their late Commandant, Colonel Kellie.

Lieut.-Colonel F. G. Barker presided at the function, and with him were the Mayor, Mr. S. Hayward, Brigadier-General W. A. Collings, Colonel J. Kellie, Lieut.-Colonel J. H. Hodgson, Colonel Kensington, Colonel Coleridge, Colonel O. P. Serocold, Colonel J. G. R. Walsh, Major J. T. Wheble, Major M. L. Porter, Major Hall, Captain J. St. L. Wheble, Captain H. F. Kingham, Captain Guthrie, Captain Parfitt, Captain A. S. Cooper, Capt. Phillips, Lieuts. T. R. Kent, Brodie, A. G. Hubbard, Greet, Plenty, Wrottesley, Marriott, Oades, Bray and Miller, Lieut and Quartermaster P. Greenall, and Messrs. W. J. Henman, J. Rushbrooke and A. W. A. Webb.

After the usual loyal toasts had been honoured Colonel BARKER announced the presentation to Colonel Kellie. The offering, he said, which the Battalion was about to make to him had been subscribed to by all ranks and all companies and all sections of the Battalion. (Applause.) He had brought the experience gained in India and on other service to bear upon the work of the Battalion, and his work had been performed in a most thorough way. Colonel Kellie had been gazetted out just before the armistice, and it was rather a pity that he could not have seen the thing right through. As to the future of the Volunteers, he knew no more than they did themselves. Nothing had been settled as yet, but personally he thought it would be a very great pity if the work of Col. Kellie and his m en should be thrown away and not continue to be utilised. Their offering to their late Colonel was a small one, but it would serve as a memento of the hard work he had put in with the Battalion. He wished the Colonel long life and happiness, and hoped he would be able to look at the salver for many years to come. (Applause.)

Colonel KELLIE, in a brief reply, thanked them most sincerely for the present and the kindly spirit which had induced them to make it. He had been with them for about two years, and to him it had been a very interesting time; though at times things had not been quite plain sailing. His chief work, he felt, had been to let the officers do their work and see that they did do it. Perhaps he personally might appear to have done little. His officers had worked splendidly, and his only regret was that he could not have done more him self. He wanted them all to think of him as comrades and friends, and whenever he saw that handsome tray he would not forget who had given it to him.

Colonel O. P. SEROCOLD then proposed the toast of "A" Company 1st V.B. Royal Berks Regiment. He said that he had first been appointed County Commandant of Berkshire in April, 1917. Since then he had had several opportunities of seeing them at their training, and their work had been of a character to satisfy any inspecting officer. Recently they had been very badly hit by the raising of the military age limit to 50. Their loss had been the Army's gain, and many had left the Volunteer ranks in consequence. But still they were able to replace their losses in a great measure. Many of them had been to the East Coast last summer and the service company that went there had covered itself with credit. He also wished to say how much they appreciated the sacrifice made by those old Volunteers who merged them selves into Section A. Their future was unknown, but he imagined that it was largely wrapped up in the future of the Territorial Force. Obviously there was no room for both units to carry on together - €” they must either amalgamate or else one must give way. In conclusion, he congratulated "A" Company on their officers; first of all their most competent company commander, Captain Kingham - (applause) - and all their other officers.

Captain KINGHAM, responding, remarked that he had been connected with the Volunteers since the inception of the movement in 1914, when they started in Reading under Col. Hodgson. When they considered the amount of work and time put into the movement they realised that there was behind it the desire to help their country in time of need. Though not actually mobilised they had come very near it at the time of the German offensive on Paris. The company had sent 150 men to the East Coast, who had done splendidly. He was certain that those m en were prepared to do everything they possibly could -€” even to laying down their lives. A million men who joined the Army had passed through the Volunteer ranks, and that must have been some help to the Army. He would like to mention certain names, and first that of Lieut. Plubbard, the assistant adjutant, the amount of whose work none would ever know. Then Lieut, and Quarter-M aster Greenall, who was still in the middle of his work now. Also he would mention Captain Guthrie, Q.M.S. Jeffs, Sergt.-Major Newman, Sergt. Parfitt, Cpl. Gill, Q.M.S. Cutts, Sergt. Higgs, and Corpl. Davies. Even the man who had put in his drills deserved just as much praise as any other.

[photo, group, interior] THE SCENE IN THE TOWN HALL. [Photo by Speller, Reading.]