On Saturday 30th May 2026 members of White Ensign Lodge, their wives, partners & friends gathered at the National Memorial Arboretum for a very special and unique occasion.
We were delighted to receive and welcome W. Bro. Rev. Fr. Justin T Parker, CF, PSGD, AsstPGM who was to act as our “Sin Bosun” for the day and W. Bro. Tim M L Jones, PAGReg, APGM Elect and his wife Gill together with a Guard of Honour of Sea and Royal Marine Cadets from Burton on Trent and Tamworth & Lichfield.
At 11:30 the party moved to the Allied Special Forces Memorial Grove to conduct the Dedication Service of the White Ensign Lodge No. 9169 Memorial. Erected to honour those Founders and Members who had served in and with Special Forces and Special Operations during WWII and since with particular reference to our Past Honorary Member W. Bro. PO Cox’n Tommy Gould VC. Indeed, amongst our membership we still have those who have served in such Operations in Borneo, the Malay Peninsula, Radfan, Kuwait, Northern Ireland, the South Atlantic, Iraq and Afghanistan. At 12:00 the Padre called the party together and there then followed a moving Service of Dedication with the unveiling of the Memorial followed by an excellent Oration given by the Padre which included the Exhortation and Act of Remembrance, with a former RM Bugle Major sounding Last Post & Reveille. Two wreaths were laid, one for White Ensign Lodge by W. Bro. Les Leek, IPM and the other for the Special Boat Service Association by W. Bro. Ian Fothergill.
Just prior to the Finale W. Bro. Ian Fothergill presented Charity Cheques to Mike Colton, the Founder of the Grove with a cheque for £1,000 and the Commanders of the two Sea Cadet Units with cheques for £250.00 each. The party then returned to the Founders Room to enjoy a Buffet Lunch.