Today, in the cold 4C temperature we held the short ceremony.

We read the Thomas Hardy poem ‘A Call to National Service’.

For our Individual Remembrance we remembered Major Oliver ‘Trooper Bluegum’ Hogue. Major Hogue was an Australian who fought in Gallipoli initially, then fought in the battle of Romani in 1916. He was then transferred to the Imperial Camel Corps and fought in Raga, Magdhaba and Gaza.

In July 1918, he was transferred to the 14th Light Horse Regiment and was in Damascus when the Turkish surrendered. He caught influenza and died whilst on leave in London in March 1919 and is buried in Brookwood Cemetery.

We had five standards on parade and our Standard Bearer was Tony Brannigan.

Afterwards we went round to the Trench Experience to try and warm up.

Today’s Last Post followed the short ceremony.

We read the poem ‘Christmas Day On The Somme’ by Leslie George Rub who also featured in our Individual Remembrance.

Leslie George Rub was 23 when he enlisted at Towoomba, Queensland, Australia on 25th August 1915. He sailed for Alexandria on board the H.M.A.T. Wandilla from Brisbane, Queensland. From Alexandria he was transferred from 26th Battalion to 2nd Pioneers because of his carpentry experience, and sent first to France, and then on to Flanders in Belgium.

In autumn 1917, seven weeks after the start of the Third Battle of Ypres, Australian troops finally captured Westhoek Ridge, where German strongholds were manned by machine gunners. Three days later Leslie Rub and other men from his company were in the night making a road between Broodseinde Ridge and Westhoek Ridge when they were shelled. Leslie was hit in the kidneys by shrapnel. He died the next morning, on the 23rd September 1917, at the 1st Australian Ambulance. He is buried at Dickebusch War Cemetry, 5 km southwest of Ypres.

Our Standard Bearer was Tom Milne and Mrs Ruth Moore sounded the Last Post. Alan Lopez from the Maverick Explorer Scout represented Woking District Scouts. Afterwards we retired to The Trench Experience for refreshments.

The Last Post

December Last Post

Today’s Last Post was in conjunction with Woking District Scouts. 90 uniformed young people, together with leaders and the 1st Claygate Scout and Guide Band made for an incredible and moving ceremony. There were approximately 200 people in attendance including the Mayor of Woking and the Surrey Scouts County Commissioner.

Woking District Scouts

1st Claygate Scout and Guide Band

Woking District Standard Bearers

We remembered Marc Nobel from Norfolk. Marc was 10 years old when he attended the first ever Scout camp by Baden-Powell on Brownsea Island in 1907.

Marc went on to become a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery and died of wounds received near Boeshinghe, Ypres on July 1st 1917, ‘Whilst showing great bravery in trying to get help for his wounded comrades’. He was just 20 years of age.

Marc is buried in the Ferme-Olivier Cemetery, Elverdinghe.

Tom Milne was our Standard Bearer and our bugler was one of the young members of the 1st Claygate Scout and Guide Band.

Afterwards, many went round to The Trench Experience where there were refreshments and a camp fire to keep people warm.

The Trench Experience

The Trench Experience Camp Fire