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Barry Ditchburn

We may have lost the Colony all those years ago, but Barry Ditchburn is upholding the Traditions of the FIGHTING FIFTH over in New York.

The following letter and photographs from Barry (He and his wife Joe will be with us in Blackpool 2008) show that he is holding his and the end of the FIGHTING FIFTH  in the land of the free. Thank you Barry, your support and your dedication is greatly appreciated.

 5^th Royal Tank Regiment Association

 

(USA Branch)

 

Greetings to all from across the pond

 I am sorry I missed you all at Bridlington this year, opting instead to attend the 90^th    Cambrai celebrations in France.

We have already booked for Blackpool (2008)

 Josephine and I traveled to Australia, where we spent time with Nial and Juliet Wimot and also Ian and Harriet Bardsley. Ian expressed a desire to make it to Blackpool in the near future.

 

The past two years I have been president of the British War Veterans, Nassau County, there are about seventy former UK Forces members in the New York area, none of which are ex-tankies. This November I will again lead our contingent up Fifth Avenue in the annual Veterans Day Parade on Sunday the 11^th. We are fortunate to have a pipe band, which makes keeping

step a lot easier.

One year I managed to con Doug Dawson into marching, he kept asking ‘how much further’, only 27 city blocks after which he did get free lunch aboard the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid.

 

The North American branch also includes David (Geordie) Armes, Lexington Kentucky, Will Dodge in Ontario, Canada and I do believe Jeff Peel who lives somewhere in New Jersey with the American Peace Corps lady he met in Borneo.

 

I extend my appreciation to Terry Price, its great to have our own ‘Fighting Fifth’ web- site; hopefully we can enlarge our regimental circle as more of our comrades discover the site.

 

Fear Naught

 

Barry Ditchburn