Page 9 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 56

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

The silver casket the Corps of Drums of the Army Apprentices
containing the Freedom College (ACC). The programme itself includes a
Scroll designed and made
by Mr Gerald Benny short History of the Army Catering Corps as well
DesRCA as a number of images, some of which have been
reproduced here. The card which may be found
inside the First Day Cover reads as follows:

The Army Catering Corps, whose Colonel-in-Chief
is Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Kent, was
formed in March 1941 and is responsible for all
aspects of Catering in the British Army. It was on
the 19th May 1971 that the Representative Colonel
Commandant, General Sir Anthony Read, KCB,
CBE, DSO, MC, ADC(Gen), Quarter-Master General
were presented by the Borough to The Parachute
to the Forces, received the Freedom Scroll on
Regiment, The Corps of Royal Engineers and The
behalf of the Corps from the Worshipful the Mayor
Royal Corps of Transport. His other commissions
of Aldershot, Councillor William E Farthing.
have included British Government gifts to visiting
The special hand stamp on this commemorative
Foreign Heads of State, a large bowl given to
cover illustrates the present ACC Training Centre
the then Prime Minister and dining silver for
at Aldershot. Completed in 1970, it is the largest
the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a
Catering School of its kind in the world and domi-
number of pieces for the Stock Exchange. It is of
nates the Aldershot skyline.
interest to note that the craftsmen of the Scroll
and the Casket are brothers, whose father, the late
Mr E A Sallis Benney RBA ARCA was well
known as Principal of the Brighton College of Art
and as a painter of the Sussex landscape.
The Freedom Parade was attended by:
l Colonel-in-Chief, Her Royal Highness
The Duchess of Kent
l Representative Colonel Commandant, General
Sir Anthony Read, KCB, CBE, DSO, MC,
ADC(Gen)
l Director Army Catering Corps, Brigadier
The cover depicts a parchment scroll, the Royal
H A Decker
Garrison Church of All Saints, and that famous
l Commandant Army Catering Corps Training Editor: Those were Aldershot landmark, the Duke of Wellington’s
Centre, Brigadier L E Madrell ERD indeed the days! statue completed in 1846, and moved to Hyde Park
Amongst those officers on Parade were adjutant, I couldn’t resist also Corner, London in 1885 on the orders of His Royal
including in this article
Captain N S Nash ACC and No 4 Company
a picture taken from the Highness The Prince of Wales.
Commander, Major A F Barnett ACC. Music for Conferment programme of The Borough Arms, also depicted, were granted
the Parade was provided by The Staff Band of the three Apprentice Chefs of on 7th May 1923 and are based on the arms of
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and the first squad in 1947.
the Tichborne family who owned the Manor of
Aldershot from 1599 to about 1750. Additional
quarterings represent the Bishopric of Winchester
and the Borough’s military associations. The family
motto of the Tichbornes was PUGNA PRO PATRIA
(FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY). No motto could be
more appropriate to the Borough of Aldershot with
its great military traditions.
The badge of the Corps is a circle inscribed Army
Catering Corps surmounted by the Elizabethan
crown. Within the circle is an ancient Grecian brazier.
At the close of the Ceremony on the 19th
May 1971, the Corps then exercised its right and
distinction of marching through the streets of the
Borough with bands playing, drums beating and
bayonets fixed, thus joining those select Regiments
and Corps granted this great honour.

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