2022 ANZAC Day – Westminster Infantry Officers Mess and St Johns the Evangelist, Sutton Veny

Date/Time
Date(s) - 24/04/2022
All Day






The Britain-Australia Society West Country Branch Anzac Day 2021 Zoom






THE BRITAIN-AUSTRALIA SOCIETY
WEST COUNTRY BRANCH

PRESIDENT: LORD HAGUE OF RICHMOND
CHAIRMAN: DAMIAN WALSH

WEST COUNTRY BRANCH

BRISTOL – CORNWALL – DEVON – DORSET – GLOUCESTERSHIRE – SOMERSET – WILTSHIRE

Patron: Sir James Tidmarsh KCVO MBE JP
Branch Chairman: Keith G. Newton

11/04/2022

To West Country Branch Members of the Britain-Australia Society

REMINDER – Commemorate ANZAC Day 2022 Sunday April 24th, 2022






I am pleased to provide the details and invitations for this year’s ANZAC Day lunch and Service of Remembrance at Sutton Veny. After two years of Covid lock downs and having to hold virtual services, we look forward to seeing many of our members and their guests in attendance.

The Remembrance Service, held at the Church of St John the Evangelist, Sutton Veny, was one of the first ANZAC Day services conducted in the world. It was broadcast live to Australia by the ABC for many years. Before the church service, the West Country Branch of the Britain-Australia Society will again hold a lunch at The Infantry Officers’ Mess at Warminster.

The cost of the lunch is £32 for members and £35 for non-members. This includes a short reception, buffet lunch and wine followed by coffee served in the anteroom.

As in prior years the Branch will hold its AGM just prior to the lunch. Could branch members please arrive for the 11.30am AGM, while guests could either arrive for the 12 midday reception, or take coffee /tea in the reception room while the AGM is completed.

Keith Newton
Chairman, West Country Branch, Britain-Australia Society

To book please download the Anzac Day PDF booking form.

There are two options to completing the form:

  1. Download and save to your computer, fill in the form, save and attach to an email.
  2. Open from the link above, complete the form in your internet browser, select the Print icon top right and print it as a new Adobe PDF. Then attach it to an email. Email the completed form to Eva Hamiton at evahamilton@hotmail.com

Please ensure your form entries are present on the form before sending. To print a copy of the invitation please download the PDF Invitation here.

You will need to ensure we have your Car registration and you will need to bring your Licence with you on the day.

THE PROGRAMME

  11:30 – 12:00 Branch Annual General Meeting.  
  12:00 – 12:30 Reception at the Infantry Officers’ Mess Warminster.  
 
  12:30 – 13:45 Lunch and after lunch speeches in the Infantry Officers’ Mess. Wine and soft drinks included.  
 
  13:45 – 14:15 Coffee – in the anteroom.  
  14:25 Please drive to the Church and ensure you take your seat there promptly by 14:45.  
 
  15:00 ANZAC Day Service of Remembrance at St. John the Evangelist, Sutton Veny followed by wreath laying at the War Memorial in the churchyard.  
 
 
  16:00 – 17:00 Afternoon Tea at Sutton Veny Village Hall.  

Would members please reply as soon as possible but no later than Monday April 18th. Refunds for cancellations can be made up to that date. No tickets will be issued.

Speaker: CDRE Guy Holthouse (RAN)

BIO: COMMODORE GUY HOLTHOUSE, AM, RAN





Commodore Guy Holthouse AM RAN

Commodore Guy Holthouse graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College in 1983, qualifying as a Principal Warfare Officer (PWO), specialising as an Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) Officer in 1993. After serving in a variety of roles at sea and ashore, he undertook the first of four overseas postings during his career; in 1997 on Exchange with the US Navy, in 2009 as the inaugural Australian Defence Force Attaché to Southern Europe (Madrid), responsible for Spain, Italy, Greece and Egypt, in 2019 as the Defence Adviser and Head of Australian Defence Staff (London) to the United Kingdom and Defence Attaché to Ireland and most recently, in 2022 as the Nuclear Powered Submarine Attaché to the United Kingdom.

Operationally, Commodore Holthouse has deployed to East Timor in support of the Australian-led UN mission, Operation TANAGER, over the changeover of Millennium. He was seconded to Commander US Naval Central Command Bahrain, in support of Australia’s participation in OP IRAQI FREEDOM, and the Global War On Terror – OP ENDURING FREEDOM in 2003, and has served on the staffs of National and International Headquarters both at sea and ashore.

In addition to his at-sea roles as a PWO, he served as the Executive Officer in HMAS CANBERRA, and commanded HMAS SYDNEY, both Guided Missile Frigates. Ashore, he has been the Commander, Tactical Development, Deputy Commander of the RAN Surface Force, and commanded the Australian Maritime Warfare Centre.

Ashore, he completed the Australian Command and Staff Course in 2002, the UK Higher Command and Staff Course in 2018 and holds Masters Degrees in Management and Business Administration. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in January 2015, and has been recognised by Spain through the award of the Cruz de Mérito Naval con distintivo Blanco (Naval Cross of Merit), and the United States via a United States Presidential Meritorious Service Medal. In addition, he was awarded an Australian Vice Chief of Defence Force Gold Commendation.






St. John The Evangelist, Sutton Veny

In 1918 a number of servicemen, many of them Australians, who died in the influenza epidemic of that year, are buried in the graveyard alongside those who died from wounds. Five Australian nurses are also buried there. Regular services are held today by the Upper Wylye Parish Team and there is a yearly memorial service on the Sunday closest to Anzac Day.

DIRECTIONS TO THE INFANTRY TRAINING OFFICERS MESS AT WARMINSTER & AFTERWARDS TO SUTTON VENY CHURCH

The main entrance to the Land Warfare Centre is on Imber Road to the North East of the town. Please report to the guard at the gate and you will then be checked in and directed to the Infantry Training Officer’s Mess, which is situated at the far end of the Centre. Details of the route to nearby Sutton Veny from the Infantry Mess will be handed out as you leave.

St Johns Church: 11 Springhead, Sutton Veny, Warminster BA12 7AG