In days of old an army’s Colours would be trooped through the ranks prior to an engagement, so that they could be recognised as a rallying point during the course of the battle.
Colours were carried into battle and defended from falling into enemy hands at all costs.
The Earl of Douglas will have trouped his colour prior to the famous Battle of Otterburn in 1388 and defended it to the end.
Colours are no longer carried into battle but they still constitute the symbol of the regiments’ honour and represent its devotion to duty. As such they are held in the greatest esteem by an officers and soldiers. They are brought out on important parades and regimental occasions and are escorted by a ‘Colour Party’.
It was in the spirit of this that the gentlemen of the Otterburn Society agreed that it would be appropriate for the society to possess a Colour.
The society Colour was designed by the Heraldic Officer and presented for the first time at Otterburn XXIX. The inaugural trouping ceremony took place following an excellent lunch of soup and sandwiches. The standard was trouped from the Percy Arms to the Otterburn Tower.
On arrival, the newly founded colour party was despatched to raise the standard high over the ramparts of the Tower to announce the presence of The Otterburn Society for their annual conference. A rallying symbol indeed !
The Colours of a regiment always stay with the regiment. As the Otterburn Society convene only for a few days per year this would not feasible for the Otterburn Society. It was decided therefore that it would be more appropriate to hold the Society Colours in Otterburn, the birthplace and emotional heart of the Society.
It was agreed that the Colour should be held in the safe custody of the Heraldic Officer at his residence in the village of Otterburn. The Heraldic Officer accepted full responsibility for recovering the Colour from the Tower and its correct folding and storage until the next gathering of the Otterburn Society.
Members will remember the particularly cold winter of 2010. The deep snow remained on the ground for several weeks in Northumberland following Otterburn XXIX.
By the spring of 2011, reports of sightings of the Society Colour over the Otterburn Tower were being received.
The Heraldic Officer denied that the standard could be still at the tower, having apparently instructed a local steeplejack to recover it. By March 2011 of the Society Standard had been lowered and the Union Flag raised over the ramparts of the Tower.
During what must have been a very uncomfortable few months following this, the Heraldic Officer admitted that he was unable to confirm the precise whereabouts of the Society Colour.
The HO was subsequently to enjoy a trip to the borders village of Moffat in search of it, but not unfortunately Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire.
Members need not have been concerned and arrived in Otterburn on the last weekend of November to see the colour hoisted at the approach to Otterburn.
Members were oblivious to the Heraldic Officer’s anxiety of the preceding days – the Standard only being recovered by the Heraldic Officer following a last minute trip to Hexham to visit Mr and Mrs Harding and then along the Tyne valley to meet with their son David in Corbridge !
The stand of colours hoisted to greet members at the entrance to the Tower comprised the Colour of the Otterburn Society flanked by the Standards of the county of Northumberland and the country of Scotland.
As Treasurer of the Society, the renowned inventor of the Otterburn syringe, Jeremy Featherstone, was eager to ensure that he was not required to serve another term as Treasurer by making sure that all arrangements were in place for another successful conference, again.
The Treasurer was thrown into a state of disarray however when he learned that a message had been received from the Tower requesting the Society not to hold the customary firework display from the lawns of the Tower.
The reason being that this might frighten some horses !
Rather than seeing this as an opportunity, the Treasurer ”tested the water” in the days preceding the annual conference by suggesting that the traditional firework display should be cancelled !
This suggestion was met with a barrage of protest from members.
The Treasurer eventually acknowledged the importance of maintaining the society’s traditions and the sleeve of his jacket and announced that this year’s thirtieth anniversary firework display would take place in the grounds of the Otterburn Hall Hotel.
This in itself was an excellent plan however raised a significant logistics challenge for the treasurer.
The Treasurer assured members that they wouldn’t have to walk to the display and further confirmed that they would not be required to go on horseback.
With the Treasurer confident that all was in place for a successful Otterburn, members arrived in Otterburn to settle down to a lunch of soup & sandwiches at the Percy. Members then retired to the Tower for presentations.
The annual general meeting was held following presentations.
At the AGM the Treasurer again attempted to reassure members that appropriate means had been provided to transport members between the Tower and the Hall for the firework display.
Despite the fact that the venue for the firework display had changed, the Chairman congratulated Mr Featherstone for organising a superb Otterburn. The Treasurer was pleased to accept these words of support, but refused to be drawn on exactly how members might get to the Hall.
The thirtieth annual general meeting of the Society was marked with no forfeits whatsoever !
Mr Randall Flack retired as Chairman and was succeeded by Jeremy Featherstone. Big dick (Richard) Tarn was elected Treasurer and Daniel F Woods was elected Secretary.
A traditional champagne reception followed hosted by Maj (retd) Angus of The Otterburn Towers. Members were delighted that long standing friend of the Society, John Goodfellow, was also able to attend the reception.
At the reception, attention soon focused on the society’s age old problem of opening and enjoying bottles of Champagne.
Retired Army Maj Angus agreed to demonstrate Le Sabrage, a technique he proved to be more than proficient in, having practiced the technique regularly whilst commissioned.
On this occasion the society shears making an appropriate alternative to a Pooley.
Following an excellent dinner at the Tower, members eagerly assembled on the terrace of the Tower to see the vehicle that had been provided.
Joe Bamford founded JCB in 1945 manufacturing tipping trailers. Members were relieved to see that a more contemporary JCB vehicle had been provided, however were then dismayed to find that the members would, in line with this JCB tradition, be required to travel in an old trailer, albeit not a tipping variety.
It was extremely windy that night. One estimate suggested wind gusts of up to 90 mph. The journey from the Tower to the Hall is quite uncomfortable in an agricultural trailer towed by a large tractor, only marginally better is the back of a Land Rover.
Members were warmly received at the Hall and enjoyed further Champagne in what had originally been the Library of Otterburn Hall.
With members suitable refortified, they ventured out into the grounds for the firework display. It was exceptionally windy – the fireworks travelled vertically until above the tops of the trees at which point their trajectory became almost horizontal (towards the hall).
Fortunately the society’s HSE executive was on hand to ensure that safe operating procedures were observed. A management of change plan was followed although this was not documented until later.
Following Big dick (Richard) Tarn’s appointment as Treasurer of the Society great care was taken to ensure that membership fees were correctly apportioned.
Following the society’s traditional award to the Nchima trust, the Director of procurement of Champagne and Pencils was pleased to receive the (cash) donation and assured members that he would enjoy his essential fact finding visit to Malawi again in 2012 !
Members dispersed on the Sunday morning before lunch, by which time the Society’s Colour was safely on the hands of the Heraldic Officer !
