News Archive

On Friday 11th December, the museum staff put on a Christmas party for the volunteers as a way of saying thank to them for all the hard work they put in towards the running of the museum. Their help is invaluable, without them the museum would not be the success story it is today.

Our picture shows volunteer and ex- Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment Major Mike Smith who cooked and made not just the fantastic buffet food, but also a special Christmas cake. In the background of the picture is Manager/Curator and also ex-Duke of Edinburgh Regiment, Colonel Michael Cornwell who is about to cut the cake.

A welcome home parade in Salisbury for the 4th Battalion, the Rifles took place on a rainy day on Monday 7th December. The battalion recently arrived back at their base in Bulford from deployment in Afghanistan. The regiment has lost 24 servicemen this year.

Four hundred and fifty soldiers were on parade, plus members of the British Legion and the Wiltshire and Royal Berkshire Regiments (Old Comrades). Captain Harry Parker, who was severely wounded in Afghanistan this year presented a painting to the City.
Mayors from Wilton, Amesbury, Warminster and Wootton Bassett attended the proceedings and shops in the city took down their Christmas trees for the day and replaced them with flags.

Our photograph shows members of the battalion on parade in the Market Square prior to an inspection by the Mayor of Salisbury, Bobbie Chettleborough.

"For Gallantry and Service". This is our entry in the Christmas Tree Festival at St Thomas's church, Salisbury. The festival is open from Tues 1 December to Saturday 5 December from 10.00am to 6.00pm, and Sunday 6 December from 1.00 - 6.00pm. For more information go to www.stthomassalisbury.co.uk

Mr and Mrs Welch and their daughter Susan Heath and her husband recently visited the museum to view the Victoria Cross of their ancestor Corporal James Welch VC.

Our photograph was taken on the day with the family proudly holding the medal.

On the 11th November 2009, St Osmund's Catholic Primary School came along to learn about Remembrance Day and why we commemorate it. As part of their visit, the staff and children were invited to take part in the two minute silence at 11 o'clock with staff and volunteers from the Rifles museum, which took place at our flag pole. During the ceremony the flag - the Rifles Regiment flag - was flown at half-mast. Before this all of  the children laid a poppy beside a wreath which had been placed on top of a Wiltshire regiment drum.
Our image shows Michael Cornwell (Manager/Curator) raising the flag after the two minute silence.

If you would like to visit the other tourist attractions in Salisbury's Cathedral Close, then please download and print off the leaflet on the left. This will entitle you to special discounts at Salisbury Cathedral, Mompesson House, Salisbury & South Wiltshire Museum, Arundells and Sarum College Bookshop.


Terms and Conditions.

Please hand your vouchers in on arrival at the attraction offering the discount. All vouchers are valid to 31st March 2010 and are not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Voucher applies to one single transaction or booking. Not available for group bookings. Please check opening times of  The Close attractions. If you would like further information, please contact the relevant attraction or visit their website.

The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum was again flying its Regimental flag at half mast on Thursday 17th September. This time it was in remembrance to Acting Serjeant Stuart McGrath, 28, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, was on foot patrol in the Gereshk district of central Helmand province when he died.

2015 will see the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo.   The Waterloo 200 organisation (MOD Approved) has found an officer descendant but are seeking descendants whose ancestors were at Waterloo as soldiers or non commissioned ranks.   Any such person should make contact be email to evelynwc@hotmail.com or ring 01428 652671

The Museum currently has an exhibition entitled 'War and Peace - a Personal View'.

Find out what it was and is like to be a soldier over a two hundred and fifty year period in times of war and peace from the American War of Independence through to the war in Afghanistan today. On display are archives, artefacts, display boards and a film slide show of images. We have included a Wiltshire Home Guard and a Rifles combat uniform, relics from battle fields and other artefacts related to war and peace. The exhibition is dedicated to the sacrifices made by soldiers from Berkshire and Wiltshire whose records the museum holds. They are the 49th, 66th, 62nd, 99th Regiments of Foot, The Royal Berkshire Regiment, The Wiltshire Regiment, The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment, The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Light Infantry and soldiers from Berkshire and Wiltshire now serving with The Rifles.

Most recently, the museum was given equipment and a uniform as used by soldiers serving in Afghanistan today from the 4th Battalion, the Rifles, who are based at Bulford.  The museum also has on display Afghan captured equipment as used by the Taliban.

Under the theme of 'War' is; the American War of Independence, Wars in the Peninsula, Crimea and China, battles of Ferozeshah, Maiwand and Tofrek, the Boer War, First and Second World Wars, Iraq and Afghanistan. 'Peace' keeping duties include: Conscription, Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Cyprus, guarding Hess and Napoleon, ceremonial duties such as guarding Buckingham Palace, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The information on the display boards have the following titles;- Art, Literature and Photography; Sports, Shows and Pastimes; Pets, Mascots and Souvenirs; Disease, Injury and Treatment and we have used personal accounts from original documents.

The exhibition runs until 30th November 2009, details of opening times can be found under the 'Visitor Information' section of this website.

The only information we have is that this is a photograph of a Wiltshire Home Guard unit, dated October 1942. There are an awful lot of pubs called the Red Lion in Wiltshire, can someone tell us where this one is/was? We would also like to know the names of those shown.

To see a larger version go to The Collection, select Record Number and enter 21471 after the text already in the box.

If you can help please send an email with the subject Red Lion to: curator@thewardrobe.org.uk or write to the address on our Home Page.