Page 33 - br-aug-2020

August 2020 August 2020
President - Ian Spalding R O G S
In January 1917, Captain Plunkett, now Drax, took Captain - Neil Middleditch c/o Mr G R Storey, Secretary
command of a Light Cruiser, HMS Blanche, Vice - Matt March 9 Boswells Close, Bere Regis, BH20 7JE
although he played no further part in naval actions Secretary - Guy Storey Telephone:- 01929 471041
during the remainder of the war. At the end of the Treasurer - Peter Cheeseman
www.bereregis.com e-mail: golf@bereregis.com
war, Reginald was appointed as the first Director of
the new Royal Navy Staff College at Greenwich. Golf Days held every month, usually the last Friday, from February through to October.
Intellectually, he stood out from amongst his fellow Membership currently full. Contact Guy Storey – 471041 for waiting list and details.
officers and his agile and analytical brain proved V E N U E S 2020
to be a stimulus to the future generation senior
naval commanders. He then had the tricky job as Date Venue Trophy Winner
President of the Inter-Allied Control Commission in
post-war Berlin followed by command of the 6th March Ferndown Golf Club Members Challenge Cancelled
battleship, HMS Marlborough in the Atlantic Fleet. 27th March Rushmore Golf Club GRS Trophy
He was Commander–in-Chief America and West Cancelled
Indies and then Commander-in-Chief Plymouth for 24 April Came Down Golf Club Jim Corbin Cup Cancelled
th
3 years. He was promoted to Rear Admiral in 1928
and to Vice Admiral and a Knighthood in 1932. 29th May Salisbury and South Wilts GC Ex-Landlord’s cup Cancelled
th
26 June Ashley Wood Golf Club President’s Cup Cancelled
In August 1939, under the threat of impending war with Nazi Germany, Drax led
the high level Anglo-French Mission to Moscow to try to persuade the Soviets to 31st July Bulbury Golf Club Memorial Cup
join in a tripartite alliance against the Nazis. Negotiations came to an abrupt halt
after 2 weeks when the Soviets unexpectedly signed a pact with the Nazis. 28th August Dorset Golf and Country Club Captain’s Cup
Humiliated and alarmed, the Allied Mission aborted and withdrew. War broke out
th
25 September Lyme Regis Golf Club Whitbread Pairs
a few weeks later.
th
30 October Dibden Golf Centre Zoom Trophy
He served during the Second World War as Commander-in- Chief of the Nore
before retiring in 1941 at the age of 61. He then served in the Home Guard in Kent
and made one further sea-going voyage when he was recalled to act as a Mini Tour - 12th-14th June - Llandhydrock GC | AGM - 11th November -
convoy commander during the Battle of Atlantic. Bere Regis Sports Club | Christmas Cup of Good Cheer and Presentation Evening
- 5th December at Wareham Golf Club |
What of his role as squire? The title of squire was both archaic and ill-defined. It
was not a formal or official title but had come about through ‘custom and
practice’. It was generally used by a landlord living close to a community, very
often, but not in the case of Bere Regis, in the local ‘manor house’. The squire very
often owned many of the tenanted properties in the community and many
tenants also worked for the squire and lived in tied accommodation. Generally,
the hierarchical arrangement was benevolent although it could sometimes result
in dismissals at short notice and the loss of tied accommodation. In the Great War,
the Parish Magazine for April 1916 records the death of Reginald’s mother, Lady
Dunsany:
‘Lady Dunsany was known personally to few of those who lived on her property,
not because she did not want to know them, but because her health did not
permit her to move freely about. We have many things for which to thank her, she
was most generous in allowing the use of the Drax Hall, no small boon to the parish
and she gave generous subscriptions to sundry parochial objects. [The Drax Hall
was used throughout the Great War as a tea room, mainly for the benefit of the

52 33