The Rifles Berkshire and Wiltshire Museum in Salisbury will re-open on Monday 16 February 2026. The final stages of the refurbishment are underway and in early January the museum staff will start filling the display cabinets with the artefacts. The work on bringing the collection up to date and displaying it in an interesting and imaginative way has been a long process, one that started over three years ago. 

Major Clyde Aylin, who served with 1st Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment in Cyprus during 1956 - 59, attended the Cyprus Veterans Memorial Service at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire on 24 August.  He writes that "it was held to remember the 371 soldiers who died in this extraordinary war on two fronts - like elsewhere.  On the one hand the Eoka Ennosis campaign by the Greek Cypriots and on the other hand keeping the Greek and Turkish Cypriots from killing one another.  We additionally took part in riot control in Nicosia."

The Association has been informed of the death on 21 March 2025 in hospital in Bath of Montague John Thomas Dermott, known as Monty, aged 90 years.  Our records show Mr Dermott as being born in 1932 but his family's account places his birth date in 1935.  

He joined the Army at The Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion in Plumer Barracks, Plymouth and served with 4th Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment before transferring to 1st Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment.  

In the 1950s he served with 1 R. Berks in both Cyprus and the Canal Zone during the 1956 Suez operation.  Mr Dermott leaves his widow, Brenda, grandchildren Stacey and Scott and 4 great grandchildren.  His daughter Sandra pre-deceased him.