OPEN DAYS & EVENTS
for the
Desert Rats Association
[7th Armoured Division (Desert Rats) Thetford Forest Memorial Association]
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Recent and Upcoming Events
(To see the latest events please click here)
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Rededication of the Desert Rats Memorial (High Ash) and the Commemoration for the 80th Anniversary of the Desert Rats leaving for Normandy We would like to thank everyone who attended the rededication of the Desert Rats Memorial, on Sunday 5th May 2024. Photographs and a video from the event will be available soon
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Past Events
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65th Anniversary of the Battle of Alamein - 24th October 2007 A commemoration was held in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall at the memorial in Thetford Forest. At this event it was formally announced that Her Royal Highness had become the Patron of Memorial Association. Some photographs of the event are available here, with a video of the Remembrance Service
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Orwell Park 2010 The Orwell Park reunion was take place this year on Tuesday 23rd November 2010, in the presence of the Memorial Association's Patron HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. Photographs from the day are now available here.
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Open Day 2011 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 19th June 2011 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 19th June 2011. Many thanks to everyone who came along and supported the event. Pictures from the event are available here.
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Veteran's El Alamein Visit - October 2011 In October 2011, a small group of veterans accompanied by family and the Memorial Association Chairman, Mr. Rod Scott and his wife Tina, the Treasurer visited the El Alamein battlefield and the El Alamein War Cemetery. During the visit to the latter a wreath was laid on behalf of the Associations Patron, HRH. The Duchess of Cornwall, on 23rd October, the 69th Anniversary of the start of the battle. To see some pictures of this trip please click here. |
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Open Day 2012 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 24th June 2012 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 24th June 2012. This year is the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. The Committee and Members of the Association would like to thank everyone who attended. Pictures from the event are available here.
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Open Day 2013 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 16th June 2013 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 16th June 2014. The association wished to thank all those who supported us. Photographs of the event and video clips are now available.
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Remembrance Sunday 2013 The Association would like to thank the 700 plus people you attended the Remembrance service on Sunday 10th November 2013. It was wonderful to see so many people supporting Remembrance Day at the Memorial in Thetford Forest.
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Open Day 2014 Desert Rat
Memorial Reunion Open Day - 15th June 2014
This year's
open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured
Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 15th June
2014. The association wished to thank all those who supported us.
Photographs
of the event and video
clips are now available.
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Remembrance Sunday 2014 The Association would like to thank all those you were at the Memorial for the service on Sunday 9th November 2014.
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Open Day 2015 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 21st June 2015 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 21st June 2015. Photographs and video clips of the event are now available.
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Foundation Parade - 7th Infantry Brigade and HQ East On 30th July 2015 Veterans and Members of the Association attended the Parade to commemorate the Operational readiness of 7th Infantry Brigade and HQ East (The Desert Rats) who in the modern Army continue the heritage of the Desert Rats. Photographs of the event are now available.
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Remembrance Sunday The Association would like to thank all those you were at the Memorial for the service on Sunday 8th November 2015.
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Orwell Park 2016 The Orwell Park reunion took place this year on Thursday 26th May 2016. Veterans and members of the Association will be in attendance.
Some photographs of the even are available here.
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Open Day 2016 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 19th June 2016 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 19th June 2016. Many thanks to all who attended the event and made it such a success. Some photographs and video clips of the event are available here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2016 The Association would like to thank all those you attended this year's Remembrance Sunday service, in support of the Association and more importantly in Remembrance of those who fell in past and more recent conflicts. Pictures from the event are available here.
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Orwell Park School Memorial Day Service 2017 The Orwell Park reunion took place this year on Thursday 18th May 2017. Veterans and members of the Association were in attendance as guests of the school. The details and photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Memorial Day 2017 Desert Rat Memorial Reunion Open Day - 18th June 2017 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 18th June 2017, at the Memorial, High Ash, North of Mundford, Norfolk. Despite it being an extremely hot day, many thanks to all those who came along to support us. Pictures of the day's events can be viewed here.
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Desert
Rats Association Sunday 27th August 2017 - The Association would like to thank everyone who made this event such a great success. Photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Charity Fundraising Event 2017 Saturday 14th October 2017 – Charity fundraising event Thetford, dinner/dance with a 1940s theme to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Battle of El Alamein. Photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance 2017 With 2017 being the 75th Anniversary of the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Association was invited to attend this years Festival, on 11th November 2017, with Mr Len Burritt, who served in Divisional HQ for the entire war, being a guest of honour at the event.
Pictures of the event can be viewed here. |
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Remembrance Sunday 2017 The Association held a Remembrance Sunday Service at the Memorial on Sunday 12th November 2017.
Many thanks to everyone who came along and supported Remembrance Day at the Memorial in Thetford Forest.
Pictures of the day's events can be viewed here.
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Orwell Park School Memorial Day Service 2018 The Orwell Park reunion took place this year on Thursday 17th May 2018. Veterans and members of the Association were in attendance as guests of the school. The details and photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Memorial Open Day 17th June 2018 This year's open day and reunion for all Desert Rats past and present from the 7th Armoured Division, and from the 4th and 7th Armoured Brigades, was held on Sunday 17th June 2018, at the Memorial, High Ash, North of Mundford, Norfolk. Despite the weather being a bit 'mixed', many thanks to all those who came along to support us. Some photographs and video clips of the event are available here.
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Desert Rats Association Companion Dog Show This year's Companion Dog Show was held on Sunday 19th August 2018 on Oxborough Village Green, PE33 9PS. Many thanks to everyone who attended and made the event such as success. Photographs of the day are now available here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2018 This year's Remembrance Sunday Service, coincided with the 100th Anniversary of the Armistice that signified the end of The Great War (1914-18), on Sunday 11th November 2018. Photographs of the event and video can found here.
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1940s
D-Day Dinner and Dance We would like to thank everyone who came along to this event on 6th April 2019, had made it such a successful event. Many of you kindly took the time to thank us and tell what a great time you had, which is great news for us. Some pictures of the event and videos of the event are available here.
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Orwell Park School Memorial Day 2019 The Orwell Park reunion took place this year on Thursday 16th May 2019. Veterans and members of the Association were in attendance as guests of the school. The details and photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Memorial Open Day June 2019 Many thanks to every one who attended his year's open day on Sunday 23rd June 2019, at the Memorial, High Ash, North of Mundford, Norfolk and made it such a great success. Photographs of the event are be available here.
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Companion Dog Show The Association held its annual Companion Dog Show, on 25th August 2019 at Oxborough Village Hall, Norfolk. Photographs of the event are now available here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2019 This year's Remembrance Sunday Service was held on Sunday 10th November 2019 and as ever was very well attended. Many thanks to everyone who attended. Photographs of the event can found here.
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Desert
Rats Association This year we are holding an online Fun Dog Show this year instead of an actual show due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to keep visitors and volunteers safe. Details of our sponsors and photographs of the winners can be found here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2020 The Desert Rats Association, is extremely pleased to have held a Service of Remembrance at the Desert Rat Memorial, High Ash, on the A1065 between Mundford and Swaffham, Norfolk, on Sunday 8th November 2019. A Live Stream video of the event is on our Facebook Group page and photographs and a copy of the video of the service are available here.
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Memorial Open Day 2021 We would like to thank everyone you came along to support the Memorial Day on Sunday 11th July 2021. Despite the times we are living in, it was a great success. Photographs of the event can be viewed here.
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Charity Fun Dog Show & Fete We would like to thank everyone who came along to this event on Sunday 29th August 2021 and helped make it a great day out. Photos of the day are now available here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2021: 14th November 2021. We would like to thank everyone who attended the Service or the Live Stream, literally in your hundreds, who made the service so special, especially after the past two years. Thank you all so much for making the day a great success and it was a pleasure that you were able to join us to pay all our respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Photographs and videos of the event is available here.
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Memorial Open Day 3rd July 2022 This years Memorial Open Day was held at the Desert Rats Memorial, High Ash, on Sunday 3rd July 2022. The Association would like to thank everyone who came along and helped top make it a great day out. Photos and videos of the event is now available here.
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Remembrance Sunday 2022 This years Remembrance Day was held on Sunday 13th November 2022, at the Memorial at High Ash, Norfolk. We would like to thank the hundreds of people who attended. Photographs and videos of the event are available here.
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Open Day and Event Photographs
Location of 7th Armoured Division (The Desert Rats) Memorial