THE HULL PACKET & EAST RIDING TIMES
Fri 23 Jan 1880

HULL ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS

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SERGEANTS' MESS DINNER

The annual mess dinner of the staff-sergeants and sergeants in connection with the above corps was held on Wednesday evening, at the Imperial Hotel. Sergt-Major Pexton presided and the vice-chair was occupied by Quartermaster-Sergeant M Bean (1st East York Rifle Volunteers). A capital repast was provided by Mr Bainton. During the evening Lieut-Colonel Commandant Humphrey and Captain Harrison were present.

– The loyal and patriotic toasts having been honoured, the Vice-Chairman giving "The Army, Navy, and Reserve Forces", and Master-Gunner Bates (Royal Artillery) responding;

– Quartermaster-Sergeant Morris proposed "Colonel Lord Londesborough of the Hull Artillery and Rifle Volunteers". He alluded to the great generosity of Lord Londesborough and to the deep interest that he took in the two corps, and hoped his lordship would long continue to be their Honorary Colonel.

– The toast was drunk with musical honours.

– The Vice-Chairman responded, and said that no Colonel could have been a better friend to the corps that Lord Londesborough had been.

– Quartermaster-Sergeant Spink next gave the toast of the evening, "Lieutenant-Colonel Humphrey and the Officers of the Hull Artillery Volunteers". He said that he was always glad to propose the health of their Colonel. He need not tell them what sort of a colonel he was, because they all knew. No officer connected with the volunteers worked harder or took more interest in his corps than did Colonel Humphrey.

– He spoke in similar eulogistic terms of Acting-Adjutant Captain Middleton, and in conclusion gave the following parody on some lines relating to the old corn laws. "Humphrey, the man of men, doing the work of ten, each worth a score; Middleton, the friend of each, doing the work of at least fifty more" (laughter and applause).

– Colonel Humphrey, in responding, said that when he appeared before them on a similar occasion last year he had not the slightest apprehension that it was on the cards he might sever his connection with the corps. But circumstances did arrive afterwards which made it probable that he should do so. However, he was still their commanding officer, and as long as he remained in that position he should endeavour to do his duty to the regiment, and see that it did not suffer in any way (applause).

– Having thanked Quartermaster-Sergeant Spink for the manner in which he had proposed the toast, he spoke in most eulogistic terms of Lord Londesborough. He was sure, he said, they would all agree with him that for generosity and attention to the welfare of the Volunteers in Hull they could not find his equal anywhere in England, as honorary colonel of two corps (applause).

– They were constantly seeing proofs of the manner in which he interested himself in the affairs of the two regiments. His lordship was always to the front, and ever ready to put his hand into his pocket or to do anything else to help them along. It would be a very bad day for the volunteers in Hull if he ever took it into his head to leave them. He (Colonel Humphrey) hoped that that was very far distant (applause).

– After speaking of the great assistance he had received from Captain Middleton, and the Adjutant, Captain Harrison, he impressed upon them the importance of all of them putting their shoulders to the wheel in the matter of getting recruits. They would have to do so if they wished to stand well as a regiment on the 31st of next October. It was most essential that they should do all they possibly could to get recruits in early, because they knew very well that if there were any new men in the batteries when the brigade appeared before the inspecting officer they were likely to spoil the drilling altogether, and so give the inspector an opportunity of giving them a good wigging all round. They did not want anything of that. They had steered clear of such a thing in the past, and he hoped they would do so in the future.

– With respect to the prize shooting, it had been decided to hold the competitions much earlier in the year than they had done before, so that they would have to make themselves efficient as soon as they could, or else they would be debarred from taking any part in the shooting, one of the rules of the Prize Committee, as they were well aware, being to the effect that no member could compete for the prizes without he had rendered himself efficient for the current year. He supposed in about three months’ time the prizes would be shot for. He drew particular attention to an alteration that had been made in the gun drill, requiring them to work the 40-pounder gun as if in action, and as the inspecting officer would be sure to test them on very closely upon it, he hoped the non-commissioned officers, and officers as well, would make themselves thoroughly efficient in this matter.

– The position of the brigade was never higher than it was at the present time, and he hoped it would be in a still better position during the year. They had made up their minds to have the Queen’s Prize again at Shoeburyness (applause). They had been a long time getting the proper range – some six or seven years – but now they had got it, and with a gun of such precision as the Armstrong, they were not going to lose sight of it (laughter and applause). Next to winning the Queen’s Prize, nothing could give them greater pleasure than to see their friends the Rifles bring it from Wimbledon. If they were fortunate enough to do so this year they would receive a more hearty welcome, if it were possible, than Sergeant Leathley and his detachment did last year (applause).

– He thought he ought to say something about the position of the regiment as compared with last year. Its present strength was 820, out of 965. Therefore they required about 150 recruits. Last year at that time they wanted over 300 men to bring the brigade up to its full strength, so that the recruiting was going on very successfully. He believed he was right in saying that twenty recruits to one against last year were being enrolled. In previous years, but last year particularly, the brigade suffered terrifically through men leaving its ranks and joining the regular army. He fancied that upwards of 100 men left them for that purpose during 1879. He mentioned these facts to show them that the regiment was in a better position this year than it was last year, and he thought that they would have very little difficulty in bringing their respective batteries up to their full strength (applause).

– Sergeant-Major Burnham then gave "Lieut-Colonel Longstaff and Officers of the Hull Rifle Volunteers", which was responded to by the Vice-Chairman.

– Master-Gunner Bates proposed "Sergeant-Major Pexton and Staff-Sergeants of the Hull Artillery Volunteers", to which Sergeant-Major Pexton replied.

– "The Staff-Sergeants and Sergeants of the Hull Rifle Volunteers", was proposed by Sergt-Major Thorley.

– The Chairman proposed "The Band", and Bandmaster Isitt responded.

– The health of the Drill Instructors was also given, Sergeant-Major Thorley proposing and Sergeant-Major Relph responding.

– Several other toasts followed.

Some capital singing and recitations were given during the evening.