Record crowds must have turned up this year, numbering we believe 400 or more. Certainly, when your reporter advanced on HQ Coy's table, quite early in the evening, it was very obvious that there was to be no room for him or for many others. He was made very welcome by Sandy Dey on a rival Coy's table.

The evening took the traditional form -a good meal, hot and plenty of it -in fact, for some almost too much. The Westminster and Eltham Cadets provided excellent and efficient stewards. Perhaps a shade too efficient for long before the speeches began a large party, mainly private guests, on the table nearest to the Buckingham Gate door had obviously drunk exceedingly well. The noise, coupled with an inadequate audio system made the various speeches at times totally inaudible.

The only real hitch apparent during the evening came when the President of the Knights of the Round Table, Major-General Sir Douglas Kendrew, KCMG, CB, CBE, DSO, came to present the Messines Trophy to Pte Adrian Dawson. No, Pte Dawson!  It was, said Major Layden, ironical that the winner had been chosen because he was conscientious, hard working and reliable.

After the reading of a message from the Honorary Colonel, in which Her Majesty expressed her best wishes for an enjoyable evening, the principal guest, Major- General John Foster, CB, presented clasps to the TEM to CSM Woodall, Pipe Major Duncan, Sgt Waterman an 2/Lt (former Sgt) Carlile.

Hector Robertson read messages from absent friends, including Colonel Penman, Andrew Brand, Andrew Gellatly, Jock Sturrock, Tommy Robertson, Barbara and Vera, our former lady members, Ritchie Cleland, the Judge family and Melbourne London Scots.

in a brief speech Colonel Niekirk reminded everyone of Church Parade on November 11, and was particularly pleased that John Moffat was attending the Dinner as he was the one member present who had been at Messines in 1914. The Regimental Colonel thanked Hector and Harry for good work in organising the reunion dinner and, thanked also, the Cadets who were working so hard to make the evening a success. He was very pleased to welcome representatives from Dainville, and Lt-Colonel Graham Murray, who had just handed over the command of 1/51 Highland Volunteers.

Major Treseder then proposed the toast to " Our Guests ":

" On this very special evening, the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of Messines, it is my pleasure and privilege to both welcome and propose the health of our many distinguished guests. Hallowe'en has always been not only a great reunion and time of remembrance and reminiscence for all ranks of The London Scottish, but a wonderful opportunity for us to welcome and entertain friends both old and new in our beloved Headquarters at 59 Buckingham Gate, and to offer that hospitality and comradeship which is part of the essential essence of the Regiment. It is always a special night of warmth and good fellowship when all ranks come together to remember the past, and look forward to an equally distinguished future.

" Our principal guest this evening is the Director of Volunteers, Territorials and Cadets, Major-General John Foster, who has held the post since 1978. Commissioned into, the Royal Engineers in 1945, General Foster has lived up to the motto of his Corps, Ubique, and served in India, Burma, Nigeria, Kenya, Cyprus and Egypt amongst many other places during his long career. He had the distinction of being Commander-in-Chief Royal Engineers of 1 (British) Corps in BAOR in 1971/72, and was Engineer-in-Chief from 1975 to 1977. Since taking over his present post he has worked extremely hard for the Volunteer Army, and we are very proud to have him as our guest tonight, and look forward to hearing from him in a few minutes time.

" We are also delighted to welcome the new General Officer Commanding London District, Major-General Desmond Langley, formerly of the Life Guards, with whom we hope to have a long and enjoyable association during his tour in command. London District have given us immense support and understanding in recent years, and we are also pleased to see here, the TA Colonel North in that Headquarters, Colonel Powell-Smith, who served in our old friends and rivals, the HAC.

" Tonight is our first opportunity to welcome officially the new Commanding Officer of the 1st Bn The 51st Highland Volunteers, Lt-Colonel lan Sim, who took over a few days ago. Ian is the first TA officer to command the Bn, and I know from personal experience that whilst he is a busy banker in civilian life, he is also a very fit, rugged and determined soldier, with a wicked sense of humour, a firm hand, and a very up-to-date attitude, who cares deeply about his Bn, of which the Serving London Scots are proud to be an important part. He has already been suitably indoctrinated, and knows I am sure that we are the best, most individual, most historic and most difficult sub-unit under his command. I hope he also knows that we are very proud to serve under him, and wish him every success during his tour. I hope also that it will not be too disappointing for him when we manage to persuade the powers that be that it is about time The London Scottish should be a Bn in their own right once more.

" We say farewell tonight to Lt-Colonel Graham Murray, who has watched over us in the past few years as Commanding Officer. He has done much to keep us up to scratch as soldiers, and to make us constantly aware of our front line role in the NATO orbat in Germany should armed conflict arise. He has been a great friend to The London Scottish, and to me personally when I was Coy Commander, always ready to listen, advise and sort out the problems. His great love of piping has caused him to work tirelessly for the Pipes and Drums, and keep many of us awake at Camp in the early hours whilst he practised. The recent record produced by the Bn music makers is evidence of his success in this field. We are very sorry to see him go, and wish him and Veronica every good fortune in the future.

" Being part of the Gordon Highlanders is something of which every London Scot is rightly proud, and we are, therefore, especially pleased to welcome here the Regimental Colonel, Brigadier MaeMillan, a previous Commander of 39th Infantry Bde in Ulster, whom I believe has never before attended a Hallowe'en, and whom I hope we shall see here often in the future.

" Brigadier Woolford, formerly Royal Artillery and now Secretary of the TAVR Association for Greater London. is an old friend of The London Scottish, and no stranger to this Headquarters. He is another most welcome guest, as is our staunch Regimental Padre, the Reverend Doctor Fraser McLuskey, whom we are delighted to see honour our table tonight.

" From the Caledonian Society of London, who, with the Highland Society, were our original sponsors in

1859 - 120 years ago - we are pleased to welcome the Secretary, Mr. lan McLeod; and from the Royal Scottish Corporation the Chairman, Mr. Douglas Robertson, who is also Life Managing Governor of the Royal Caledonian Schools and a member of the Highland Society.

" From the Royal Caledonian Schools, from whence so many of our pipers have come in the past, and from whence we hope more will come in the future, we welcome Mr J. M. Colthart, the Chairman, and a former Chairman of Scottish Television. Mr G. B. Potts, Master of our old friends the Worshipful Company of Distillers, and Director of the Savoy Hotel, is another guest we are honoured to see here tonight. I gather he is something of a specialist in wine, and can only hope that the highland wine accompanying the haggis was to hit; liking.

" The Knights of the Round Table, to whom we are so grateful for presenting our annual Messines Trophy, are represented tonight by their President, that distinguished fighting soldier Major-General Sir Douglas Kendrew, and Mr. lan McCulloch, who is no stranger here - despite his misfortune in serving in the HAC!

"Time goes by and I should hate the troops to get restive, but I should be failing in my duty tonight if I did not make special mention of three guests from the Gordon Highlanders who contribute more than most to The London Scottish, and whose untiring enthusiasm and high professional standards mean so much to the Serving Coy-our three PSI's, Sgt-Major Murdoch, S/Sgt Norton and Sgt Sullivan.

" There are very many more here tonight whom there is simply not time to mention, although their welcome is none the less, but there are one or two private guests whom I should briefly like to welcome on behalf of all members of The London Scottish Regiment. From Dainville in France has come our great friend Monsieur Mike Delisse with three companions whom we are delighted to see here in London tonight. Lord James Douglas Hamilton, MP for Edinburgh West and and ex Carneronian in the 2nd Lowland Volunteers has come down from Scotland, as have Major Roy Chanman and Captain Denis Ciles from 1/51 in Perth. Both have been a marvellous help to the Serving Coy, and Denis was awarded the MBE this year for his services to the Bn. I should also like to mention my own guests, Mr Nigel Hogg, who fought in Burma under Viscount Slim as a 9th Gurkha, and Mr Cordon Child, formerly a Territorial Gunner, who landed in Norrnandy on D Day, and who fought on up in the victorious campaign in North-West Europe. Lt-Colonel Gordon Lennox, GSOI London District, and Lt-Colonel Farnes, Commanding Officer of 21 SAS, are also most welcome. Another well-known guest, who has spoken so forcefully here before, is that great ally of The London Scottish, Lt-General Sir David Scott-Barrett, together with his son, Nicholas, who has recently retired from the Scots Guards.

" Without our many guests, both official and private, this unique occasion would be neither as distinguished or as memorable a night. We are all very happy to see you here, and hope that your visit to 59 will be a most enjoyable one, and that you will return again often in the future.

" May I now ask all members of The London Scottish Regiment to rise to their feet and drink the health of Major-General John Foster and the Guests."

General Foster, in reply, thanked The Scottish for their invitation. He had, he said, one positive connection, as his father had been present at Messines, in support. He was glad that the name of the Territorial Army had come back again. it reminded people that it was still there and always had been, in support of the Regular Army. People join to do something for their country, and there had recently been an increase in recruiting, but the momentum had to he kept up. In his opinion, the TA's greatest asset was the enormous enthusiasm of its members. General Robertson then proposed the toast to The Regiment.

In his reply, Major Patrick Layden outlined the activities of the Serving Coy during the past year. There had been much, ranging from the Lord Mayor's Show, several shooting week-ends at Bisley, range work at Hythe, many week-end exercises, the visit of UM The Queen Mother in April to receive pipe banners and drums and bugles. Major Layden outlined the work at Camp in which we had been a very small part of a very large exercise. There had been several changes among officers and Sgts during the year, and Major Layden paid tribute to the great debt to the work of the PSI's. The Cdts were very active: it was hoped that many would be going to Toronto next September. £1,000 had already been raised, but much more was needed. A new hall was being built at Eltham and it was intended to form a new Pln of G Coy there. Major Layden acknowledged the help and encouragement of Captain Betts. Finally, said Major Layden, in thanking General Foster for proposing " The Regiment ", " may I assure you that . . . The London Scottish are alive and well and looking forward, not only to the next year's training but also (like yourself) to the day -which we hope will not be too far off -when we become a Bn again in our own right ".

The musical entertainment was provided by the Pipes and Drums just back from the Berlin Military Tattoo and suffering from jet-lag. Not that one would have known. The drummers were superb, and tribute should be paid to Mike Crowley. The programme included Slow March, The Highland Cradle Song; Quick March, Auchmountain's Bonnie Glen; Strathspey, The Braes o' Tullymet; Reel, Sleepy Maggie; Quick March, The Scottish Division; March, Cullen Bay; Company Marches, Black Bear; Blue Bonnets; Bonnie Dundee; Colonel Robertson,. Cock o' the North.

At the end of the official part of the evening the verses of the Evening Hymn were sung by Hamish Sutherland, Major Layden, CSM Woodall, CDI Baigrie, Colonel Niekirk.

Then began the get-together, albeit with many an anxious eye on watches, making certain the time did not slip by unnoticed, so that last trains and buses were not missed.