Home of the Infantry Regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire
Royal Visit by Her Majesty The Queen to the Museum
Today, Tuesday 1st May, Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh visited The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum in Salisbury as part of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tour of the country. Her Majesty attended a reception and luncheon at the museum and was greeted on her arrival in the building by the Chairman of the Trustees Terry Daly, Manager/Curator Simon Cook, Assistant Curator Jackie Dryden and The Rifles County Secretary Salisbury Lieutenant Colonel Tim Lerwill. During her visit, Simon Cook showed Her Majesty a small exhibition about the Second Afghan War, which included ‘Bobbie of the Berkshires’ who had been presented to the Queen’s great great grandmother, Queen Victoria. Bobbie was one of many dogs which accompanied the soldiers of the (66th) Berkshire Regiment during that war and was present at the Battle of Maiwand in 1880. Queen Victoria was so impressed by his exploits that in June 1881, Bobbie was presented to her at Osborne House, on the Isle of Wight, on the occasion when the Queen presented Distinguished Conduct Medals to soldiers from the Regiment who had shown great courage during the battle. Her Majesty and HRH Prince Philip then went into the grounds of the museum (housed in the Wardrobe) to attend a reception, followed by a luncheon hosted by the Lord Lieutenant Mrs Sarah Troughton. Afterwards, the Queen and Prince Philip attended a Service in Salisbury Cathedral, followed by a tour of The Close. The Rifles (Berkshire and Wiltshire) Museum, was officially opened by HRH Prince Philip in 1982.