The Royal Anglian Regiment Association

Royal Anglian Cap Badge

THE ‘All the 4s’ SPONSORED WALK: 12 – 21 AUGUST 2011
IN AID OF THE ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT BENEVOLENT CHARITY

All the 4s

4 the boys 4 the families 4 the fallen 4 ever

www.allthe4s.co.uk

Mrs Christine Bonner is the Mother of Corporal Darren Bonner who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2007 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. Christine is organising a sponsored walk over the period 12 – 21 August 2011 in aid of The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Charity. This provides money for serving or former members of The Royal Anglian Regiment or former regiments and their dependants who are in need, hardship or distress. Christine’s plan is to walk 150 miles in 10 days through 4 counties to raise money for the Charity which last year alone paid out £105,000 in over 250 cases. She is calling her walk All the 4s - 4 the boys 4 the families 4 the fallen 4 ever.
Christine, who lives in Lincolnshire, says: “In May 2007 my eldest child and only son, Cpl Darren Bonner, was killed in a land mine explosion in Southern Afghanistan. My whole world fell apart and my life was changed forever. How was I ever to carry on bearing this horrific pain and heartache? But I had to keep it together for my 3 daughters who had also lost their big brother. Feeling that I had to do something positive for Darren, I have organised walks since 2008, raising money for The Royal Anglian Regiment Benevolent Charity. Well this is now our 4th year of walking and the 3rd year of All the 4s. It doesn’t seem like 4 years ago that we lost our Darren, but it is so important to keep his and his comrades memories alive and this is what the walk does for us. Sadly nothing can ever bring my boy back, but I have to do something positive in the light of this absolutely horrific tragedy. It’s my time to “Walk with my Darren”.
Major Mick Abbs, who is based in Bury St Edmunds, is leading the Royal Anglian soldiers who are walking with Christine on All the 4s. He said: “Since 1964 my Regiment has lost 79 soldiers killed on duty in Aden, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. We have lost 18 soldiers in the past 5 years alone: 14 killed in action in Afghanistan, 2 killed in action in Iraq and 2 killed in training accidents. Many more have been injured on operations, some very grievously. Our 1st Battalion (the Vikings) returned from their third tour of Afghanistan last year during which they lost 5 of their soldiers killed in action; and now they are training again for a possible future deployment. Our 2nd Battalion (the Poachers), who got back from Iraq in November 2008, are now on standby reserve in Cyprus for deployment to Afghanistan; and our 3rd Battalion (the Steelbacks), who are currently the United Nations Force in Cyprus, might also be deploying soldiers to Afghanistan again before long. Sadly, therefore, there is every chance that the toll of Regimental casualties will increase, along with the subsequent calls on our charitable funds. I served with Darren Bonner and have been inspired by this cause and in particular the endless enthusiasm and dedication displayed by his Mother, Chris. So I am very much looking forward to the challenge ahead and, as I leave the Army for good at the end of this year, see this walk as an opportunity for me to pay back some of what The Royal Anglian Regiment has given to me”.
Mark Ellis is an ex-member of The Regiment’s 1st Battalion. He is returning to walk the entire 150 miles and said: “During my 22 years’ service I have seen first-hand how important our Regimental Charity is in helping fellow soldiers and their families in times of need. In 2007 I was serving in Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan during which time 9 of my friends were killed in action, including my close friend Corporal Darren Bonner”. 

Aileen Yarnall is walking for the second time with All the 4s. She said: “I first walked 2 years ago and found it to be a very humbling, emotional, yet very rewarding experience. For me, All the 4s is an opportunity to show my respect, gratitude and support to the brave soldiers of The Royal Anglian Regiment, who selflessly defend our country, and their families”.

All the 4s will set off from near Scunthorpe at 0930 hrs on Fri 12 Aug 2011 and over the next 10 days, including the weekends 13/14 and 20/21 Aug, will walk through the 4 counties of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Essex; they will end their day’s hiking in Grimsby, Mablethorpe, Boston, Spalding, Cambridge, Ely, Bury St Edmunds, Colchester and will finish in Southend at around 1300 hrs on Sun 21 Aug.
In order to encourage maximum participation and subsequent sponsorship, the opportunity exists for members of the public to join the walk, on any day, to complete a leg; or if desired to complete any number of legs on different days. Legs will be between 10 – 16 miles per day and details are at: www.allthe4s.co.uk
Concurrent with All the 4s in the UK, members of The Regiment’s 3rd Battalion will walk the entire length of the United Nations Buffer Zone in Cyprus, from Kato Pyrgos in the West to Famagusta in the East. They will be carrying all their own equipment, for around 150 miles, in temperatures of 40C. They aim to complete the walk in 6 days.

Editors’ Note:

 

 

 

Thank You from All the 4s

4 the boys 4 the families 4 the fallen 4 ever

www.allthe4s.co.uk

The charity in action

All the 4s Flier and Gift Aid form