Warrant Officer Wayne Dixon a member of Caerlleon Lodge 4394 and nine others marched 100 miles dressed in World War One Army Clothing and Boots carrying webbing and a rifle through France between the Thiepval Memorial on the Somme to Passchedaele in four days to raise money for the charity “Combat Stress” in July 2017. Before leaving he was met by Area Five outgoing TLC Representative Steve Traves who presented Wayne with a bear asking he carry it throughout the 100 miles to bring him luck. The TLC bear did just that, and the march generated £7295 for “Combat Stress”
During the march Wayne talked to all members of the team about the 3510 Freemasons who lost their lives during the Great War and of the 64 Freemasons who were awarded the Victoria Cross for valour, now part of a permanent memorial at Great Queen Street. It also gave two other members of the team an opportunity to show they too were Freemasons, one had travelled from Victoria in Australia to attend the march. Steve Traves, his wife Jacqui and her blind dog walked with the nine man team for the first few miles until they reached Beaumont Hamel where Steve and Jacqui left to discover where Steve’s Great Uncle Isaac had been killed in action during the battle of the Somme.
Presentation of the TLC Bear before setting off on the 100 mile trek
Steve Traves talking to members of the team dressed in WW1 Uniform
Steve showing members of the team a photograph of Uncle Isaac
