Old Comrades of the Royal
Berkshire Regiment save a Pubs name in Reading
‘The Bugle’ Public house in Friar
Street, Reading has been known by that name since it was opened by the
Simmonds Brewery shortly after the Battle of Maiwand in 1880. They
were also responsible for erecting the ‘Maiwand Lion’ memorial in
the Forbury Gardens, Reading.
The pub is well known to generations
of Royal Berkshire and Duke of Edinburgh’s. The Reading Branch of
the Royal Berkshire Regiment O.C.A. became aware that the Brewery were
going to change the name to something modern, and with that they went
to war. After a long battle not only did the Brewery agree to retain
the name they made an excellent job of repainting the pub sign, which
clearly shows a Bugler of the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment.
The photo shows ‘Mac’ McCarthy
and his merry men at the scene of the ‘Action’ in Friar Street.
