When the 2nd Battalion was in Shanghai in 1927 with the Shanghai Defence Force, though having, of course no ponies, they begged, borrowed and perhaps even stole, what they could get, and after a few months had beaten all the local teams. Polo has also been played at such diverse places as Cologne, Oppeln, Lublinitz and Batoum. When the same battalion arrived at Khar-tourn only last January, they soon got polo going, and entered" four teams for the loca! tournament. In July, 1915, the 2nd and 10th Battalions were both behind the line near Ypres. The 2nd Battalion had been playing polo on an abandoned aerodrome, end a match between the two battalions was arranged. The 2nd Battalion won 6-5, the teams being: 2nd Battalion: Turner, Bowers, Briggs and Shea; 10th Battalio Morant, Unthank, Wylie and Braithwaite.
Hunting has always been regarded as the substitute for polo, or vice versa, by the battalion serving at home, and the Durham Light Infantry have always made the most of the hunting in whatever station they have served in, and they can always count on a good turn out of their officers on a hunting morning.
Each battalion has its Point-to-point cup, which is regularly competed for at home, and, when occasion offers, abroad. In 1931 the County of Durham very generously presented an additional cup, as- the regimental race was being held in the county for the first time. This cup has been competed for for the last six years.
In former days, before polo became the chief sport in every Indian station, racing was almost universal in regiments stationed there. Even small garrisons held their race meetings twice a year, and visitors assembled for these race meetings, some from long distances. In these sky Taces, as they were called, the horses 2nd ponies were usually trained and ridden by their owners or brother officers, and as welter-weights were the rule, anyone who could ride 10st.
Th. if a good horseman, might get 50 to 60 mounts a year, In the Durham Light Infantry there were several officers who were well known as successful G.R.s both on the flat and between the flags, and in one steeplechase meeting two subalterns rode the first and second in every race. Mention must be made of Snow, a famous grey Arab which won 31° races before being entered to polo. Colonel Wilkinson was one of the best-known G.Rs in India of his day. And it was good to see Mr. Vaux winning at Sandown this year and to know that the tradition persists.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.