Bury St Edmunds veteran Colonel David Gordon-Lennox retires as president of Suffolk Grenadier Guards Association after 30 years

The Suffolk branch of the Grenadier Guards Association saluted its much-loved president as he retired after 30 years of service.

Colonel David Gordon-Lennox, 87, from Great Saxham near Bury St Edmunds, announced he would stand down at the firm’s annual Christmas dinner on December 11 in front of its 45 attendees.

The meal, which took place at Hintlesham Golf Club between Ipswich and Hadleigh, served as his final function at its helm.

Colonel David-Lennox held the post since 1992, but his roots with the organisation date back to 1955.

The branch wanted to offer him a suitable retirement present, and gave him a walking stick made from English hazel with a ram’s horn crook handle, with his initials embellished on it.

Branch chairman Patrick Nesbitt thanked the colonel from his years of service to the organisation.

He said: “His three decades at the helm, and the nearly 40 years he was part of the association before that, must be approaching a record.

“It was momentous occasion, and Colonel Richard Aubrey-Fletcher, the head of the regimental associations, travelled from Wiltshire to make the presentation.

“The Suffolk branch will remain active and still remains a good vehicle for retired grenadiers to get together and look after its older members as we have done for nearly a century.

“We hope the Colonel and his family enjoy his retirement and many more years together.”

Colonel Gordon-Lennox is a large land-owner in the area and comes from a military family.

He would often host events at his house for the association, which has no fixed address, but serves retired grenadiers across the county.

Other than members' houses, they regularly congregate in pubs, clubs, hotels and other public places to meet, chat and be merry.

Run by veterans, the association is entirely manned by volunteers.

Suffolk branch secretary Gary Reincke said the Colonel was always on the end of a phone to offer advice and was well-loved by members.

He added: “He’s done so much for us that we can’t pin down his tenure to any specifics.

“The support we’ve had from Colonel Gordon-Lennox has been fantastic over the past 30 years and we wish him the best of luck for the future.”