On 6th August 2026, the Master and I had the great pleasure of visiting 1st Battalion The Rifles at Beachley Barracks in Chepstow for their Inter-Company Boxing Evening.
It was particularly special to see the Battalion back at Beachley following its return from three years in Cyprus, and to have the opportunity to renew our relationship with them on home soil.
The evening began in the Officers’ Mess, where we presented the World Traders’ Leadership Awards. One award is made to an outstanding individual from each Company, recognising those who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, initiative, professionalism and commitment to those around them.
This year’s recipients were Rfn Withers (A Company), Cpl Poole (B Company), Cpl Marriott (C Company), Rfn Haddleton (S Company) and Cpl Chamberlain (HQ Company). Their citations were enormously impressive and reflected leadership in its many forms: from taking command and responsibility in challenging circumstances, to mentoring junior Riflemen, setting an example through personal standards and delivering calmly and professionally under pressure.
It was a privilege to meet the recipients and present their awards in person. What struck me particularly was that leadership within the Battalion is not simply associated with rank. It is evident in character, example, responsibility and the willingness to bring out the best in others – values which resonate strongly with the World Traders.
From the Officers’ Mess, we moved to the gymnasium for the Inter-Company Boxing, and what followed was an extraordinary evening.
The atmosphere was electric. Each Company supported its boxers with tremendous loyalty and camaraderie, creating an almost deafening wall of noise, and yet, with characteristic military precision, the entire room could fall silent in an instant when required.
Most impressive was the combination of controlled aggression and gentlemanly respect. The courage and physical commitment demanded in the ring were obvious, but equally apparent were the discipline, training and sportsmanship behind every bout. Fierce competitors one moment, the boxers showed tremendous respect for one another the next. It was a compelling demonstration of the spirit and ethos of 1 RIFLES.
Following the boxing, we joined the competitors and our Leadership Award winners for a curry supper in the Sergeants’ Mess. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet the boxers properly, congratulate the award recipients and spend time with members of the Battalion in a more relaxed setting.
I came away genuinely blown away by the whole evening. The warmth of the welcome, the standard of the boxing and, above all, the spirit of the Battalion made it an unforgettable visit.
We were impeccably hosted throughout, and I would like to extend our particular thanks to the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Simon Burkill, and all at 1 RIFLES for the exceptionally warm and generous welcome they gave us.
The World Traders are enormously proud of our affiliation with 1 RIFLES, and it is a privilege to support such an exceptional Battalion.
The Winners of the World Traders’ Leadership Awards 2026
Rfn Withers consistently shows himself to be an excellent team player and junior leader in A Company. On completion of Ex RHINO STORM in Germany, he remained as part of the redeployment team after most of his peers had returned home. Here, he was singled out by the Company Quartermaster Serjeant and his team for his hard work and attitude. He always commits himself fully no matter what the task; his motivation is infectious; on exercise he demonstrated initiative and positivity expected of a leader beyond his rank. Over the previous year he has developed drastically and that is testament to the continuous effort to be the best Rifleman he can be.
Cpl Poole has had a barnstorming performance since arriving in 1 RIFLES in October 2025. Stepping up as a Platoon Serjeant in the lead up to an overseas exercise, he led the platoon with his distinctive mix of Guardsman flair and Rifles regimental pride, often found in a hide or shell scrape reading stories from Regimental war tales of The Rifles to the platoon. A key highlight of his exercise and exemplifying the audacity and aggression of his command, involved a stalk of a Royal Yorks recce patrol back to their assembly area, attacking a sentry, before and turning his fire onto a Royal Yorks Company stood receiving orders, ultimately putting an end to their imminent attack onto B Company. A natural leader, he is driven, engaging and invests in his people – taking the time to develop them and ensure they understand the challenges they face. From late nights with his junior Riflemen teaching them revisionary navigation, through to organising social activity – he is always at the heart of activity and always leading from the front.
Cpl Marriott is an inspiring and talented section commander in C Company. A consummate professional, he excels in the field performing beyond the body of his peers and leading his section with aplomb. Cpl Marriott has been a standout performer on several exercises, often being relied on as the tip of the company’s spear as the leading section. Cpl Mariott wears his responsibility lightly, inspiring his Riflemen through a calm and collected demeanour. His quiet, humble, and credibility-based leadership style is lesser seen in the Army, but one that is increasingly important for the future.
The exemplar of the thinking, fighting Rifleman, Rfn Haddleton embodies all that is expected of our junior Riflemen and takes it to the next level. Throughout the year, he has led most of S Company’s physical training, making a significant contribution to its physical robustness, while consistently mentoring newly arrived Riflemen and developing those around him. During a multinational, overseas exercise he rapidly built strong relationships with the host Fallschirmjäger regiment, strengthening his platoon’s international partnership. Once deployed in the field he often was called upon to step and lead his antitank section which he did with confidence and discipline. A superb Rifleman who excels across all aspects of soldiering, fit and tactically astute, he demonstrates that leadership is defined by example rather than rank.
Throughout the last 12 months and more recently on Exercise RHINO STORM, Cpl Chamberlain (HQ Company) displayed exceptional dedication, initiative and professionalism while leading and managing a team of five military chefs and eight civilian staff. Operating under challenging and often pressured conditions, she took considerable responsibility for the effective coordination and delivery of the catering operation, maintaining high standards of service, discipline and professionalism throughout. Her ability to lead, manage, and consistently deliver under pressure was exemplary. Cpl Chamberlain’s commitment to duty, sound judgement and proactive approach made a significant and measurable contribution to the success of our deployment.
Court Assistant Sarah Emilie Goodhew
LO to 1st Battalion The Rifles
