Here’s a Beauchamp Lodge Member Profile from
Neville Fourie.
Our team has asked him a set of routine questions that 
will provide you with a brief insight into his military or 
civilian service.
We hope you find it of interest.

If you are interested in joining our Military/Civilian Services Lodge simply message us using the form provided on the contact us page.

What is your name?

Neville Fourie

Neville which service did you serve in? (Navy, Army, RAF, other please state)

Army (South African)

Neville, which Regiment/Unit/Department did you serve with?

Cape Town Rifles (Dukes)

What is your Regiment/Unit/Organisation’s motto? (with translation if necessary)

Semper Eadem – Ever The Same.

When did you serve?

From: January 1983 To: June 1997

What was your Rank/Title/Role upon leaving?

Lieutenant

Were there any notable experiences whilst you were in service? (brief summary)

I was conscripted in 1983, passed selection for Officer training in the same year and spent a year at The Infantry School in Oudtshoorn. During my Infantry training I was also trained as an Assault Pioneer. After passing out in 1983, I was selected to spend my final year, 1984, with The Chief of Staff Intelligence in an Infantry capacity. As conscripts we were obliged to serve another 720 days and in this capacity I served with The Witwatersrand Rifles and The Cape Town Rifles (Dukes).

Additional notable experiences whilst you were in service? (brief summary)

In 1998 The Dukes were invited by our sister regiment The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment to a Colour Presentation at Windsor Castle where I met their Colonel in Chief, The Duke of Edinburgh. Unfortunately a pigeon flying over the stands did a poo on my tunic. The Duke when he shook my hand commented "I see one of our pigeons got you" after which he gave me a very warm welcome to my adoptive country.

An interesting fact about the Dukes is that although they are a South African Regiment as the Dukes Own, they fought in the Boer Wars with the British Army.

How did you join Freemasonry? (Friend or family introduction, if other please state)

My father was a Freemason so the interest was always there. After I had moved to the UK a friend approached me and asked me if I wanted to join. Sadly my father was not well enough to attend my Initiation in 2003 and passed away in 2004.

What do you get from Freemasonry? (What are the things you enjoy about being a Freemason?)

Camaraderie, friendship, the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life and I love the Ritual. I was Initiated, Passed and Raised in 2003 in a Surrey Lodge, The Croydon Lodge of Fortitude, the Lodge handed back it's Warrant in 2011. I joined West Kent Lodges William Sennocke Lodge 6932 in 2007 and Knole Lodge 1414 in 2014.

I was Exalted into Knole Chapter in 2009. I was Installed as Master of William Sennocke in 2015. I was appointed as a Provincial Grand Steward in 2017. In 2018 I was Installed in the Chair of Knole Lodge. In 2019 I was promoted to Active Provincial Senior Grand Deacon.

Other Orders I am a member of are; Mark, RAM (I became WCM in 2023), Athelstan (Past Master), Allied Masonic Degrees (current Master) and Masonic Order of Knight Masons. I recently became joining member of Beauchamp Lodge 1422 where I have been asked to be the Lodge Mentor by the Master Elect Dan Unthank. I am a member of two East Kent Lodges, Nore Command 9199 and United Service 3124 both Lodges have historical links to the Military.

Information supplied by Neville Fourie and published with his consent