(Transcribed from Br Dent J 1924; 45: 267)

The third annual dinner of the dental student society of Bristol University was held at the Royal Hotel, Bristol, on Thursday January 24th 1924. Mr. W. R Ackland MRCS MDS Bristol was the guest of the evening. Mr. Clifford Wing, President of the Society being in the chair. Amongst those present were Professor E. Fawcett (Dean of the Faculty of Medicine), Mr. F. C. Nichols (Dental Surgeon to the Bristol Royal Infirmary), Mr. L. E. Claremont (Dental Surgeon to the Bristol General Hospital), Colonel G. A. Peake (Cheltenham) and Dr. O. C. M. Davis (Lecturer in Medicine to Dental Students), Mr. P.H. Lewis, Mr. A.R Wilcox, Mr. C.T. Kelsey and Mr. B.F. Robinson (Student President).

After the loyal toast the Student President proposed the health of the ‘Guests of the evening'. He said the pleasure of having Mr Ackland as a guest was tinged with regret by the fact that he was no longer with them in an official capacity. The speaker referred to the enormous interest Mr. Ackland had always shown to the dental school and concluded by wishing him the best of everything in his retirement.

Colonel Peake, the oldest past student, spoke in support of the toast and related the enormous improvement in the school since Mr. Ackland's advent in 1888. At the close of the speech Colonel Peake presented to Mr. Ackland, amidst great enthusiasm, a silver salver inscribed:

By the staff and past and present students as a token of their esteem and gratitude for his valuable services to the dental school or Bristol University from 1888 to 1923.

Mr. Ackland in reply, said it was a shock to him not to be going to the Infirmary after his long spell of 35 years. He expressed his gratitude at having had some part in the formation of the new dental department at the infirmary and spoke of the many advantages in the association of the students with the university which he looked upon as a wonderful club. Concluding he said he could find no words to thank everyone for their appreciation of what he had done.

Ed's note: With thanks to Emeritus Professor C. D. Stephens OBE, who has pointed out that one of the guests at the above event, Lt Colonel Peake LDSRCS Eng, was remarkable as among other things he personally raised men for four companies of Railway Engineers for service in the First World War building railways in N France and Salonika:113th (Railway) Company Royal Engineers, 114th (Railway) Company Royal Engineers, 270th (Railway) Companies Royal Engineers, 271st (Railway) Companies Royal Engineers. For more information see https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/regiments-and-corps/the-corps-of-royal-engineers-in-the-first-world-war.