|
Mercury
Newsletter of the Aldershot Branch Royal Signals Association
Autumn 2002
A reminder.
With the Festive Season approaching, that the Corps Carol Service, will be held on Thursday 19th December at 6pm at the Corps Church of St Stephen with St John, Rochester Row, London. It will be followed with the usual social gathering for Sherry and Mince Pies in the Church Hall. This is an event to which the Aldershot Branch traditionally gives strong support so do come along, enjoy the singing, meet old friends and possibly join up for an informal supper at the end.
Forthcoming Activities
The complete and varied programme for 2003 has been mapped out as shown on the loose sheet enclosed with your paper copy of the newsletter. Members are encouraged to display this in a prominent place at home, so that they do not miss events! Details of the early events are given below, so please book now! Click here to see the programme for 2003.
A Social Evening to start the Branch Year
Wednesday 5th February 2003
7.30 for 8 pm at Buller Barracks
For our first event of the year, we are launching a new liaison through the auspices of Kevin Smith, our serving representative. Kevin’s ‘day job’ is that of RSM 101 Logistic Brigade HQ & Signal Squadron (261) and he has initiated a Social Evening, to enable our branch to get closer to today’s serving Corps, a very important step for the future of the Association.
This will be a social evening with a difference! Starting at 7.30 pm, you are invited to meet for a drink in the Bar of the WOs’ and Sergeants’ Mess Buller Barracks with Officers and Senior Ranks of the Squadron with their ladies. The main event of the evening will be some games that, we are assured, will be of a positively gentle nature, suitable for members and their ladies of all ages and dispositions!
A warm buffet will be provided during the evening at a cost of just £5 per head.
Do come along and help make the evening a landmark success for the Branch and its contact with the members and families of the serving Corps. Please send Annex ‘A’ of the hardcopy Autumn Newsletter, with your cheque to Peter Sharpe by 26th January. Or Click here to make your booking
A Tour Through the Foothills of the Pyranees
Thursday 13th March 2003
7.30pm for 8 pm at Buller Barracks
For our March meeting we are delighted to welcome Joan Tubbs who is a professional photographer, specialising in travel and wildlife subjects. From her extensive repertoire we have chosen a slide tour through Northern Spain and the foothills of the Pyranees, visiting interesting villages and with an in-depth look at the Alpine and meadow flora.
The meeting will take place in the WOs and Sgts Mess of Buller Barracks, courtesy again of RSM Kevin Smith. Drinks will be available in the bar from 7.30 pm and a buffet supper will be served during the course of the evening. The price for this excellent package will be £5 per head.
Please send Annex ‘B’ of the hardcopy Autumn Newsletter, with your cheque to Peter Sharpe by 3rd March, or Click here to make your booking
Spring Luncheon and AGM
Sunday 13th April 2003
In the Garrison Sergeants’ Mess
The Spring Lunch and AGM will again be held in the Garrison Sergeants Mess on Sunday 13 April 2003 and the programme will be: From 12 Noon: Meet for drinks in the Anteroom 12.30 p.m.: AGM in the Anteroom Following the AGM, Lunch served in the Dining Room, consisting of a starter, roast main course and dessert. Those requiring a vegetarian meal should make their requests in Annex ‘C’.
Cost per head will be £13.
There is, as usual, the opportunity of a good social gathering before and after the AGM, so we hope that as many members as possible will make another special effort to attend this year.
Please send Annex ‘C’ of the hardcopy Autumn Newsletter, with your cheque to Peter Sharpe by 28th March, or Click here to make your booking
Trooping the Colour Ceremonies in 2003
If you have a wish to be present at any of the following ceremonies, it is by no means too early to be thinking of booking, as bids for tickets have to be lodged early in the New Year. Dates and prices of tickets are: Major-General’s Review (First Rehearsal) 31st May Free Colonel’s Review (Second Rehearsal) 7th June £8 Queen’s Birthday parade 14th June £16
Following the enthusiasm for this year’s group attendance of Branch members at the Colonel’s Review, it is proposed that similar arrangements be made for 2003.Those wishing to join the Branch group should complete and return Annex ‘D’ of the hardcopy Autumn Newsletter, with your cheque to Peter Sharpe by 31st January, or Click here to make your booking
For anyone wishing to attend the Queen’s Birthday Parade itself, the limit is 3 tickets per head and all are subject to ballot. Write as soon as possible, requesting an application form and enclosing SAE (no money at this stage) to:
The Brigade Major, HQ Household Division, Horse Guards, Whitehall, London, SW1 2AX.
Some Recent Events
Chartwell, Home of ‘the Greatest Briton’, Sunday 29th September
We could not have been more fortunate with the weather for this memorable outing to the glorious home of the great Sir Winston Churchill. A coach party of some 30 members, their partners and guests from the WRAC Association set out from Farnham station that bright autumn morning and 50 minutes later were being greeted by one of the Chartwell volunteer hosts. After some light refreshments in the well-appointed restaurant, we were free to tour the house and the grounds. The popularity of this National Trust property, even at this time of year, necessitated control of numbers to the house. Once inside, we were able to enjoy a leisurely stroll through each of the rooms with all the furnishings and memorabilia laid out as if their famous occupants were still in residence. The grounds, with their lawns sweeping down to the lakes, were sheer delight and walking through the gardens, one could appreciate the care and attention paid to their planning, providing not only a place of tranquility for its owners, but a joy for future generations of the public. This was a memorable day out and no one could fail to have enjoyed the choice of this historic venue or the benevolence of the weather.
Autumn Lunch, Sunday 27th October
As usual the Autumn Lunch was held in the Services Golf Club, where 42 members and guests enjoyed an excellent meal. The event was held against the background of dire warnings from Michael Fish and his team of the worst gale for 10 years. Certainly there were very high winds, but it takes more than that to deter our hardy members, the vast majority of whom arrived in good order, even if they did have to circumnavigate fallen trees and other debris. The gathering included our guests, Ian Hamilton, on a final visit before retirement, together with Peter Cuckow and Sheila, who had travelled up from Blandford. We were particularly glad to welcome them as individuals who have contributed much from RHQ to the Association over the years, as well as giving every assistance to the Aldershot Branch. Colonel Ian kindly said a few words after lunch, in which he spoke movingly about the excellent state of the Corps in general and, on a personal level, the great satisfaction he has derived from his work as assistant Regimental Secretary. We wish him and Elizabeth every happiness in their retirement.
Remembrance 2002
The Branch again paid respects to the fallen in the Remembrance Day ceremonies this year. On the Sunday, members attended a fine service in the Royal Garrison Church where our standard was paraded in church and at the subsequent march past of Regular Army and volunteer organisations. Mike Wilson laid our wreath at the Garrison War Memorial. Later that day, a Royal British Legion ceremony took place at Fleet, attended by Field Marshal Sir John Stanier, the Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire and other dignitaries. Fred Bridges again paraded our standard and was complimented for his bearing and turnout. On Remembrance Day itself, Branch members participated in the ever-moving ceremony at the Brookwood War Cemetery, the resting place of thousands of war dead, especially those from the Canadian Forces. The Branch standard was paraded yet again and Jane Knight laid a wreath.
…And Some Other News Items
The Association’s Future<BR.
In April 2002 the branch participated in a Seminar in London on the future aim, objectives and direction of the Association convened by the Chairman, General Tony Boyle. Those who attended our AGM will recall that Neville Lyons and RSM Eric Udell gave a full account of what transpired at the event and, in particular, our own very positive contribution.
Our information is that RHQ has carefully considered all the points raised at the Seminar and a paper proposing the way forward is being prepared for circulation to branches. We are expecting to receive this in the near future and will acquaint members with its content as soon as possible. It is anticipated that some of the issues to be addressed will include greater use of the internet and ways of more involvement in the Association of those leaving the Corps.
The Aldershot branch is striving to do all it can to uphold and further the objectives of the Association and is always open to new suggestions. In particular it is working hard to bring together our membership with members of the Serving Corps in Aldershot. In this it is receiving the utmost help from RSM Kevin Smith of 261 Signal Squadron. Members can greatly assist this process by attending the events scheduled to take place in Buller Barracks early in the New Year.
Membership
It is surprisingly difficult to keep up to date with changes of address, telephone numbers and other details. This applies in particular to members who, for whatever reason, find themselves unable to attend many meetings. To refresh our database we have therefore embarked in recent weeks by telephone and letter on a Membership Survey of members with whom we have recently had little contact.
This work, which is on-going, has proved exceptionally useful not only in identifying changes but also in re-establishing contact with members. Almost exclusively they have been pleased to receive a call and, even if unable to attend meetings, have said they wish to continue to receive Mercury, which they find interesting and useful. We take this opportunity to thank everyone for their very positive responses.
Partly as a result of this work the following membership changes are announced:
New Life Members: Roly Borthwick, Paul Durrant, Martin Lance, Tom Moncur and Tony Rose.
New Associate Member. Nigel Flower, late Intelligence Corps, but closely associated with Royal Signals over many years and currently Council Member and Aldershot representative of the Forces Pension Society.
Transferred from Branch List: Ian Bingham, AJ Boon, Mike Broadway, RBH Cox, Mike Jefferis, L Matthews and EJ Rendle.
For the future, members can greatly assist by informing the Membership Secretary of changes of address, telephone number, e-mail address or other details. We would also like you to pick up the telephone to a committee member as soon as you know of anyone who is sick or in hospital.
The WRAC Association
In recent years we have held several joint meetings with the WRAC Association and their members have, additionally, joined in some of our other events. We have learned that their local branch may be about to disband. In view of the close association between the WRAC and Royal Signals over many years, we shall be delighted to continue to welcome their members or ex-members to our events in the future.
Annual Welfare Appeal
We again appeal to the generosity of members for donations to the Royal Signals Association Central Fund. The Branch has collected for the last five years for this good cause, raising so far a total approaching £920. RHQ has greatly welcomed our annual contributions and they publish examples of deserving cases regularly in ‘The Wire’.
Please make a special effort to remember ex-members of the Corps who have fallen on hard times and use the form at Annex ‘E’ of the hardcopy Autumn Newsletter, to send your contributions to the Treasurer, Peter Sharpe, or email your pledge to Peter at peter@sharpe280.freeserve.co.uk Members may, of course, give anonymous contributions if they wish.
Contact Points
Since the AGM, there have been two enforced committee changes. Carole Thomas has stood down as Associate Members Representative and Programme Secretary. We thank her most sincerely for her loyal and imaginative work over many years. Our best wishes go to her, to Hywel and their family in their new life-style, based in France. We also thank John Martin, who has stood down as Membership Secretary. Mike Wilson has resumed the latter role in addition to his role as Deputy Chairman.
Click here to see current contact details
Looking Back - Autumn 2002
|
|
