Regimental Dinner Sep 03 Norfolk Section The Britannia and Castle |
| Regimental Dinner Sep 03 Norfolk Section The Britannia and Castle |
| REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION
REUNION DINNER 2003 150 Old Comrades sat down in the TA Centre, Aylsham Road, Norwich, on Sat 27 Sep 03, for the annual dinner. Loyal Greetings sent to HM The Queen and the response were included in the quality menu, produced by our RHQ stalwart Simon Hatch, serving in the TAC as Mortar Pl Sgt. (‘Why are you defacing my menu with your notes?’, he asked.) The Drill Hall was immaculate, set up by the Erection X1 from the Norwich Branch. The walls, hung with yellow drapes and red swags, the property of A (Norfolk and Suffolk) Coy, East of England Regt, had been funded by a sponsored run. Dinner Calls were sounded by the delectable Cawston Band cornet player Michelle Apps. (It may have been a trumpet but the Norfolk Editor is only familiar with a bugle, B Flat Bass, fiddle and fife!) Sons and family members of the late Charlie Baker, (click here for obituary) who had learned to play the cornet with the Cawston Band 80 years ago, were present. Association President Maj Gen John Sutherell CB CBE praised those who had contributed £2400 in donations in addition to the £984 raised in the Draw. £288 was raised in the raffle, after some hard sales by Norwich Branch members under command Ray Segon, who accosted all who arrived, checked in by Barney Taylor. The prime prize Rose Bowl, again donated by absent Paul Boxall (out of hospital that day), was won by Brian Wright, 1st Bn 1954-58 - see below. The Erection X1, (see below) under command Lt Col Paul Garman, were congratulated. Gen John thanked those who had come considerable distances to attend and reported that the well recruited 1st Bn, R Anglian Regt, commanded by Lt Col Eddie Thorne MC (son of the incomparable Sir David), had been selected to be the first Bn in the Army to adopt the new Bowman radio system. The EER had sent 200 soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq and Norfolk ACF were thriving (click here for a report). A new Museum silver display is complete, funded by a generous donation from the family of the late Maj Freddie Crocker MC (click here for obituary). The assets of the London Branch, which closed in 2002, funded a projection system for the Regimental archive photographs. The colour carried in the US 1776-1777 expedition, saved by the Commanding Officer, has been received from RMA Sandhurst (click here for more). The Regimental Cottages are now administered by Haig Homes but priority for occupancy continues to be for Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian soldiers. (Click for a photograph of the handover.) The Sep Duxford Gathering had attracted over 2000 members. B&C 101
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| ERECTION XI The Erection XI, referred to above, and pictured below, comprised volunteers from the Norwich Branch. 38 folding flat tables, 150 chairs, drapes, Standards, Britannia and the screens which form the backing for the top table, are moved from the basement, the rear of the Drill Hall and from the Officers’ Mess upstairs the day before. On the following Monday, the Drill Hall is cleared and everything returned to storage. This year the Erection Team comprised, in age seniority, George Osborne (86), Geoff Ransome (80), Barney Taylor (76), Ivor Read (72), Alan Nichols (72), Ray Segon (71), Lt Col Paul Garman (68), Maurice Eke (68), John Gilbert (a mere boy at 64) and last but not least, Simon Hatch (age is RHQ Classified). Ah - add a brief appearance to the dismounting, checking things were going to plan, by Paul Boxall (80). George Osborne, the oldest present, at 86, was despatched to instruct the Norfolk Editor, the youngest, at 60, to make the tea. In the absence of a teapot a waste-bin was utilised! No complaints were received. (In 1955 the Norfolk Editor was handed a large teapot and requested to make the afternoon tea for the masters at his Grammar School. He had seen his father in action so thought he knew the procedure - ie water boiled and poured on to the tea leaves. In the bottom of the pot were some damp leaves so logic insisted no more need be added and the pot was duly delivered. Oddly, over the next 6 years, there was no further request to make tea!) B&C 101
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GEORGIC PRESENTATION 2003 On display at the 2003 Association Dinner was a 4’ long model of the original twin-funnelled SS Georgic with pages of notes from the B&C site. B&C 88 Jun 97 published a report '1700 Sahibs leave India with a song' from the Aug 1947 Daily Express sent in by the indefatigable Bill ‘Ace’ Seymour via Gordon Spong. It led to the formation of a Georgic Association, with members stretching from Canada to the Home Counties, meeting annually, to recall their 1947 departure from Bombay aboard the Georgic. 2nd Bn members who were aboard, and their guests, are invited to a lunch reunion on Sat 14 Aug 04, the Saturday nearest to 15 Aug, to commemorate the occasion at The Union Jack Club, close to Waterloo Station in London. The Norfolk Editor was e-mailed in the summer of 2003 by Andy Booth offering a model of the Georgic, built by his late grandfather, James. It was a working model, made to sail on water with an active propeller and rudder. Too good an opportunity to miss, the offer was accepted (beating the Liverpool Maritime Museum) and after protracted logistic manoeuvres, the model duly arrived in Norfolk courtesy of Chris Amory, the Best Man of the Norfolk Editor. Refurbishment before the Sep 03 dinner was impractical but Georgic Assocn member Ron Stokoe was ecstatic and will arrange a rebuild. Click here for photographs of the Georgic and of 4 who sailed in her from Bombay 56 years ago. If you are not on the mailing list contact Ron via the Norfolk Section Editor or RHQ, Britannia House, TA Centre, 325 Aylsham Rd, Norwich, NR3 2AB, Tel 01603 400290. B&C 101 |
And see: Regimental Dinner Sep 00 and Regimental Dinner Sep 01 |
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Editorial Rule However, the rules of good taste, respect and confidentiality are always applied. |
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Raybould TD |
B&C Norfolk Editor