Issue 95 Dec 00

Issue 95 Dec 2000
Norfolk Section
The Britannia and Castle

Archives 1914 unknown Norfolk Regt soldier photograph 1 Royal Norfolk C Coy Germany 1945 by Alan Solomon 4th Bn 1946 Patras, Greece Int Section 70th Bn 1941 Britannia and Nelson Barracks and Taverham Hall by EG Allison 70th Bn 1943 Wansford by Geoff Ransome 70th Bn Survivors in 2000 Georgic Reunion 2000 Ivy Tale 2 Royal Norfolks in Korea from Soldier Magazine

Dinners and Reunions 4th Bn Garden Party 2000 Georgic Reunion 2000 Regimental Dinner Sep 00

Funnies Scaly Bashing Bashas To The Point! Two Ties Awful!

Miscellaneous 100th Birthday Celebration of HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother at Horse Guards Jul 00 Gallipoli Cathedral Service 2000

People Maj Fred Ayers TD Maj Danny Bebbington MBE Maj Adam L Gordon (d 1999) Harold A Brawn-Meek's poem Col Dick Flower TD DL Memorial Service Gillie Gilchrist's DCM Citation Gillie Gilchrist presentsKorean Plaque Peter Morfoot Alan Simpson seeks Korea comrades Maj Tom Styles (aka Yan Moosun) Collection of his B&C pieces Maj Tom Styles Unwell

Regimental Garden Appeal Regimental Garden Appeal Regimental Garden Brochure

MAJ FRED AYERS TD
That Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regiments legend Maj Fred Ayers TD served with 2nd/4th Essex on being posted to India with Wingate’s Chindits. With fellow Founder members of 6 R ANGLIAN - Col Paul Raywood TD as CO and the late Maj David Standley TD as OC A (Royal Norfolk) Coy - Fred was Paymaster with the late Maj Danny Bebbington MBE as QM. Fred said that Danny, who died in 1999 (his obituary appeared in B&C 94 p N30) was the youngest Quartermaster Sgt in the British Army, serving in one of the Chindit Columns.

MEMORIAL SERVICE - COL DICK FLOWER TD DL
Three most magnificent musical renditions were heard in Norwich Cathedral on Fri 17 Nov 2000 at the Memorial Service conducted by Rev Jonathan Boston, Senior Padre to Norfolk ACF; Last Post and Reveille by Edmund Baker and Rule Britannia by Asst Organist Katherine Dieness. Paul Boxall carried The Norwich and District Branch Standard of The Royal Norfolk and Royal Anglian Regimental Association. To accompany the obituary for the late Col Dick Flower, this is the final part of the eulogy given by Col Paul Raywood at the Memorial Service: 'I remember Dick at one TA Camp when we spent an uncomfortable night on Dartmoor during a Training Exercise. This ended as the sun rose, breaking through the gloom and outlining an immensely tall figure, magnified by the fog. This turned out to be my CO, checking we had survived the night and were all in good order. In later years I was to see this immensely tall, long-legged and slender man walking around the Newmarket Road area of Norwich with an immensely short-legged stout dog on a lead. These are my visual memories. The man I knew was of high integrity; a man dedicated to serving and helping others, a quiet man, a man who did not get rattled; a most generous man and not only with his time. He was a devout traditional Anglican who lived his religion through his high sense of service to others and the gentleness of his way of life. We shall remember him with gratitude and affection.'

NATIONAL SERVICEMAN PETER MORFOOT
Peter Morfoot, a National Serviceman 1955-57, mentioned in B&C 90 Jun 98, died in Sep 98 and his obituary appeared in B&C 91 Dec 98. His widow, Margaret, was honoured in Jun 2000 by the Rotary Club of Watton and District. It gave the Norfolk Editor, as Club President 1999-2000, much pleasure to present Margaret with the Individual Vocational Service Trophy for the Community Work she has done. Margaret said that her late husband Peter, a Past President of the Watton Club, would have been very proud of her award. Photographs of the presentation may be viewed on the website of The Rotary Club of Watton and District, whose Webmaster is also the B&C Webmaster !

Peter is on the left in the mid-1950s photograph, far right.
After Note by Webmaster: Click here for another photograph of Peter in his National Service Days from B&C 98 Jun 02.

Peter Morfoot, left,
in the mid-1950s.

Other names unknown.

Can you name them?

Click photographs to enlarge

NORFOLK REGT SOLDIER 1914
Gordon K Reynolds, of Lowestoft, rescued from a local antique shop a photograph of a smart young soldier in a 17"x 22" frame.

If anyone recognises him, Gordon will pass it on or otherwise give it to The Regimental Museum.

Gordon served with The Suffolk Regt, 4 Royal Norfolk, The East Anglians and with 5 Royal Anglian, 1945-46 and 1952-73.

See below, from B&C 98 Jun 02, for the name of the soldier - provided by Alan Solomon.

From B&C 98 Jun 02
A SUCCESSFUL APPEAL
NORFOLK REGT SOLDIER OF 1914 NAMED AS HERBERT JAMES ROE
B&C 95 Dec 00 (see above) reported on p N17 that Gordon K Reynolds (Suffolk, 4 Royal Norfolk, East Anglian and 5 Royal Anglian 1945-46 and 1952-73), of Lowestoft, had rescued from a local antique shop a photograph (see above) of a smart young soldier in a 17"x 22" frame.
Our astute and avid reader of the B&C, Alan Solomon (decd Jan 05) also of Lowestoft, provided the name of the soldier. 'Looking at this photograph reminded me of one I had seen in ‘The Carlton Colville Chronicles’, published a few years ago. It has extracts from the 1901-1940 diary of the Rector of Carlton Colville, especially detailed for 1914-18. It includes a photograph of brothers Herbert and Charles Roe. The likeness between that of Herbert and of the soldier in Gordon’s photograph is so great to make us feel sure they are the same man.
The children of the family were 3 brothers and one sister: Herbert James Roe 13897 2nd Bn Norfolk Regt, killed 26 Feb 1917 aged 23 in Mesopotamia and buried in Amera War Cemetery, Iraq. Charles William Roe DCM MM, 21372, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, killed 22 Oct 1914 aged 23, buried in Belgium. Charles Reuben Simon Roe served until 1919 and emigrated to Canada. Violet Roe served in the WAAC.
Gordon and I have tried to trace relatives of Violet and pass on the photograph but newspaper advertisements have brought no success. The next step is for Gordon to offer it to The Regimental Museum.
The burial details came from The Commonwealth War Graves Commission Graves website http://yard.ccta.gov.uk/cwgc/register.nsf
To trace Herbert’s service record would cost £25. Does anyone know how we obtain them free?'

Thanks Alan and Gordon.

For more on Alan (decd Jan 05) and Rose Solomon in 2002, click here.

And click here for the fate of the photograph!
And click here for more on Herbert.
Click here for 2005 photographs of the Al Amara Cemetery taken by CSgt Ivan Roe, A (Norfolk and Suffolk Coy), the East of England Regt

MAJ ADAM L GORDON
Major Adam L Gordon in Brighton, claims to be 'very much old vintage', having retired in 1958. He has been firmly established in Sussex for years and rarely gets up to Norfolk, regretting his absence at the June 1995 Royal Norfolk Regiment Officers Dinner. Sadly, he reported the death of his batman, Desmond Atkins, with whom he served in B Coy 1st Battalion, The Royal Norfolk Regiment in Korea 1951-2. We are moved by his widow's adherence to the old principles of Loyalty and Service as detailed in Desmond's obituary.

After note: Adam died in Jan 1999. Click here for his obituary.

ALAN SIMPSON
Alan Simpson of Apto 104, Mojocar, Almeria, Spain would like to hear from anyone from Major Ben Chapman's A Coy from Korea, especially his old No 1 Platoon, and Angus Robertson (Beds & Herts) who was the Coy 2IC.

MV GEORGIC REUNION AUG 00
Two days after the Independence of India, on 15 Aug 1947, the 2nd Bn The Royal Norfolk Regt and other British Service Personnel embarked upon the troopship MV Georgic at Bombay, bound for England. At the dockside, very senior official dignitaries from the British and Indian Govts made this exodus of British Tps a very high profile occasion, not to be forgotten by those who witnessed it. (See B&C 88 Jun 97, 90 Jun 98, 91 Dec 98, 94 Jun 00.) Gordon Spong of Bournemouth wrote to say that several ex-2 Royal Norfolks contacted him and a meeting was arranged at The Union Jack Club on Sat 19 Aug 2000. Gordon, and his close associate Ron Stokoe, who jointly organised the London meeting, would like to express their grateful thanks to the following comrades, some of whom travelled considerable distances to attend: Maj Ian Page - Henley-On-Thames, Oxon; Ron Phelps - Thirsk, Yorkshire; Lesley Preston - Darlington, Co Durham; Peter Stevens - Cambridge; Ron Stokoe - Southend-on-Sea, Essex; John Thornton - Alburgh, Norfolk; John Watson (d Feb 03) - Palmersville, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Stan Rasberry (Guest) - Hersham, Surrey.
After a very enjoyable day chatting, drinking and lunching it was agreed that this should become an annual event and hopefully we can swell the ranks come NOON 18 Aug 2001 at The Union Jack Club near Waterloo Railway Station, London. Please contact Gordon.
(It is always good to read of such reunions as a result of a piece in the B&C. Thanks to Bill Seymour for sending in the original Daily Express cutting and thanks Gordon for keeping us informed. Ed.)

For more, see:
Georgic Index
B&C 88 Jun 97 - The Norfolks leave India in Aug 1947 by Sydney Smith of The Daily Express
B&C 90 Jun 98 - Dutchie Holland by Gordon Spong
B&C 91 Dec 98 - Aboard The Georgic by Ron Phelps
B&C 93 Dec 99 by Gordon Spong
B&C 94 Jun 00 - Len Brazier by Capt John A Todd
B&C 95 Dec 00 - Aug 00 Reunion by Gordon Spong
B&C 98 Jun 02 - Aug 01 Reunion by Jim Cameron
B&C 100 Jun 03 Obituary John Watson

ANOTHER IVY TALE
While at ACF Camp at Napier Barracks, Folkestone, in Aug 2000 I was reminded of another Ivy * Tale.
After entering the 6 R ANGLIAN Mess for a Dinner, there was a vacant seat and full plate opposite Ivy. Quickly devouring the first course, Ivy slid under the table and scoffed his second portion.
While he was under the table returning to his original seat, the Mess Steward, CSgt Tony Ground, removed the unoccupied chairs. Neighbouring officers closed up the gap on both sides of the table and Ivy spent the remainder of the Dinner under the table.
While the facts should not get in the way of a good story, this is an exception and everything is absolutely true.
Does anyone recall the date and location of the Ivy dinner?
Tony Ground is now 70, as fit as ever, and left for Oz in early December for a 3-month winter break with his wife June.

* Ivy - because a fellow Officer from B 'Brutal' Coy remarked to the Norfolk Editor, while President of the Last Ever TA Audit Board:
‘In our Coy, he's called Ivy. Either 'cos he's poison or is a creeper!’

For the full tale of Ivy, click here!
And click here for Ivy's contribution to the TA Audit Boards.

Editorial Rule
To qualify for inclusion in the B&C there is only one rule - something described must have been said to have happened.
The authority is the Editor, British Army Review No 114 Dec 96, `If the facts don`t fit the legend, print the legend’.

However, the rules of good taste, respect and confidentiality are always applied.

Rule Britannia!

Site edited and maintained by Major JL Raybould TD
Editor, Norfolk Section, The Britannia and Castle
B&C Norfolk Editor