Regimental Dinner Sep 02

Norfolk Section
The Britannia and Castle		      
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION REUNION DINNER 2002
Familiar bugle calls by Andrew Lee, former RBL bugler, summoned 140 Old Comrades to the Reunion Dinner on Sat 28 Sep 02 at the TA Centre, Aylsham Road, Norwich. Association President Maj Gen John Sutherell CB CBE presided. Thanks were offered to Col Tony Taylor and the Regimental Office Staff of Chris Cowell, Liz Reeve and Simon Hatch, for the quality production of the menu which carried a copy of our Loyal Greetings to HM The Queen and her response. Acknowledgement was made to the Norwich Branch, under the command of Lt Col Paul Garman, for setting up the splendid layout of the Drill Hall (see below) and to the Raffle Team under the command of Ray Segon.
Missing for the first time in many years was Paul Boxall and also our senior waitress since 1983, Alison.
In the raffle, which raised over £250, Ray Pillar scooped the star prize of the engraved Rose Bowl, donated by Paul Boxall.
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The London Branch combined age exceeded 660 years!
Back: Ron Stokoe, Bill Seymour, Capt Maurice Franses and Stan Rasberry
Front: Gordon Spong, Ron Pelster, Tommy Catlin MM (d Apr 03)
and John Watson (d Feb 03)

WO2 Alex Barr, Jerry Banthorpe and Peter Baldry

Weybourn Pill Box 1939-40 Peter Baldry

Maj Jack Salter and
Capt Jimmy Perry-Warnes

Click photographs to enlarge

KOREAN VETERANS REUNITED AFTER 50 YEARS
At the Sep 02 Regimental Association Dinner in Aylsham Road, Norwich, two veterans of the Korean War met for the first time since 1952.
Right, 22614567 Alan Nichols, Norwich Branch member, living in Norfolk and 22563213 Sgt Adrian Hearn from Devon, making his first ever visit to the Annual Dinner.
Both served in Korea in D Coy, The Royal Norfolk Regt.
Alan, via the Middx Regt, served 1951-54.
Adrian, 1st Bn, 1951-56, served in Hong Kong and at the Depot.
Click here for the Korea Index
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DINNER PREPARATION
When the Members of the Association gather on the last Saturday of Sep for the Regimental Dinner at the TAC in Aylsham Road, they find that the Drill Hall has been transformed into a large dining room.
What goes into this transformation? There are 36 folding flat tables, 140 chairs, screens, the Colour Standards, Britannia and the screens which form the backing for the top table. On the Friday, all of these have been taken out of stores from the basement, the rear of the Drill Hall and from the Officers' Mess upstairs and the hall has been prepared. When the caterers arrive on the Saturday afternoon they can lay the tables, ensuring that everything is ready when Members begin to arrive at 1830 hours.
Then, on the following Monday, the Drill Hall must be cleared and everything returned to storage.
Contrary to what many Association Members think, this task is not carried out by members of the Territorial Army but by volunteers from our own Norwich Branch of the Association. This year the fatigue party, severely depleted by illness, comprised, in age seniority, Barney Taylor (75), Ivor Read (71), Alan Nichols (71), Ray Segon (70), Lt Col Paul Garman (a mere boy at 68) and last but not least, Simon Hatch (age is East of England Regt Classified) - Regimental HQ Staff.
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The Erection Team

Ivor Read, Ray Segon
and Paul Garman

Ray Segon, Ivor Read,
Barney Taylor, Alan Nichols and
Paul Garman

Imagery trickery removed the ropes!

 Simon Hatch

Simon Hatch - who declined to be photographed on the day!

Ray Segon and Barney Taylor bring down the drum table from the Officers' Mess
Click photographs to enlarge

And see: Regimental Dinner Sep 00 and Regimental Dinner Sep 01

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Editor, Norfolk Section, The Britannia and Castle
 B&C Norfolk Editor