NEWSLETTER 

SEPTEMBER 2017

Newsletter for Branch meeting on 20^th September 2017  

Please note information for any of the newsletters to be passed on to Jan Bridle by the last Saturday before the following meeting. Also, if anyone has changed their email address or set up a new one could they please let Jan know.

Branch subs   

No change from last year at £15 and paid to the treasurer now if not already paid. Please send any cheques, made out to REA Bournemouth, to the above address for John Cusack.

18^th October meeting  

This is a Bingo evening with a Fish and Chip supper. Chicken and Chips are also available. The cost of the meal is £4.50 a head and must be paid tonight if not already paid. If anyone not at this September meeting wishes to attend please send a cheque, with choice of menu, to John Cusack, the Treasurer, at the address above.

Vacancies   

The position of Social Secretary is still vacant.    This position could be filled by a Lady of the branch.  In the absence of a social secretary this task falls to the committee to arrange so any ideas for entertainment of any sort would be most welcome.

Monthly Informal Lunches

As usual held on the first Tuesday, menu lists on the table at evening meetings. Contact John Cusack for any information or to book/choose from menu if not at meeting.

It has been great to meet some of our newest members from the New Forest, who have joined us at these lunches, over the last few months. We wish to remind all our members what a lovely social occasion these lunches are and encourage you to join us whenever possible.

Ted Young   
He is going to Holland this month for the Battle of Arnham, Market Garden 73rd Anniversary. He is going to the RE Ceremony at Driel. We look forward to reading his report when he returns.
Memories from Peter Piggott

In Cyprus in 1955 all accommodation was tented, and I had a 4 man tent with concrete floor. When the Suez flap started Cyprus was swamped with extra troops, tents everywhere. The Officer’s Mess was on the beach where they laid a floor with Jerricans laid flat.

We had lost a married S.SGT, Peter Smith, who was shot in the back whilst getting kerosene from a garage for his cooking stove. This caused an upset among the families living in town hirings who asked us, as a favour, to let them have some from the stores, always promising to bring back the cans. Of course they always forgot!

On a later stores check we found we were some 100 cans short, but some of the extra troops had since moved out, including the Officer’s Mess on the beach, leaving the floor of cans still in the sand. So we took a truck down and dug them out, cleaned them up, and then spiked them. We then took them down to the main stores at Dhekelia and had them written off, putting the books straight.

Thank you Nasser and the 6 day war for getting things straight for us!!

V.J. Day   
On the 15^th of August Bert and Dot Martin took Bob Hucklesby to Poole Park for the V.J. Day Commemoration Service in the Mountbatten Rose Garden. Bob was able to recite the Far East Prisoner of War Prayer and he laid a cross on the Memorial.   At the age of 96 we think he is marvellous.

Michael Herbert   We have heard from Joan that Mike was taken into Poole Hospital on the Thursday just gone with a suspected stroke. A scan has shown that it was not a stroke but they are keeping him in for a full assessment.  Our best wishes go to both Mike and Joan at this time and hope he makes a swift recovery.

Forthcoming  Evening  Events 2017

October 18th        -        Bingo with Fish and Chips

November 15th    -        Talk on Flying Boats in Poole Harbour by Jeremy Walters

December 20th     -        The Swing Easy Duo

Forecast of Events 2017.

14^th October= REA AGM and annual dinner

15^th October=Sapper Sunday at Royal Hospital Chelsea

09^th November = Field of Remembrance, Westminster Abbey

12^th November=Remembrance Sunday