ARBORFIELD
OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION 48th REUNION.
ARBORFIELD -
Friday 29th July to Sunday 31st July 2011 inclusive.
‘The Last Hurrah’
The following report contributed by Trevor STUBBERFIELD (52A)
Photographic
contributions as attributed.
MW: Copyright
© Max Warwick 49B.
TS: Copyright
© Trevor Stubberfield 52A.
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Friday.
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The 41st AOBA
Reunion in 2004 marked the closure of our school, by whatever name we
knew it during our time there, bringing to a close 65 years of apprentice
training on site, and yet here we were, seven years on, to mark the final
page of our Arborfield Barracks story.
This was to be the last time we would have the privilege of meeting
and parading on ‘Our Square’, our spiritual home for the past 72
years. Future plans for the reunions
involve the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, where we
will find a new home within the bounds of the Joint National Army
Apprentices Memorial which will be dedicated in September 2011. The speed and enthusiasm with which this
project was brought to fruition bode well for the future of the AOBA
gatherings which will be at Alrewas.
This reunion marked the 50th anniversary of them
joining Arborfield for the 1961 intakes, and the 60th anniversary of the
1951 intakes.
My Friday started with an afternoon visit to the
grounds of the Reading Crematorium for the purpose of finding the final
resting place of RSM McNally, Scots Guards who is remembered by many. Unfortunately Plot No. CR 142 was grassed
over and there was no headstone between the adjoining plots. The intention was to add an entry to an
existing web page of Arborfield Memorials The search will continue in other
directions.
Once again I found it necessary to sweet talk my way
past the MOD Police on the gates of Hazebrouck Barracks so that I could
sign in for the reunion.
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Meal Deals and I.D. Badges.
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L>R: David Schofield 65A (Retiring AOBA Web
Master), Fred Mills 51B (AOBA Membership Secretary), Keith Evans 45A
(Retiring AOBA Asst Secretary), Bill Cleasby 61C (Retiring AOBA Hon
Secretary).
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Photo R11 MW 4105
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Photo R11 MW 4110
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Now officially booked in I returned to my car and set
off for the Bailleul WOs & Sgts Mess where the gathering would be
taking place. Just one of my
contemporaries was in attendance later, so I sat talking to Pete Henry 49B
who gave me a photo to add to the web site.
RE 49ers brushing up their gardening skills on a posting to
Chatham. The photo came from Max
Warwick’s photo collection but has been added to the photo album of Pete
Henry who came up with the relevant names, all bar one if anybody can
identify him.
The ‘Everything Curried’ buffet was served at 20.00hrs
which I gave a miss out of respect of my figure.
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The Supper.
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Ray Doughty 61B, Gordon Steele 61B, Maureen (wife of Ted
Stanford 60C), Gillian (wife of Barry Williams 59B), Brenda (wife of Norman
Smith 60C), Barry Williams 59B.
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Photo R11 MW 4118
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2nd in line, Mike Davis 60B, Honorary Treasurer AOBA.
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Photo R11 MW 4123
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Three seated L>R: Ray Doughty 61B, Alan Woolley 61C,
Barry Vaughn-Owen 61C.
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Photo R11 MW 4124
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L>R: Dougie Bennett, Gordon Steele, Laurie Blakely,
all 61B, ex ‘C’ Company.
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Photo R11 MW 4126
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For me it was a case of ‘early to bed, late to rise’ and
so I set off for my billet with the good friends in Winnersh who look after
my wife and I for these reunion weekends.
Next year will be very different.
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First Published: 15th
August 2011.
Latest Update: 1st
September 2011.
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  Saturday’s Events
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