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ARBORFIELD OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION 51st REUNION.
 
ALREWAS - Friday 18th July to Sunday 20th July 2014 inclusive.

 

The following report contributed by Trevor STUBBERFIELD (52A)

 

Photographic contributions as attributed.

 

Photos included in this report remain the Copyright © of Max WARWICK 49B (MW) and Trevor STUBBERFIELD 52A (TS) and should not be copied without the express permission of the owners.

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Saturday.  Drum Head Service.

 

The Army Apprentice National Memorial.

 

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An earlier photo to set the scene of the Annual A.O.B.A. Drum Head Service.  A woodland glade surrounds the memorial and provides an intimate location in which the congregation can assemble to remember our comrades who have been recalled to H.Q.

Alas the unremitting rain led to the service being slightly curtailed but there was a determination that it would go ahead, whatever the conditions.

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The first tranche of a total of 58 Crosses of Remembrance laid this year.  The annual number is increased by the belated reporting of the names of those who have departed in earlier years, but whose details have only recently been recorded.  It is right that we remember them all.

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The Service was conducted by The Reverend Canon Bev John, 66A.

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The reading of the Roll of Honour, 58 names in total, was made doubly difficult by the downpour and P.A. equipment having to be protected.  But read out it was.  What a pity that a small group to one side felt that their chatter was more important than honouring our comrades.  It took several expressions of ‘shush’ to get them to shut up.  If you don’t want to be part of the service, why turn up for it?

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50 years on, the boys of the 1964 intakes.

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At the end of the service, should they so wish, families were invited to take possession of the cross laid for their loved one, a symbol of the respect which fellow Old Boys have for them.  Those unclaimed would be placed on the main memorial.  After some time, I took the liberty of taking a few of those, with connections to this web site, to post on to the families who could not attend.  I hope they will provide some comfort for them.

Formalities over, it was time to return to the main reception area for lunch.  The offer of a buggy ride was gratefully accepted, the walk back would be as long as the walk down, and it’s a long way.  Sod’s law came into force at this point, it finally stopped raining.  Whilst the official visitors were accommodated in the marquees for lunch, my manager and I dined in the N.M.A. Arbor Restaurant where, it has to be said, the meal was of very good quality.  Replete, we strolled over to the official lunch area to catch up on gossip with our friends.  Alas, at that time, no food had been served which put us in an awkward situation.  The decision was made to start off on our journey home, goodbyes were said to friends we could locate and away we went.

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The Editor.

 

Published: 15th August 2014.

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                                                                         Saturday’s Events Continued.