Southern Shiners mid-day meet at Headcorn Kent.

Thursday 20th June 2002

Our yearly lunch at The Weald of Kent Golf Club, we are not members, George Walker arranged the venue as he used to live in the area in his childhood, and returns frequently to this most picturesque setting on the slopes of the hills leading up to Sutton Vallance. We have the use of the Lounge Bar, and tables in Restaurant are laid ready for our meal, we order what we wish, Duck was popular, but a glance outside at the usually well stocked lake of wild fowl, seemed unusually empty of any bird, I had Scampi, I now wonder if they were Home Grown? It is always such an enormous meal, that we wonder how they can provide it at the cost, George ordered wine from the local Vineyard.
Early in the day Derek Ivings, drove from Hayes to Chelsea Hospital to collect ex SQMS. Tom Parnell, George Walker & Sylvia got there early from Bromley to ensure that all was ready, Norman Long & Rene came from Sheppey, Don Kane & Pat, from Lancing called to collect Bill Hazelgrove & Margaret from Brighton, Rene' Regendanz came up from Rye, he's had a new hip joint fitted, so that drive must have been painful, Eric Farris & Dorothy drove up from Biddenden, good to see Eric so mobile after his major surgery .
Tom had plenty to find out from Rene' as they last met at the Amalgamation in 1969, Rene' had brought his Photo Album, he has a large collection of Iserlohn, I must see if I can borrow some of them for the Shiners Website. Don said his neighbor captured the Barracks in the war, there was a block opposite "A" Squadron that got destroyed and there were a lot of German casualties in it, somebody recalled the Smoker at Christmas 1950 when Tom concocted a Special Brew, got a Conjuror, and a live Female Dancer, strange that we were all in "A" squadron together.
Rene Long surprised Tom with an iced 84th Birthday Cake with a little Chelsea Pensioner on top, no candles, (it might have been a fire hazard) just " 62 years a Shiner " , Tom put it back in its box, and said I'm taking that back to show my mates at Chelsea, and my son who I'm going to stay with tomorrow in Whitchurch.
We retired to the outside and spent an other hour or so, sitting in the glorious sun on the patio, it had been an other day to remember, it is a shame that our old mates Dougie Bowles, Eric ( Topper) Brown, Alan Boyce, Brian Glancy Hockley now moved to Cornwall, John Gateson, Don Flower, Roger Beech, John Carter could not get there, I do my utmost to persuade them to come, but the location is not suitable to every body, we have chosen a central point that is alright for most, I am thinking of buying a ex NAFFI Mobile Canteen and calling on each of them, and having a " stay at home lunch", perhaps I might be able to purchase a few of those famous NAFFI Rock Cakes, to go with the 1 jam & 1 cheese sandwiches, and mug of tea that I will offer them, it will be worth it just to hear if they still know those swearwords, I am told Troopers use.
Reluctantly we have to leave, some of us have already booked our accommodation for Tidworth, the Association Weekend in August, most of us will go, if not see you at Stockport! "Smiler"