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Mr & Mrs R Fletcher

6 Riversdale Drive

Goole

DN14 5LH

Tele:- 01405 763235 

E-mail ronxrh3873@aol.com

Shiners Newsletter Christmas 2005

Once again time for a letter.

         As usual I will start with the obituaries. It is sad that we have to mention this but people have asked me to include it in the newsletters.

         Bert Arnold died in April, age 75, with circulatory problems. He had been married to Beryl for 52 years and they had 2 sons. I was informed only recently by Beryl, she is still coming to terms with her loss.

          Roger Beech died 20^th September 2005 after a short illness. I have no further details.

          Les Marston died on 5^th November 2005 following a heart attack. He was in 1^st troop, A squadron and was a cross country runner for the regiment.

          Kath Edwards, widow of Frank, had a very upsetting shock. Their daughter, Lesley, died very suddenly on 13^th November, she was only 47 years old and had never been ill. As the Shiners family we sent our deepest condolences.

           Pete Hill has requested that we include the following in the newsletter. SSM Jack Rogers and Olive May Rogers celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary on 17^th November. Pete has put together a web page for them on his site. I have looked at it and it is very informative and I am sure they are pleased with it.

         He has also asked if anyone has maps of Aden from the time the regiment was there, they are for his new web-site. Also he has put a Photo Album on the site so members can now upload their photographs.

           As you may have heard on the grapevine, our Stockport weekend was a great success. 53 sat down for dinner, our numbers were down but several of our regulars were absent due to illness etc. I spoke to Pete Woods a short time ago on the phone, enquiring on his health, he still cannot eat properly but considering what he has been through he said he is fine and hopefully he will be back at Stockport next year. To quote Pete “Stockport weekend is the highlight of my year”. Let us hope it comes to fruition. It was an excellent meal and the raffle raised £212 for the Shiners funds. People were very generous with the quality of the raffle prizes and substantial donations which we very much appreciate.

        We were very pleased to see Bob and Jean Standley who have not been to Stockport for a number of years. Jean has had a stroke on top of everything else and is now in a wheelchair and Bob has to do practically everything for her. I found out on the Sunday morning that Bob and Jean had come by train from Portsmouth, if you don’t mind me saying so Bob, that was a Herculean effort, but I am sure they both thoroughly enjoyed it.

         Also we had Bob Courtney and his son with us for the Saturday evening. Bob was struggling somewhat on walking sticks, waiting to go into hospital for a hip replacement, which he had a couple of weeks after Stockport and is doing very well. Both he and his son enjoyed it so much they have vowed to come again next year for both Friday and Saturday.

         Arthur and Rose  Deverell were also there. They are back from Tenerife and now living in Bournemouth. Both looking very well.

         So those who did not come missed a good weekend. The majority of people who were there have already booked their accommodation for next year.

              The Acton Court, for the last 2 years, has been under new ownership. They are completely re-vamping the place and quite honestly, they cannot do enough for the Shiners, for which we are very grateful. We have just negotiated the price for next year and fortunately they have agreed to hold the price the same as this year.

There will also be sandwiches served in the bar on Friday night.       

        On the Friday night I went to the bar and the lady who was behind the bar told me her son is in the Hussars, I asked her which Hussars and the conversation went, to cut a long story short, he was one of the senior ranks in the burial party for Lance Corporal Brackenbury who was killed in Iraq whose funeral several of us attended. When I told her exactly what had happened at the funeral she said she had learnt more from me because, as usual, “the kids tell their mothers nothing”! This year the parade at the War Memorial in Goole was more poignant as his name is now on it and there were quite a few attended from his own village. In our local paper it was reported that Alan’s father had been down to the regiment and there were pictures of him sitting in a tank.

          Three of our members went to London for the Armistice Parade and laid a wreath on behalf of the 10^th Royal Hussars. They were Clive Ham, John Hewitt and Ken Harrison. We did see them on television on parade, they marched with the Aden Veterans.

          I did hear Winchester had 100+ sitting down for a meal but someone told me, tongue in cheek, at Stockport, that it represented 5 regiments, so it appears other groups are suffering.

          John Hewitt has asked me to include the following. Anyone who has served in any of the armed forces until December 1954 is entitled to wear the Veterans Badge. It has HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge on it. All information is in the British Legion book. The number to ring is o8oo 169 2277. I have already requested mine.

      With reference to the Arboretum, John and I will be going there in late February or early March to sort out the flags. 2 new flags will be taken, these were supplied by the Kings Royal Hussars OCA.

       Also the Cavalry Parade in May is still badly represented by the 10^th Royal Hussars OCA.       

         I mentioned at Stockport that Liz Bentley was continuing to arrange the Swindon Sunday Lunch but in the long term would like someone to take over on a permanent basis. Trevor Weston said he would take the job on and as far as I know he has been in touch with Liz and sorted things out for the future. Liz has already arranged next May and would like menu slips to be returned to her by 13^th May please.

           We still have a number of items in stock for purchase, polo shirts, sweaters etc. If we have not got a particular item we can soon get it.

           That is all for the moment, but I would urge anyone with any information, gossip, or anything else to let me know and then I can include it in the letters as not everyone has access to the Internet. The more people tell me the more I can tell you.

           It only remains for June and I to wish all Shiners, wherever they are, a Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year and most of all Good Health. Keep taking the pills and with a bit of luck we will all wake up tomorrow, and come to Stockport next year and have a good weekend.

Please "Click" Here for 2006 Function Application Form when new window opens just "save or open" then print.

           Regards and best wishes to everyone.