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After the meal we slowly drifted into the TV/Pool room, I took my seat on a carved wood settee which was very comfortable and relaxing until Jacko sat next to me. My calm state turned to screams as he lent back trapping my fingers almost cutting them off. When the majority were in the room the conversation was suddenly halted with an announcement “Can I have everyone’s attention” It was Brian, we were now to all pay for that sporting venue closing down. Brian went on “I’ve had a shit day” and on “I’ve had a really bad day” and on “it’s really not been a good day”, “everyone is to turn up at 10.20hrs prompt tomorrow to go to the sporting event and woe betide anyone who is late. The briefing ended dishing out the poisoned chalice–“I will hold you Peter Dibble, that’s YOU, personally responsible for getting Gary Stewart there on time”. After that a number of us popped down to Nelly Deans to listen to the karaoke. The company was good and we had a good laugh and joke, there was the shandy drinkers joined by Lenny “the fox” Kniverton, Garry Caswell, Uncle Bob, who did his best impression of Simon Cowell, Pete Dibble and Albert “magic touch” Johnson. Returning back to the hotel, all at a reasonable time (didn’t want to be late on parade, orders!), ready for a quick game of cards before bed. The next morning everyone was up in good time and ready for the challenge. At breakfast Bill Gilbert showed us all how to get the double breakfast, he was challenged to havening another man’s rations, but he was happy to comment “if you don’t ask you don’t get”, such a nice bloke how could you refuse, I never could. Brian then decided we all need to be taken control of and he introduce himself as the acting CSM, and everyone was to parade early. Another piece of the jigsaw was coming together, he needed to remind us of another part of army life, “HURRY UP to WAIT”. This was very successfully demonstrated by half the group being allowed to stand on the other side of the road, another outside the hotel, names were taken then we were all allowed to stand together, those with pension passes at the front. We then travelled by tram to the other end of the pleasure beach where we disembark and waited. Off we went again at some pace, then it was realised that Andrew Porat was at the front, Brian courteously suggested that Andy dropped back into the pack, when he said he was ok up front, Brian became more forceful reminding him, as an officer in Belgium he got the workshop lost. Andy replied “I did very well, I got everyone back on course”, yes two days later Andy! The final bit of the demonstration was, when we eventually reached our destination at speed we were stood down because we were far too early, a group of strange men just loitering outside a coop store. Hurry & Wait! We eventually entered the sporting arena and after formally welcoming Noel Muncey to the 211 club, and presenting him with the REME tie, a brief was given. It was to be a shortened game of knock out snooker. The teams were drawn in advance so there was no fixing or cheating there then. The games kicked off and you instantly could see who were the movers and shakers in the game, more to the point you saw who wasn’t. Those players who obviously play the game regularly were frustrated by the mind games of the non players who didn’t or more to the point couldn’t leave a shot on. At one point it was even debated if the games would ever end, our game was going particularly slow until Bill copped the butties coming out then there was a spot of urgency to finish. I sat with Albert for a sandwich and we both commented how we wouldn’t miss the reunion for the world, the people in the club were our true friends and had been for so long. As the games progressed Lenny and his partner Jacko started playing tactics against potential winners Brain Finland and Albert. This game had attracted quite an audience, Geoff, Pete, Bob Wills, Gary C, Stu Murdoch, Tom Start and Reg Day. Reg commented to me how nice it was to hear Brian say “it’s just a game”, and how helpful he was to give AJ some excellent advice and tuition. First we witnessed BF instructing AJ to go between two coloured balls to do the pot, he was very calm when the shot was totally fluffed whilst the crowd shouted “mind the gap”. The next was a double, again the instruction was very clear and precise, again AJ managed to mess it up, after one more miscued shot BJ lost patience and gave AJ the dressing down he deserved. BF decided to calmly give the game up by throwing his cue down the table in a sporting gesture. BF was so concerned about AJ’s play he took him to empty table so he could benefit from some extra practise and put him to work on technique. It was soon the final Ken O’Gara and Tony Blackburn played some outstanding snooker and were whitewashing the pairing of Jackson and Kniverton. Jacko’s team tactics was to just hit the balls, then close to the end of the game Jacko pulled off a master stroke and completed the longest break of the tournament, 3 balls in succession to win the final. The afternoons R and R free time was cut down this year due to the evening reception being at 1700hrs, this caught us all out and at 1620hrs we were still out and about in Blackpool and no chance of 40 winks. We rushed back freshened up and went to put the trophies out, I think Tony Squirrel should not have rushed so much, he was outside suited up wareing his best moccasin slippers. At 1500hrs sharp the mess members gathered together for pre dinner drinks, with the exception of 2, at 1520hrs they were still missing Steve Terry and Len, they were duly summoned and reprimanded. After the meal we moved to the ante room for the AGM. Brian chaired the meeting and did the formal welcomes to the weekend, he told the story of the conception of the club 18 years ago in Ripon. He talked at some length and stopped in mid-flow oh I’ve forgotten what I was saying! then started off again on a totally different subject. The toasts were made and our absent friends were remembered, Dave “Pompy” Woods, Dave “Scouse” Woods, John Hayley, John Cole, CSM John Dunne, Hughie Donnon, Brian Hogan, Des Jaynes, Danny MacDonald, Ian Lees, Vic Pitman, Walter D’Aguiar, Ken Vale and Timmy. There are others Dee, Mitch, Morris and Tom to name but a few. Our thoughts were also with Dave Barlow, Bill Ellis, Bryan Hawks, Ken Hill and especially with the family of Eric Devereux a true friend to us all who we will sadly miss. It was agreed that Eric’s family would hold the Clubs 211OCC wall plaque for the forthcoming year in his memory. There was a big THANKYOU to Brian and Ken for this year, to John Hughes for all his hard work keeping the club together. The Comrade of the season went this year to Brian Finland, next year the floor will hold a secret paper ballet for the presentation for the award. The location for the next two years reunions were discussed, it was proposed that for our 20th Anniversary reunion in two years time would be based around a battlefield tour in Ieper - Belgium, parading at the menin gate, if we can make it happen. For next year it was proposed Whitby, then all of a sudden when we thought the deal was done our chair felt sorry for how far the shandy drinkers had to travel and it was a rush vote for the Midlands, and how did he do that? Thanks’ for getting your own back Brian. After the formal part of the evening closed we all moved outside for the unit photo, disguised as the men in black with sunglasses on and the Blackpool tower in the background. The rest of the evening was spent between the lounge and the cabaret room. Not sure who was the star turn the lady singer or her new co-star Gary, the best double act in town. It was soon Sunday morning and all were present and correct for breakfast, some were slightly worse for wear, but on the whole not too bad. The road on the front at Blackpool was to close for a marathon run, which we considered entering (not) but it did focus many of us leaving before it closed to travel back home. We said our fond farewells for this year whishing each other a safe journey home and we set off on our way. At the time of writing this PXR plans are well on the way for next year’s exercise. If all goes to plan we will be in Lichfield in Staffordshire, It’s about the same size as Stafford and famous for its Cathedral, not too far from the The National Armed Forces Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum, if everything goes to plan details will follow shortly.
David Perry |
