The
Reunion of ex RMBs in the Antipodes was once again held in Glenelg South
Australia over the weekend 26th 27th and 28th March 2010.
At 1730 hrs on the 26th we met in the dining room of the Glenelg Motel
for much talk of times gone by. Many tales were relived of ships at
sea (those were the days) and runs ashore in far off places. Malta,
Gib', Singers, Honkers, Jamaica, and of course for some the jungles
of Malaya and Borneo. Of course there was no flying to and fro in those
days either. Sadly it was at this time that we had to break the news
that Bill Billett had died just the week before. Bill had joined as
a Boy Musician but transferred to GD Marine but as he himself said at
our last reunion he was an Ex RMB and proud of it. As the Motel is licensed
the bar was well patronised and when the food was served it made for
quite an evening. So much food for so few people, but we did see most
of it consumed.
Attending this year were the following : -
|
Tom
Lambert
Bob Chumley
Barrie Baker
Ray (Taff) Taylor
Pat Trevis
Maxie Beare NZ
Vince Harris NZ |
Paddy
Semple UK
Ray Watts UK
Bill Mathews
Jim Mason UK
Ted Jones HMS Exeter Survivor
Mike Thompson
Mike Hutton UK
Ginge Chamberlain |
And of course yours truly, Eric Hayward.
Saturday, as is usual in South Australia, dawned sunny with a top temp
expected to be a cool 32 degrees. So at 1130 hrs we were gathered beside
the replica of HMS Buffalo where photos were taken. We missed our unofficial
photographer this year as John Meir was unable to join us. The Buffalo
is now a restaurant and is where at 1200 we were piped aboard by cadets
of the local RAN Squadron with our wives and/or partners. With the addition
of one or two invited guests it was a good number.
Pre - lunch drinks were provided by a donation from Bill Hartland who
was also unable to attend. Something to do with a Golden Wedding Anniversary.
Congratulations from us all Bill and Joan. Warm chicken salad followed
by a choice of steak, three inches thick, perfectly cooked or fish the
same size with sweets to follow. The Loyal toast was then proposed by
Tom Lambert followed by a toast to Absent Friends both living and having
passed on. The tot of Rum for the toasts was once again provided by
Paddy Semple. He and Ray Watts had spent a few days 'resting' in Thailand
before arriving in Adelaide to join us. They were intending to do the
same on their return journey to UK to recuperate from the weekends activities.
Sunday at 1200 in the dining room of the motel saw us again assembled
this time for the lunch time BBQ where again there was enough food to
feed "J" wing. The wrap up speeches were over with no thought
needed about whether we would meet again next year. It was a forgone
conclusion that we would again meet on the last weekend of March 2011.
However we could not disperse without hearing Paddy's latest poem titled
simply ADELAIDE POEM 2010. Paddy [Jackie Semple] really is Northern
Ireland's gift to the literary world.
With wishes for safe travel and promises to be there again, last weekend
of March, 2011, it was time for most to leave. I'll leave you with an
open invitation to you all to join us in Adelaide for a weekend that
you will never forget.
So it is now time to start the organization
of REUNION 2011.
It will be held on the last weekend of March 2011 in the same Venues
namely:
The Glenelg Motel,
Tapleys Hill Rd,
Glenelg,
South Australia
Also HMS Buffalo retaurant.
The programme will be similar to the previous years as to times. Bob
Chummley will be only too pleased to help out with Motel bookings and
can be contacted at chummers@optus.com.au
One thing that we do ask is if you do decide to come next year please
give us the exact time that you intend to stay ie; arrival and intended
departure so that Motel does know what rooms are required and when those
rooms will again be free. Their prices this year were the same as last
years and they tell me that they will remain the same for our group
next year. When we are on to a good thing we intend to stick with it.
Well I'll leave this for now and hope that I have awoken a desire for
more of our great family to perhaps join us in South Australia on the
last weekend of March 2011.
Regards and best wishes to you and yours wherever you are,
Eric Hayward.
