Editorial (Newsletter No. 30)
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Here we are with Midsummer’s Day fast approaching. It has been a busy winter in the Veterans’ Orderly Room. Due mainly to the efforts of Dave Bennett another 9 Veterans were tracked down, 6 of whom have replied and signed up. Details are given later in this newsletter. The September coach trip to Paris was cancelled due to lack of support. We hope to make another pilgrimage to Fontainebleau in September 2005 and this will be developed at the Annual Meeting at Warwick in October. The numbers for the Annual UK Reunion and Dinner are holding up well. There are still some spare places. |
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GENDARMERIE
LAND ROVER |
From the Postbag
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REUNION IN PORTUGAL AFTER 43 YEARS Here is a quick snap of Peter Taylor receiving a surprise visit from me whilst he was on holiday in Albufera, Portugal recently. Peter was stunned but in his indomitable Police trained way took it all in his stride. Both Daisy and his wife Ellie became good friends and whilst Peter and me swung the lamp over old times the ladies retired to their own little world as most wives do when the AAFCE vets get together. |
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GEORGE
FARMER Glad Farmer ~ (Romford, Essex) |
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CYPRUS
VETERANS If you have any RAF Policemen on your
books who spent some time in Malaya they can come and join us if they wish... VISIT OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TO FONTAINEBLEAU When the Duke came to Fontainebleau and it was decided that a reception would be held in the Chateau grounds. Prior to the visit orders went out for a number of bods to be "in attendance" to carry out any necessary duties It befell upon me to be in charge of
one of the "drinky poo" tents. So on the appointed day we all
assembled and got to work to organise the drinks, seating, glasses, champers
etc., The Duke duly arrived and did the rounds with a "thank you"
at the end of his visit to our tent and promptly left to go somewhere else.
We were left with the task of serving all manner of drinks to all manner of
visitors who chose to come in. Eventually the crowds dispersed leaving us
poor "unfortunates" to clear up the mess and leave everything nice
and tidy. All chairs and tables to be stacked in an orderly fashion, all
rubbish to be collected and "bagged". Then there was the question
of the collection of all the dirty glasses and the empty, half empty and full
bottles of drinks that were lying about. Eventually after a few sips amongst
us all we managed to gather all the bottles together and into the boxes
provided. Then up pipes one little gentleman "Hey Sarge what do we do
with all the drinks that are left in the glasses ? A snap decision was made
whereupon two bods did the rounds of the glasses with a galvanised bath that
had been supplied earlier in the day together with ice to keep the drinks
cold. Then another question "What do we do with all this what’s in the
bath". Oh dear, but suddenly an answer was produced -tip it in the lake.
Off to the lake with the bath and into the lake goes the contents. Nobody
around after about half an hour could understand why those beautiful fish
that swam in the lake were all lying upside down in the lake doing nothing
not even flapping their gills. But somewhere there was a rotten Sergeant who
decided where to put the "dregs" from the glasses. I wonder who
that was? DO YOU REMEMBER MEDWYN PARRY? I was very interested in your "Old Comrades" Section in Yours Magazine dated March 2004, looking for RAF personnel who served in Fontainebleau during 1950's- 6O's. My husband Medwyn Parry served with the RAF Police in Fontainebleau from about 1959 to 1961. I have photographs of him with the RAF football team as he was a keen sportsman and played football" rugby, cricket etc. He always spoke with affection of all his mates in the camp and of course of some of the exploits they got up to in Montmatre and Paris, which is where they spent time off. So much time has elapsed since then and it would be wonderful if any of his old mates remembered him. Med died in 1978 of a heart attack at the young age of 39 leaving me and three young children. I know that if Med had been alive he would have been extremely interested in any reunion connected with Fontainebleau. He always spoke of the friends he had there with a great deal of affection and as he telephoned me occasionally from France, then it has a special place in my memory also. I do hope someone remembers him as I
have not re-married and it would bring him closer if someone could recall
him. Come on lads ~ if you remember Medwyn
give Jennifer a call on A clever clogs in the Post Office
determined that this Newsletter weighed six pence more than the first class
stamp used to send it to me. I am mentioning this to cover my inordinate
delay in forwarding it on because I was required to attend a Main Post Office
Mail Collecting Dept (open mornings only) with the excess postage and
obligatory £1 handling fee before I could enjoy the Newsletter contents, and,
yes, it was worth it. Pete Prentice was admitted
to hospital in May for a second operation on his knee. Below is an article written by John Day published in the RAF Police Association (London & South East Branch) NOTE BOOK ~ Spring 2004 Fontainebleau Veterans Association by John Day Six years ago an ex-SAC in the clerical department decided to try and contact some of the people who had served with him at Fontainebleau, in France, during the early to mid-fifties. The result of this tentative enterprise is the fast growing "Fontainebleau Veterans Association" which now boasts over 100 members. Originally just for RAF personnel, the founder and President of the Association opened it to all allied forces who served at either of the two bases in the town, thus embracing our new colleagues of the ground-pounding brown type. At our third reunion at Camp Guynemer last September we finally had the chance to show off our white berets, and were promptly trumped by the RMP. Being the only ones wearing any type of headgear, we attracted the cameras. Apart from visiting old haunts and swapping exaggerated stories, the highlight of these reunions is a march up the Champs Elysees, this year led by the band of the French Air Force. This march takes place every year on September l5th to commemorate the Battle of Britain, and after the ceremony of rekindling the eternal flame under the Arc de Triomphe, the veterans were greeted personally by the various dignitaries led by the representative of the Royal Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Maddox. This year the march was led by the RAFP and RMP members. The Association currently has some 15 ex-police members and is constantly looking for more. Over 250 RAFP served at Fontainebleau during the Camp's lifetime, so where are you all now? Any Fontainebleau 'Vets' ' out there? Please send queries to 'The Note Book' Editor who will pass them on. |
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DOWN MEMORY LANE
Below is an
extract from the programme of a tournament on 11 June 1953 sponsored by the
AAFCE AMATEUR BOXING CLUB sent in by John Wright. Chairman
Officer in Charge of Boxing MASTER OF
CEREMONIES REFEREES Flight
Lieutenant Go Barnett, R.A.F. JUDGES Colonel
H.W.Lindsey, U.S.A.F. TIME-KEEPER RECORDER CHIEF STEWARD MEDICAL
OFFICER TRAINERS |
INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT ~ 6 MONTHS TO 31 MARCH 2004
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Cash ballance at 30/09/04 |
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£182.00 |
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Income |
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Subscriptions |
£86.00 |
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Reunion wine sales |
£338.00 |
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Reunion raffle |
£315.00 |
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Merchandise sales |
£142.00 |
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Total income |
£881.00 |
£881.00 |
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Expenditure |
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Postage & telephone |
£111.92 |
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Printing stationery & copying |
£15.79 |
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Reunion corkage |
£71.00 |
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Reunion gratuity |
£60.00 |
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Donations |
£61.17 |
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Total expenditure |
£319.88 |
£319.88 |
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Cash balance at 31/03/04 |
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£743.12 |
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AND FINALLY …………. Having recently switched from BT to
Talk-Talk (Carphone Warehouse) the cost of my phone calls has reduced
dramatically. Moreover all calls at any time to another subscriber on the
Talk-Talk Network are free 24 – 7 and this is a commitment for life. You may
have 11 numbers in your calling circle that earn a discount. A fully itemised
bill is rendered each month. There is no special equipment required in making
the switch and BT will continue to bill the subscriber for the line rental
and call minder (1571) facility. If you don’t already pay for the 1571
facility, you will continue to receive this facility without charge. It is
certainly worth exploring. If any member is already a Talk-Talk customer
please let me know so we might enjoy free calls. Those wishing to explore the
feasibility of switching call |