2007
10th Anniversary Newsletter
21 Gibraltar Battery Association
10th Annual Reunion and Dedication of their Association Standard
in Gibraltar 28 Sept -1 st Oct 2007
2008 Reunion Details online
is online now
click here
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21 Gibraltar Battery Association
Newsletter
2009
Issue 12 May 2009
Dear Members,
Welcome to the 12 th Annual Newsletter!
2008 was a very busy year for the Battery and there are several reports, pictures, and details of both the Iraq and Afghanistan Tours. Updates from the Battery Commander, Major Simon Thomas. And, of course, reports from the Association on last year's Reunion and details of the 2009 Reunion at Bournemouth .
The Association had a reasonably quite 2008 with only one welfare case reported and, I am pleased to report, successfully dealt with! We have had several new members join and one or two who lost contact have also rejoined us. We have a paid up membership of 140!
We had a most enjoyable reunion at Leicester , with new members joining us for the first time.
On Remembrance Sunday I was invited to attend the Service and Parade being held at Havant and spent a most enjoyable day with Mick Buckley, Steve Bell, Phil Bunday and many other 21 lads, serving and retired! Many joined the group as we went from pub to pub ending up at Dutch Holland's hostelry with about 30 21er's in the bar!!!!! Next year I hope to parade with the standard, so if your nearby come along!
In June a few of us are attending the 50 Missile Club reunion in Blackpool . The Association Standard will be on display and the rallying point for all 21 lads and lasses!
I hope you will be able to attend the 2009 Reunion at Bournemouth, with live entertainment booked, the whole hotel has given over to us, so do come along and have a great weekend. At the moment the Battery should be on Thorney Island in October and hope to send a good size contingent!
Enjoy this Newsletter, keep looking at the Web site and talking via the Forum!
Take care
Chris
Hon Sec
Report from the Battery Commander, Major Simon Thomas RA
21 ( Gibraltar 1779-83)
Air Assault Battery
The Battery has been very busy over the last few months as we turn back to Air Defence after concentrating on the DESERT HAWK Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for more than a year. We now look to provide both Close Air Defence and a surveillance capability to 16 AA Bde as part of our commitment to the Small Scale Contingency Battle Group (SSCBG) in support to 3 rd Battalion Parachute Regiment.
As well as one Troop remaining on high readiness until the end of the year, our place in the SSCBG has been cemented by our participation in Ex Eagle's Flight which has helped the Battery to prepare for subsequent deployment and, of course, complete a few jumps!
The main focus of Battery training over the last few months has been soldier career development. Soldiers have been engaged in Signals and Air Defence courses culminating in a successful firing camp in Tenby. Some of the soldiers headed back to California to complete DESERT HAWK currency training.
Since returning from operations, we have gained a fresh batch of recruits eager to begin Brigade Pre-Para and to be given the opportunity to attempt P Company. ‘H Troop' training has produced some encouraging results and we hope to build on the success experienced by the Battery on P Company before we deployed on operations.
Members of the Battery put in a very strong performance as part of the Regimental Nordic Skiing Team reaching the Army Finals with a completely novice team. We also wish good luck to Sergeant Mick Camp and the aptly named Bombardier Cliff Lake as they prepare to do battle on the ‘Devizes to Westminster ' canoe race.
With ‘ Rocky Road ', ‘Alpine Challenge', a Battlefield Tour to Arnhem as well as a Battery and Regimental Exercises looming, the Battery continues to operate at an impressively high rate of knots!
Key Dates up to Christmas 2009
1 st -11 th May Arnhem Battlefield Tour 3 rd -21 st August Summer leave
10 th – 19 th June BC's Exercise 28 th – 9 th Dec NATO A D Evaluation
6 th – 24 th Jul Regimental Exercise
21 ( Gibraltar 1779-83) Air Assault Battery , Royal Artillery
2008 Reunion .
The Association held their 11 th Annual Reunion in Leicester over the weekend of 17 th -19 th October 2008 .
Many members arrived on the Friday afternoon and it was good to see Pete and Sandra Phillips again after an absence of a couple of years. New members who turned up were Steve Worker and John Howe. Martin Sidwell came on the Saturday. Keith Green also attending his first ‘ UK ' reunion!
On Friday evening, we all met in the bar and, as usual, greeted each other with such phrases as, ‘You fat b*****d' or ‘Where has your hair gone?'!!! After a suitable time to allow the brain to be numbed Heather and Cheryl gave out the ‘Friday Night Quiz'! Surprisingly everyone had a go and even more surprising Ricky's team won. I believe they ‘cheated' the least!!!! All in all a fun time and we raised £15 towards the funds. The evening went on, and on and for some on even longer!!!
Saturday morning arrived and we held the AGM. This was very well attended and we managed to get through the business quite quickly. One point raised was that members might like to visit Menden next May, not as a reunion, but if enough members wanted to go then we might be able to arrange a week end get together. More details being sent out to members.
After the AGM I was able to set up the Association Shop and sell quite a few items, including the new Association Shield!
The rest of Saturday was spent visiting parts of Leicester or the Bar!!
Saturday evening we all met in the bar and then moved into the function room. We had an exceptional evening. It was one of the most enjoyable we have had. It started off with demonstration of ‘Dirty Dancing' between Wink Watson and Yorkie Moore, more erratic than erotic!! Later Wink sang the obligatory ‘Mustang Sally' followed by John ‘the voice Howe'. What a performance that was. The DJ was brilliant and I have to admit that the Secretary was the only one to win a prize for a correct answer to the ‘quizz' the DJ ran throughout the night! (even if some of his answer's were not quite correct – ask Pete Giles)
Buffet and disco we excellent and so was the buffet. The disco stayed on till 1am and the hotel bar stayed open till about 5am !! A great evening enjoyed by everyone.
We all enjoyed ourselves and two members even managed to lock themselves out of their rooms, a bit embarrassing as they had very little or no clothing on at all. I must add these were separate incidents on separate nights!!!!
Next year the reunion will be in Bournemouth 3/ 5 th October 2009 .
Details on web site www.21bty.org.uk and in next Newsletter.
The next couple of pages have pictures of the 2008 Reunion :
CANNON BALLS !!! DID YOU KNOW THIS? I DIDN'T
It was necessary to keep a good supply of cannon balls near the cannon on old war ships. But how to prevent them from rolling about the deck was the problem. The best storage method devised was to stack them as a square based pyramid, with one ball on top, resting on four, resting on nine, which rested on sixteen.
Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area right next to the cannon. There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer from sliding/rolling from under the others.
The solution was a metal plate with 16 round indentations, called, for reasons unknown, a Monkey But if this plate were made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make them of brass - hence, Brass Monkeys.
Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the monkey.
Thus, it was quite literally, cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. And all this time, you thought that was just a vulgar expression, didn't you?
New Members .
Since our last Newsletter I would like to welcome the following new members:
Ginge Worker, John Howe, Martin Sidwell, John ( Sandy ) Sanderson, Dave Burton
As reported earlier the Association has 140 paid members.
There are still quite a few of you who have asked for membership forms BUT have failed to return them!!!!
Could members try and recruit/enlist/cajole/ or by any other (legal means) try and get their former mates to join the Association!
Welfare
I had one request for assistance over the past year and I am pleased to report that the case has been dealt with successfully.
If any of you know of any Gunner, who may require assistance, either financial or just advice then please let me know. All cases are treated in strict confidentiality.
Funding New BC , BSM, Greeting/Christmas cards Arthur Dewey
OUT AND ABOUT
Pictures of a former 21 Bty lad- done well for himself!!!!
![21_GIBRALTAR_BATTERY_ASSOCIATION[1].jpg](21assc_clip_image055.jpg)
2009 Reunion
This year we will be holding our 12 th Annual Reunion at the Anglo-Swiss Hotel in Bournemouth over the week end of 3/4/5 th October !
At the moment the hotel has agreed not to take any outside bookings until August. This means that if enough of us book up we will have the whole hotel to ourselves! The hotel has 60 rooms!
The prices are the same as last year and are per room! This includes breakfast. If you want an evening meal on the Friday, then it will cost 312.50 extra. Please book direct with the hotel.
Tickets for the Reunion Function are still only £20! The price includes buffet, disco (with a karaoke option- after last year) and live entertainment with the singer Jacqui Lee. Could you please complete the attached form and return it to me with payment, no later than 18 th September , as we have to have numbers for buffet etc.
The format of the week end is provisional but we meet on the Friday evening and the usual quizzes/competitions, this year a chance to win a bottle of whisky/whiskey!!
Saturday we will hold the AGM Time to be confirmed. Evening Function commences at 19.00 and goes on 'till very late!!!! Donations towards the raffle would be greatly appreciated.
Sunday is rest day!
Please make every effort to attend. We are holding the reunion in Bournemouth at the request of several members who live in the area, and it means the serving battery can send a contingent along!!
I must thank Mick Buckley, who has organised everything for us.
21 Gibraltar Battery Associations
2009 - Reunion .
I/we will be attending the 2009 Reunion
I/we require...... Tickets @£20 per person I/we enclose payment of £.......
I/we enclose a donation towards the raffle £.....
Total £........... (Cheques payable to 21 Association)
Please return this slip to:
Chris Morgan, 6 Herriot Drive , Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire . DL9
21 Gibraltar Battery Association
Will be holding their 12 th Annual Reunion
At the Anglo-Swiss Hotel, Bournemouth ,
On Friday 3rd and Saturday 4 th October 2009 .
Prices agreed are per room and include breakfast
(£12.00 extra if you require an evening meal on the Friday)
Double room £65.00 per night.
Single occupancy £50 per night
Tickets for the 2009 reunion
: £20.00per person
( money payable by 18 th September – for numbers)
Cheques made payable to 21 Association
Included in price of tickets: Buffet, Disco (with Karaoke option)
live entertainment-singing act Jacqui Lee!
Anglo Swiss Hotel
16 Gervis Road
Bournemouth , BH1 3EQ
01202 554 794
Please Quote the reservation number 232026 when booking
For your information, Bournemouth has an airport –
Bournemouth International Airport : www.bournemouthairport.com .
Bournemouth Airport , Christchurch , Dorset , BH23 6SE , Tel: 0845 478 671
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BATTERY NOMINAL ROLL
Battery Headquarters ‘F' O'Hara's Troop
Major
RA Self RA Captain
Spender RA |
LBdr J Turton SSgt E Schooling Sgt S McAllister Gnr A Blythe Gnr D Chesher Bdr M Clarvis Gnr A Davies Bdr C Evans Gnr C Day Bdr R Giles Gnr A Dunn Bdr N Whitelam Gnr S Fry Bdr Kemsley-Bourne Gnr C Godfrey Gnr M Halstead LBdr V Ashwell Gnr S Higginson LBdr K Barker Gnr K Larder LBdr P Chick Gnr P McCarthy LBdr A Ford Gnr N Pidgeon LBdr G Gould Gnr A Roy LBdr W Hooper Gnr P Shepard LBdr M Provan Gnr S Worker LBdr D Walla LBdr N Williams |
Attached
Personnel Gnr N Antohony REME Gnr D Beattie SSgt Page Gnr A Brunton Sgt R Parry Gnr E Carter Gnr M Cassells Cpl A Castree Gnr A Clayton Cpl M Lawrence Gnr D Foster LCpl S Coleman Gnr R Clover LCpl C McKay Gnr J Hesketh LCpl R Mitchell Gnr T Hickin Cfn C Davey Gnr Howe Gnr Kerslake RAOC Gnr A Pinkney Cpl Hume Gnr C Stupple ACC Gnr M Thomson Cpl Mills |
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My contact details:
Chris Morgan,
6 Herriott Drive
Brough with St Giles
Cattrick Garrison
North Yorkshire
DL9 4XH
01748 830645
chrismorgan222@hotmail.com
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