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PLEASE WEAR A POPPY


"Please wear a poppy", the lady said
And held one forth, but I shook my head.
Then I stopped and watched as she offered them there,
And her face was old and lined with care;

But beneath the scars the years had made
There remained a smile that refused to fade.
A boy came whistling down the street,
Bouncing along on care-free feet.

His smile was full of joy and fun,
"Lady," says he, "may I have one?"
When she's pinned it on he turned to say,
"Why do we wear a poppy today?"

The lady smiled in her wistful way and answered
"This is Remembrance Day,
And the poppy there is the symbol for
The gallant men who died in war.
And because they did, you and I are free.
That's why we wear a poppy, you see.

I had a boy about your size,
With golden hair and big blue eyes.
He loved to play and jump and shout,
Free as a bird he would race about.
As the years went by he learned and grew
And became a man as you will, too.

He was fine and strong, with a boyish smile,
But he'd seemed with us such a little while
When war broke out and he went away.
I still remember his face that day
When he smiled at me and said, "Goodbye,
I'll be back soon, Mum, so please don't cry."

But the war went on and he had to stay,
And all I could do was wait and pray.
His letters told of the awful fight,
(I can see it still in my dreams at night),
With the tanks and guns and cruel barbed wire,
And the mines and bullets, the bombs and fire.

Till at last, at last, the war was won
And that's why we wear a poppy son."
The small boy turned as if to go,
Then said, "Thanks, lady, I'm glad to know.
That sure did sound like an awful fight,
But your son, did he come back all right?"

A tear rolled down each faded cheek;
She shook her head, but didn't speak.
I slunk away in a sort of shame,
And if you were me you'd have done the same;
For our thanks, in giving, if oft delayed,
Though our freedom was bought and thousands paid!

And so when we see a poppy worn,
Let us reflect on the burden borne,
By those who gave their very all
When asked to answer their country's call
That we at home in peace might live.
Then wear a poppy!
Remember and give!

. . . Don Crawford

Last Post


On the 3rd August 2007 Capt John Gannon
Quartermaster Tech & Q.M from 1960 to 1964 passed away

Rest In Peace John
____________________________________________________________
Big Jock (Richard) Kirk ex 51 Bty SDG passed away on 5 Aug 07
Rest in Peace Richard
_____________________________________________________________

Lillian Beverage aged 68 the wife of former WO 2 Magnus Beverage B.S.M. of
15 Battery passed away on the 27 th May 2007
Rest in Peace Lillian
_____________________________________________________

fills me with great sadness to hear of the passing of
(Sgt) George Bryan Sides on the 1/12/2006 George was in 15 Battery from 1960 to 1975
rest in peace George
____________________________________________________________

Hilda Templeman on Monday who passed away on 22/01/07
Hilda was the widow of WO2 Ron Templeman who served in 21 Gibraltar Bty in the 60's
Rest in Peace Hilda
__________________________________________________________________

Sgt Les Harrison who passed away on the 15/01/07

Rest in Peace Les
_______________________________________________________________

Elle Timlin the Wife of James (Scouse) Timlin
passed away on the 12/01/07
Rest in Peace Elle
_______________________________________________________________

Brigadier David K Neville
Commanding Officer of 50 Missile Regt R A.
Lt Col David K Neville on the27th Feb 2006 aged 77
Rest in Peace David
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 Linda Simpson the wife of
former W02 Brian Simpson who passed away on the 23/10/06
Rest in Peace Linda
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gnr Doug Miller died on the 12th July 2006 aged 46.
Rest in Peace Doug
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Sgt Joe Hurley on the 27/09/2006 (Joe was a Bdr PTI in the 60's)
Rest in Peace Joe
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Gnr George Dale on the 5th September 2006
George was the Battery Clerk in 33 Battery in the mid 60's
Rest in peace George
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 BSM Fred Pleasants who passed away on the
5 th October 2005
Fred was 79 years old
Rest in Peace Fred

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Fred Huggins passed away on Sunday the 13/08/06.
Fred was a Sgt in " Y" Survey Troop HQ Battery,
and served in15 Bty during the early 70'

Rest in Peace Fred

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

BSM Norman Greatham
who passed away on Friday the 18th August 2006 aged 78 years
Norman was the BSM in 33 Battery RA.

Rest in peace Norman

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mrs Ada Pringle on the 28/01/06
Ada was 85 years old and was the wife of the late WO11 (Pinky) Pringle
of 33 Battery R.A in the 1960's.

Rest in Peace Ada

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ex L/Bdr Alf (Geordie) Holey on the 01/04/06
He served 15 Bty During the 60's
Geordie was married to Franis who worked in the Church Army

Rest In Peace Alf

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

19/February/2005
Former L/Bdr Brian (Wiggy) Evans
Brian Served in 21 Gibraltar ( 1779-83 ) Battery R A

Rest in Peace Brian

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Mrs Eve Hillman on the 30/June/2004
Evelyn was married to Adrian H Hillman HQ Battery
Medical Centre 1989 to 2003

Rest in Peace Adrian

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Mick Bricklebank who passed away in his sleep on
Monday 28/03/2005

Rest in Peace Mick

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former Sgt Geoffrey. J. Rhyce–Reece on the 12/12/04.
Geoff served in HQ Bty from 1962 to 1969.

Rest in Peace Geoff

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former Bdr Harry (Ricky) Richardson passed away on 25/June/04

Ricky served in 33 Battery and latterly with H.Q. Battery

Rest in peace Ricky

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L/Bdr Jimmy Furness passed on the 26/June/04

Jimmy was in HQ Battery in the 60's & 70's

Rest in Peace Jimmy

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Peggy Leath the wife of ex RQMS Bill Leath passed

away onThursday the 25th June 04

Rest in Peace Peggy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Magaret Baldwin passed away on 06/05/04

Rest in Peace Magaret

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Mrs Mary McHugh MBE passed away on Tuesday 1st June 2004

Rest in Peace Mary

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

L/Bdr Alec Hughes

Passed away on the 16th January 2004

Alec served with HQ & 21 Gibraltar Battery's

Rest in Peace Alec

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Bdr Malcolm Goodwin

Passed away on the 10th October 02

Malcolm served with 51 Kabul Battery

Rest in peace Malcolm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Wo11 Joe Dove

Passed away on the 10th July 02

Joe served with 78 Bty from 1962 to 1978

Rest in Peace Joe

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

L/bdr Walter (Wally) Coe

Who passed away suddenly on Friday the 31st May 2002

Wally served in the Regiment from December1955 - 1964

with 33 Battery

(Rest in Peace Wally)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former Wo1 Ron Templeman

Passed away on 30th December 2001

Ron served with 15 & 21 Gibraltar Batterys

Rest in peace Ron

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former S/Sgt Jim Broadley

Passed away on Saturday the 24-11-2001

Jim served in 21 Gibraltar Battery

(Rest in peace Jim)

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Ex Bombardier Robert (Bob) Cain

passed away on 13/March / 2002

Bob served in 50 Heavy Ack Ack Regiment fom 1950 - 1952 in 167 Battery

Bob was a Member of Guilford Branch of the R.A.A. and was Standard Bearer for 3 years.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bdr A.C. R Cook aged 59. had passed away 0n 21/March/03
He served in 24 & 50 Missile Regiments

Rest in Peace

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former Bdr Gordon McBride of HQ &15 Battery's Passed away on 18/05/2001
He was not a Member of the Club

Rest in peace Gordon

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Former Gnr Andrew Boyd passed away on the 30-Nov-02

Andrew was in his 40s and he served in 15-19-36 Battery's although not a member of the Club
he was going to join but he was to ill at the time

Rest in peace Andrew
.