SERIES 31.
Updated 18th March 2010
SERIES 31
50th ANNIVERSARY
To view the Photo-gallery of the weekend events, please CLICK HERE
THURSDAY 6TH SEPTEMBER
The weekend started early, when several members of S31 made their way to the Langstone Hotel on
The Langstone Hotel
This luxury hotel, organized by Keith Miskin, became our ‘HQ’ for the weekend. In total, 31 rooms were booked for various lengths of time over the weekend.
The advance party comprised Bill and Nancy Kirk, Pat and Joyce Pattinson, David and Valerie Williamson, Willy and Joy Hanna, and John and Claudette King. I believe that the bar was commandeered at an early stage in the proceedings, and became the meeting room/control centre from then on.
Friday 7th September.
I understand from Willy, that so keen were the troops to start the day, that at 0800 they fell in outside the hotel at the rush. It later transpired that a false fire alarm had been sounded – not, I’m assured, triggered by our merry men!
During the course of the day more and more of Series 31 arrived at the hotel, until the bar area resembled the departure lounge at Heathrow airport on a Friday. In all, we had taken over thirty –one of the hotel’s finest rooms.
The weather was glorious, and many of the fitter souls took to perambulating along the old ‘Hayling Billy’ railway line (now converted into a pathway).It was an ideal opportunity to renew old friendships at an early stage. The less hardy maintained their positions at the bar.
The time came when we repaired to our rooms to prepare ourselves for the main event. Out came the DJs, dusted and darned and on went the bow ties – what a spectacle of manly good looks! The ladies looked a treat too. Then back to the bar to await our transport, and to take a quick drink to keep us going.
At 1745 the coach arrived at the hotel, and 53 folk are shepherded to their seats by our Transport Manager, Keith Miskin! Without further ado at 1800 sharp, its off we go to
We were met in the foyer, and handed a welcome drink of Bucks Fizz. Here we met up with another 40 members of the Series 31 gang, as well as 110 Fisgard Association members of all ages.The joint was jumping!
Then up to the balcony, where 10 tables had been laid out in an attractive green and white theme. Below us, on the ground floor, were the tables for the remainder of the evening’s guests. A table plan was provided, to ensure we were in the right places, and place cards set for each of us. As 91 of the Series 31 party were in attendance, we needed all the organizing we could get!
The President of the Association, and the Chairman both welcomed Series 31 and congratulated us on our 50th.
A superb meal of soup or pate, roast beef or salmon, followed by apple pie or trifle was followed by coffee.
Port wine was provided for the toasts following the meal.
On completion there was much shuffling between tables as old friends were recognized, and many hands shaken. There was a stream of movement between one side of the balcony and the other. Wives were left to marvel at how we all bonded after so long an absence.
The more adventurous of us then took to the floor to show that we could still shake a wicked hoof when the occasion demanded. Others just made use of our own bar, conveniently situated on the balcony. Not for us the hassle of climbing up and down the stairway for a drink.
The evening passed all too quickly, and at 0030 we said goodbye and made our way to the awaiting coach. We returned to the Langstone Hotel by 0100, having had a night to remember. We had celebrated in fine style.
Who came to the ball?
We all did!
How many faces can you recognise?
From top left: 1 John Herrick, 2 Mike Millis, 3 Fred Flack, 4 Michael Field, 5 Cyril Quayle, 6 Alan Sparkes, 7 Willy Hanna, 8 Brian Harmsworth, 9 Reg Harnett, 10 Stuart Millar, 11 Graham Thornton, 12 Phil Rosier, 13 Ced Fray, 14 Dave Goodwin, 15 Dave Williamson, 16 Lez Broughton, 17 Bob Jones, 18 Tony Privett, 19 Rick Roscoe, 20 Chris Madden, 21 Peter Hooton, 22 Trevor Armstrong, 23 John Rowsell, 24 Sid Wareham, 25 Keith Miskin, 26 Bill Kirk, 27 Martyn Paine, 28 Pat Pattinson, 29 Mick Davis, 30 Dave Hodges, 31 Malcolm Wellington, 32 Colin Acreman, 33 Trevor Benson, 34 Tom Mead, 35 Brian Sarah, 36 Pete Redmond, 37 Lenny Borrowdale, 38 Doug Jerram, 39 John Apps, 40 John King, 41 Les Chantler, 42 Garth Sanders, 43 Bryan Wood, 44 Pete Spencer, 45 Dirk Barclay, 46 Pete Penwarden, 47 Trevor Pettitt, 48 Mike Berwick, 49 Hugh Upward, 50 Mick George, 51 Tony Colyer
If you would like a copy of this composite group, let me know and I'll email you a copy.
Saturday Morning at HMS Sultan
Up at 0800, or thereabouts, and ready to start another day. Our Series 31 group took over a large part of the dining room as we gathered for a cooked breakfast. No 'Spithead pheasants' or ''S**t on a Raft' to be seen!. Thus fortified we were ready to face the next challenge.
Our coach arrived on time, and we set off for our visit to HMS Sultan, at Gosport. Sultan is now the home of Naval Engineering, and has thus taken over the training roles of Fisgard and Raleigh.
We met the remainder of our party, who had travelled independently, and split into two groups for our guided tour of the current training facilities. It was a revelation for many to hear how training had changed from that with which we were so familiar. There is even a creche provided for those on courses! Our guides were excellent, and answered all our questions, and the ladies with us were kept interested (especially amused by the enthusiasm with which we revelled in the once familiar smell of soogie and oils and greases!)
On completion of the tour, we were led to the Fisgard Museum. Sam Weaver, the Curator, welcomed us,and allowed us to ponder on all the relics of our past training days. The main attraction was the opportunity to view the record books, containing the marks of long forgotten exams and trade tests - a joy for some and best forgotten by others! The museum also houses a fine collection of test jobs, photographs and magazines, and is certainly worth a visit.
We had already passed hours at Sultan, and were then ready for the coach to ferry us all to the WO and SR's Mess on the accommodation site across the road.
It was such a sunny morning that there could be no better pastime than sitting out on the Mess patio, by the fishpond, with a drink in hand and old friends for company. Absolute bliss!
However, all things have to end, and at 1400 we boarded the coach and returned to Hayling Island, after an excellent morning out. However, to show our 'Northern trained'comrades where we southerners continued our apprenticeships, our coach driver took the scenic route past the now closed HMS Daedalus ( Wafu's home!),
and on past HMS Collingwood, the old 'alma mater' of the Greenies and Pinkies/cwood.jpg)
Saturday Social at HMS Nelson
Having relaxed a little, and recovered from the tour of this morning, we were on the go again, as the coach arrived at the hotel at 1900. We were off to HMS Nelson, or Pompey Barracks as it was known previously. You will remember that for many of us this was where it all started. It was at the barracks that we met for our initial Interview and Aptitude Test. (Remember the bent wire test - square,wrap one wire round the other,diamond,double twist and finally finish with a heart shape? ) It was also from here that many of us were discharged, having completed our Naval service. Thus a very appropriate venue for our 50th.
The evening was planned as an informal event, and that is exactly how it turned out. Many brought photographs and other memorabelia, and were soon moving round the tables pouring over the exhibits, and chatting together. It was a joy to watch - and very pleasing to see all the wives joining in and making new acquaintances. We had a gathering of over 50 members of Series 31, a far greater gathering that any other series had managed to achieve. This was due to a large part in having Willy Hanna's well established 'Caledonian Group'. How marvelous that we could all be reunited in this way.
The evening progressed with regular visits to the bar, in order to lubricate throats made sore by the unaccustomed chatting. Fortunately we could enjoy the very reasonable Mess prices.
It had been my intention to take phots of each dicision and the whole group. This proved impossible, as everyone was enjoying themselves so much it would have been wrong to break up the party.
However, at midnight we did form up for a photograph, and to drink a toast to 'SERIES 31', and to remember those friends who could not be with us.
Our trusty coach, under the expert guidance of Keith Miskin, delivered us back to the hotel, and thence we made to our beds. The conclusion of a marvellous weekend.
Keith and I would like to thank everyone for the marvellous support you have given us both. We have enjoyed putting the weekend together,but it would have all been wasted without you. Many, many thanks.
Reunion Photo Gallery
Here's a selection of photographs of the weekend's events. If you would like to submit your photo's, please email them to me, and I'll include them in this gallery.
CLICK HERE to enter. Return using your browser back button.
An independent report by Willy Hanna
POMPEY
_Well I am just back from Dirk Barclay's S31 reunion in Pompey. What a superb do. Meticulously organised. Full of interest. And a great run!
On the Friday morning we were all wakened by the general alarm at 0800. John Herrick and myself went to diving stations, everyone else jumped out of the windows and got themselves fell in on the parade ground! . My suspicions lead me to Scran Colyer who was still on Aussie time and reckoned it was time to get the bar open. The Hotel however claimed it was a false fire alarm.
Who was there? Colyer; Pattinson; Rosier; Millis; George; Davis; Harmsworth; Hanna; Herrick; King; Fray; Harriett; Millar;
Williamson; Quayle; Paine; Borrowdale; plus of course all the lovely ladies. (If I have missed anyone, please excuse me. I spent most of the time having my ear bent for not remembering that Herrick had a motor bike and that I had taken Reg Harnett home for a weekend and subjected him to three days of jazz music it was fifty years ago after all,)
There were also a lot of Wafus and EAs, some of whom had familiar names, some had familiar taccs, although I did not entirely manage to match all the names to all the faces! Hardly any at all in fact.
We were told that there were 90 in total from S31, and during the Green and White dance we were seated on the balcony at the Home Club in Queen Street, while the rest of the Fisgard Association were down on the main floor. This was ideal as it allowed us to natter away to our hearts content and allow the rest to shake a hoof. (NO, I didn't actually get round to it personally. Sorry Joy)
The meal was superb and the service excellent and there were no mixups with the pre ordered menus by the very attentive serving staff. Our coach and horses got us back to The Langstone Hotel on
Next day was a visit to SULTAN. A tour round Wait Hangar; The apprentice training workshops (both very evocative with the smell ofdiesel and soogey repectively) and then to the
The final evening event was an S31 get together in the Senior rates mess in Victory Barracks (Yup, 1 know - its now called HMS Nelson - but old habits die hard. Incidentally the Home Club is now called something else but I can't remember what!)
At the stroke of midnight it was time to pause and realise that it was now the 9th of September. FIFTY BLOODY YEARS ! Whew. Where did they go to?
Our sincere thanks to Dirk Barclay and his team. It was a great weekend.