SERIES 31.

Hi again one and all. Only "58 yrs" Wee Willy? You can dream!!! Hope your reunion goes well. I agree with you regarding retirement ... when one does go he is a long time dead! My "Things To Do" list is far too long for me to go anywhere just yet!!

All the best.

Michael F.

PS cricket is going well ... at this momemt it is England 2.5 Australia 0 --- should be 3 - 0 by the ned of the day.

Hi Michael and all young S31'ers.

Wee Jim Hamilton is a young lad for our entry, I think Jim and I may be around the same age, yes, we are only 58yrs young. The "clock" adds on another year in mid October for me. I am sure there are a few who may be even younger who are in our entry. In August there is a reunion being organised by Bob Watson in Brisbane for ex-tiffs out this "neck of the woods", there I was hoping to meet up with Jim. But it turns out he is returning to the "Emerald Isle" to retire, so he will have much on his plate right now. I wish Jim and his "better half" all the best in retirement. It will have no effect, but I can only suggest, do not retire, there are no "make and mends" in retirement. Like Dirk has said earlier, some of us are working possibly harder now for "no pay", I look at it this way, the more I do to improve this wee property, the more it may be worth at some point in time, who knows, perhaps not my time.

Take care you young lads.

Bill Kirk (Jock), aka Wee Willy.

David,

If Jim is still only 68, he IS a young kid!!!
Michaael F.

Hi Guys,

I'm still alive - just been a bit busy.

Had an email from Jim Hamilton today. He is well, and tells me he retires at Christmas, as he is 69 in October (I still remember him as a young kid! Anyway, after spending his life in Oz since 1970 he and Freda are coming home to Lisburn. They have bought a house, and had it refurbished ready for t heir arrival.Jim is looking forward to fishing in the River Lagan.

Good luck Jim & Freda - I can recommend retirement, although I do a lot more now than when I was working (Don't get paid for it though).

Dirk

Hi Wee Willy,

Hoots mon, what a long message - I did not know the young laddie from Barr o' Spottes had so many words in him!

Greetings also to "new boy" Dave Williams - remembering Bob Sproston, I am surprised he has not made at least Prime Minister by now - he was a go-getter. I don't think I have seen him since we left Collingwood. It would be good to hear what he has achieved.

Yes, here summer (summer???) is just arounnd the corner, I have just planted some 180 geranium plants - as I finished rain started, perfect timimg, sometimes our weather is kind to us!

I hope you enjoy your visit to Brisbane (I have not got a clue where that is - I never was good at history! I hope you will give my best wishes to Brian and anyone else who admits to knowing me.

Right, rain has stopped ... more plants to plant.

Take care old Buddy - and Mrs K of course.

Michael F.

Hi Young Michael and all you other young lads,

I hope you are having a "quick peep" soon Michael, why you should be having any better life than "having a quick peep" has me wondering what you are really looking for !!!.

I have just come back from a very lazy two weeks caravaning up on the banks of the river Murray, which is about 280 klms from where we live. I can assure you. it is "hard work" being so lazy, twenty four hours a day for two weeks !!!. As a result, I reckon your life must be pretty good.

It is spring over your way, I hope it is better than the winter you have just had. We are part way through autumn, the grass is growing like there is no tomorrow, so it is getting a wee bit cooler, almost time to get the thermals on.

I have a number of maintenance/repair things to do by mid August, then I am afraid I have to take more "time off", caravaning our way up to Brisbane for a "tiffs" reunion at the end of August. There I hope to meet up with Brian Healey and another possible two lads from our entry. The round trip for the 2/3 day reunion will take three/four weeks, as you may well imagine, that will be a period of "hard graft", I am feeling a wee bit weary just thinking of it !!!

Hi young Dave Williams, there have been a few lads looking for the whereabouts of Bob Sproston. The last time I saw Bob, we were in Drake barracks, 1970, or thereabouts. I was CREA of HMS PUMA, not sure what Bob was serving on. I later heard he had gone to work for ACL or some other computing company on completion of his 12. A computing company would make sense in some ways, as he was at ASWE - Portsdown - working on ADA, the 3D radar system when he completed his first commission. I also met up with him in Malta 1965/6, he was on HMS EAGLE and I was on HMS GALATEA. I can imagine Bob may have made his way up the corporate ladder in civvy street, as he was not one to "sit on the fence". I would love to be in touch with him after so many years.

I best get off this wee soap box and let all you other young lads desparate to "post"  something on this site a chance.

Best regards to all you young S31'ers.

Bill (Jock) Kirk       AKA  Wee Willy.

Hi everynone,

I have just found this web site and found some very interesting photo' and information.

Does anyone know the whereabouts of Bob Sproston who was at Coolingwood when I was told to leave

Hi Guys,

Whenever I make a rare visit to the wondrous world of the internet, I have a quick peep at this site to what is new. Here I am again, having another quick peep ... and finding nothing new! Where are you all chaps? You are obviously having a better life than me so tell us about it.

All the B.

Michael F.

Trust you Dirk, you beat me to it - I was just driving up the hill when I had a sudden brain storm and thought of Trog Elliott not Phillips!!! You mentioning the "race track" brings more memories rushing back - what mad fools we were then. Mind, I would love to get astride another mo'bike but 'er indoors vetoes it without discussion or right of appeal!!

Take care all.

Michael.