WFA SUFFOLK BRANCH

Branch Briefing

November 2013

Our Website : www.suffolkwfa.org Seminar website : www.suffolkwfa.org/western-front-100.html

Tonight’s talk :

Michael Stedman: Faces from the Somme

TWO MINUTES SILENCE Derek Pheasant

We remember this evening all those men from Suffolk who fell during the month of November in the Great

War. Also the wounded and those who did return but could never forget.

We remember especially the soldiers of 12th Battalion Suffolk Regiment (121st Brigade, 40th Division) who

on 23rd to 25th November 1917 took part in a major assault to take the Bourlon Ridge, its Wood and adja-

cent village. The Ridge lay some four miles to the west of the important German supply town of Cambrai

and its possession would not only threaten Cambrai itself but the rear of the enemy lines to the north.

The first day of the Cambrai offensive, 20th November 1917, had been a stunning success when 437 tanks

and infantry had swept all before them – a greater advance in six hours than in the three months of Pass-

chendaele and a hole some five miles deep and six miles wide was punched in the German Hindenburg

Line. But the attack had faltered and developed into a slogging match particularly around the dominating

Bourlon Ridge which became the scene of bloody conflict.

The Suffolks, initially in brigade reserve renewed the

assault on Bourlon village supported by twelve tanks and

immediately came under heavy machine gun fire. They

found it almost impossible to clear the enemy from the

cellars and houses and strong local counter attacks forced

them back. Though the village was twice declared free of

Germans it was soon retaken and within a week the ene-

my had also regained control of the Wood “that had

been so bloodily won by the battalions of 40th Division”.

The Regimental History records 150 casualties to the

battalion, the War Diary 32 ORs killed including local

soldiers ….

Pte CHARLES PAGE from Coddenham, Pte WIL-

LIAM CLARKE from Hacheston and Pte HARRY

RICHES from Weybread.

Pte CHARLES PAGE is remembered on

the Coddenham War Memorial"

The 40th were a Bantam Division constituted in September 1915 for men of shorter stature and

recruiting could be a challenge to find fit and able men. The Suffolks, proud of their regional

character found that they had to recruit from as far afield as Yorkshire and London to fill their

ranks. Perhaps because of this disparate mix not everyone found the Bantams an admirable

body of men – the war poet Isaac Rosenberg, himself a new recruit to the 12th Suffolks scath-

ingly referred to his fellow volunteers, mostly Cockneys from London as a “horrible rabble”.

Nevertheless they fought with great determination and served their country well, men such as....

Pte ERNEST ASPINALL from Leeds, enlisted Paris. Pte HENRY CRESSWELL born Chel-

sea, enlisted Whitehall. Pte EDGAR HURST from Putney and Pte THOMAS SMITH from

Westminster, all of whom fell in battle.

We also remember Pte FRED BALL of 46th Bn. Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regt.) who

was mortally wounded on 3rd November 1916 during operations near Regina Trench during the

Battle of the Ancre Heights on the the Somme. Fred was branch member Chris Groom’s Great

Uncle and originally came from Yoxford where he is commemorated on the church memorial.

Fred is also remembered on the Vimy Ridge Canadian memorial.

THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD...........

References: “Bourlon Wood” by Jack Horsfall and Nigel Cave. “A Wood Called Bourlon” by

William Moore.

***

SNIPPETS Derek Pheasant

(1) The unveiling of a “lost” memorial to PTE ARTHUR PRYKE of the 8th Suffolk Regiment

who died on 1st November 1918 took place at Drinkstone Village Hall on Saturday 2nd Novem-

ber. Taff, Derek Pheasant and Graham Jones attended on behalf of the Branch. More details in

next month’s Briefing.

(2) I’m sure that some of us remember that lovable and

bumbling comedy actor Harry Worth – famous for his

optical illusion of levitation outside a shop window in

Manchester! He was born on the 20th November 1917

when the church bells rang throughout the land to cele-

brate the “victory” at Cambrai. His parents must have

been so overjoyed that they christened him Harry

Bourlon Illingworth. It appears he changed his name

to Worth when he took to the stage.

***

50/50 CLUB Derek Pheasant

Well done to last month’s winners – First Prize of £25 to Chris Forsdike, Second Prize of £15

to Owen Finbow. No draw this month but don’t forget to sign up with John for the 4th Series to

start in December. WE NEED 40 MEMBERS IF POSSIBLE!

Ed. Thanks to Derek for staring up the 50/50 club. Our incoming 50/50 organiser is John

McCarthy and he has provided an application from at the end of the Briefing

GEORGE CRABBE MEMORIAL PRIZE FOR POETRY Viv Whelpton

This poem won the George Crabbe Memorial Prize for Poetry this year. Pam is a member of Suffolk Poetry

Society and has participated in Viv’s and Dave’s ‘Poets on the Western Front’ tours for the last two years.

Her father, Walter Job, was a private in the Royal Fusiliers in Salonika. He was commissioned in the Worces-

ter Regiment in June 1918. He was wounded twice. After the Armistice, he was seconded to Intelligence,

based at Dublin Castle. He told Pam that he had arrested Countess Markiewicz twice and that she had spat at

him! A string of shallots indeed!

A String of Shallots

A child, I helped you string shallots one by one. I passed you tiny parcels in their brown paper skin, to be tied in bunches on a raffia length and hung high on a nail in the shed to last us through winter.

I didn't understand this silent gardener's ritual, the blue concentration of your gaze. It was another mystery in a house where my unasked questions flitted like moths.

I knew nothing about your 'war', Salonika and Arras; too late I learnt the foreign words and now I run like Ruth across these fields of battle, to glean, to grieve, imagining . . .

raw flesh, dead and alive, filthy, all of it, acrawl with black flies, clouds of Balkan buggers; drinking green water made me heave; shot my rifle through my foot, time to leave .. .

Then a wood in Arras, a shellblast that blew your mates away, a wound you could have died from . . .

singing, always tunes ringing in your head, sucking mud, blood, bones up with every step, claggy boots, bits of horses, leafless trees, Mademoiselle from Armentears, no leave . . .

Ireland, Dublin Castle – I guess you were no fairytale prince come to save the land, or did they tell you that? Although there was a Countess mentioned once. You kept a gun from then. You showed it me before you died . . .

all the days filled up with rain, bounced back off cobbles, dribbled off the end of bayonets; left, right, left right, shoulder arms, same again, start at shadows of children, watch those dark men . . .

I'm left with place-names, flags on a chart, but the map of you is filled with holes, with roads that run to earth like foxes.

I string these fantasies of you on threads of not knowing and every time the raffia breaks, I’m back on that Sunday afternoon, stringing shallots with you in the blue haze of your cigarette smoke, Senior Service. Pam Job

Ed. For those under-educated in Irish history :- Countess Markievicz (née Gore-Booth; 4 February 1868 –

15 July 1927) was an Irish Sinn Fein and Fianna Fail politician, revolutionary, nationalist. Suffragette and

socialist. In December 1918, she was the first woman elected to the House of Commons, though she did not

take her seat and, along with the other Sinn Féin TD’s, formed the first Dail Eirann. She was also one of the

first women in the world to hold a cabinet position (Minister of Labour of the Irish republic 1919–1922). —— my sort of girl !

Local Tour update November 14th & 15th Dave Empson

We are planning an overnight trip to London to the Guards Regimental Museum & London Scottish Regimental

Museum. Full details are on the last page and a tear off slip can be found there to register your interest with Dave

Empson

Meet for pick up in Stowmarket (we will confirm where at tonights meeting) 9.30am or Capel St Mary

(London Bound) Texaco Petrol / closed Little Chef at 10am.

Numbers are fluctuating sadly and it had so much interest when first asked about, currently it is approxi-

mately 8 or 9 which makes a mini bus essential but PLEASE in future try and come if you show an in-

terest as it makes a lot of work for organiser/s and we need to trouble staff at these venues only to then

show up in small numbers

***

SUFFOLK REGIMENTAL MUSEUM Foz and Taff

There is a germ of an idea to have a late afternoon/evening visit to Bury St Edmunds on Friday 25th

April 2014 to visit local points of interest to WW1 and the Suffolk Regimental Museum. Keep the date

clear—more details nearer the time.

***

DECEMBER AGM Dave Hedges

At the December meeting we will have our AGM, but please do not be put off attending by this. We try

and finish it as soon as we reasonably can and it is followed by Cameo talks. And, if you all cross your

fingers and say you believe in Father Christmas, we might persuade our Treasurer, John (Scrooge)

McCarthy to let us have a mince pie each in the buffet.

Attached at the back of this Briefing is a copy of the minutes from last year and the agenda for the 2013

AGM. These will be printed again in the December newsletter . If you want any issues raised please let

our Chairman Taff or Secretary Matt know beforehand.

The Cameos we will be presenting are :-

John McCarthy: ‘From Nut Picking to the Navy’, the story of Maurice Moore;

Alan Brockbank: ‘The Royal British Legion’;

Dave Empson: ‘Casualties on the Battlefield’;

Dave Hedges: ‘Recent Tunnel Discoveries’

***

CENTENARY SEMINARS—WESTERN FRONT 100

On the next page is our main poster for the 6 seminars we will be organizing in the centenary years.

Taff has done a superb job and the red line of the western front establishes a unique brand image for the

Branch. This poster will feature in the next edition of the Bulletin.

Branch members can apply for tickets online (on our wonderful website!) for the 2014 seminar, but, es-

pecially for your convenience, tickets will also be on sale at the December meeting – price £25.

Speaking of websites, we hope members will contribute photographs and information for the website so

that Mark can keep it updated and fresh.

A NOVEMBER CASUALTY OF THE GREAT WAR Derek Pheasant

OWEN AUGUSTUS ELLIS ALLEN was born in Cambridge on 21st April 1893, the eldest son

of William and Alice Allen. William owned a successful bookbinding business and sent his two

boys, Gilbert was Owen’s younger brother by a year, to the Perse School – a famous independent

school which still flourishes today and whose famous alumni include Sir Peter Hall of the Royal

Shakespeare Company. The 1911 Census records Owen, now 17 as a student school teacher and

living at home with his family at 7 Montague Road, a pleasant tree lined boulevard of substantial

middle class houses close to the River Cam.

Prior to the outbreak of war Owen had secured a teaching post at Elmstead, a village near Colches-

ter but the day war was declared, August 4th 1914 he was back in Cambridge enlisting into the

Cambridgeshire Regiment, his time (2 years and 2 terms) in the Perse School OTC holding him in

good stead. Promoted to Sergeant on 10th September he was awarded a commission into the 9th

Suffolks the following month and the Regimental History (RH) records him landing with the main

body of the Battalion in France on 30th August 1915.

He certainly saw action at Loos when on 25/26th September the Battalion made a strong advance

into the German lines but were held up by heavy machine-gun fire from the direction of Hulluch.

Casualties were heavy (135) and in the course of the action Sergeant Arthur Saunders from Ipswich

won his Victoria Cross. The Battalion had been in France for some 25 days.....”as a first experi-

ence of fighting, it was indeed a staggering ordeal”. (RH)

For the next ten months Owen and the Battalion were in and out of the Ypres Salient but in early

August 1916 were “thrown into the simmering cauldron of the Somme” (RH). Their first action

was the Battle of Flers-Courcelette on the 15th September when they were heavily involved east of

Ginchy against the strong German redoubt known as the Quadrilateral. Owen survived unscathed

and a short while later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps being commissioned an Observer on

20th February 1917. In practise he would already have been with the squadron for some time, al-

most a form of probation, flying with “A” Flight, 22 Squadron before his formal appointment.

He returned to England for pilot training and was posted

(6th August 1917) to 37 Squadron at RFC Brattleby near

Lincoln which later became better known as RAF Scamp-

ton. The aerodrome was established in December 1916 as

a Home Defence station before assuming a training role as

No. 34 Training Depot Station (34 TDS). Owen was subse-

quently promoted Lieutenant and Flying Officer (31st Au-

gust 1917) and it was while he was instructing that he was

involved in a mid-air collision.

“It appears that on Saturday last Lieut. Allen had been on

a flight with a pupil and was in the act of landing, when

his machine collided with another. The occupant of the

other aeroplane was killed instantaneously. Lieut. Allen

was rendered unconscious, and lived for about two hours

while the pupil who was with him escaped with a broken

leg. Lieut. Allen was 24 years of age.” (Cambridge Inde-

pendent Press. Nov. 9th 1917).

Owen was rushed to the No. 4 Northern General Military Hospital in Lincoln but efforts to

save him were unsuccessful.

(During the Great War the 4th Northern General Military Hospital in Lincoln occupied the old

school buildings of the former Lincoln Grammar School, now the comprehensive Lincoln

Christs Hospital School. It held 41 officer beds and 1126 OR beds with over 45,000 men be-

ing treated there during the war. I attended the old school back in the 1950’s and was totally

unaware of its dramatic history. In those days history lessons stopped abruptly at 1900!)

Derek’s classroom in 3A were the windows top left!

Owens body was returned to Cambridge where he was buried with full military honours in

Histon Road Cemetery. He had married Miss Laura Moore in early 1917 and she gave birth to

their son Dennis Samuel Ellis Allen in 1918, mother and son emigrating to South Africa in

1920. Laura never remarried and Dennis became a Major in the South African Army.

I found a letter that Laura wrote to the War Office in November 1923 …..“Dear Sir, I have been

thinking that I ought to apply for some sort of medal on account of my late husband. He did not

win any special medals.....he joined up at the commencement of the war and was in the fighting

line from April 1915 to April 1917, so that I am wondering if I could have his medal for his little

son. It would be so nice for my little boy to have it later on. My husband was killed in November

1917......”

Lieut. Allen’s Great War campaign medals appeared on a medal dealers list earlier this year and

they are on display here this evening. I visited his grave on Sunday November 3rd last, the anniver-

sary of his death and laid a cross and paid my respects on behalf of the Branch.

THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD ...

References: History of the Suffolk Regiment by Lieut.-Col Murphy and with thanks to Peter Har-

rod at Lincoln School Archives

***

SPRING WALK 2014 Colin Woods

The present plan is ‘Tanks on the Somme’ at Avrils over the weekend 11/12/13 April. Let me know what

you think about this

***

LE CATEAU 2014 Viv Whelpton

Viv is championing an idea to have a quick nip over- either all in one day or perhaps a one-nighter- to be at

Le Cateau for the anniversary on the 26th August 2014. Please see Viv if interested and keep the date clear

in your diary.

***

NEXT YEAR’S MAIN TOUR - The Aisne Dave Hedges & Colin Woods

We are thinking of maybe 23 to 27 July for the trip - let us know what you think about these dates if you

want to join us.

LIEUT ALLEN'S GRAVE

IN HISTON CEMETERY

THE MEMORIAL IN ELMSTEAD PARISH CHURCH

TO LIEUT. ALLEN"

LEST WE FORGET Matt Pilling

Banteux Ravine 1917

Just before 7.00am on a foggy 30th November 1917 the trenches of the British front line at

Banteux Ravine (an area to the east of Villers Ghuislain and the St Quentin canal) came

under an intense bombardment by German artillery. Although the preceding two days had

seen a gradual increase in the shelling, the British troops of 55th Division had seen nothing

like this. There had been a definite increase in German activity since the 28th and a Ger-man attack was it was thought inevitable.

The line held by the British were more of series of posts not a continuous line the length of

the front being held and the number of men available didn’t allow for much else, the Cam-

brai battle that had started 10 days earlier had caused a loss of a great deal of men. And

the troops that were now to face the German onslaught had already been in action for a considerable period.

At 7.00am the German artillery of Field Artillery Regiment 70 started to shell the rear areas

and that of Banteux Ravine, this was to be where the German attack was to fall; the regi-

ment holding this section were the 21 officers and 540 other ranks of the 5th South Lanca-shire’s. The brigade to the left could see that the S.Lanc’s were under an intense bombard-

ment, it seems that all telephone lines had been cut and the battalion were now only in con-

tact by visual. The war diary states ‘enemy attacked about 7.20am in Great numbers and broke through N(orth) of Villers Ghuislain. At once large numbers worked down southwards

and attacked Bn in the rear’ At 7.43am a signal lamp could be seen all it said was ‘we know nothing yet. OK’ this was the last that was heard from the battalion.

Extent of the German advance. 5th South Lanc’s

It seems that the unfortunate South Lanc’s happened to be in the sector the German 34th Division

had chosen for their counter attack. The intense bombardment was a box barrage intended to isolate

and destroy communications and any chance of help. The assault happened so quickly that German troops of Kings Infantry Regiment 145 and Infantry Regiment 67 were soon in amongst the stunned

soldiers before they knew what was happening and the men of the South Lancashire’s fought hand to

hand in small groups. The Germans had soon past the battalion headquarters and the commanding

officer, Colonel James DSO was in no doubt that all was lost. He ordered that all paperwork should

be burned and with that he and a small group of men attempted to make their escape. But this was

to be of no avail, his party was soon depleted and when seriously wounded he fell into German hands.

The German attack had swept through the South Lanc’s lines in just over quarter of an hour, small

pockets of men still held out until their ammunition had been exhausted and to confound things

even more as the morning became lighter and the fog began to disperse, German aircraft attacked any post they could see still offering resistance. In the words of the war diary ‘not an officer or man of

the battalion came back’ 5th South Lancashire’s had in effect ceased to exist, the men were either

killed or captured. The only surviving men of 5th South Lancashire’s were the men of the ‘B’ team (a

small section of men taken out of the line so that there would be something to base a battalion on

the event of great loss!!!!) in the horse transport lines well behind the front line.

The rout of the British troops was so swift that in many captured trenches the German troops found breakfast still cooking in hurriedly deserted dugouts. Huge stores of supplies were also found; uni-

forms, boots, tinned food, jam, jars of rum etc.

Two of the soldiers of 5th South Lanc’s captured that day were 241844 Pte John O’Gara and 242318

Pte Peter Eccles. Peter was from St Helens and had just turned twenty and was employed as a coal heaver; he had enlisted on the 28th March 1916 and had joined the battalion in France on the 21st

August 1916. Ironically he had been granted 14 days leave to the Britain on the 4th November 1917

and on his return had rejoined the 5th Battalion at Banteux Ravine.

John O’Gara was also from St Helens and worked as a road builder and joined the Battalion in

France on the 4th January 1917 at the age of 40. During the battle he received shrapnel wound for

which after the war he was granted a pension. He was released from prison camp 0n 16th December

1918 and he arrived home just before Christmas.

THEY SHALL GROW NOT OLD........

Next month’s talk at the Norwich Branch

Tuesday 3rd December

Paul Stonebridge: Uniforms and Equipment of WWI Soldier + Christmas Social

Please send any contributions for the Branch Briefing to:

David Hedges, 99 Cliff Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 9SA

telephone: 01394 272677 and email:david.j.hedges@btopenworld.com

Next Committee meeting: 19th November Approach a committee member if you want any issue raised.

HEALTH & SAFETY

1. In the event of a FIRE or an incident requiring the evacuation of the hall, there are Fire Exits and Safe Exit Routes clearly marked by

Green lights. Please familiarise with these routes.

2. The Assembly Point is directly across the street outside STANNARDS ELECTRICAL SHOP.

3. Please learn the location of Fire Points where equipment is provided to tackle a fire.

Our next month’s talk on Wednesday 11th December

AGM and Cameos

Local Tour update November 14th & 15th Dave Empson

Day 1 Guards Regimental Museum & London Scottish Regimental Museum

Leave 2x pick up points (Stowmarket & Ipswich) 9am & 9.30am travel to Guards Regimen-

tal Museum with comfort stop en route. Visit Museum home to all 5x of the Guards Regi-

ments.

Possibly walk to London Scottish Museum via Buckingham Palace weather allowing.

Visit London Scottish Museum (both are examples of the best Regimental Museums, the

building housing the London Scottish is outstanding and was used for the Titanic enquiry.

Evening entertainment / dinner to be confirmed after consulting with travelers, possibly take

in War Horse at Theatre if tickets available. Stay overnight in Woolwich at Travelodge.

Day 2 Travel to Kings Troop Royal Horse Artillery nearby for a VERY RARE glimpse

inside the workings of this historic unit, see original WW1 13 pounder Field Guns including

the Ceremonial ones used for State Funerals. Lunchtime move to Firepower the Royal Artil-

lery Museum for a guided tour.

All four venues will be expecting us and added on behind the scenes visits are being re-

quested !

Please note to Kings Troop have not yet confirmed so a standby second date of Weds &

Thurs 20th / 21st November will be second option. The Tour will leave the day after the

November meeting if confirmed, will need a show of hands and phone numbers of all in-

tending to travel as this involves a lot of pre planning inc rooms (only £25 each or less if

sharing) and mini bus booking.

Trip costs likely to be a very reasonable £50 plus food & entry fees at venues but some are

no charge/donation.

Many thanks

Lord Lucan

Please tear off and give to Dave Empson or email him at medalcollector1418@yahoo.co.uk

——————————————————————————————————————

I am interested in the trip on Nov 14/15

I can/cannot make the alternative dates of Nov 20/21

I would book a single/twin/triple room

Name _______________________ sharing with Name(s) _______________________

_________________________

Comments _____________________________________

___________________________________________________________

Annual General Meeting – 7.30pm Wednesday 11th December 2013

Royal British Legion Club, Tavern Street, Stowmarket

Agenda

Apologies

Matters arising

Chairman’s report

Secretary’s report

Treasurer’s report

Membership report

Battlefield Tours 2014

Speakers Secretary

Election of Officers

Any Other Business

AGM: Wednesday 19th December 2012 at 7.30pm

Minutes of the 2012 Annual General Meeting held at the Royal British Legion Club Stow-

market

Following two minutes silence and remembrance, the AGM was called to order at 7.45pm

Apologies

Barrie Thorpe, Ed Erbes, Colin Garwood, Peter Dawson, Chris and Terri Groom and Dave

Empson

Matters Arising

Minutes of the 2011 AGM accepted as a true record

There were no matters arising.

Chairman’s Report

Taff felt it had been a successful year. Numbers of members attending the meeting remains

consistently good. He thanked Colin Woods for his idea of rearranging the chairs for the

meeting which has been an improvement. The change of day has certainly reduced outside

noise but as occasionally there is some so we will be putting notices on the door as a re-

minder to people in the bar area.

Secretary’s Report

We held Committee meetings in February, May, August and November plus an extra one in December specifically for

planning the 2014-2019 Seminars.

The National WFA requested branches to send their Newsletters to the web for inclusion which we have started to do

this year. The web manger commented on how good our Branch Briefing was.

If you have an email address but do not receive the group emails from the Committee please let me or one of the

Committee know so we can add your name.

The first few months of the 2013 speaker list is on the national web site and we have had our battlefield tours and so-

cial events included in the national Bulletin.

Treasurer’s Report

Derek had circulated the yearly accounts, as they end on 11th November and the way the meeting dates fell it only

reflected 11 meetings and not 12 which made them seen lower than previous year but are not if a twelfth meeting was

factored in.

Current balance was £2301.94

Raffle receipts were up on previous year and he thanked everyone for their support with this.

The branches CD Roms seem to have disappeared and he requested if anyone had any to let him know.

Crosses and wreaths were available if anyone wished to purchase one.

The various events (Burns Night, Quiz etc.) had raised £352.55 this year and the 50/50 club continues to be well sup-

ported and had contributed to funds.

The biggest expenditure this year had been for the projector

As Derek was standing down as Treasurer he thanked everyone for their support.

Membership Report

67 (68) people have attended at least one meeting this year (Dec 2011 to Nov 2012), not counting guests. We have 58

(64) active members, so defined as attending at least one of the last four meetings. Average attendance at meetings

this year is 46 (46).

In this our 175 meeting it is interesting to note that it took until meeting 90 to have an attendance exceeding 30. Meet-

ing 114 was the first to exceeded 40 and meeting 125 to exceed 50

The highest attendance this year was 59 (54) in June for David Boyd Haycock: The War Art of Paul Nash, CRW

Nevinson and Stanley Spencer. This equals the highest ever attendance .of August 2010 when as you may guess our

speaker was our very own Prof. Peter Simkins talking about The 35th (Bantam) Division, 1914-1918

100% attenders in the last 12 meetings have been Terry Groom and Colin Woods.

Best attender since the start of the Branch easily remains Fred Hodson with Angela and Colin Woods close behind

and noteworthy good attendance by John Bevan, dear old Stuart Bufton, David Empson, Colin Garwood, David

Hedges, Tom Mudd, Derek Pheasant, and Doug Potts.

(2011 numbers shown in brackets)

Battlefield Tours 2011-12

Colin spoke about the 2013 Spring Walk which is 5th to 7th April and well supported

Dave Hedges spoke about the proposed summer trip which has not been finalised but will probably be to the Marne.

Speakers Secretary’s Report

Viv asked members to complete the feedback questionnaire for 2012 and had circulated the speaker list for 2013. She

said that in the early months of 2014 the speakers could be a ‘little quirky’ as once the Centenary starts it is planned

that they will follow the progress of the war.

Election of Officers

Derek Pheasant-Treasurer and Pam Taylor-Neale-Secretary were standing down.

John McCarthy had offered to stand as Treasurer and Matt Pilling as Secretary. David Gant had offered to stand as a

committee member. Taff Gillingham asked if there were any other candidates and as there were no more the commit-

tee was elected as follows

Taff Gillingham – Chairman, Colin Woods--Vice Chairman, Matt Pilling – Secretary, John McCarthy – Treasurer,

other members: David Empson, Mark Forsdike, Viv Whelpton, David Hedges and David Gant

Proposed by Peter Dearsley

Seconded by Jim Gill

Any other business

Mike Lawson said he had been asked by Barrie Thorpe to propose a vote of thanks to the committee

Angela Hodson commented on how much better the WFA Stand To publication was now.

The meeting closed at 20.05 hours.

50/50 CLUB Tonight we launch our 4th Series (2014) of the 50/50 Club and invite members to join up.

Membership will cost £12 with half going to Branch funds and half returned to the member-

ship as cash prizes.

In the 2013 series we had 40 members and paid out £238 in prize money with an equal

amount going into branch funds. Draws will be held on a bi-monthly basis with a first and

second prize. We aim to have our first draw at the December meeting.

Can we exceed 40 members this year? Remember the bigger the pot the greater the prizes.

Come on and join your support is really appreciated.

Please complete the form below:-