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The Summer and Autumn of 2009 were as busy as
ever; we celebrated the 60th
WRAC anniversary in July at the Royal Fleet Hotel with a buffet lunch, which
could have been a disaster due to a mix-up with dates, but the manager,
receptionist and barman managed to produce a credible lunch for us, though
not the lunch we had hoped for! Our honoured guests, Lt Col Sue Westlake,
Maj Jane Freebairn and Maj Maskens-McIntyre kindly said that they would not
have realised about the catering problem if we hadn’t told them. We all
enjoyed the afternoon just socialising and chatting which was very nice and
relaxing.
The Veterans Week at the end of June was
celebrated in Plymouth in style with our ladies manning our ATS/WRAC display
stall in the Guildhall. We were between the tables displaying memorabilia of
the ladies in munitions during the War on one side and the WRENS tables on
the other side. The following day, Sunday, we attended the RAFA Parade and
Service of Thanksgiving and Wreath Laying on the Hoe which was followed by
many military displays in the sunshine that followed the morning rain. Our
cadet, Katie McGee stood proudly with our standard and did not appear to
notice the rain.
2nd
Left: Katie McGee with our
Branch Standard
Evon’s garden party in August was once more
dogged by bad luck because she was not well enough on the day and had to
cancel it. She did, however, raise £115 from her loyal supporters for Cancer
Research. Also in August we were invited by the WRENS to join them on a
coach trip to Sidmouth for the day. Another wet day but by prolonging our
lunch in a variety of pubs and cafes that we had individually dispersed to,
the rain was not too much of a problem.
The Merchant Navy’s Atlantic Day Parade on 6
September was held this year in St Andrew’s Church. Seven members attended
and were invited to the Stonehouse Social Club afterwards for a very good
hot/cold buffet. We weren’t able to attend the annual RAFA Battle of Britain
Parade because it was on the same day as the South and South West Area
Reunion in Weymouth. Six of us rattled up in a 16 seater mini-bus and four
came by car for a very good lunch and a chat before and after!
Our AGM resulted in most of the existing
officers being returned. However, Mrs Doris McCoy, our Vice-Chairman, who
has worked for the Branch in many capacities for over 30 years, including
Standard Bearer, Escort and Chairman as well as tea lady when required,
finally has stepped down. We all welcomed Mrs Jane Evans, ex-WRAC, into her
first appointment with our Branch as our new Vice-Chairman. We are fortunate
this year because we have another new volunteer, Mrs Pat Fox, who has signed
in as assistant to our Treasurer, Mrs Mary Davis.
In October I went to the South and South West
Area AGM at the Wilton Bowls Club where we were once more grandly fed from
several huge dishes of corned beef hash followed by treacle tart, à la war
time memories, prepared and cooked for us by Joan, the Area Secretary.
Unfortunately none of us were able to go to the WRAC Dinner in Birmingham
this year – hopefully we may be able to go in 2010.
The Festival of Remembrance has returned this
year, thanks to the Federation of ex-Services who have been raising funds
through the year in stores etc to make sure the Festival could be held.
Cadet Katie McGee will parade our Branch Standard for us with Mary and Evon
as escorts.
Our Christmas lunch will be at the Masonic
Hall in Stoke as usual and I’m sure it will be a great success; Major Mack
has kindly agreed to join us and we will be welcoming some of the WRENS
Association and we will be going to their Christmas lunch too.
We have two new ex-WRAC members: one lives in
Babbacombe and the other in Camborne: both towns that are too far for an
easy commute to Plymouth but we hope to see them whenever possible.
Our Committee have a meeting in January 2010
and ten of us are looking forward to the AGM at the Victory Services Club in
March.
We have our meetings in the Royal Fleet Club
– 1.30-4 p.m. on the 1st
Monday of the month, except when there is a Bank Holiday, the meeting then
is moved to the 2nd
Monday. There is no meeting in January. Please feel free to join us anytime.
Contact telephone number: Ruth Jennings, Secretary – 01752 363118.
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