The Magazine of the Edition 14 Artillery Clerks’ Association December 2010 Intentionally blank Intentionally blank Intentionally blank Intentionally blank Chairman’s Foreword and Notes by Lt Col(Retd) Joe Falzon BEM This year I find myself having to Communicating with our members can share items of news or general cover for our new Association has always been akin to walking a interest and get responses where President. As most of you tightrope, with deadlines stealing appropriate. know by now, Lt Gen Sir Freddie up fast and original thought to Vickers suffered a stroke and be applied; the latter is not my A milestone for the Association this underwent major surgery in strongest suite! The task becomes year has been the parading of our May. His path to recovery so even trickier when we rely so Association Standard at the Royal far has been remarkable, but heavily on busy individuals to help British Legion Annual Festival of slow. This sudden change in us maintain the pivotal roles that Remembrance at the Royal Albert his circumstances reminds me of our Reunion Weekends in Larkhill Hall on Saturday 13th November – something my mother, who has and Germany, our website and a televised national event, attended experienced first hand a number Crossed Quills play in ensuring by our Captain General and her of life changing episodes in her 99 that we all keep in touch with family. I know that Andrew Jones, years, told me recently: What lies each other. Ian Constantine, Ron our Standard Bearer, has recorded behind us and what lies before us Holmes, David Stotan and Andy this unique experience separately are tiny matters compared to what Tibble all need our support and elsewhere in this magazine. lies within us. General and Lady grateful thanks for their enduring Viggers are brave, stoic, resolute work for the good and benefit of I would finally like to congratulate and determined to get through this the Association. Russ Lee on hitting the Pink List chapter in their life. this year. It gives us all great As far as the website and Crossed pleasure that his talents and hard If there’s one thing I’ve learned Quills are concerned, it is the work have been recognised so over the years, it’s that nobody potential to create a two-way clearly. gets better alone. That’s why dialogue which makes them such we need to keep both General important communications tools. I look forward to catching up with and Lady Viggers in our prayers On the website David has created you all at our Reunion Weekend in and that’s why I’m positive that, in a Message Board designed to May next year. time, our President will crack it and runs both ways. Please use it as make a complete recovery. your sounding page where you With every best wish. Update - Lt Gen Sir Freddie Viggers KCB CMG MBE DL Honorary President We were all shocked to hear the home for nearly two months navigates the various inside steps, news in May that our Honorary now, supported by his family, and even manages to negotiate President, Lieutenant General Sir neighbours, friends and local the gravel driveway. The therapists Freddie Viggers, had suffered a services. are concentrating on Freddie’s stroke. General Freddie and Lady torso to strengthen the muscles Jane have both been through a life Lady Jane has found an excellent there, which will enable him to changing experience anyone of us Neuro-Physiotherapy clinic just establish his midline, resulting in would dread to have to face and outside Winchester, and General better balance, which will in turn negotiate. Full recovery is still a Freddie now goes there every day make walking easier. (It’s all a bit long way off so we need to keep for an hour. The NHS gives him like that song about knee bones them both in our thoughts and an hour of physio a week. The being connected to…. etcetera!) especially in our prayers. therapists are fantastic, and are optimistic about General Freddie’s Lots of friends manage to look in General Freddie has been long-term prospects – the plan to see General Freddie, and he through a long and frustrating is to reassess his needs over the really welcomes seeing people, hospitalisation but he has been next six months. He is walking although he can only manage recovering from his converted around the house without a stick, about an hour before he tires. Lady Jane intends to resurrect about it, and is going through a their National Trust membership grieving process, but his usual and make time each week to visit tenacity, strength of will and spirit those places that they always said will enable him to work through we would do “one day”. it. It takes a lot of courage and integrity in not trying to cling to Finally, Freddie has taken the very office, and putting the interests hard decision to relinquish his post of family before his own natural as Black Rod and has resigned wish to carry on. Lady Jane is sure his office. Some very good that he will find other interests to friends have been tremendously engage with once he has finished supportive in helping him come his rehabilitation, and hopes that to realise that returning to a highly he will in time be able to look demanding post would not be back with enormous pride and feasible, but it has not been easy satisfaction on a distinguished for him – not only did he love the military career and a highly job, but it has obviously highlighted successful, albeit short, tenure as the limitations that the stroke will the Gentleman Usher of the Black place on him in the future. He Rod. is, understandably, quite ‘down’ Secretary’s Report by Andy Tibble MSM (former WO1(SSM)) This year has just passed by a replacement is forthcoming. Do not been informed of any other so quickly since the last edition we have any volunteers? The promotions or awards or anything of ‘The Crossed Quills’ was Germany Reunion Dinner was else during the past 12 months. produced. I now find my self held in the Warrant Officers’ and writing my first report as Secretary Sergeants’ Mess, 26th Regt RA Sadly I have to report of the deaths in which it has been a very busy in Gutersloh on Saturday 16th of five of our Artillery Clerks who year for the Association and also October 2010. Once again, as you have died since the last report. producing the next edition of the can see from WO2 Ron Holmes ‘Crossed Quills’ report later in the magazine, Former WO2(QMS(AC)) and a good time was had by all of Chelsea Pensioner Duggie Once again we had a most those members who were able to Waterhouse who died on the 9th excellent Reunion Dinner which attend. On behalf of all those who December 2009 aged 83. Duggie was held at the Warrant Officers’ attended, I would also like to say was one of those members who and Sergeants’ Central Mess, big thank you to Ron for organising would always turn up for the Larkhill on Saturday 24th April such a great weekend. A special Reunion Weekends without fail 2010 under the auspices of Capt thank you also goes to WO1 (RSM) and in most cases would be the Ian Constantine RA. We were all Bernie Burnett, RSM 26 Regt RA last person standing at the bar for proud to welcome the Director for including our Reunion Dinner which he will be most remembered General Personnel, Major General as part of a Regimental Dinner for. Maj (Retd) Pat Verdon and our Andrew Gregory as our Guest Night and for also allowing us to Standard Bearer, Andrew Jones of Honour and the Regimental use the Sergeant’s Mess. A special represented the Association at Sergeant Major, WO1(RSM) Nicky thank you to Hauke Michelson (our Duggie’s funeral. Gould as our guest. A full report Germany Honorary Member) for on the Dinner by our Reunion supplying photographs from both Our Secretary, former WO1(SMAC) Secretary can be read later in the Reunions. Mel Charlton who died on the 17th magazine. On behalf of those December 2009 aged 63. It came members who attended, I would Congratulations and well done as a great shock for members of like to say a big thank you to Ian to Major Russ Lee RA on being the Association to hear that Mel for all of the hard work that he selected for promotion to Lt Col had passed away. Mel was the put into this dinner, making this a and also to SSgt Tony Meek on driving force behind keeping the most memorable evening. Once being selected for promotion Association going and ensured again, Ian has kindly retained the to WO2 during the FY2010/11. that it went from strength to position of Reunion Secretary until Other than that the Committee has strength. I travelled down to Larkhill with Maj (Retd) Pat Verdon The St Barbara’s Day Church Our current membership stands where we met the Historical Service was held in the Garrison at 202. There are currently 173 Secretary Joe Hoggins Bsc, Des Church of St. Alban the Martyr, Potential New members on the Riley, Mark Testi, Rev Denis Brett, Larkhill on Sunday 5th December Wanted List who were Artillery Maj Russ Lee and Standard 2010. Once again, Andrew Jones Clerks’, but have not yet joined Bearer Andrew Jones to name a our Standard Bearer, accompanied the Association.