We were also delighted that a number of folk who came to their first re-union last year came back for a repeat performance - including, Ivan Asciak, the newly weds Peter and Angela Bailey, Chris and Susan Baker, Pete Curtis - this time with his son, Alan - Barnie Foster, Jan Leeming, Kev and Jacqui Living, Tom and Julie Petty, Mick Thorne and Sam Wellens.
Most of our regulars were there, Dave Arthur, Boff Bancroft, Pete Berrow and Susan, Joe and Lynne Cocker, Dan Daly, Mick D'Arcy, Gary "Duds" Dudley, Connie and Sue Francis, Andy Griffin, Glyn Harris, Don and Ann Hazeldon, Alan Ivison, Roger Jones, Sam and Maura McKeown, Dave and Liz Merrick, Bill Morgan, Bob Mullen, Ned Naylor, Ian Poulter, Bill Richards, Pete and Val Rosier, Jack Russell and "Mini Manchester", the new proud parents Paul (Red) and Alison Snape, Peter "Knocker with the Big Phalanx" White, Keith Woolven and the big man himself, "Sting" Wray. Steve and Carol Jack were also there along with their nextdoor neighbours, Andy and Wendy Dunning, who they brought along as some form of punishment!…and last in as usual was Lenny Goodwin!
We were also pleased that Paul and Caroline Sheppard were there as Paul took on the role of official phot man and took most of the re-union phots displayed on the website. (Good effort!).
It was also good to see Pete Kellett, who returned to the fray from the Kingdom of Fife after long term ill health, which brought to four the number of absolutely outstanding former HMS Manchester Stores Chiefs in attendance! (Barry Lucas, Dave Holt and some guy whose name escapes us being the others!)
Darren Major brought along a fine(!) collection of Global 86 phots, which, try as we may, the council refused to take away and recycle, so we will be forced to display a selection on the web in the near future!…also in attendance were Phil Bennett, Pete Burnett, Alan and Val Denham, Shady Lane, Ian Perryman, Paul Tomlinson and John Tucker, and returning from a wee sabbatical were Jack Guntrip, Des "Jones the Rocket" and by far the hardest man to keep in contact with - Mick Mortimore - who surprisingly did not bring along his social calendar arranger - his daughter Becky!
Two other new joiners who immediately made their mark were two of our long distance travellers - Bungy Williams (Cheshire) and Ian "Whisky" Haigh (Dumbarton). Having arrived in Nelson in the early part of the afternoon before the Re-union, and having got their passes, parking and pits sorted, they decided to go for a bimble in the Dockyard. Suddenly as if by magic, a familiar shape appeared before them…the "Mighty Manch"! In no time at all our two heroes were up the gangway and in no time at all plus 2, had secured themselves a call round in the PO's Mess! Well done fellas, that's just the initiative we expect our shipmates to display!
As with every Re-union, there are always a few notable absentees and among those shipmates who couldn't make it this year were:-
The Foreign Legion - Baz Barrett (Australia), Alan Buchanan (Spain), Dave Furnival (Australia), Barry Nurse and Carl Williamson (USA).
Our very own "Police Squad" were away making the country safer - Willie Hackett, Chris McClean, Skid Wroe and Slinger Woods. Whilst Stumpy Carruthers was guarding the dockyard gate you all came through!
Errol Kepple was skiing in Canada (Whi-skiing more like!), Ray Vere, Terry Beddoes and John Dixon were committed to Falklands 25 Re-unions. (Well done, shipmates). Gary Andrews and Neil Anderson - at sea (nice one!). Andy Thompson - Family wedding, Taff Powell - another family wedding - his own!, Andy Griffiths - imminent fatherhood, Mike Smith - finally got around to taking Val on holiday, Dan Maskill - gymnastic competition - don't worry, only as a spectator!, Mark Elphick - just out of hospital and Dutchy Holland - fell down a rabbit hole and broke his leg! - some rabbit! Dutchy is still highly traumatised after Jack Russell turned up at his wedding in a kilt! (suit was at the cleaners obviously), not a pretty sight by all accounts! (Any phots?!)
Unfortunately there was nobody available from the ship to attend - they were all busy fixing their engines - nothing new there - and pressing their civvies for a run ashore in New York a few days later!
As in previous years, the Re-union started with Rounds. Rounds of handshakes and rounds at the bar and not necessarily in that order! After a hectic two hours of dit spinning, glass emptying and giving the bar staff a thorough workout, some good scran and a quick formal intro from the pair of us, it was time for an event that is proving more popular each year, especially with some of the winners and surprisingly with some of the losers!
As most of you appreciate, the annual raffle is an essential part of our "business plan", and together with donations that is the revenue that keeps us going. The master plan was to have circa £100 worth of prizes and sell £200 worth of tickets, but on this we failed miserably! For starters we received a number of prizes kindly donated on the night, and our regular revenue raiser, Martin, who in the six years he has been doing the job, has now risen in height from 3' 6" to 6' 3" and is therefore now not so easy to ignore, (as in earlier years), creamed us all for over £400!
Pictures of all the lucky winners can be viewed on the website, but we particularly liked the tea-pot with the Bee on it, which was won by the big 'B' himself the Buffer!, and so nice of Connie to bring Sue along so she could tear up all the raffle tickets - all 2035 of them - and take him home in the early hours!, and the wooden case which was surprisingly won by Barnie Foster!…as if he needed a height boosting device to reach the bar! (must be careful what I say otherwise I shall have Snow White and chums and the PC Police on my case). At least Barnie's prize gave him a front row seat for the entertainer - Mr Shep Woolley!
But before we come to Shep, there was one piece of "business" we did have to resolve which was the subject of Dan Daly's proposed Re-union in Gibraltar. As many of you noticed we strategically placed a notice regarding this proposal right outside the heads, and three shipmates paused to pass comment. Slim Richards would like to go to Malta, Anon - obviously a first commissioner - would like to go Barrow and the 99 Club - and Dave Arthur, bless him, doesn't give a fxck where the next Re-union is…he just wants to be there! (Good man!). As a result, this idea is currently on hold, although undeterred, Fireman Dan has carried out a further site survey of Sicily which was a pity 'cos at the time of his hols, all the fires were burning in Greece!
As most of you are already aware, 2007 marks the 25th Anniversary of the launching of the "Mighty Manch" and not wanting to rely on the raffle to provide all the entertainment - we knew nothing about the stripper, honest - we were fortunate to secure the services of former matelot turned entertainer Shep. Unfortunately, he was also competing against a strong cast of former shipmates - some who had not cast eyes on each other for 20 plus years - and so the bar always was going to be a very lively area too! Suffice to say Shep did us proud, and those who stayed to watch his show enjoyed themselves - and Shep supported us by buying some raffle tickets too, but then he could afford to…he was using our dosh!
That's nearly it for now, we would like to wrap up this newsletter with a little good news. Firstly, congratulations to Shady Lane and his wife Liz on the arrival of their second child JS(M)2 James Steven who weighed in at 7lb 5oz on 24th July 2007. We are reliably informed the timing was impeccable at 0952, which allowed Shady to cut away to stand-easy on completion! The date was also Shady and Liz's 3rd Wedding Anniversary so there is one date less for our hero to forget! The name James is also significant. Shady, being of the seaman variety has been chased from stem to stern by many a "Jimmy" and now he intends to get his own back!!
Meanwhile, news just filtering through tells us that the Royal Buffer, Connie Francis, has just become a Grandfather! This has been on the cards for some time, nine months in fact, and the staff at the St Mary's baby factory had been alerted to look out for the arrival of a balding individual shouting "out fenders" and demanding a drink!…which is exactly how baby Rose - "Compass" to her oppo's - arrived, with Grandfather stumbling up the hospital steps shortly after! Happy Days!
We would just like to conclude by saying a very big thank you to all our fellow shipmates. We have received numerous donations, compliments and contributions regarding the whole set up of your Association throughout the year and your continued support is very much appreciated.
Sincere Best Wishes
Steve & Ian
