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CYPRUS VETERANS
To let you know I am not only doing the RMP Cyprus
Vets Newsletter (135 members)... I am now one month into a new
venture, RMP Malaya Vets (26 members). We have one ex-RAF Police
member who was there in 1946 - a guy name Frank Loweth from
Heanor, Derbyshire.
If you have any RAF
Policemen on your books who spent some time in Malaya they can
come and join us if they wish...
Tony Bowdler ~ (Droitwich)
VISIT OF THE DUKE OF
EDINBURGH TO FONTAINEBLEAU
When the Duke came to Fontainebleau
and it was decided that a reception would be held in the Chateau
grounds. Prior to the visit orders went out for a number of
bods to be "in attendance" to carry out any necessary
duties
It befell upon me to be in charge
of one of the "drinky poo" tents. So on the appointed
day we all assembled and got to work to organise the drinks,
seating, glasses, champers etc., The Duke duly arrived and did
the rounds with a "thank you" at the end of his visit
to our tent and promptly left to go somewhere else. We were
left with the task of serving all manner of drinks to all manner
of visitors who chose to come in. Eventually the crowds dispersed
leaving us poor "unfortunates" to clear up the mess
and leave everything nice and tidy. All chairs and tables to
be stacked in an orderly fashion, all rubbish to be collected
and "bagged". Then there was the question of the collection
of all the dirty glasses and the empty, half empty and full
bottles of drinks that were lying about. Eventually after a
few sips amongst us all we managed to gather all the bottles
together and into the boxes provided. Then up pipes one little
gentleman "Hey Sarge what do we do with all the drinks
that are left in the glasses ? A snap decision was made whereupon
two bods did the rounds of the glasses with a galvanised bath
that had been supplied earlier in the day together with ice
to keep the drinks cold. Then another question "What do
we do with all this what’s in the bath". Oh dear, but suddenly
an answer was produced -tip it in the lake. Off to the lake
with the bath and into the lake goes the contents. Nobody around
after about half an hour could understand why those beautiful
fish that swam in the lake were all lying upside down in the
lake doing nothing not even flapping their gills. But somewhere
there was a rotten Sergeant who decided where to put the "dregs"
from the glasses. I wonder who that was?
Dickie Rogers ~ (Gloucester)
DO YOU REMEMBER MEDWYN
PARRY?
I was very interested in your
"Old Comrades" Section in Yours Magazine dated March
2004, looking for RAF personnel who served in Fontainebleau
during 1950's- 6O's. My husband Medwyn Parry served with the
RAF Police in Fontainebleau from about 1959 to 1961. I have
photographs of him with the RAF football team as he was a keen
sportsman and played football" rugby, cricket etc.
He always spoke with affection
of all his mates in the camp and of course of some of the exploits
they got up to in Montmatre and Paris, which is where they spent
time off. So much time has elapsed since then and it would be
wonderful if any of his old mates remembered him. Med died in
1978 of a heart attack at the young age of 39 leaving me and
three young children.
I know that if Med had been
alive he would have been extremely interested in any reunion
connected with Fontainebleau. He always spoke of the friends
he had there with a great deal of affection and as he telephoned
me occasionally from France, then it has a special place in
my memory also.
I do hope someone remembers
him as I have not re-married and it would bring him closer if
someone could recall him.
Jennifer Parry ~ (Wrexham, North Wales)
Come on lads ~ if you remember
Medwyn give Jennifer a call on 01978 846496 or e-mail her on
Jen42@Tyci8.fsnet.co.uk
POSTAGE DUE
A clever clogs in the Post Office
determined that this Newsletter weighed six pence more than
the first class stamp used to send it to me. I am mentioning
this to cover my inordinate delay in forwarding it on because
I was required to attend a Main Post Office Mail Collecting
Dept (open mornings only) with the excess postage and obligatory
£1 handling fee before I could enjoy the Newsletter contents,
and, yes, it was worth it.
However, it occurs to me, if I am not hopelessly out of date
which is a distinct possibility with my approaching senility,
that there is still a PRINTED PAPER RATE in our postal system,
and that it may be prudent to so mark the envelope when forwarding
Newsletters.
Les Dungey ~ (Faversham, Kent)
Thanks Les, I and other members have experienced the same problem
with underpayment of postage on the Newsletters. Royal Mail
no longer offer a Printer Paper Rate except for overseas sendings.
Members Snippets
Pete Prentice
was admitted to hospital in May for a second operation on his
knee.
David and Jean Keery called at Brookwood en route for
a holiday in the Isle of Wight.
Our sympathy goes to Mike Capon who lost his
mother in May in her 93rd year.
Yours truly called on Les and Jean Goddard
recently and found them both in good health. Les is recovering
well from his recent stroke.
John and Barbara Higgs celebrate their Golden
Wedding Anniversary in September.
Dickie and Shirley Rogers have planned a trip
to New Zealand in November.
Dubbed “The Bearded Wonder” by the late Brian Johnston,
Bill Frindall, the BBC's scorer and statistician, and
longest-serving member of Radio's Test Match Special commentary
team has agreed to join the Association but his details were
not received before this Newsletter was put to bed.
PARIS PARADE ~ SEPTEMBER 2003
Below is an article written
by John Day published in the RAF Police Association (London
& South East Branch) NOTE BOOK ~ Spring 2004
Fontainebleau Veterans Association
by John Day
Six years ago an ex-SAC in the
clerical department decided to try and contact some of the people
who had served with him at Fontainebleau, in France, during
the early to mid-fifties.
The result of this tentative
enterprise is the fast growing "Fontainebleau Veterans
Association" which now boasts over 100 members. Originally
just for RAF personnel, the founder and President of the Association
opened it to all allied forces who served at either of the two
bases in the town, thus embracing our new colleagues of the
ground-pounding brown type.
At our third reunion at Camp
Guynemer last September we finally had the chance to show off
our white berets, and were promptly trumped by the RMP. Being
the only ones wearing any type of headgear, we attracted the
cameras.
Apart from visiting old haunts
and swapping exaggerated stories, the highlight of these reunions
is a march up the Champs Elysees, this year led by the band
of the French Air Force. This march takes place every year on
September l5th to commemorate the Battle of Britain, and after
the ceremony of rekindling the eternal flame under the Arc de
Triomphe, the veterans were greeted personally by the various
dignitaries led by the representative of the Royal Air Force,
Air Vice Marshal Maddox.
This year the march was led
by the RAFP and RMP members. The Association currently has some
15 ex-police members and is constantly looking for more. Over
250 RAFP served at Fontainebleau during the Camp's lifetime,
so where are you all now?
Any Fontainebleau 'Vets' ' out
there? Please send queries to 'The Note Book' Editor who will
pass them on.
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