From Les Hills Monday 1st March 2010

TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE FONTAINEBLEAU ASSOCIATION

Dear fellow members
As most of you will now be aware, I now live in Western Australia ,which was also the last home for Sir Basil, as he farmed south of Perth at a small town called " Boyup Brook" his farm was named "ARDUA" I had the honour together with my wife Bernadette to visit his farm which was then being run by his Grandson "Paul Embry' the son of Sir Basil's eldest son Mark who we also met. the farm has since been sold and no longer belongs to the Embry's but still retains the name "ARDUA' the farm is actually about 30 kilometres from the town of Boyup Brook" but I digress, the main reason i am writing this email is to tell you all about Sir Basil Embry's final resting place.
On the 8th December 1977 Air Chief Marshal Sir Basil Embry died, and was buried in a very simple grave with just a small inscription , which most of you would have seen on our Web page of myself lying a wreath on behalf of you all .
At the time I did not mention it but even then the gravestone was deteriorating, Bernadette and I visited the grave just over a week ago, and the grave had deteriorated even more with the stone itself cracked and broken and slowly sinking into the ground, It saddened both my wife and I that such a great man. a RAF war hero of the second world war, final resting place was in such a poor state of repair !!.
While down in Boyup Brook I met the President of the RSL( Same as the British LegionUK) of Boyup Brook, by the name of Trevor Dickinson, who in fact has the neighbouring farm to the EMBRY'S and was lucky to meet Sir Basil, shortly before he passed away, I discussed with Trevor how saddened we were to find his grave in such a poor state of repair and told him that I was going to write to my Association in the UK and let them know just how bad the grave is and will gradually get worse if nothing is done, so I would like to propose to you "The Fontainebleau Veterans Association" that we take steps to improve such a great man's final resting place, if you are all in agreement then "Trevor Dickinson" and Boyup Brook RSL members will take steps to improve the grave on our behalf. At this stage i have no idea just how much it would cost the Association. for the moment i would just like your views on this proposal. I have not mentioned this to the Embry Family because I would like to get the views of you the members ,many of whom like me knew Sir Basil, personally, first if you are in the same opinion as myself, then I
will speak personally to SIr Basil's family, and tell them what we as the Association would like to do, then if the family should be in agreement, then I will get Trevor to get costs etc for us. If of course the Embry Family say they do not wish us to upgrade his final resting place then of course that will be the end of the matter, but I would like to hear how you all feel about this possible project?
I look forward to hearing from you in the near future
My Best Wishes to you all for 2010

Les Hills

PS: Trevor Dickinson who as a vinery on his farm, is producing me some "white wine' produced from Sir Basil's grapes and called "ARDUA' when I receive same i will send a couple of bottles to the "Association"