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AWARDS FOR POPPY COLLECTORS
Five Kilmington Poppy Appeal collectors were presented with awards of a broach or lapel badge and a Royal British Legion certificate in recognition of over 15 years service each in the Village. Group Captain Brian Lavender, Chairman of the Branch, took the opportunity of conducting the ceremony at the Branch’s Autumn Coffee Morning in the Village Hall on Saturday 22nd November. Bill Barker, Betty Baskett, Philippa Beckingsale, Frank and Iris Piper were applauded for their work by the 100 people present. £709 was raised for the Poppy Appeal from the various stalls and draw thanks to the hard work of the many helpers and the supporters.
REMEMBRANCETIDE THOUGHTS
Talking to Kilmington’s Peter Lockwood during Remembrancetide, he recalled the anguish that his mother and family suffered after she received a telegram from the War Office that his father, Eric Norman Lockwood, was missing believed killed after HMS Charybdis had been torpedoed on 23 October 1943; it sank in the English Channel off St Malo, France. Several conflicting messages began to follow, some giving hope and others causing doubts until it was finally confirmed that Norman, who was serving as a Chief Mechanision on the 10,000 ton cruiser, had been killed at the age of 35 years having survived two earlier sinkings. It was the uncertainty in the tumult of war that so upset the family, although Peter, who was only 7 years old at the time was rather shielded from it by his mother. He showed me letters and cards which he has preserved from Norman to his wife posted from places all over the world where he had served in a variety of Royal Navy ships. His father was interred in a war grave at St Brieuc near St Malo which Peter has visited a couple of times. In his Will, Peter has asked to be cremated and his ashes to be scattered over his father’s grave.
Like his father, Peter joined the Royal Navy and served in frigates in various parts of the world including the Suez campaign over 10 years. His favourite ship was the frigate HMS Ulyses which was the fastest vessel in the Royal Navy at that time. He remembers that on one night shift as Chief Quarter Master sailing in the Mediterranean telling one of the midshipmen that he was particularly thinking about his father at that moment because it was the date and time of his death. By an extraordinary coincidence, the midshipman’s father was also serving on HMS Charybdis and died that same night. Norman Lockwood’s name was of course read out by the Rev’d Lincoln Jones at the Kilmington War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday.
Like his father, Peter joined the Royal Navy and served in frigates in various parts of the world including the Suez campaign over 10 years. His favourite ship was the frigate HMS Ulyses which was the fastest vessel in the Royal Navy at that time. He remembers that on one night shift as Chief Quarter Master sailing in the Mediterranean telling one of the midshipmen that he was particularly thinking about his father at that moment because it was the date and time of his death. By an extraordinary coincidence, the midshipman’s father was also serving on HMS Charybdis and died that same night. Norman Lockwood’s name was of course read out by the Rev’d Lincoln Jones at the Kilmington War Memorial on Remembrance Sunday.
Peter Lockwood reflects on his father’s 1939-45 War Medal, the End of War Star, the Atlantic Star and his Long Service & Good Conduct Medal
REMEMBRANCE IN KILMINGTON
The Baptist Chapel was packed on Sunday 9 November for the Royal British Legion Remembrance Sunday Service conducted by the Rev’d Darrell Holmes. The Lessons were read by Flt Lt (ret’d) John Moulds and Gp Capt (ret’d) Brian Lavender. The Rev’d Lincoln Jones, Branch Chaplain, gave a very moving and quite wonderful Address explaining the important role that artists, poets, musicians, photographers and story tellers had played in ensuring that we remember the sacrifices made and horrors endured, not only in the Great War but in every war up to the present conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. The collection of £274 was donated to the Poppy Appeal. A large crowd, including several veterans wearing their medals, assembled at the War Memorial in spite of the rain which started as the Branch Chaplain read the opening prayers. Most got rather wet while the names of residents killed in the two World Wars were read out and during the Two Minutes Silence. Wreaths were laid by Brian Lavender on behalf of Kilmington residents and the Kilmington Branch, by a Special Constable on behalf of the local police and by Jed and Jessie Holmes on behalf of the children. Many took the opportunity to dry out over refreshments at the Baptist Chapel before 34 members of the Kilmington Branch went by coach to the Wheelwright Inn at Colyford for lunch. That evening, £174 was raised for the Poppy Appeal at a Quiz Night at the New Inn conducted by Clive Garner, by kind permission of Brian and Denise Jenkins.
On the 90th Anniversary of Armistice Day, over 50 Kilmington residents assembled at the Hitchcock Pavilion, including the new Vicar, the Rev’d Alistair McCollum, while maroons were fired to mark the Two Minutes Silence. Refreshments in the Pavilion coordinated by Kath Summerfield were enjoyed afterwards.
POPPY APPEAL IN KILMINGTON
Thanks to everyone who supported the Poppy Appeal this year which raised £1,204 from the house to house collections, £336 from the static boxes in the Old and New Inns, Kilmington Garage and Cafe, Millers Farm Shop, Hurfords Stores, the Primary School and the Taunton Cross Little Chef and Car Sales Garage. The collection in the Baptist Chapel raised a further £272, bringing the total to £1,812. We thank the collectors Maurice & Margaret Andrews, Philippa Beckingsale, Bill Barker, Joan Cudmore, Gavin Davie, Colin and Coral Dunmow, Ted and Maureen Dutton, Simon and Gill Heighway, Gerry and Pearl Hurford, Jenny Nickolls, Iris Piper, Janet Robertson, John and Sheila Watts. The Quiz Night in the New Inn on Remembrance Sunday, conducted by Clive Garner and arranged by Brian and Denise Jenkins raised a further £174, which was sent directly to the Poppy Appeal. Readers can be assured that every penny raised goes to support needy ex-Service personnel and or their dependents.
DEVON COUNTY FESTIVAL OF REMEMBRANCE
12 Members of the Royal British Legion (Kilmington Branch) joined members of the Axminster Branch on a coach to attend the Devon County Festival of Remembrance in the Great Hall of Exeter University on Thursday 6 November. It was an impressive and very moving occasion at which all the Standards of the Devon Branches were paraded, many ex-Service Associations, members of the Regular and Reserve Forces, members of the Emergency Services, the Cadet Forces and War Widows Association were in attendance. The Band of the Royal Marines from Lympstone played impeccably and the Crediton Operatic and Dramatic Society entertained us very well. Vice Admiral Paul Boissier, Deputy Commander in Chief Fleet, gave an excellent speech praising the quality of the men and women serving today in the Armed Forces. Several guests were introduced including some who had been badly injured in recent wars, and there was a surprise appearance of Bill Speakman who won the Victoria Cross in the Korean War. The Service of Remembrance was conducted by Lt Col the Rev’d Tom Hiney, Honorary Chaplain to the Devon County RBL. It was a very memorable evening with all of the atmosphere found at the Festival in the Royal Albert Hall.
Brian Lavender
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BEIJING AND THE LONDON OLYMPICS
There was a good attendance for the subject lecture by Lt Col Guy Lavender, Director of Olympics South West, in the Kilmington Village Hall on 17th October. He gave a fascinating account about the organisation and events in China, and provided convincing evidence that the London Olympics will be very well organised and of great long term benefit to this country. Branch President Gordon Dendle thanked Guy for an excellent talk. £144 was collected in the Admiral’s Jug for the British Legion Poppy Appeal. An article on this subject is available to see here (click to open).
RBL (KILMINGTON BRANCH) AUTUMN COFFEE MORNING
The Royal British Legion Autumn Coffee morning will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday 22nd November at 10.30 am. Contributions for the cake/plant/craft/gift/book stalls and raffle would be much appreciated. Entrance will be £1 to include coffee/tea/biscuits. Please give good support to this event because all profit goes to the Poppy Appeal.
REMEMBRANCE IN KILMINGTON
The Royal British Legion Remembrance Sunday Service in Kilmington this year will be held in the Baptist Chapel at 9.45 am on Sunday 9th November. The Service will be conducted by the Rev’d Darrell Holmes and the Address given by the Rev’d Lincoln Jones, Chaplain to the Kilmington Branch. A short Service and ceremony will be held at the War Memorial at 10.55 am where the names of those Kilmington residents killed in the two World Wars will be read out. Following the “two minutes silence”, a wreath will be laid by Gp Capt Brian Lavender, Chairman of the Kilmington Branch. Everyone is invited to refreshments in the Baptist Chapel afterwards. That evening, a Quiz Night will be held in the New Inn conducted by Clive Garner, the proceeds from which will be donated to the Poppy Appeal.
Tuesday 11th November is the 90th Anniversary of Armistice Day and this will be marked by the firing of two maroons from the Playing Fields at 11.00 and 11.02 am. While the children at Kilmington Primary School will observe the silence from their playground, everyone is invited to attend and to come into the Pavilion afterwards for refreshments.
Tuesday 11th November is the 90th Anniversary of Armistice Day and this will be marked by the firing of two maroons from the Playing Fields at 11.00 and 11.02 am. While the children at Kilmington Primary School will observe the silence from their playground, everyone is invited to attend and to come into the Pavilion afterwards for refreshments.
ROYAL BRITISH LEGION (KILMINGTON BRANCH) POPPY APPEAL
There will be a Coffee Morning for Poppy Appeal collectors at the Cider Orchard on 14 October at 10.30 am. The Poppy Appeal collections will take place between Saturday 25th October and Saturday 8th November. Please give generously as we try to improve the lot of our veterans and their dependents who have not been well looked after by successive governments.
Now is a good time to join the Royal British Legion as the annual subscriptions of £11.00 are about to be collected. We have 113 members in our very active Branch at the moment, but we are seeking more to show their support for the “Honour the Covenant” Campaign which has already forced Ministers to provide better facilities and conditions for the members of our Armed Forces. You do not need to have had any connection with the Services to become a full member of the Legion, and the £11.00 annual subscription is used to provide all the administration of the Legion, the production of poppies and wreaths and the employment of disabled ex-Service personnel. Please contact Brian Lavender on 01297 34922 or Michael O’Flaherty on 01297 35873 if you are interested or willing to join and we will gladly call on you to provide further information and answer any queries.
Now is a good time to join the Royal British Legion as the annual subscriptions of £11.00 are about to be collected. We have 113 members in our very active Branch at the moment, but we are seeking more to show their support for the “Honour the Covenant” Campaign which has already forced Ministers to provide better facilities and conditions for the members of our Armed Forces. You do not need to have had any connection with the Services to become a full member of the Legion, and the £11.00 annual subscription is used to provide all the administration of the Legion, the production of poppies and wreaths and the employment of disabled ex-
RBL ANNUAL LECTURE – 17TH OCTOBER
Lt Col Guy Lavender has kindly agreed to give the Annual Lecture in the Village Hall at 7.30 pm on Friday 17th October entitled “Beijing Olympics and Prospects for London 2012”. Guy retired from the British Army a couple of years ago to take up the appointment of Director Olympics South West and has been kept very busy with the Olympic Committee organising training establishments and preparations in the South West for the London Olympics. He has already visited China to inspect the facilities in Beijing and the surrounding area and will be attending the Beijing Olympics in August. This is an open meeting and non-members are welcome to attend. Entrance free but donations to the Poppy Appeal in the Admiral’s Jug would be appreciated.
RBL (KILMINGTON BRANCH) ANNUAL BBQ
Nearly 70 Branch members attended the annual BBQ in the New Inn on 25 July. Brian and Denise Jenkins did a fantastic job with the catering and the evening was much enjoyed in good weather conditions. The Devon County Chairman of the RBL, Brian Cumming, with his wife Patricia attended as guests and presented a Recruitment Course certificate to Branch Secretary Michael O’Flaherty.
The guests were well entertained.
SIT TO PORTSMOUTH’S HISTORIC DOCKYARD
A full coach of Royal British Legion (Kilmington Branch) members with three guests from the Stockland and Colyton Branches set off on 30 June in warm, sunny conditions to visit the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. A 25 question quiz conducted by the Branch Chairman en route prepared the party for what they were about to see. Most took the harbour cruise first to find that the majority of the Royal Navy Portsmouth based fleet were in harbour, including the three aircraft carriers HMS Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal, together with most of the type 42 destroyers. Perhaps fuel is now so expensive that they cannot afford to deploy around the world? Several decommissioned ships in the harbour were waiting to be sold! The good news, announced by the Secretary of State for Defence only a couple of days later aboard Ark Royal, is that three new Carriers are now on order, a multi billion pound project.
The tour of HMS Victory, still listed as part of the Fleet, was absolutely fascinating and one marvelled at the way it had been restored to the fit which Lord Nelson had at the Battle of Trafalgar. HMS Warrior, designed to outgun and outrun any ship in the 1860’s, which Napoleon described as “a black snake among rabbits” was beautifully restored and a joy to tour. Henry VIII’s flag ship Mary Rose, which sank in Portsmouth Harbour after 36 years engaging the French, was difficult to see clearly as it is still being treated with a wax spray; however, it was a fascinating sight and its museum was packed with interest. The three Royal Navy museum galleries are a treat to see with everything presented beautifully. A number of the party went up the newly built Spinnaker Tower and enjoyed the fantastic views over the dockyard and the Isle of Wight, while others took in the high class new shopping centre at Gun Wharf Quays. It proved to be a wonderful day out, and on the journey home the party heard an account of Lord Nelson’s life from “beyond the grave”. Many thanks to Roger Lovegrove, Branch Treasurer who organised the visit.
The Kilmington Branch is looking to recruit new members (no requirement to be ex-Service) who are asked to contact me on 01297 34922 or the Secretary.
POPPY STEAM TRAIN
22 members of the Royal British Legion (Kilmington Branch) with a couple of guests from the Colyton Branch joined the Special Poppy Steam train at Buckfastleigh on 10 June for a lovely evening journey along the river Dart to Totnes. Fish and chips or a picnic were enjoyed on the way with entertainment provided by a melody quartet. A rousing sing song of World War 2 songs took place on the historic platform before the return journey to Buckfastleigh. Nearly £2K was raised for the Poppy Appeal as a result of the support by many Branches throughout Devon.
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