Air Formation Signals Association - Reunion 2008

Members of the association met in reunion at the North Stafford Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent, over the weekend 9th - 11th May. After an informal buffet dinner on Friday evening, Pat Soward played DVDs of the 2007 RSA Reunion and the SO-in-C's latest 'History of the Royal Corps of Signals'. Both were received with spontaneous applause!

The following morning, after hearty breakfasts, members travelled to the National Memorial Arboretum for a short service to dedicate 'The Rock' thus completing the Air Formation Signals Crescent. The Rock is a stone from the Blandford Camp roundabout on which a commemorative plaque has been fixed with words to explain that the ten trees form one coherent memorial to all who serve, or who served in, Air Formation or Air Support Signal Units.

Members processed from the visitor centre at the Arboretum to the Crescent led by L/Cpl Nanda, a piper of 248 Gurkha Signal Squadron stationed at Stafford, standard bearers of the Birmingham, North Stafford and AFSA branches and the Rev Jim McManus, Chaplain to the Air Formation Signals Association. The Arboretum was very busy on that day and our procession attracted much attention from the photographing public!

During a short service Jim McManus reminded us of the religious significance of rocks and stones and finished by blessing The Rock. Chairman, Dr David Vickers, and John Horne laid wreaths on behalf of the AFSA and Birmingham Branches and this was followed by a two-minute silence introduced by L/Cpl Nanda playing a lament. Members then had a short time to examine the new Armed Forces Memorial and the RSA Jimmy before re-boarding the coach for a visit to the Museum of Brewing at Burton-on-Trent.

Our visit to the museum was well timed as we were told that support by the owners, the American brewers Coors, who bought Bass-Worthington in 2001, is to stop at the end of June when the museum will close. After a complimentary 'half' in the bar and a bar-snack we toured the museum. Russell Samuel homed in on a vintage Guy bus that was receiving 'healing hands' treatment and the prize winning Shire horse in the stables attracted much attention. Earlier we had seen him pulling a carriage for a wedding party; driver, horse and carriage all in immaculate condition. With numerous artifacts, working machinery, audio-visual aids, vintage vehicles - and the Shire horses - the museum told the story of brewing at Burton from the earliest days. Ships would, for example, take beer to the Balkan countries and return loaded with furs which gave rise to the hatmaking industry in Burton.

Return to the hotel, an AGM kept short and sharp by chairman Dr David Vickers, and the reunion dinner. The raffle, masterminded by Maureen Soward and assisted by Joyce Horne, took a new form this year. Members were asked to bring a prize and those who brought a prize were invited to purchase a single draw ticket for £5. Every member who brought a prize won a prize - although it did not pass unnoticed that our chairman selected the prize that he had brought! The raffle made £95 and attracted a further £55 in donations resulting in a cheque for £150 being sent to the HELP for HEROES charity.

When asked, members voted unanimously for a return to the North Stafford Hotel again next year and already suggestions for a trip on Saturday morning have been received.

This report ends on a sad note. One of our founder members and staunch supporter, Leslie Large, died very suddenly on April 18th. His funeral, on May 2nd at Wolverhampton, was attended by standard bearers from the Birmingham (Tony Holmes), South Stafford (Andrew Wigley) and AFSA (Chris Collier) branches. Leslie received a good send off from a 'standing room only' congregation and we are deeply indebted to the standard bearers of the Birmingham and South Stafford Branches for their support on these two occasions.

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