St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021

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St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
St GEORGE
FOR ENGLAND                                                                                      April 2021

In this edition
England, Kingdom, Commonwealth:
time to celebrate St George’s Day
Visionary England – the Lake
District
The continuing battle for the
English countryside
Britain’s famous steam locomotives

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF St GEORGE – The Premier Patriotic Society of England
Founded in 1894. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II   £3.50
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
B AT T L E O F B R I TA I N H I S TO R I C A L S O C I E T Y
                                            “Never in the field of human conflict was so
                                             much owed by so many to so few”

                                                                                                                               Official Newsletter of the
                                                                                                           Battle of Britain Historical Society 2013 Ltd

                                                                                                                                                                                            Always Remembered … Never forgotten
                                        “Never in
                                                  the
                                        much owe field of human
                                                   d by so man       conflict
                                                              y to so few” was so
                                             Head Office: Calais View, Channel Way, Fairlight, East Sussex TN35 4BP

                                             Editor and Managing Director:               Graves Registrar:                      Membership Secretary:
                                             John Pulfer BEM JP                          Steve Maddock                          Margaret Pulfer
                                             Tel: 01424 814866                           Tel: 01895 676004                      Tel: 01424 814866
                                             Email: johnatbobhs@gmail.com                stevewmaddock@gmail.com                Email: bobhsmemsec@gmail.com

                                             Historian:
                                             Nick Hall
                                                                                              Battle of            Offic AUTUMN / WINTER 2017
                                                                                                        Britain Histo ial New
                                             Tel: 01427 668122
                                             Email: scampton.1943@btinternet.com                                                slett
                                                                                                                     rical Soci er of theIssue 156
                                                                                                                               ety 2013
                                                                                                                                        Ltd

                                                                                                         100 ye
                                                                                                        of the Rar
                                                                                                                AF
                                                                                                                  s

                                                                                  “Never in the field of human conflict was so
                                                                                                                                                                                               We are now recruiting new members to join the
                                                                                                                                                                                                Battle of Britain Historical Society 2013 Ltd.
                                                                                   much owed by so many to so few”
       Head
                Office:
                         Calais
                                View,
      Edito                            Channel
              r and
     John Pulfer Managing                      Way, Fairlig
    Tel: 01424 BEM JP             Direc                     ht, East
                                         tor:                        Sussex
  Email           81486                          Grave                       TN35
                                                                                  4BP
                        6                               s
                                                 Steve Registrar:
           : johna
                   tbobh
 Histo
                          s@gm
                                 ail.com
                                                       Madd
                                                Tel: 01895 ock                                                                                               Official Newsletter of the

                                                                                                                                                                                           Members will receive bi-annual 24 page colour newsletters.
          rian:                                            67600                         Membersh
 Nick Hall
Tel: 01427
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                                                                                                                                         Battle of Britain Historical Society 2013 Ltd
Email         66812                                                         om          Tel: 01424 Pulfer
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                                            m                                                                       ail.com

                                                                                        SPRING
                                                                                               / SUMMER
                                                                                                         2018
                                                                                                    Issue 157

                                                                                                                                                                                                             The Society has four main aims…
                                                                                                                                                                                                     • To ensure the Battle of Britain is never forgotten •
                                                                                Head Office: Calais View, Channel Way, Fairlight, East Sussex

                                                                                Editor and Managing Director:
                                                                                John Pulfer BEM JP
                                                                                Tel: 01424 814866
                                                                                                                          Graves Registrar:
                                                                                                                          Steve Maddock
                                                                                                                          Tel: 01895 676004
                                                                                                                                                TN35 4BP

                                                                                                                                                           Membership Secretary:
                                                                                                                                                           Margaret Pulfer
                                                                                                                                                           Tel: 01424 814866
                                                                                                                                                                                                • To erect plaques in places where the “few’ were educated •
                                                                                                                                                                                                     • To look after the final resting places of the “few” •
                                                                                Email: johnatbobhs@gmail.com              stevewmaddock@gmail.com          Email: bobhsmemsec@gmail.com
                                                                               Historian:
                                                                               Nick Hall
                                                                               Tel: 01427 668122
                                                                               Email: scampton.1943@btinternet.com                                             AUTUMN / WINTER 2018
                                                                                                                                                                           Issue 158

                                                                                                                                                                                                          • To erect granite memorials to the “few” •

                                               LIFE MEMBERSHIP                                                                                                                                                     STANDARD MEMBERSHIP                           CORPORATE MEMBERSHIP
                                             UK Life members - GB £400                                                                                                                                   UK members under 18 Years - GB £12 Annual Membership     Corporate Members - GB £500
                                          Overseas Life membership - GB £500                                                                                                                               UK members over 18 - GB £24 Annual Membership          Corporate Sponsor - GB £1500
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Overseas members all ages - GB £36 Annual Membership

                                                                                                                                                         M E M B E R S H I P S E C R E TA RY
                                                                                                                                         Margaret Pulfer Email: bobhsmemsec@gmail.com Tel: 01424 814866
                                                                                                                                                      Web address: www.battleofbritain1940.net

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St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
Contents
Vol 19. No. 1 – April 2021
Front Cover: The Queen Victoria Memorial
in front of Buckingham Palace

 4 From the Chairman
 5 Editorial
 7 My England                                                                St George for England
                                                                             The Official Journal of
 8 Dambusters                                                                The Royal Society of St George
10	Branch News
16	Overseas Reports                                                          The Society stands for:
                                                                               Respect for the Monarchy; Duty to our

16	St George’s Tax                                                             Sovereign and our Country;
                                                                               The cause of England and Englishness.

17	Origins of Easter Traditions                                              In accordance with our Constitution, the Objects
                                                                              of the Society are:

18	News                                   33	Memories of the Battle of      One
                                                 Britain                      To foster the love of England and to strengthen
                                                                              England and the Commonwealth by spreading the
                                                                              knowledge of English history, traditions and ideals.
                                           34	England’s Railway Heritage    Two
                                           38	Letters to the Editor         To keep fresh the memory of those, in all walks of
                                                                              life, who have served England or the
                                                                              Commonwealth in the past in order to inspire
                                           39	Heritage of the               leadership in the future.

                                                 Commonwealth                 Three
                                                                              To combat all activities likely to undermine the
                                                                              strength of England or the Commonwealth.
                                           40	William Wilberforce           Four
                                                                              To further English interests everywhere to ensure
                                                                              that St. George’s Day is properly celebrated and to
                                                                              provide focal points the world over where English

 33                                                                           men and women may gather together.

                                                                             41	Obituaries
20	A Saint for all Nations                                                  42	Book Review
23	Cinematic England
                                                                             43	50/50 Club
25	Book Review
27 Overlooked England                                                       47	Membership Affiliations
28	Visionary England                                                        48 Our Branches
32	England’s Veterans                     18                               50 Shop Window

17                                         28                                34
                                                                                                ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND                3
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
FROM THE CHAIRMAN

    THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF St GEORGE
                                                                                                                         last year by people that they have loved and
    The Premier Patriotic Society of England                                                                             nurtured.
    Founded in 1894.                                                                                                         I should imagine that marrying into the
    Incorporated by Royal Charter.                                                                                       Royal Family is an enormous challenge,
    Patron: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II                                                                               and we can only admire those who rise to
    Chairman: Joanna M. Cadman
                                                                                                                         it so well. To always present yourself well,
    Published at: The Royal Society of St George, RSSG, P.O.
    BOX 397, Loughton, IG10 9GN, England                                                                                 to make the right choices and say the right
    Telephone: 020 3225 5011                                                                                             things (or not say what you want to say)
    E-mail: info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com
    Website: www.rssg.org.uk
                                                                                                                         must be completely exhausting from time to
    Facebook page: www.facebook.com/                                                                                     time, but there has never been one word of
    RoyalSocietyofStGeorge Twitter: @RSStGeorge                                                                          complaint or self-pity from any of the senior
    Join us on LinkedIn – the Royal Society of StGeorge
    Official Group                                                                                                       Royals. Maybe they are all “trapped”, but
    Opening times: Monday to Thursday, 10.30 am to 3.30 pm                                                               they recognise that they are born into, or
    Editor: Stuart Millson                                                                                               married into, a life of service and get on with
    Editorial Address
    Rumbeams Cottage, Ewhurst Green
                                                                                                                         it. Whilst in some ways they do live a life of
    Nr Cranleigh, Surrey, GU6 7RR                                                                                        incredible privilege, their life and activities
    Telephone: 01483 268627                                                                                              are largely choreographed and controlled by
    E-mail: joanna@joannacadman.com
                                                                                                                         protocol and tradition and is certainly not as
    George Andrews, FCIB FCIS FCIArb – President Emeritus
                                                                                                                         Disney would portray the life of a Royal. We
    Vice Presidents
                                                                     How are you?

                                                                     I
    The Earl of Aylesford JP                                                                                             look up to them, we admire them, their words,
    The Lord Cope of Berkeley PC                                          THINK WE MUST, almost all of us, be            clothes, children and houses fascinate us, and
    The Lord Butler of Brockwell KG GCB CVO                               side-swiped and punch drunk by now.            we are more stable as a country because of
    Clifford James Trowse – Past Chairman
    Mr B M Cronan                                                         It’s probably a good thing that most of us     them, as well as being admired and respected
    Mr C P Fairweather                                               (well, me anyway) didn’t take on board the          throughout the world for our constancy.
    Mrs Esme Robinson
    Sir Henry Paston-Bedingfeld Bt
                                                                     enormity of a pandemic when it started. If you          Her Majesty has devoted much of her life
    His Excellency Air Chief Marshall Sir Stephen Dalton GCB         had told me a year ago that we would be in the      building the Commonwealth into a family of
      RAF (retd)                                                     third lockdown now, that we would have spent        equals that represents over a 2.4 billion people
    Past Presidents: William R Firth                                Christmas, our birthdays, a long grey winter,       from all corners of the globe, something she
                      John Clemence QPM
                                                                     and now a second Easter without our loved           should be rightly proud of.
    Members of Council
    Chairman – Joanna M. Cadman
                                                                     ones, I think I would have found it very hard to        So whatever words of criticism and self
    Deputy Chairman – Nick Dutt                                      take. It has all anyway been very hard to take,     justification come out of Hollywood, we can
    Vice Chairman – Christopher Houghton                             but we seem to be almost institutionalised now      have complete faith in our Royal Family. We
    Honorary Treasurer – Alastair Clement FFA FFTA
    Honorary Secretary – Michael Riley                               and live with the restrictions imposed on us by     know that they welcomed Meghan – you only
    Chaplain to the Society – Revd. Roderick Leece                   the pandemic with resignation. And if that is       have to remember the wedding, and the joy
    General Secretary – Elizabeth Lloyd
    Website Manager – Christopher Houghton
                                                                     all that we have had to do, we have been lucky.     on the faces of the Queen and Prince Philip or
    North of England Co-ordinator – Michael Riley                    So many people have lost family, friends and        the wonderful moment when Prince Charles
    Youth Representative – Dennis Stinchcombe MBE                    livelihoods in this last year and face the future   walked down the Chapel to meet Meghan,
    Membership affiliations – Lloyd James
    Schools and Projects – Nick Hinchliffe
                                                                     with loss and uncertainty.                          took her arm, and walked with her to her
    City of London – Paul Herbage, MBE
                                                                                                                         husband to be – to know that everyone wanted
    Young Professionals Network – Cdr James Nisbet                   The Queen
    Young Professionals Network – Farah London                                                                           her in the Family, everyone could see how
                                                                     It will be Her Majesty’s birthday this month
    Council member – Lt. Col. Leslie Clarke                                                                              much Prince Harry loved her and joined in that
    Council member – Alan Broomhead                                  and the Royal Society of St George will send
                                                                                                                         love. And that went for the rest of us as well.
    Administration Centre staff                                      her, our Patron, our very best wishes for long
    General Secretary – Elizabeth Lloyd
    Membership Secretary – Jade King
                                                                     life and happiness. Next year the Queen will        England’s History and Heritage
                                                                     have reigned over us for seventy years and
    Charitable Trust Members
                                                                     has done so with unswerving steadfastness,          And while I am talking about our pride in
    Chairman – Bob Smith
    Secretary – Shirley Hankers                                      grace and dignity. She has never put a foot         our Queen and Royal Family, I will reiterate
    Treasurer and Trustee – Lloyd James
                                                                     wrong; she has never neglected her duty or the      my pride in our country, its history and
    Trustee – Nick Dutt
    Trustee – Dennis Stinchcombe                                     promise she made to us to serve her country         heritage, whatever its flaws. We have a need
    Trustee – Chris Houghton                                         and the Commonwealth for as long as she             to recognise all of the past, the bad as well as
    Trustee – Michael Riley
                                                                     lived. She has unceasingly been a role model        the good, and learn from it. We cannot build
    Trustee – Nick Hinchliffe
                                                                     to us all.                                          a sound future without a clear understanding
    Special Responsibilities
    Standard Bearer – Lt. Col Leslie Clarke                             It has been a very hard year for Her Majesty     of who we are as a country and where we
    Deputy Standard Bearer – Major Robert A Peedle MBE TD
                                                                     as well for a number of reasons. She has            sit in the world. Wiping people and events
    Yachting Association – Bob Smith
                                                                     also had to suffer the separations and fears        out of history doesn’t stop them existing,
    Photography – Fred Pearson and Georgina Burges
                                                                     caused by the pandemic, and will have felt          and I question how we can make the world
    This Journal is sent free to all full members and is available
    for purchase at £3.50. Opinions expressed in articles or         very keenly the inability to go out among her       a better place and give our children a better
    advertisements are those of the authors and advertisers          people as she always has in times of crisis         understanding of what would make it so, if
    and the contents do not necessarily reflect editorial or
                                                                     before. The Duke of Edinburgh is just out of        we try to sanitise our inheritance. We need to
    official RSSG views. This Journal may not be reproduced
    in whole or in part without the permission of the Editor.        hospital – the longest stay he has ever had –       build our future on the past, not try to change
    Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements are those       leaving her without her friend and ally of so       it or hide it.
    of the authors and advertisers and the contents do not
    necessarily reflect editorial or official RSSG views. We         many years, just when she must have needed
    reserve the right to refuse any advertisement or article         him the most. This won’t be the first time          2021
    without giving a reason. E&O.E.
                                                                     that the Royal Family has been attacked, and        There is Spring in the air and a tentative but
    Design and Reprographics: Jim Duggan
                                                                     I know that they will face this crisis as they      growing hope that we may be moving back
    Tel: 01233 632969. Mob: 07714451952
                                                                     always do, with dignity, but I can only imagine     towards a life outside. Where we can see each
    Printed by: The Gemini Print Group, Shoreham-by-Sea
    Tel: 01273 464884                                                how deeply hurtful it must be to them all, but      other again, share meals and experiences,
                                                                     particularly the Queen, for the family to be        travel, spend time with our families – even hug
    ISSN Number: ISSN 2046-8369
                                                                     seemingly betrayed as they have been in the         those we love!

4       ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
at the Cenotaph on 24 April, accompanied           forget a lovely hour with him over a cup of tea
                                                     by my Deputy and Vice Chairmen, two                at the Little Ships Club, where Council used
                                                     other members of Council and our Standard          to meet. He was a true gentleman, courteous,
                                                     Bearer. I am in discussion with our Parade         wryly self-deprecating and with a lovely
                                                     Commander about the small chance that we           sense of humour, and he loved and served the
                                                     may be able to have a Corp of Cadets with          Society so well over a number of years.
                                                     us, as they can now meet for training, but so         I hope that, when we emerge from the last
                                                     much depends on the health of the country as       year of isolation, we will be able to hold a
                                                     a whole that this remains a remote possibility.    service of thanksgiving for George’s life in
                                                     Rest assured though, that the Royal Society of     our Society Church of St George in Hanover
                                                     St George will be at the Cenotaph to honour        Square, if his family are in agreement.
                                                     our glorious dead, as we have been for so             And, of course, we have lost our Honorary
                                                     many years and will continue to be.                member the lovely Captain Sir Tom Moore
                                                        We are looking forward to holding our           to the pandemic, such an irony when he was
                                                     Battle of Britain lunch at the RAF Club on         the beacon of hope and resilience last year. He
                                                     17 September. As with everything else that we      came to stand for the good in us all, the ability
                                                     plan at the moment, we don’t know what form        to smile in the face of adversity, and to get up
                                                     this will take, whether social distancing will     and do something about it.
                                                     still be in place, so at present we are not able      These are just two of the people known
                                                     to put a price to the function, but would ask      to us that we cannot see or talk to anymore.
                                                     you to let the office know if you are interested   There are so many of them – Tim Brooke
                                                     in attending so that we can keep you in touch      Taylor for one, with that wonderfully
   So, as we stick our heads outside and sniff       with our plans. It will be so good to see you.     understated sense of humour and that
the air, the Society is starting to plan.                                                               endearing habit of laughing at his own jokes.
   Almost inevitably, the St George’s Day            In Memoriam                                        You will be able to think of, and know, so
Parade at the Cenotaph cannot take place this        Last November we were very saddened to             many more. It has been such a sorrowful year.
year again – at that stage in April, assuming        learn of the death of our past President and          But we are coming out of it, summer will
all goes to Boris Johnson’s plan, we will be         President Emeritus George Andrews. To my           come, we will meet again. In the meantime,
able to meet outside in groups of six, but           regret, I didn’t know George as well as I          my very best wishes to you all.
that’s it. So, on your behalf, I will lay a wreath   would have very much liked to, but will never                                              Joanna

           EDITORIAL
This sainted isle
T
       HE ANCIENT JELLING STONE                      the saintly soldier became, for the people
       monument in Denmark, which dates              of England, a knight in shining armour
       from the tenth-century, is profoundly         valiantly defending damsels against dragons
important to the Danish people. Marking              – usually on an English village green. (A
the beginning of the Viking transition from          far cry from the reality of George as the
a worship of the old Nordic gods to the              man of action in the army of the Emperor
embracing of Christianity, the stone depicts         Diocletian!)
the face of Christ – yet a Christ who looks             Yet St. George was not the only hero
remarkably like a Viking. To make the                capable of defeating evil. . . . Tucked
new religion their own, the creators of the          away near the Fowey River, at the
monument deliberately shaped it to the               hamlet of Golant, Cornwall, is a church
contours of their cultural identity, something       dedicated to an early Celtic Christian – St.       St. Martha’s Church, near Guildford
which the mediaeval English managed to               Sampson, who was reputed to have fought
considerable success in their adoption of St.        a hideous, gigantic worm on Bodmin                 of Christ’s Apostle, St. Andrew – the sea
George as their Patron Saint.                        Moor. Meanwhile, on the Surrey Hills, St.          breezes blowing through the ragged arches
   The real George the Martyr was, as                Martha’s church (not far from Guildford)           of the still-proud remains.
we know, an officer in the Roman Army,               records the exploits of a saint whose skill           Just like the Viking Christian converts,
whose loyalty to his Christian beliefs fired         with needle and thread ensured that another        we have made our own version of a religion;
the imagination of successive generations            dragon was defeated, this time by being            our shires, villages and towns, all bearing
of knights, crusaders and holy men from              bound up in what must have been a very             the signs and symbols of the saints we have
across the European world. Adopted by                complicated knitting pattern! And in rural,        taken to our English and British hearts.
Christian societies from as far and wide as          coastal Suffolk, just outside the village
Russia, Renaissance Italy and even Ethiopia,         of Walberswick, are the ruins of a church                                     Stuart Millson

                                                         Corrections and clarifications
 Mrs. Marian Werner of London (one of our            the December edition. ‘He’ is in fact a ‘she’:     ‘Cuthbert Orde’ – which was, in fact,
 long-standing members) wrote to advise              Ursula Fanthorpe. (Yes, we did know this           ‘Sammy Allard’ as drawn by Orde. We
 us of a gender mistake, in relation to              really!).                                          apologise to Battle of Britain author, Geoff
 U. A. Fanthorpe, mentioned on page 7 of             And on page 26, a caption appeared –               Simpson, for this error.

                                                                                                                         ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND          5
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
The Beauty of England

Windsor Castle
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
My England
                           Carl Portman
                           carl.portman@hotmail.co.uk

T
       HE BEAUTIFUL COUNTY of
       Shropshire is oft overlooked by the
       masses, especially when choosing
a holiday in England. The good folk of
that county often prefer it that way and
can enjoy its bounty at their own leisure.
Shropshire was home to some very famous
people including the poet Wilfred Owen,
Clive of India, Mary Webb, Percy Thrower
(anyone remember him?) and none other
than the great naturalist Charles Darwin
himself, born as he was in Shrewsbury.
Way back in 1992 when I was living in
Shropshire, I hosted a visit from a Russian
chess player, and he was very keen to visit
one specific place in the county that he had
heard a lot about. Ironbridge. In particular
he wanted to visit the Ironbridge itself and
stand upon it, which he duly did to his
great delight.

   The bridge is the world’s
  first cast-iron bridge, built                Photograph of the Ironbridge by Jeremy Smith
  over the River Severn near
         Coalbrookdale                         day of escape from the hard work and poet         To think that in 1779, right there in the
                                               J. C. Prince once wrote:                       birthplace of the Industrial revolution in
                                                                                              Shropshire, such a beautiful structure was
   The bridge is the world’s first cast-iron   Once more the ponderous engines are at         being erected. At the same time – over in
bridge, built over the River Severn near         rest,                                        Austria, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was
Coalbrookdale by Abraham Darby III             Where Manufacture’s mighty structures rise;    composing his sublime music. There was
between 1777 and 1779. This bridge is still    Once more the babe is pillowed at the          history being made all over Europe, and
in use today and is recognised the world         breast,                                      England and the Iron Bridge occupied
over. It was a significant development         Watch’d by a weary mother’s yearning eyes.     centre stage. Both Mozart and the bridge are
because at the time, roads were in a very                                                     in our hearts and minds to this day and will
poor condition and the most efficient form        A single arch of the Iron Bridge had a      be far into the future. Shropshire’s county
of transport was a barge, using a canal        span of just over 100 feet, and the rise of    motto is Floreat Salopia which means, ‘may
system and of course the River Severn.         forty-five feet consisted of five massive      Shropshire flourish’. Personally, I could not
Vessels laden with everything from coal        cast-iron ribs. The weight of the iron         think of anything more appropriate for this
to wool, cheese, lead and raw materials        in the whole interlocking structure was        glorious English county.
for building, would busily traverse the        proudly stated to be precisely 378 tons. It       The Ironbridge Gorge Museum is now
waterway under the bridge. Sometimes you       was repaired many times, but still stands,     a UNESCO world heritage site and I can
might find a coracle on the river, which is    testament to the vision of its maker and the   thoroughly recommend a visit.
a practice that has almost died out now,       toil of the workers assembling it. It was
sadly.                                         actually a toll bridge until 1950 when it
   Imagine the intense, back-breaking labour   was then handed over to Shropshire County
in filthy conditions. Sunday was the one       Council.                                       Carpe diem

                                       2021 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
   Friday, 17 September – Battle of Britain Luncheon – RAF CLUB, Piccadilly
                        ALL DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO CONSIDERATIONS OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

                                                                                                             ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND        7
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
DAMBUSTERS

The Lancaster bomber and Operation Chastise
P
       RIOR TO THE OUTBREAK of                      With the modifications completed to
       World War II, British war planners had    twenty-one Lancasters the RAF tentatively
       studied how they might incapacitate       scheduled the operation, named Operation
Germany’s industry if the UK were again in       Chastise, between 14 and 16 May 1943.
conflict with Europe. One suggestion was         At this time the water levels in the dam
to blow up the dams to create breaches that      reservoirs would be at their highest. A breach
would cause catastrophic flooding.               at this time would cause the greatest possible
   Unrelated to the British war planning,        flood damage.Veteran Wing Commander
aircraft designer Barnes Wallis also pondered    Guy Gibson was selected to command the
the issue. By 1941 he calculated that a          new Number 617 Squadron of Number 5
shockwave would cause the most damage,           Group. Gibson selected twenty-one crews
especially if the bomb detonated underwater      from various group squadrons which were to       A breach is shown in the Eder Dam on the Weser
                                                                                                  River in a photograph taken the day following
against the dam. The problem was the             be based at Scampton in the East Midlands.       the attack
Germans knew their dams were vulnerable to       The crews were told that the mission would
a torpedo attack and had installed antitorpedo   be against targets that would require low-
nets. Wallis wanted to find a way to deliver     level flying, at night.                          Mohne and Eder breached
an explosive small enough to be carried by an       Trials using unarmed bombs allowed            Martin’s bomb veered too far off centre
existing Royal Air Force plane, yet be able to   Wallis to calculate that the bomb would need     before exploding, leaving Mohne Dam still
evade the antitorpedo defences.                  to be released at a height of sixty feet while   undamaged. Young’s bomb struck the dam
   Wallis calculated that a bomb skipped         flying at 220mph. The RAF did not possess        and sank before exploding. Although the
across the water’s surface would avoid the       a bombsight or altimeter accurate enough for     bomb hit the target, it appeared not to have
nets. He designed a cylindrical, air-dropped     such an attack.                                  caused any damage. Maltby noticed the dam
bomb that was sixty inches long with a              Wing Commander Charles Dann solved            was beginning to crumble when he released
diameter of fifty inches.                        the bombsight problem. He made a hand-held       his ordnance. After four bounces, the bomb
   Early in 1943 tests showed that the Avro-     triangular device from wood with a sighting      struck the dam and sank before detonating.
Lancaster heavy bomber was capable of            hole at the top. The base had nails in place     The resulting explosion, as with the previous
carrying the bomb. The Lancaster, which          which, when lined up with the dam’s towers,      four, caused a geyser of water. After ordering
carried a crew of seven men, was a very          set the release point for the bomb. The height   Shannon to prepare for his run, Gibson
successful aircraft. It was powered by four      issue was solved by the use of two spotlights,   noticed a large amount of water pouring off
1,280hp Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. With         one on the nose and the other behind the         the other side of the dam. He then spotted
a cruising speed of 200mph it had a range        bomb bay, both angled to create a figure of      a massive hole in the structure. Calling
of 2,530 miles. It could carry a payload of      eight pattern visible from the front of the      off Shannon, Gibson notified Group 5 that
14,000 pounds.                                   starboard wing.                                  Mohne Dam had been breached. Sending
                                                                                                  Maltby and Martin home, he ordered the
Modifications                                                                                     others to follow him to Eder Dam.
When Wallis’s bomb design was approved           Testing                                             The Eder dam was breached after three
modifications to the Lancaster were needed       Testing began on 16 April at Reculver. On        strikes. The five aircraft turned for home.
to accomodate it. Powered by American-built      11 May dummy bombs were dropped for the
Merlin-28 engines, modifications included        first time. Two days later the one and only
removal of the bomb-bay doors, installation      test with a live bomb took place.                Massive flooding
of special arms to hold the bomb and                The RAF decided to proceed with               A reconnaissance flight the same day showed
hydraulic gear to drive a belt which produced    Operation Chastise on 16 May. The main           massive flooding behind Mohne and Eder
the backspin of 500rpm which Wallis had          targets were were the Mohne, Eder, and           Dams. Eighty-seven percent of the water
calculated would produce the necessary spin      Sorpe Dams. Alternate targets were the           held in Mohne and seventy-five percent of
to make the bomb skip across the water, thus     Lister, Ennepe, and Diemel Dams.                 the Eder reservoir had been released. The
evading the anti-torpedo nets.                      At 21:00 on 16 May 1943, the crews of         flight revealed that power stations, factories,
                                                 the first wave boarded their aircraft. Due to    roads, bridges, and pumping stations were
                                                 their longer route, the second wave left first   destroyed or damaged over a large area. In
                                                 at 21:28. The first wave departed eleven         addition, gas, electricity, and water supplies
                                                 minutes later. The third wave did not take off   were severely interrupted. The casualties,
                                                 until 09:00. the following day.                  the majority of which were foreign workers,
                                                    After making a test run, Gibson lined up      totaled 1,341
                                                 Mohne Dam and dropped his bomb. After               The effect on the German war effort
                                                 three bounces, it sank and exploded. The         has been a source of debate among British
                                                 bomb detonated too far from the dam. No          military experts. Some believed that the
                                                 breach occurred, but the explosion destroyed     heavy losses No. 617 Squadron incurred,
                                                 the antitorpedo nets. Hopgood’s plane was        which amounted to eight Lancasters and
                                                 hit by the dam’s flak guns on his approach,      fifty-six casualties, were ineffective given
                                                 which resulted in the bomb being dropped         that the Germans had patched up the gaps in
                                                 late. It bounced over the dam and landed         Mohne and Eder by October.
                                                 near the power station behind the dam.              Other military experts hold that the strikes
                                                 The bomb exploded destroying the power           had a positive result largely because of
                                                 station. Hopgood’s Lancaster caught fire and     the number of workers and the amount of
                                                 blew up, but its three crewmen were able to      construction materials the Germans had to
Wing Commander Guy Gibson                        escape. Two survived and were captured.          commit to rebuild the dams.

8   ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
The Royal Society of St George
         Established in 1894 | Incorporated by Royal Charter | Patron: Her Majesty The Queen
                   The Royal Society of St George is partnering with Harney & Sons Tea Company to produce, market, and sell the Imperial
                   Windsor Blend Tea, in support of the Royal Society’s educational programmes for young people.
                   The Royal Society of St George (RSSG), a charitable organisation, was founded in England in 1894 with the goal of
                   fostering English values and the English way of life. From its inception, it has enjoyed the support of prominent public figures in England
                   and throughout the British Empire. Its first Royal Patron was Queen Victoria; since then the society has enjoyed the patronage of every
                   reigning monarch, including the current British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. The Society’s Charitable Trust actively provides financial
                   support to help young people fulfill their scholastic and career potential.
                  Harney & Sons is a celebrated gourmet tea company located in Millerton, New York. Founded in 1983 by John Harney, it has grown from
a hands-on cottage industry into one of the leading gourmet tea companies in the USA. It is still a hands-on family business now headed by John’s sons,
Mike and Paul Harney.
Harney & Sons has produced The Imperial Windsor Blend exclusively for The RSSG. The Imperial Windsor Blend is a medium bodied tea with briskness and
a wonderful aroma, containing black teas with rose petals.
The partnership will produce, market, and sell the Imperial Windsor Blend tea globally, with particular emphasis on promoting the tea to its direct, branch,
and affiliate members throughout the world. In return for the exclusive right to market and sell this RSSG-supporting blend, RSSG will receive a quarterly
royalty of 10% of gross sales, allowing The RSSG to build its support programmes and assist more young people, needed now more than ever.

                                             About The Royal Society of St George
                                           The objectives of The Society as laid down in its Royal Charter are to:
• Foster the love of England and to strengthen England and the Commonwealth by spreading the knowledge of English history, traditions and ideals;
• Keep fresh the memory of those in all walks of life who have served England or the Commonwealth in the past, to inspire leadership in the future;
• Combat all activities likely to undermine the strength of England or the Commonwealth; and
• Further English interest everywhere to ensure that St. George’s Day is properly celebrated and to provide focal points all the world over where English
  men and women may gather together.

         UK ORDERS – please order via our Shop Window on our website www.rssg.org.uk or via the order form on page fifty-one of this Journal
              All UK enquiries to the RSSG Administration Centre – telephone 020 3225 5011 or email: info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com

                  USA, CANADA, INTERNATIONAL AND BULK ORDERS – please contact Harney & Son’s distribution agent,
                           Mark Cooper via telephone - +164 65 29 93 11 - or via email – markcooperltd@verizon.net

                                           The Royal Society of St. George
                                                 The Premier Patriotic Society of England
                                  Incorporated by Royal Charter: Patron: HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN

                                               Battle of Britain Luncheon
                                     Friday, 17 September 2021 – Time: 12.30pm for 1pm

                           Venue: The Royal Air Force Club, 128 Piccadilly, London, W1J 7PY
                                                Price – To be confirmed
                 Price includes: Sparkling wine reception, followed by an excellent three course meal
                                    fine wines served throughout, coffee and mints
                                         Guest Speaker – To be confirmed
                                   Please come and join us at our Annual Luncheon
                        Dress: Men – lounge suits – Ladies – smart attire – Medals may be worn
                                  Please contact the office to reserve your place at this very popular event at:
                                              The Royal Society of St George, Administration Centre,
                                                P.O. BOX 397, Loughton, Essex, IG10 9GN, England
                                                            Telephone: 020 3225 5011
                                       Email: info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com Website: www.rssg.org.uk
                      Facebook page – www.facebook.com/RoyalSocietyofStGeorge – Twitter account – @RSStGeorge

                                                                                                                               ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND             9
St GEORGE FOR ENGLAND April 2021
NEWS FROM AROUND THE BRANCHES

BATH                                             ship to be, by his estimation, at a depth
                                                 of twenty-four feet and rising rapidly.
Pam Preece                                       Hastening back on deck, he and First
In the absence of any Branch activities          Officer Ligtoller immediately started to
to report, hopefully for not much longer,        get passengers into the lifeboats, trying not
I turned to Somerset’s Forgotten Heroes          entirely successfully, to stick to the custom
by Roger Evans. There I found some               of, “women and children first”. Once, two
interesting characters and their stories, such   lifeboats were fully loaded permission was
as that of Herbert John Pitman who was           sought and given for them to be launched.
Third Officer on the ill-fated Titanic. He       Herbert Pitman’s first instinct was to stay
was born at Sutton Montis, near Castle Cary,     on board ship to help with further lifeboat
November 1877, so would have been thirty-        launches but was ordered to stay on one of
four at the time of setting sail. As the ship    the lifeboats being launched and take overall
was considered to be unsinkable, not a lot of    command of both. Ordering the oarsmen to
notice was taken of the messages received        pull well away from the stricken vessel they
warning they could encounter ice. Belting        could only look on helplessly at tragedy
along at full speed when the look-out            unfolding before their eyes. People were in
spotted this hulking great iceberg the Titanic   the water crying and screaming for help but
was going too fast to take avoiding action.      there was nothing they could do for fear of
Meanwhile, Herbert Pitman had finished his       being overwhelmed and capsizing.
watch at 08:00 pm and retired to his bunk.
Jolted awake by a crunch and tearing sound,      Rescue
his first thought was that the anchor had        Ordering the two boats under his command
been lowered, but why? Donning a dressing        to be lashed together so they would not drift
gown he went up on deck to find out what         apart in the darkness, the survivors waited
was going on. Nothing much it appeared, so       patiently for help to arrive which it did       Lady Georgiana Cavendish. portrait by Thomas
he went below to his cabin to get properly       in the form of the Carpathia. Undaunted,        Gainsborough
dressed. He was in the middle of this when       Herbert Pitman continued his career at sea.
the Fourth Officer burst in to tell him they     He retired to the village of Pitcombe where     Georgiana Spencer
had bit an iceberg. Fully dressed and back       he died in December 1961 and is buried          Not so long back, the aristocracy, as well as
on deck, Herbert Pitman found the lifeboats      in the local churchyard. As a postscript,       royalty, had little if any choice as to whom
being prepared for launching. All seemed         I read on Wikipedia that the Carpathia          they would marry. However, they usually
calm with no hint of the panic to come; after    took on board the Titanic’s lifeboats as        had some idea in advance as to when it
all they were on an unsinkable ship, weren’t     well as her surviving passengers as they        would be. Georgiana Spencer, according to,
they?                                            were considered too valuable to jettison.       ‘Passionate Lives’ by Evelyn Hall-King was
                                                 They were handed over to the ship’s             only told of it by her mother on the actual
Women and children first                         representatives in New York from where          morning of the day itself. I am sure there
On receiving orders to go below to               they seem to have vanished from history.        was a good reason for this and the best I can
investigate how much damage had been             Not surprising really; why would you want       come up with is, that William Cavendish,
caused by the collision, Herbert Pitman          to keep such graphic reminders of that tragic   the fifth Duke of Devonshire, was cold,
found the water in the bowels of the             event.                                          aloof and a frightful snob, once declaring
                                                                                                 that his cousin Henry Cavendish could not

                                                                                                 William Cavendish, fifth Duke of Devonshire,
Titanic departing Southampton on 10 April 1912                                                   painted in Rome by Pompeo Batoni, 1768

10   ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND
be described as a gentleman because, “he                                                          Duchess. Georgiana was in Bath when a
worked for a living”. In contrast, Georgiana                                                      little bird whispered in the Duke’s ear about
was a warm, happy-go-lucky teenager, being                                                        her pregnancy. It didn’t take him long to
two days shy of her seventeenth birthday on                                                       confront and tell her she must go abroad to
her wedding day, who might have kicked up                                                         have this child. Unfortunately for him Bess
one almighty fuss if she had had a chance to                                                      had to go too. She could not live with him
learn something of her intended. That it was                                                      while his wife was absent. A baby girl was
a brilliant match materially, there can be no                                                     born and the two ladies rattled round the
doubt. The Duke was enormously wealthy                                                            Continent for a couple of years. Georgiana
and in the very highest ranks of the nobility.                                                    missed her children very much and sent
                                                                                                  them notes, little presents and souvenirs
Fashion Icon                                                                                      from wherever they happened to be.
In time, Georgiana became a fashion icon                                                          Eventually, they were summoned home. The
with whatever she wore being copied by                                                            little girl was farmed out to Charles Grey’s
those who could afford it, especially the                                                         parents to be cared for. No way was any
huge hats, one of which she wore in a                                                             child other than those he had fathered be
Gainsborough portrait, that today is known                                                        raised under the Duke’s roof.
as a picture hat but then as a Devonshire hat.                                                        Shortly after she married, Georgiana
However, it took time. Scarcely more than                                                         became addicted to gambling. She lost
newly-weds, a contemporary saw the Duke                                                           huge amounts and was often seen being
and Duchess in a London park and recorded        Bess in 1787, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds     handed into her carriage weeping bitterly
it in a letter to a friend.                                                                       after another evening of heavy losses at the
                                                 Elizabeth (Bess) Foster                          card tables. She cadged money from anyone
  We saw the young and handsome                  In her day to day life, she was generous,        she could, family, friends, even servants,
  Duchess of Devonshire walking in such          charitable, gave lavish entertainments           eventually resorting to money lenders. A
  and undressed and slovenly manner. Two         and universally loved by all with the            very slippery slope!
  of her curls came quite unpinned and           possible exception of her husband. Then
  fell lank on one of her shoulders; one         the Duke did fall deeply in love, with
  shoe was down at heel, the trimming of         Georgiana’s best friend, Lady Elizabeth          Last years
  her jacket and coat was in some places         (Bess) Foster. Bess fell pregnant and, in        The Duchess’s last years were not very
  unsewn; her cap was awry and her cloak,        the time-honoured manner, went abroad            happy. She suffered crippling headaches
  which was rusty and powdered was               to give birth. On her return the baby was        and eye problems, with blindness in one eye
  flung half on half off. She had hold of the    passed off as being fathered by an unnamed       resulting in her wearing an eye patch. It was
  Duke’s arm who is the reverse of herself,      French Count but when Bess soon fell             not long before she morphed from a rosy-
  for he is ugly, tidy and grave.                pregnant again with no sign of a foreign         cheeked beauty with red-gold hair into a fat,
   Indeed, they were as chalk and cheese.        sire, the truth was obvious to all. Whether      coarse skinned frump.
If Georgiana tried to show her husband any       Georgiana had any say in the matter or              She adored her children and tried to
affection he was deeply embarrassed and          not (probably not) Bess moved in with the        create for them the happy and loving
brushed her off and her giddy, frivolous         Devonshires and her children brought up          atmosphere she and her brother and sister
manner annoyed him immensely. One                with the legitimate offspring.                   had grown up in. She still supported the
thing they did wholeheartedly agree on was                                                        Whigs but did not go out in the streets to
support of the Whig Party. In the run up to      Charles Grey                                     canvas as before. She died aged forty-nine
a 1784 election, Georgiana was so enthused       Charles Grey, a handsome young Whig had          genuinely mourned by all those who had
and supportive she was out in the streets        been trying his luck for years and finally       known her. It goes without saying that the
trading kisses for votes.                        succeeded in his aim to seduce the lovely        Duke and Bess married.

 FENLAND                                            The Chairman thanked members for              National Chairman Joanna Cadman and
                                                 their support in the first part of 2020, which   Robert Peedle, together with our Chairman
 Peter Dennis, Press Officer                     from March onwards had been a terrible           Brian Kierman, to affiliate the Wisbech
 Fenland branch held their AGM via               year, with all functions and activities          Sea Cadets to our Society. It is hoped
 Zoom on 19 January 2021. The following          having to be cancelled. We can, however,         that a framed certificate of Affiliation
 officers were elected for the coming year:      confirm that current membership stands           and Membership will be presented to the
 Chairman: Brian Kierman; Vice Chairman:         at sixty-three, of which nine are founder        Commanding Officer as soon as possible
 Peter Dennis; Secretary: Tracey Kierman;        members.                                         in 2021.
 Treasurer: Colin Harvey; Press Officer:            On 3 February 2020 Robert Peedle MBE             It is planned to have another Zoom
 Peter Dennis; Almoner and Standard              visited us to create a two page spread in the    meeting sometime in March when, it is
 Bearer: John Smith; Chaplain: Rev. David        Journal on the branch and the Fenland area.      to be hoped, we can plan a programme of
 Addington.                                         On the same date, we were joined by           events for the latter part of the year.

                                       ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE
                                         ADVERTISING RATES BY APPLICATION TO HEAD OFFICE
                                   The Administration Centre, P.O. BOX 397, Loughton, IG10 9GN, England
                                  info@royalsocietyofstgeorge.com                                         Tel: 020 3225 5011

                                                                                                                  ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND       11
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
Patron: Mr. Edward Gillespie, OBE,
Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for
Gloucestershire
President: Councillor Pam Tracey, MBE
Chairman: Mrs. Pat Ayres, MBE
Sadly the pandemic restrictions continue to
affect our lives, even though there is now
light at the end of the tunnel.
   We were hoping to re-start Branch
activities with our annual New Year Lunch
in January but that fell by the wayside.
Normally we begin detailed planning for our
St George’s Day Service at least six months
before the day, but with the announcement
of another lockdown at the end of 2020
and the prospect that it would continue
for several months, planning for the 2021
Service was put on hold. Finally we took
the sad decision in early February that we
would have to abandon the Service for this
year too.

Nairac winners
Whilst our four 2020 Nairac winners
received their Award cheques by post last
April, we still want to present them with
their Certificates in person, not only to make
it a special occasion for them but to give
our members a chance to meet them. We
are tentatively planning an event in August
to which we will invite them, their families
and friends. One of the Awardees, young
carer Brian Kobani, gained the place at
Imperial College for which he had worked
so hard and we hope he will be able to
take full advantage of that opportunity as
restrictions are lifted. Another 2020 Nairac
Awardee, Heather Kent, was one of three
finalists for the Young Litter Hero Award
2021 run by the UK’s Keep Britain Tidy
                                                 Snowdrops at Cerney House Gardens
Network. It’s wonderful that our young
people are being recognised for their work       asking for nominations for the 2021 Awards     appearing, along with a few hellebores and
for and in the community, which is what the      which would also be presented at our           other intrepid plants. It’s amazing how they
Nairac Awards aim to do. We are currently        August event.                                  survive even the hardest of frosts. This
                                                                  Whilst the committee has      morning I heard a busy woodpecker – why
                                                               continually communicated         don’t they have headaches? We used to see
                                                               through the lockdowns by         a lot of wrens in our garden but then they
                                                               email and telephone and          seemed to vanish, so it was wonderful when
                                                               occasionally with Zoom           a pair was intrepid enough to nest under
                                                               meetings, it hasn’t been the     our back porch a year ago and I’ve spotted
                                                               same as meeting to face to       one in the garden just now. Hopefully that
                                                               face. Zoom meetings can be       means they are coming back along with our
                                                               unpredictable with talk-overs,   ‘normal’ life. It won’t be long before the
                                                               empty chairs, phones ringing     Forest of Dean is carpeted with bluebells.
                                                               (or other happenings) in the     With the impressive vaccination roll-out
                                                               background and connections       as a result of the brilliant hard work by
                                                               failing. We look forward to      scientists, volunteers, armed forces and so
                                                               getting together again as a      many others, there’s definitely cause for
                                                               committee and Branch events      optimism.
                                                               resuming as soon as possible.       For further information about the Branch
                                                                  At least nature carries       and its (hoped soon to be resumed) activities
                                                               on regardless. The clumps        contact Margaret Fuller, Branch Secretary,
                                                               of snowdrops in the garden       on 01291 625069 or glosrssg@outlook.com
                                                               were a joyful harbinger of       or see the Branch’s page on the National
Heather Kent, Young Litter Hero                                spring and now daffodils are     website.

12   ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND
Councillors David Thornewell and Roger Mitchell fly the flag at Holy Trinity, Larkfield, Kent

NORTH DOWNS
President, Group Captain Patrick
Tootal, OBE
At the time of writing, the continuing Covid
crisis has meant that the branch’s normal
activities have been suspended. However,
we have tried to “tick over” as best we can
– beginning with a flag-raising ceremony at
Holy Trinity Church, Larkfield. For some
years now, the flagpole at the church had
been somewhat neglected – with not even
the flag of the Diocese being flown. Now
that Holy Trinity has joined with the Church
of St. James the Great, East Malling in a
new benefice, the time seemed to be right
to put Larkfield on the map again. With
funds donated by East Malling and Larkfield
Parish Council, three new flags have been
procured: the Union Jack, the banner of
St. George and the white horse banner of
Kent – the “Invicta” flag.
   The new parish figure of the “unknown
soldier” stands close to the Holy Trinity
flagpole, so local councillors thought it an
ideal setting for the first of their flag-raising
events. But this is not the only ambition for
the church and community: plans are being
formulated for a regular work-party to tidy
the churchyard and ensure that gravestones,
trees and wildlife are all conserved.
Alongside the old village school building
nextdoor, Holy Trinity and its environs are
the only listed buildings in Larkfield. So – a
conservation campaign worth pursuing.
Finally, our recruitment drive has – as you
can probably imagine – not been a roaring
success at this time of uncertainty. But we
have managed to bring in one new member!
Welcome to the fold – to hardworking
Liberal Democrat Councillor, Roger
Mitchell, pictured in the photograph (above,
Roger is on the right) with Cllr. David
Thornewell, Parish Council Chairman.                   St George and the Dragon at East Malling Church, Kent

                                                                                                               ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND   13
SEAHAVEN BRANCH
 President: Laurie Holland; Chairman: Bob Peedle, MBE; Secretary: Linda Wallraven.
 As with all branches another lean period with not a great deal to report but in view of the
 Government’s roadmap, we are now able to start planning for a function on Monday 12 July
 to commemorate the founding of England in 927AD by King Athelstan. Then in August we
 hope to have our annual picnic in Bishopstone. Just hope that things plan out as they should
 in the battle against Covid-19 and life returns to near normal soon.
    We are all pleased because the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, who has been a superb
 supporter of our branch, retires in August and he and Margaret have kindly agreed to join us.
 So we look forward to welcoming Sir Peter and Lady Field into the fold. Sir Peter received a
 knighthood (KCVO) in this year’s New Year’s Honours list, a well deserved award which we
 all applaud.
    Now we have the chance to get active again as a branch we can start to plan to be in a
 better position to raise funds in order to help local charities and worthwhile projects. We are
 now waiting to get the opportunity to present a certificate from the RSSG Charitable Trust
 to the Newhaven Youth Football teams following the match funding to help with equipment.             Sir Peter Field KCVO JP with RSSG Chairman
 The number of teams they support has risen considerably and had stretched their resources.           cutting our Anniversary Cake in January last year

WATERLOO                                            (1896–1952), and Commonwealth realms                   This has shown Europe and the rest of
We were proud to see our President,                 since 1952. It recognises distinguished             the World how resilient and innovative
Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-               personal service to the Monarch                     Britain can be. Our Health Service and
Ankrah, RVO, on two occasions recently,                Our Chairman, Bob Smith, wrote to                Care professionals; scientists; uniformed
as Equerry to the Queen. The first was              TA TA (the name by which he is usually              Services; armies of volunteers and
when he stood near to our Monarch for               called) congratulating him on being awarded         kind-hearted citizens have been in the
the Trooping of the Colour ceremony,                this great honour.                                  frontline of this battle and performed with
televised at the unusual venue of Windsor                                                               distinction.
Castle quadrangle; the second, pictured             At Christmas our President wrote                       We must remain safe and share these
here at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior,              We are coming to the close of a                   precious moments with those few loved
in Westminster Abbey, commemorating the               challenging and eventful year, in which           ones we are able to see. In the absence of
lives of those who fought and died for our            we have endured a pandemic and                    large gatherings, we should connect to all
country, so that those who were left could            the economic and social fallout of its            our people in whichever way possible as
live in Peace.                                        relentless restrictions. It’s unlike anything     a gesture of community and friendship.
   And what do the letters after his name             many of us have ever faced; however the              We look forward to a brighter New
signify? The Royal Victorian Order (RVO)              great British public have stoically carried       Year, with several new vaccination
is awarded at the discretion of the Monarch           on despite the hardship, as we have in            programmes combined with other
of the United Kingdom and the Dominions               years gone by.                                    initiatives that aid us on the long road to
                                                                                                        recovery, and we all hope for a brighter
                                                                                                        and more joyful 2021.”

                                                                                                      2020 Branch Subscriptions
                                                                                                      As our Members were unable to enjoy any
                                                                                                      of the activities during 2020 the Committee
                                                                                                      unanimously decided to waive subscriptions
                                                                                                      for the year.
                                                                                                         However the Membership were given
                                                                                                      the choice of voluntarily paying this year’s
                                                                                                      subscription, in which case the monies
                                                                                                      would be donated to NHS Charities
                                                                                                      Together, again chosen and agreed
                                                                                                      unanimously by the Committee.
                                                                                                         The response has been staggering, around
                                                                                                      £1500, and should our total be matched by
                                                                                                      the Royal Society of St. George Charitable
                                                                                                      Trust, the contribution to this well-deserved
                                                                                                      charity will be no less than £3000.

                                                                                                      2021 Events
                                                                                                      Whilst a full programme of events is waiting
The Patron of the Royal Society of St. George, Her Majesty the Queen together with the President of   to be put into effect, we just have to be
the Royal Society of St. George Waterloo Branch, Lieutenant Colonel Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, RVO     patient and stay safe. Patience is a virtue!

14   ST GEORGE FOR ENGLAND
WILTSHIRE BRANCH                                                                                         Neil passed away peacefully at home on
                                                                                                      27 September 2020. His funeral was blessed
Branch Patron: Colonel James Arkell, TD                                                               with sunshine as his coffin was draped in
Chairman: Mr Lloyd James                                                                              the Union flag for his service in the Royal
Secretary: Mrs Pat Wallington                                                                         Engineers. Upon this sat a small flower
Treasurer: Mrs Peggy May                                                                              arrangement of white flowers with a red
                                                                                                      cross.
In Memoriam
It is with much sadness that the Branch                                                               Chris Wannell
reports the loss of three of its keen members                                                         Chris and his wife Audrey were former
and supporters all of whom will be missed                                                             members of the Wiltshire Branch. Born
by us all. The sympathies and prayers of all                                                          in 1941 in Chippenham Chris’s interest in
the Wiltshire Branch members are with their                                                           fire engines as a boy led him to join the
loved ones.                                                                                           Auxiliary Fire Service in the early 1960s
                                                                                                      and he became a retained Fireman before
Jane Henderson                                                                                        moving to Wootton Bassett.
As a Branch Council member Jane brought                                                                  Chris and Audrey married in 1967 and
her characteristically cheerful and positive                                                          have two children Heather and Martin. Chris
outlook to meetings and was a willing help                                                            worked as an Engineer at St Ivel in Wootton
with various events.                                                                                  Bassett where he became a Councillor in the
   Born Inez Rosemary Jane on 11 April           Neil Sutcliffe with wife Ann on the left at Henley   early 1970s and a founder member of the
1945, Jane, as she was known to us,              Royal Regatta                                        Carnival Committee in 1971. Chris served
especially enjoyed music. This included                                                               as a Councillor for forty years and was
                                                 2020 and was much loved by her husband               twice Mayor of Wootton Bassett.
playing the piano, composing and singing,        Ian whom she had been married to for
particularly as part of Bristol Choral                                                                   Chris remained a retained Fireman until
                                                 forty-nine years, their daughters and                1996 ending his career as Officer in Charge
Society, Malmesbury Abbey Choir and              grandchildren Lily, Rachael, Sophie and
Malmesbury Singers.                                                                                   of the local fire station. After his retirement
                                                 Ewan.                                                he raised more than £100,000 for the Fire
   Jane also enjoyed gardening and had
many friends from her teaching career at                                                              Fighters Charity through his work with his
Redland High and Clifton High School. Jane       Neil Sutcliffe                                       1943 fire engine named “Martha” that he
also had many friends from East Hampstead        In addition to being a keen supporter of our         bought and restored in 1975. Chris received
College, from her role as Chairwoman             Branch activities, members may know Neil             the Fire Charity Lifetime Achievement
of the Old Girls Society, as Parish office       well for arranging attendance at the Henley          Award in 2018.
secretary in Malmesbury, on the PCC and          Royal Regatta on alternate years. Neil very             Chris enjoyed visiting steam fairs with his
with Probus.                                     kindly sponsored our day membership of               four grandchildren Bradley, Poppy, Daisy
   Faith also played an important part           the Remenham Club, securing one of the               and Holly and was a keen supporter of
in Jane’s life as she regularly attended         best vantage points and best ways to enjoy a         steam rallies as far away as the Great Dorset
Malmesbury Abbey where her funeral               perfect English day out.                             Steam Fair and Isle of Wight Steam Rally.
reflected her social nature, passion for music      Neil was born on 5 August 1934 in                    Chris passed away on 8 February 2021
and strength of her faith. Blessed with a        Surbiton, Surrey. After studying Agricultural        and his funeral on Friday 26 February
warm and sunny afternoon many local              Engineering at Chelsea Polytechnic he                saw his coffin carried through Royal
people lined the path of the cortege to the      completed his National Service from                  Wootton Bassett high street on the back of
Abbey.                                           1956–1957 with the Royal Engineers on                his beloved fire engine “Martha” closely
   Jane passed away on 3 September               Christmas Island. He married Ann in 1961             followed by his 1930s fire engine “Belinda.”
                                                 and they had a son Ian in 1966.                      Flags were flown at half mast at fire stations
                                                    Having started off with a horticultural           across Dorset and Wiltshire as a mark of
                                                 contracting business Neil became interested          respect for this former Fireman and great
                                                 in buying and selling antiques at markets.           charity fundraiser.
                                                 This started off as a side line that eventually
                                                 ended up with him running his own antique
                                                 shop in Twickenham and restoring furniture
                                                 at home in Surrey to sell.
                                                    Neil’s interest in rowing resulted in
                                                 him winning cups at various regattas on
                                                 the Thames in the 1950s and his talent for
                                                 rowing also saw him cox the Molsey Boat
                                                 Club. He and Ann enjoyed attending Henley
                                                 Regatta virtually every year up until her
                                                 passing in 2015. They also enjoyed Scottish
                                                 Country Dancing together for many years.
                                                    In 2003 Neil and Ann moved to Evershot,
                                                 Dorset. They became involved in the
                                                 church, village events and supported the
                                                 Cattistock Hunt. Neil made many new
                                                 friends locally and particularly enjoyed the
                                                 Thursday night banter over the odd glass
                                                 of wine at Summer Lodge hotel which they             Mourners line streets for firefighter and former
Jane Henderson                                   lived next door to.                                  mayor Chris Wannell ©Swindon Ad

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