Potteries & District REME Association News

Scribe: Maurice Hope

With the onset of better Spring weather, and hopefully with the dreaded Covid receding somewhat from our thoughts, it has enabled Standard was paraded by Gil Mould, with Maurice Hope and Brian Billings was also in attendance. His Obituary is in this edition of The Craftsman; us as a Branch to get into our monthly social lunch suffice to say his family were highly delighted that we events. The 26th of April saw 13 members attend a could attend to see one of our own on his last parade, lunch at the Royal Oak in the Staffordshire Moorlands a donation was made to the branch, for which we are village of Dilhorne; where a surprise attendee was our very grateful. “Senior” branch member Mrs Margaret Paling aged Our May lunch function saw us venture a little 97, accompanied by her Son. Margaret had been a further out into the Moorlands, to The Raddle Inn, in REME badged Clerical Officer at the Palace of Caserta the countryside in the village of Hollington - The near Naples, during the unconditional surrender of all village is the home of the Hollington Stone Quarry, Italian forces in Italy in September 1943. Due to whose stone has gone into most of the nation’s most ongoing health problems we had not seen Margaret famous churches and cathedrals. for many months so it was a delight to see her join us Attendance was boosted with the inclusion of four for lunch. members of the local RASC/RCT Association Veterans

Following a request from the family, through RHQ branch, who have taken up our offer of hospitality to REME, members of the branch were only too pleased join in our social events. Due to their dwindling to attend the funeral of Cpl George Ernest Handley on numbers they can no longer function as they would Tuesday 17th Mrs Margaret Paling like to, unless their membership starts to increase. of May at Following our monthly branch meeting on Tuesday Chesterton United Reformed 24th May, we held a buffet evening, where we were entertained by Church. “Ernie” was not local singer Vicky Gotham. It gave us the chance to meet six known to anyone currently in members from our twinned Regular Army unit; 22 Sig’s Reg’t LAD the branch, but had based at Beacon Bks, Stafford. The LAD OC Capt Richard “Nick” Smith apparently been a life attended with five serving members of the unit. Hopefully the night member of the Association, helped to cement our ongoing relationship, and will be the first of and a branch member in the many such gatherings ... service duty allowing. early 90’s. Major Gordon Our link is further strengthened by having our own branch Bonner and partner Sally member Lt Col Gary Feek dropping into Stafford garrison on a Levene travelled down from regular basis, as part of his current role as a full-time uniformed West Yorkshire, our branch Reserve Officer.

Branch Standard Bearer, Mr Gil Mould Branch group attending funeral of “Ernie” Handley

We also welcomed four of our new friends from the RCT on Tuesday 31st May and two of our branch members, Gil Mould (for once without the branch Standard), and Maurice Hope, joined three other Veterans from the RCT, at a Platinum Jubilee Thanksgiving service held in Stoke Minster, to mark Her Majesty’s seventy years on the throne. A disappointingly low congregation of invited persons from across all six towns that make up the City of Stoke - on - Trent attended the service, which was beamed live on BBC Radio Stoke. Surprisingly, there were no Regular/Reserve or Cadets invited to the service, with only ourselves, some Scout Leaders and a couple of Salvation Army representatives joining the great and the good from the City. Present at the service were the Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire, Ian Dudson CBE KStJ, the High Sheriff of Staffordshire Ben Robinson MBE DL and the current Lord Mayor of the City, Councillor Faisal Hussain. The service was led by the Bishop of Stafford, the Rt Revd Matthew Parker, and the Rector of Stoke Minster, Canon Andrew Wickens.

Saluting the coffin

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