The Royal Green Jackets Associa on
The Lt Div Memorial Garden SJM Barracks Winchester One of the many quotes of Benjamin Franklin is ‘If you want something done use a busy person’; A truism that perfectly applies to Pat and May Low of the Winchester branch RGJA. Readers will undoubtedly remember a few years ago when a certain ex member of the regiment at the annual reunion in SJM Barracks grabbed the parade microphone and in mixture of fluent Geordiese, Slidex and *&$3**** described how upset he was at the condition of the Light Division Memorial Garden. Of course he had a very valid point and since then the Winchester branch has happily taken on the management and development of the garden. It was either that or suffer another colourful sermon at future reunions. Anyway as I was saying Pat and May being a very busy (although retired) couple, decided they had the skill, knowledge and just simple ‘get up and go’ to again put the garden back to its rightful and respectful condition. So for them to find the long and tiring hours to work on the garden is no small feat, particularly when you consider that Pat is now in his 76th year and May is (ahem) much much younger. Even so with both having a social and professional background that can only be described as diverse and fulfilled; their enthusiasm and unselfish support of the regiment in doing what they both love and enjoy continues unabated. A dictionary definition of busy is ‘fully occupied or
actively employed’. Something which Pat and May really have been and still are. For example Pat with a carpentry/ engineering background was called up for National Service with the OBLI in 1958 and demobilised in 1960. He then went on to a full career in the aircraft industry with spells at Smiths Aircraft Instruments, DanAir and finally SagitAir flying documents to Geneva. In amongst all of this he still managed to find time for his other love, beside May of course, and that was his motorcycles and classic cars which he still continues to show and race to this day, a selection of which will be on display at the 50th Anniversary Reunion in 2016. May on the other hand, as well as keeping Pat in check over the last 56 years and bringing up their two children (boy and a girl) also had an equally diverse life and CV - mainly in rural affairs and gardening. She has been a Head Gardener and still is a motorcycling enthusiast too, the latter unsurprisingly as the sidecar passenger for Pat at various race meetings and as the Clerk of the Course at Silverstone motorcycle race meetings. Yes that old adage of using ‘a busy person’ really does apply to this couple. There is no doubt that their accumulated skills; experience and dedicationin maintaining and nurturing our Memorial Garden have been an absolute asset to the regiment which we hope will continue well into the future. On behalf of all Riflemen everywhere we thank you both! John Fritz-Domeney
48 | Volume 7 Issue 1
E-Zine 2015
