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IN MEMORIAM
Alan Joseph
RIDGE
19th May 1934 – 1st May 2007
AAS
Arborfield Intake 49B C Company
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1952
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2007
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It is with sincere
regret that I have to let you all know that Joe
Ridge 49B, a colleague and fellow
Armourer of C Coy, passed away while visiting Germany a few weeks ago. I spoke
to Jenny, his wife, when she found my tel no in Joe's papers and she has
told me that a Commemorative Service will be held at Christ's Church, Denmark
Road, Bedford at 2.00pm Saturday next. (7thJuly)
I expect to go and I am sure that any ex AAS
guys will be welcome. I will endeavour to find out some more details. I
have talked to Tony Plummer (49A/B, his close friend) today - he is sailing
from Spain to Portugal
at present and does not expect to reach his destination until the end of
the week. He expects to be back in the UK too late to attend.
Joe had an older brother at Arborfield AAS a
year or two earlier. Joe left the Army around 1964 and when I last meet him
around 1968/69 at Mildenhall, Suffolk,
he was undergoing Teacher Training. I didn’t get his full Army story but I
understand he had a rather colourful time learning foreign languages while
he was taking extra leave in Germany.
Jenny, his second wife, is interested in hearing
from anyone who knew him during his last years serving in Germany around 1959-64. He was
with 25th Regt REs at Osnabruck
and thereafter at a REME Wk/Sp at Kunsebeck and Bielfeld BAOR.
I knew Joe well and enjoyed his enquiring mind.
It brings home the fact that our days are limited when one of your own
intake passes on and that we should not get too stuffy about the near
future and enjoy every day as it comes. Maybe I will meet up with some of
you there.
Max WARWICK 49B
Please extend the
sympathy of Maggie and myself to Jenny and the family. As you say, we are
none of us getting any younger and many of our friends are not in the best
of health but that is no excuse for not making the most of what we are
blessed with.
From your description of Joe, he sounds like a
man who was full of life and therefore someone who leaves behind a legacy
of pleasant memories for those who knew him and shared some quality time
with him. May he rest in peace.
Greg PECK 53A
The loss of a member
of the Arborfield Family is felt by all of us, and on this web site, originally
dedicated to the 49ers, there will be many who will have very personal
memories of Alan.
Mavis and I send our
condolences to Alan's wife Jenny and their family.
May his God take our
brother Alan into his care and keeping, and we ask him to spread a cloak of
comfort around those for whom these are sad times.
Trevor
STUBBERFIELD 52A
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The service, conducted by The Reverend
Adele Rowlands, reflected Alan’s interest in music and literature. A prolific writer of prose and verse, an
example of his work was read at the service by Clare Thomas. Readings
were made by Daisy Ridge, Sylvia
Ridge and Mary
Corbould. During the service several
pieces of music were played by Philip Bond.
Hymns included Morning Has Broken and Guide Me Oh Thou Great Redeemer
in recognition of Alan’s Welsh heritage.
Arborfield Old Boys present included Alan’s older brother Graham 48A
and Max Warwick 49B. At the service a
collection was held for Keech Cottage Hospital, a hospice for terminally ill
children, based in Bedfordshire. The
sum raised was £207.
Details from the Order of Service supplied by Jenny RIDGE
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Passing Hours.
Is youth a passing phase of
life,
Of happy carefree days?
Or does it stay a latent
part,
Unseen in words or ways?
Must youth depart as time
creeps on,
As days give way to nights,
To leave but memories of
it’s joys,
Revived in fancy’s flights?
Or can it stay an active
force,
Sustaining mind and soul,
To keep ones spirits flying
high,
Until the final goal?
The answer lies in mans own
power,
To keep or lose at will,
Such things as youth has
given him,
Before his heart lies
still.
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The verse is by A/T
R. A. Mills and is reproduced from the first edition of
‘The Arborfield Apprentice’, Volume 1.
No 1. printed in December 1944
  Appreciation and Alan’s Project.
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