IN MEMORY OF LOST MEMBERS OF THE SEPTEMBER 49’ERS

National Memorial Arboretum

Alrewas, Staffordshire.

Saturday 26th. September 2009.

Contributed by: Max WARWICK (49B) (intake)

60^th Anniversary

OBAN Class of September 49’ers

Saturday 26^th September 2009

Five members of 49B accompanied by their wives, met at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire for lunch at 12.00 noon, followed by a short poppy wreath laying ceremony conducted by Gordon Bonner, with a short Reading from Romans by Max Warwick.

Attending were Gordon & Muriel Bonner, John & Lena Macbeath, Dave & Gina Perrott, Max & Thea Warwick and Dick & Carole Wright, John Cassells, Frank Weller and Pete & Doreen Henry sent their apologies for not being able to join us on this day.

The order of Service:

ARBORFIELD OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION

THE SEPTEMBER 49’ERS

AT THE NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM

ALREWAS, STAFFORDSHIRE: 26 SEPTEMBER 2009.

inside The Armed Forces Memorial

listing all those Service men & women killed while on active service

after WWII 1945

This is the truth the poet sings,

That a sorrow’s crown of sorrow is remembering

happier things.

By Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

The Reading is taken from Romans 8: verses 35-39

Let us be still and call to mind those of our comrades, with whom we shared the common experience as Army Apprentices 60 years ago, who are no longer with us in this life, but walk in the glory of a new life in Christ.

George Cassells, Brian O Barber, David N Flemen, David H Matyear,

Christopher R Molesworth, Alan “Joe” Ridge and Henry B A Wadsworth.

Let us pray:

Most merciful God, whose Son Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life of the faithful: raise us from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, that at last, we with all our departed Comrades may come to your eternal joy. Amen.

Arborfield Old Boys Association Collect

O God our Father, we pray for all who served their country, remembering especially the families of the

Arborfield Old Boys Association.

Rekindle our courage to face the future as we did in our youth. Strengthen our will to seize the moment

as we did in the past. Enliven our minds to the needs of others as loyalty and discipline taught us. Amen.

John Macbeath then laid the wreath beneath the name of

George Cassells

(In Memoriam)

who was killed in 1956 while on Active Service in Cyprus

The Act of Remembrance

They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old: age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn;

at the going down of the sun and in the morning ”We will remember them”

“We Will Remember Them”.

Silence.

Almighty and eternal God, whose love in Christ we cannot be parted, either by death or life. Hear our prayers

and thanksgiving for all whom we remember this day, fulfil in them the purpose of your love, and bring us all,

with them, to your eternal joy, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

During the afternoon we attended the 60^th Commemoration to the Berlin Blockade of 1949 and we were given a great display by the RAF Red Arrows and airplanes of the time which supported the Airlift. This was Gordon’s special surprise for all of us – great timing.

In the evening we reconvened to the Menzies Mickleover Court, Derby for a light refreshment or two. This was followed by a sumptuous dinner in a private room to round off an eventful and enjoyable day, meeting old friends and paying our respects to colleagues who sorrowfully were no longer with us. We were joined for dinner by Fiona Howard, Max’s daughter and her partner Garry Batten. The youthful after-dinner address and entertainment was made in great style by our own Dave Perrott.

Our sincere thanks to Gordon Bonner for his devotion to our enjoyment, a job well done with his usual efficiency.