This year’s main event at Warwick has already been handsomely reported on via the Common Room on the Royal Navy School Tal Handaq’s site but I hope they will forgive me giving the event a personal view from the 1968-71 viewpoint.
Oh, how time flies! Has it really been three years since Viv, Tom, Rog and Bernard weaved their organizational magic back in Colerne in 2004? I really must be getting old…..
I turned up at Warwick, at what I believed to be a perfectly respectable time - a little late to prove how fashionable I could be but not too late as to appear rude. As most of the 1968-71 group had been booked up for the event months in advance it was no surprise to find that several members of our group had been there some time and were already striking up a strong bond with the beer pumps.
Meeting and greeting old friends was the first priority with some now becoming very familiar faces due to the group’s annual bashes that were turning into regular events. Some people hadn’t met each other since the last main reunion at Colerne and others greetings were with completely new acquaintances. It wasn’t long before everyone was in deep conversation catching up on news, swapping stories of recent events and trying to remember what so-and-so wanted to drink while at the bar ordering another round. Hunting down some people did prove difficult as they kept disappearing for long periods. They were eventually tracked down to the downstairs bar where the rugby was being shown on the lounge TV. You would think that they would have planned the date of the event to not conflict with such an important occasion but the organizers probably couldn’t book the rugby pitch for any other date so I suppose they could be forgiven. Judith’s Jon was one exception to the missing rugby fans, he was to be found grabbing a peaceful break in the bar, hiding behind a copy of the Daily Telegraph. Not for long though!
The call came to announce the opening of the buffet lunch and the 1968-71 group proved that they were still fit and active by sprinting with admirable speed to the front of the queues. Plates were stacked with as much food as was possible from the very odd combination of beef casserole (or pork sausages), green salad, coleslaw and cherry tomatoes. It was fortunate that there weren’t very many Muslims, Hindu’s, Jews, Mormons, Sikhs, Buddhists, Hare Krishnas, Rastafarians, are HVegetarians or Vegans amongst us as the veggy tarts ran out after about three minutes. Everyone managed to find something to eat though even if it was just more than their fair share of apple pie. The rest of the afternoon was spent by more visits to the bar, listening to speeches, having photos taken and trying to avoid that person who insisted on trying to tell you his funny story – for the fifth time.
The evening arrived and we changed rooms to where a dance floor had been provided. A great selection of 60’s music was being played and a finger buffet provided to soak up even more of the beer that was rapidly running out at the bar. The group lost no time in repeating their athletic prowess when the buffet was declared open and were soon happily tucking into the fare. Perhaps we were a little too successful in our ‘hunter gathering’ as the food soon ran out. However, the caterers proved their initiative by raiding the tax inspector’s party in a neighboring room and restocked our tables with their very posh nibbles. I suspect a few pockets were filled with the rather curious ‘morning goods’ that were also on offer. This questionable act wasn’t a display of greed but rather a commendable display of preparing for the unknown. The unknown being the quality of breakfast they were to experience in the morning. Besides, something had to soak up the 1000’s of units of alcohol that were being consumed. With mouths full, and conversation temporarily on pause, there was the opportunity to look around at the surroundings; the most memorable being the projected film of a Maltese bus on its route around the island. How they had managed to get the film from the angle they did was a matter of some discussion and it was decided that that some poor unfortunate must have been strapped to the top of a following bus for the entire duration. Our hearts went out to him but he can be happy in the knowledge that we are grateful for his sacrifice to provide us with some evening entertainment.
Phil and Sue were earlier presented with a reminder of the film by way of a raffle prize. This was a glossy pamphlet of Maltese buses that contained several, almost identical, photos of buses that bore no resemblance to the highly ornate buses I remember. They were thrilled with it!
It was said many times during the evening that considerable effort had been made to dress for the occasion. It wasn’t exactly ‘black tie and ball gowns’ but it was good to see that most had a sense of occasion and were resplendent in sparkly tops, jewellery and perfectly coordinated shoes. The ladies had also scrubbed up well. The lads had somehow managed to unwittingly join a competition to see who could wear the snazziest shirt. There was far too much difference of opinion to finally decide on a winner but it was agreed that all were out done in the ‘pretty boy’ stakes by Mr Woodcock who looked particularly dapper in his linen jacket.
For most, the evening passed by in a happy blur of drink-soaked nostalgia. Many of the ladies danced away the entire night and even the men had had sufficient Dutch courage to get on the floor and strut their stuff. Despite considerable encouragement, further demonstrations of ‘Maltese Pole Dancing Techniques’ would have to wait as our highly experienced group member refused to repeat her stellar performance in Malta because: a) there wasn’t a pole and b) there weren’t any handsome Maltese males to dance with. The revelry carried on until the small hours and most stayed until they could no longer stand. One exception was Les Law who had fallen in love with ‘The Lady in Red’ (who later turned out to be happily married) and left early, alone, and with a broken heart.
So, another reunion had come to an end. Many new friends had been found and most had promised to attend future annual reunions of the group. Ideas are being investigated for 2008 (please contact me or Judith if you have an idea yourself) and everyone will be informed once a plan has been formed. Almost everyone expressed a desire to attend the next 1968-71 reunion in Malta that was scheduled to take place during 2010 but the general consensus seemed to be that it was too long to wait and they would like it to be brought forward to 2009. So be it!
Bob Callaghan
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