On Armed Forces Day last w/e I was able and happy to parade the Standard at three events; Tuesday 23rd at Bromley Civic Centre, Saturday 27th at Gillingham and Sunday 28th at Orpington and if I can work out how I'll post a couple of pics from Gillingham.
My local one at Bromley was a small affair behind the Civic Centre, whatever happened to Town Halls, in the Palace grounds, and no, I didn't know we had a palace either, attended by the Mayor, the usual assorted big-wigs, a contingency of Chelsea Pensioners, a group of Gurkha's, police cadets and others plus five Standards being displayed. Speaking to the mayoress afterwards she spoke very appreciative of the merchant navy and was pleased to see our standard in attendance. As you do, I passed a little time with an old gentleman sitting quietly in a corner and discovered that in WW2 he was flying bombers, at 19 years of age. Nuff said!
Gillingam was a much bigger affair with full army, navy, air-force displays, two or three bands and sixteen Standards and thousands of people in attendance on a hot, sunny day and all the sweat and sticky armpits that go with it but it was still a pleasure to be there although two pints of lemonade, honest, went down without touching the sides when I got home.
The Orpington was another small local affair that unfortunately turned into a bit of a washout as it rained straight after the parade so that all the folk that did attend went home without touring the gazebo's and tents around the park. Again only five Standards on parade but important nonetheless as one of them was the Canadian country Standard as during and after WW2 Orpington Hospital was a Canadian military hospital looking after their injured and unfortunately the local church cemetery still holds a corner for those that didn't make it to home soil. On a personal note I was extremely proud that on Remembrance Sunday two years ago that standard was paraded by my son as a member of the Bromley Sea Cadet Corps, with an attaché from the Canadian Embassy also in attendance and it is a measure of the esteem and seriousness of the occasion that as the Orpington War Memorial stands in the middle of a cross roads at the centre of town they close all roads and don't care how long it takes for the ceremony to be completed. I hope to fly the PWSTS Standard alongside the Canadian one there later this year and will of course keep you informed as I know we have Canadian interests among our number but I'd fly it anyway.
This w/e, Sat July 4th, I'll be in Islington, London as they unveil a plaque to one of their own honouring Captain Frederick Parslow of the merchant navy and SS Anglo Californian who was given a Victoria Cross for actions deserving during WW1 and a more deserving parade I cannot imagine but I'll leave you to find out why.
I've been trying to arrange a calendar of events to display the PWSTS Standard at and to date these are the remaining ones for this year but I'll put up a more complete list later and if there are any others you'd like to add just let me know.
I've been in touch with Trinity Church, Ingham and hopefully can come to some sort of arrangement whereby by flying our standard there I/we can show our gratitude to the congregation for all they do on our behalf as they still put out fresh flowers and our plaque is always highly polished but nothing has been finalised as yet.
July 4th, Islington, Capt Parslow
July 12th, Capel le Ferne, Folkestone, Battle of Britain (gonna be a biggie!)
Sept 3rd, Dover, Merchant Navy Day
Sept 6th, Tower Hill, Merchant Navy Day
Oct 14, St Paul's Cathedral, Annual National Seafarers Day. (missed this years cut-off date but still trying to get in)
Oct 23, Margate, Festival of Remembrance, Winter Gardens
Nov 8th, Bromley/Orpington, Remembrance Day
Dec 3rd, Aldenham, remembrance of HMS Aldenham, last destroyer sunk WW2.
Hi Mike hopefully you're happy with the photo uploads. Over to you for the descriptions.
May I take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of the PWSTS and all its old boys and families for your stirling efforts. I'm only an honoury old boy and I still feel proud to see our standard at ceremonial occasions. Thank you.
No problems parading the standard Andy, it's an honour and a pleasure.
The pics above match the starting blurb above and are from a friend of Phil Hughes and were taken at the Gillingham Armed Forces Day that ends on the Engineers band walking off parade when the Ramsgate parade pics of the following day takes over but I wasn't at that one as I did my more local Orpington one instead. Missed Nigel buying me a pint too but there you go.
It feels good being among all the other standards and looks good too from where I stand which is why I've put that list together so that anyone else can come along too if they can get to the locations. Hopefully by next year I can publish it here earlier to give more notice as I know it's difficult to attend and being retired and more centrally placed I have more time and opportunity than most.
I don't know where all you guys live but if there's something in your vicinity similar to those I've posted on the list above just let me know and I'll see what I can do. No guarantees of course but it would be nice to parade our standard where you want it to be.
