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Issue No 3. December 2001 This club is an integral part of
the 'Per Ardua' web site
Best viewed on Netscape |
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Jason |
Club membership now 208 |
Rabbie |
Out of the mouths of babes!
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There was once a great Czar
in Russia named Rudolph the Red. He stood looking out the windows of his
palace one day while his wife, the Czarina Katerina, sat nearby knitting.
He turned to her and said, "Look my dear, it has begun to rain!" Without
even looking up from her knitting she replied, "It's too cold to
rain. It must be sleeting." The Czar shook his head and said, "I am the
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 SANGRIAChilling time: 1 hour. Ingredients 2 bottles (750 ml. each) dry red wine (chilled) 2 cups fresh orange juice (chilled) 1/4 cup superfine sugar 4 large peaches (2 pounds, peeled and thinly sliced) 2 medium-size, unpeeled oranges (thinly sliced 1 large unpeeled lemon (thinly sliced) 1 cup club soda (chilled) 2 tablespoons Spanish brandy (optional) Instructions In a large bowl or jug, stir together the wine, juice, sugar, peaches, oranges, and lemon. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. To serve, stir in the club soda, plus the brandy if you wish. Pour into tall glasses filled with ice. |
A beer lable from John Wright
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Remembrance Day Parade 2001 (L to R) Ron Barnbrook, 'Nasty' Norman Gawler and Vic Houghton (thanks for the pic Ron) |
Learning the Lingo!
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A Xmas
Punch
I made this for a party in Limasoll at my house in 1964. Rowley Watts may remember Ingredients
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One for the lads
in Belize
And the Winner is!
Thanks to all those who voted. Won by a mile!! |
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The Campaign to raise the profile of the Regiment
| Letter
to Martin Alexanders MP and reply
Dear Mr Sawford, I am a former member of the RAF Regiment (Gunners) nicknamed "Rockapes". It disturbs me and most if not all serving and ex serving members of the Regiment that we as a Regiment are not known by the general public. I would also like to point out that our contributions to war efforts around the world both past and present has not been acknowledged publicly nor mentioned by the Royal Air Force. The RAF Regiment is a corps established by a Royal Warrant of His Late Majesty George VI on the 1st Feb 1942 as an indispensable part of the RAF. Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II is the Air Commodore-in-Chief of the Corps. During World War II we numbered in excess of over 70,000 men. We are no longer a force this size but we still a strong and formidable force. The Regiment are trained as soldiers as of any army unit. We use Light Armoured Vehicle like the Scorpion. We operate the Rapier Missile System, we have our own Parachute Squadron; and one of our squadrons which is The Queen's Colour Squadron undertakes ceremonial parades and special events around the world. Arguably The Queen;s Colour Squadron is the best in the country's armed forces on the parade ground. Like other units in the British Armed Forces some members of the Regiment have and are serving with the SAS. The RAF Regiment since its formation served in the Middle East, North and West Africa, South East Asia,Indo-China,Europe, Northern Ireland and the Falklands, to name but a few. The Crest of the RAF Regiment is a crown and crossed rifles. This is regarded by all "Rockapes" as our crest which should be worn on our headdress and not the badge of the Royal Air Force. As my MP I hope that you can find the time to help this "Forgotten Regiment" to put things right. Next year will be the 60th anniversary of the Regiment. We are awaiting news from RAF Honnington our depot as to whether the celebration will proceed with our Air Commodore-in-Chief Queen Elizabeth II in attendance. But as a result of Sept 11th and operational committments, I dare say this now remains uncertain. Thank you very much for your attention and time. I hope to hear from you. Dear Mr Alexander
The Right Hon Geoffrey Hoon
MP
Dear Geoff
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And
finally a poem from Rabbie
T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,
HE LIVED ALL ALONE,
IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE,
MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.
I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY,
WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,
AND TO SEE JUST WHO,
IN THIS HOME, DID LIVE.
I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,
A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,
NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,
NOT EVEN A TREE.
NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,
JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,
ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES,
OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.
WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,
AWARDS OF ALL KINDS,
A SOBER THOUGHT,
CAME THROUGH MY MIND.
FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,
IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,
I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,
ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.
THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,
SILENT, ALONE,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR,
IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.
THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,
THE ROOM IN SUCH DISORDER,
NOT HOW I PICTURED,
AN AUSTRALIAN SOLDIER.
WAS THIS THE HERO, OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?
CURLED UP ON A PONCHO, THE FLOOR FOR A BED?
I REALIZED THE FAMILIES,
THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,
OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,
WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.
SOON ROUND THE WORLD,
THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,
AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,
A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.
THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,
EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,
BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,
LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.
HOW MANY LAY ALONE,
ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE,
IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.
THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT,
A TEAR TO MY EYE,
I DROPPED TO MY KNEES,
AND STARTED TO CRY.
THE SOLDIER AWAKENED,
AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,
"SANTA DON'T CRY,
THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;
I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,
I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,
MY LIFE IS MY GOD,
MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS."
THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,
I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,
I CONTINUED TO WEEP.
I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,
SO SILENT AND STILL,
AND WE BOTH SHIVERED,
FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.
I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE,
ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,
THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,
SO WILLING TO FIGHT.
THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,
WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,
WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,
IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."
ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH, AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND, AND TO ALL A GOOD
NIGHT."
This
poem was written by an Australian Peacekeeping soldier
stationed overseas.
