NEWSLETTER - MAY

Hello Everyone,
 
I hope you are all well and have enjoyed the recent good weather.
 
Many thanks to all who attended the April lunch which was very well supported and enjoyed by all. It is most encouraging that the numbers attending the lunch are continuing to increase and the Branch are most grateful to you for your continued support.
 
The next lunch will, as usual, be held on Thursday 5th June at 12:00hrs at the Carpaccio Ristorante on Rue du Caire, Pontivy. There will be the usual topical Quiz and a Raffle. Donations for raffle prizes are, as always, most welcome.
 
This is an ideal opportunity to have your monthly catch up with friends. You do not have to be a member of the RBL to attend, though it would be lovely to increase the number of Branch members, so I have added information on joining the Branch below. I would recommend telephoning as I have found this easiest and the team are most helpful however if you have any problems please do not hesitate to ask me for help.
 
The venue has asked for the number of attendees, so if you would like to attend could you please let me know by replying to this e-mail with the number attending, by Monday 2nd June. Although ‘walk in attendees’ on the day are most welcome for the lunch, due to the increasing popularity of the monthly socials and the recent high number of attendees unfortunately I cannot guarantee you a seat if you just turn up. So please book your place as soon as you can. Additionally, if you wish to sit with a specific group of friends, please do arrive a little earlier to avoid disappointment.
 
Some of our Branch members attended commemoration events including a number marking the 80th anniversary of VE day.
 
The President, David Bashford, Welfare Officer Pamela Bashford and Sue Farrell-Cook represented the branch at a ceremony to commemorate the survivors of flight 896 at the Chapelle de Coat-Maël in Maël-Pestivien on Sunday 27th.
 
In the early hours of April 21, 1944, six young men parachuted from their Wellington bomber in distress. It was their first operational mission, dropping leaflets over Tours. The crew was made up of five Canadians and one Englishman. For the Canadians, it was the start of an 80-day flight across Brittany. Sergeant Kempson, who died four days later of a serious head injury on landing, remained in France, buried in the Bayeux military cemetery.
 
At the same time as the ceremony in at the Chapelle de Coat-Maël in Maël-Pestivien Steve Oliver-Crockett visited the grave of Sgt Kempson at the Bayeux cemetery. 

 
Also our Finistère members, John Duncan, Jean-Michel Crewe, Ali and Daniel Joncqueur, Teresa Apperre, and Ceri Roberts represented the branch at numerous ceremonies; La Foret Landerneau, Le Folgoët, Lesneven, Plouneour, Brignogan, Athabaskan, Treflez, Gouesnou and Lanidut.
 
 
 

NEWSLETTER - APRIL

Hello Everyone

I hope you are all well and enjoyed the Easter weekend.  Hopefully the Easter bunny paid you a visit and you still have some chocolate left.  

Many thanks to all who attended the April lunch which was very well supported and enjoyed by all.  It is most encouraging that the numbers attending the lunch are continuing to increase and the Branch are most grateful to you for your continued support.

Special thanks to Steve Oliver-Crockett, who is also a member of the Normandy Branch, for making the long journey to join us for the lunch.  We look forward to a closer working relationship with the Normandy Branch.  

Due to commemoration events marking the 80^th anniversary of VE day on Thursday the 8^th May, unfortunately there will not be an RBL lunch in May, as advised by the Chairman at the last lunch.  

The next lunch will be held on Thursday 5^th June at 12:00hrs at the Carpaccio Ristorante on Rue du Caire, Pontivy.  I will send the usual email invitation closer to the time.

On behalf of the branch, the Chairman together with John Duncan OBE, Jean-Michel Crewe (Standard Bearer) and a number of branch members resident in Finistère, attended the funeral of Col Claude Jeffroi, in Plounéour-Trez on Tuesday 8^th April. Claude was one of our first French members of the branch and he was also President of the local UNC branch in Finistère. He served with the French forces worldwide including in Lebanon with the UN and in the Balkans attached to the OSCE.

The President, David Bashford will be representing the branch at a ceremony at the Chapelle de Coat-Maël in Maël-Pestivien on Sunday 27^th April organised by Terry Bramwell.   The ceremony is to commemorate the heroic efforts of six young men who parachuted from their Wellington bomber in distress. It was their first operational mission, dropping leaflets over Tours. The crew was made up of five Canadians and one Englishman. For the Canadians, it was the start of an 80-day flight across Brittany. Sergeant Kempson, the only Englishman, sadly died four days later of a serious head injury on landing, remained in France, buried in the Bayeux military cemetery.

If any members are attending any ceremonies in May, I would be grateful if you would please send me some photos which we can include in the next update.

Looking forward to seeing you all in June.

Kind Regards

Karen Lockwood

 

 

NEWSLETTER - MARCH

 

 

 

NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY