Shortly after arrival, two past fellow students of C&W’s college at Porthcurno arrived at the hotel for a cocktail. Ron (& Julie) had arrived the previous day from Chile and Rawle lives nearby in Barbados. We had joined C&W on the same day late in December ’65 and left after 18 months training in July ’67 and hadn’t seen each other since. There was a lot of catching up and memories in those first few hours. We were also joined by Brian (also ex-C&W) and Josie who live in Barbados. Inevitably, stories were shared – countless Porthcurno ones, and Ron jumping off a banana boat mid-Atlantic after being chased by a Lady Penelope in whom he had no interest and getting locked in his cabin until arrival in Barbados for his first tour, when recovered from the sea!
We met up again next day and perused old photos before Hugh (& Tammy) joined in a lunch at Kendal Sporting Ground. That completed the 4 members of Group 58 here for the Reunion. The location was very appropriate as it used to be the HF Radio Receiving Site, Carrington, for C&W in Barbados and another Ron, a white Barbadian also ex-C&W, brought some old photos of the site when it was operational. Brian & Josie, along with Glen, yet another ex-C&W resident on the island, with his white Barbadian wife Rosemary. After a fine lunch and a few old stories, a Group photo of the 4 was taken to mark the moment, 41 years on from when we last were together. Rawle gave a short welcoming speech to the visitors and residents, who continued to pour over the old and more recent photos, which included some of the last Reunion in Nov ’05 at Porthcurno, which Ron and Rawle missed. And, it was Brian’s 67th birthday, so celebrations all round!
Jean and I left with Brian & Josie, called by their house in Mount Pleasant, then Coddrington College, a seminary nearby, and finally a cocktail at Crane Beach before returning to our hotel and bumping into Ron & Julie, whom we joined for a couple more and a bite to eat.
We met up again next day and perused old photos before Hugh (& Tammy) joined in a lunch at Kendal Sporting Ground. That completed the 4 members of Group 58 here for the Reunion. The location was very appropriate as it used to be the HF Radio Receiving Site, Carrington, for C&W in Barbados and another Ron, a white Barbadian also ex-C&W, brought some old photos of the site when it was operational. Brian & Josie, along with Glen, yet another ex-C&W resident on the island, with his white Barbadian wife Rosemary. After a fine lunch and a few old stories, a Group photo of the 4 was taken to mark the moment, 41 years on from when we last were together. Rawle gave a short welcoming speech to the visitors and residents, who continued to pour over the old and more recent photos, which included some of the last Reunion in Nov ’05 at Porthcurno, which Ron and Rawle missed. And, it was Brian’s 67th birthday, so celebrations all round!
Jean and I left with Brian & Josie, called by their house in Mount Pleasant, then Coddrington College, a seminary nearby, and finally a cocktail at Crane Beach before returning to our hotel and bumping into Ron & Julie, whom we joined for a couple more and a bite to eat.
No comments:
Post a Comment