Mast Head Pennant  Jan 2012          

Secretaries Report
“Happy New Year Shipmates”
I’ve deliberately left the issue of the MHP until now in the hope that the Scottish contingent has sufficiently sobered up following the “Hogmanay Bells” as I know eye sight can be drastically affected by lack of sleep!                                                                                                      I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year, I most definitely did with help from family and good Oppo’s, and unlike last year I think we all enjoyed reasonably good weather.
So what has 2012 got in store for us? I hear you calling,
Have a guess! You’ve got it, Reunion 2012
Thanks to all of you that have already responded and secured their rooms at the hotel, however,  there are still many that have still to do so, giving Dave Erwin nightmares in case he ends up having to drink all of the Queens after tot time. So just to refresh our memories, have a deco at the venue etc (see MHP July 2011 Dave Erwin’s report below)

It’s time once again for me to give you the good news regarding our next ‘Reunion’. Harrogate is the place and the venue is The Holiday Inn commencing Friday 25 May 2012.
No sea views this time around, however Harrogate is a beautiful historic town especially in the springtime.
Even although this is a four star hotel and there has been an increase in vat I have still   managed to negotiate the same rates as last year.
The cost will be £140 per person for the two night package with no supplements for single occupancy.
This includes Dinner, Bed & Breakfast with special entertainment on the Friday evening by Michael Buble (not the real one, but I have seen this guy recently in Spain and he is brilliant!) and of course the usual disco after our Gala Dinner on the Saturday.
For those of you who want to enjoy the Sunday in Harrogate there is a great, special rate at the hotel of £85 per couple or £62.50 for a single. This also includes a 3 course dinner with full breakfast.
Bar prices are the usual high rates of your average hotel however I have managed to get a 15% discount for our private function rooms only. That makes the cost of a pint of beer around £3.
BOOK DIRECTLY with the HOTEL’s RESERVATIONS   01423 849900                                     guests should quote HMS 1805 when booking.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me on 01977 650278 or by email daviderwin@talktalk.net
Dave Erwin
Ps:  Family and Friends are most welcome (Not suitable for children under 16)

Please remember shipmates, we have a support fund to help shipmates out if they are struggling to fund their reunion, just have a quiet word with our treasurer and help will be provided in complete confidence: 01954 211014  

Blazer Badges: Anyone wishing to purchase a HMS Dainty blazer badge should contact Robbie Robson of the Federation of Naval Associations (Details below) Requesting that the badge required should be in the correct colour i.e. “White” fan NOT RED as per Peter Hillmans colour and with the Latin word Quad spelt with an O and not an A as per the official ships badge. The last time I purchased one was prior to reunion 2010, cost: £6.50 inclusive of postage, and with payment on receipt.                                                                                                                             
Robbie Robson, 12 Rainton Street,   Old Penshaw,  Co Durham,  DH4 7HQ.                                                       Tel: 0191 5847058.  robbie.fna@virgin.net
And there is more shipmates, I bet you can’t wait, it’s the one thing you are all looking forward to above all others! Yes, it’s that time of year shipmates when our trusty but tight treasurer Scrooge Middleton starts to get palpitations as he scrutinizes line by line the ships accounts, in the hope of finding some innocent little O/D has missed paying his SUB’S on time. Please don’t let it be you! He’s evil when he gets his heckles up, I promise you, besides, he’s 70 in early February when the SUB’S are Due, So let’s give him a break shipmates or we will never hear the end of it!!!!!! Full Members £10  &  £5  Associate Members per annum.
Can you HELP: Now Old Scrooge himself is looking to have a great big Birthday Banquet all on his own “the tight-fisted so and so that he is” and he is asking if anybody can help him find the true recipe of an old Naval favourite nosh “Cheese Oosh” unfortunately the only ones that he has been able to find so far contains no cheese at all?                                         Well at least that will keep the costs down Tony!!!                                                                          He also recommends two books: Jackspeak The Pusser’s Rum guide to RN Slanguage by Rick Jolly & Not enough room to swing a cat by Martin Robson (Naval slang & its everyday usage)
Sick Bay
I received a letter from Dennis Pearson at Christmas informing me that he has really been through the wars over the past few months, undergoing major heart and eye surgery, resulting in him having to give up driving and having to cancel his 58th wedding anniversary arranged to be held in Cyprus as he was grounded from flying. I’m pleased to report that he is now making progress and is hoping to join us at our reunion. He will then be 82 years young and just may have to curtail from Jiving and the hornpipe. Keep it up Dennis, oh and Betty make sure he does! We know what he is like!!

Committee Members
Chairman                              Reg Grogan          28. Lingard Close, Nechels, Birmingham.B7 5DJ                        01212404930
Secretary / MHP                 Ron Carr              27. Adelaide Drive, Birchglen, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8UB       01206512109                                       
Treasurer                             Tony Middleton    53. Ellison Lane, Hardwick, Cambridge, CB23 7XH                   01954211014                                   
Web Master                        Chris Bolton         10. Venwood Rd, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 9UB                   01617731304                                   
Reunion Organizer              Dave Erwin          1. Grange Close, Badsworth, West Yorkshire, WF9 1AD            01977650278                                   

Yours Aye   Crash Carr