Weekend 21-24 March 2019

Wednesday 27th March 2019

Back Home for a rest!!

Wow!! What a weekend!!

I honestly don’t think I have ever attended such a joyous, up-lifting, raucous and stimulating gathering in all my days! To say that I was a little in fear and trepidation at the thought of 400 women of the WRAC Association ‘enjoying’ their 100^th Anniversary celebration would be a very mild understatement. We made it down to the venue at the Leonardo Royal Hotel, Southampton Grand Harbour mid-morning on Thursday 21^st March. The car was bulging with not only my (umpteen!) bags of walking kit, my ‘posh’ stuff for Friday afternoon, my fancy-dress outfit for Friday night, my even ‘posher’ stuff for Saturday night, my WRAC fleece etc for the parade on Sunday and my ordinary clothes, nightwear and toiletries etc, but also Denise’s one ‘hotel’ bag and one gym bag which had been sufficient for her for the 10 days we were away!! [Note to self: learn to pack light!]

Our room wasn’t going to be ready until gone 1pm so we went for a little walk (I needed the exercise!) We wandered round some of the nearest shops & then back to the hotel a bit early where we found that our room was ready. ‘M.J’ from reception kindly helped us trundle all our bags (using a large trolley) up to the room. We settled in, made a cuppa and waited for the onslaught.

And so it began; old & ‘well-worn’ friends, more recent friends, acquaintances and friends yet to be; seemingly all ‘creeds & colours’, all shapes & sizes, all with one thing in common, membership of the WRAC Association out to celebrate 100 years since the formation of our predecessors Old Comrades Associations and the 70^th Anniversary of the formation of the Women’s Royal Army Corps.

These were just some of the highlights of the weekend. 

On Friday afternoon many of us attended a celebratory reception (by kind permission of the Dean and Chapter of Guildford Cathedral) in the presence of HRH The Countess of Wessex (as our Patron’s, the Queen, representative) to mark the Centenary of the WRAC Association. I was lucky enough to be one of about forty women who were actually presented to The Countess of Wessex (hence the need for ‘posh’ day-wear). Not only was my walk raising funds for the WRAC Association but, for the second year running, it was also for the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven whose unit was officially opened by the Countess in November 2018. I found the Countess charming spending time and showing great interest in each person she met. She thanked me for my efforts & I thanked her for her support of my two charities.

On Friday evening there was a buffet and ‘disco’ themed around “Wonderful Women”. Some went as themselves (and why not!) and some made some attempt to represent some famous (and also some obscure) women. There were loads of suffragettes (one of whom looked stunningly authentic), Amy Johnson’s (including my own attempt), Cleopatra’s, nurses (also including a whole tables-worth dressed as the “National ‘Elf Service”), another tables-worth dressed as the GB Women’s Hockey Team and others including most uncomfortably, the astronaut Helen Sharman in full space outfit and Joan of Arc in full plastic suit of armour!! My own favourite was the Statue of Liberty who nearly poked eyes out with her pointy-halo!! One of my friends went as me wearing my WRAC Association ‘100 Miles for 100 Years’ T-shirt and rattling my charity tin. She came to my table where I had only met three of the dinners before. She proceeded to shake the tin explaining that she was dressed as ‘Margaret Davies’ to be greeted with “Who? Who’s she and what has she done?”  It was most amusing if a little deflating!! Still, during her tour of the 40 or so tables she raised over £100 for my two charities.

During ‘downtime’ we were all able to meet and greet people we’d last seen (in my case) nearly fifty years ago, or last year, or maybe months or weeks ago. It was a reaffirmation of friendships made whilst serving as soldiers or since joining the Associations post-military career. There was also the opportunity to meet new and fascinating women all of whom had contributed to our shared history.

 

I must say that the most memorable and extraordinary event was the ‘formal’ (I use the word loosely) Saturday evening dinner. I have never witnessed or been a part of such a remarkable and powerful event. The guest of honour at the dinner was the first female officer to be appointed to the Army Board, Major General Sharon Nesmith, who had prepared an after-dinner speech that, I am certain, would have been entertaining and inspirational. She chose to abandon said speech and talk ‘off-the-cuff’. This was because (to paraphrase) she had missed what was happening that evening during the 20+ years of her military service without realising that it was missing!! She had missed the power and support that a room full of 400 women with a common bond could and did provide. The evening was a tangible reminder to us all of the debt of gratitude that we owe to those who have gone before (and paved the way and fought the fight) and the admiration we hold for those who follow us and continue the fight to this day. We were honoured not only to have as guests Major General Sharon but also two serving female Brigadiers and two serving Colonels. Among the diners were serving soldiers as well as military ‘veterans’. We all recognised the part that we each played in our attempt to broaden horizons and allow women to take their place in the world unfettered and alongside our male colleagues.

Whoa!! Heavy or what? But it was an extraordinary evening. It was an evening full of eating, drinking, singing, dancing and tangible comradeship; particularly the drinking, singing and dancing!! 

The weekend culminated in a “Church” parade with the farewell service led by our wonderfully ‘entertaining’ padre, Rev. Col. (Retired) Sue Wing, aided and abetted during the service and on the parade by the wonderful Yorkshire Military Band under the baton of Louise Lingard-Snape. The salute was taken by Brigadier Fiona Gardiner of the Army Staff flanked by Colonel Frances Castle MBE and the WRAC Association Vice-President, Colonel (Retired) Alison Brown. I think we made a passable attempt at drill and at least this year I managed to get my ‘eyes’ pointing in the same direction as everyone else for the salute!!

Then came the inevitable ‘Goodbyes’ and “Till we meet again” as we began to disperse to all corners of Britain (& beyond!). It was a long drive home and then the arduous task of unpacking and putting everything back in its place began. Finally, ten days after my Solo Challenge had begun, my body decided it had had enough and I crawled to bed to sleep for a good 12 hours!!

My eternal thanks go to everyone who has so generously supported my Walk by donating so ‘willingly’ to my fund-raising. I know that all the monies raised this year will be well used by both the WRAC Association and the Worcestershire Breast Unit Haven who also thank each and every one of you. 

In particular I would like to thank Lt Col (Retired) Sue Westlake, MBE for allowing me to use her house as a base for the walking week. It meant that I could eat sensibly and get done all the things I needed to do, apart from the walking, in peace and comfort. It would have been a much harder challenge without that comforting base.

I would also like to thank my Denise for her un-stinting support and care during the whole long 10 days! She was my chauffeuse, cook, nurse, porter, rock and constantly encouraging companion throughout. Without her I doubt that my challenge would have been completed.

Thank you to you all . . . . . . ‘till next year!!