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Hello
again.
SANO
CHAIRMAN’S 2009 CHRISTMAS MESSAGE
As
the end of 2009 nears, we can look back on yet another successful year
for SANO. As always the success has been largely due to the Committee,
and in particular to our Secretary Ian Wright: thanks to them all.
Somebody once said “Christmas is a time when everybody wants his past
forgotten and his present remembered”. In the case of SANO, I think we
are all quite happy to think about the good times we have had and hope
that these will continue in the future, but to ensure this is the case
we need a ‘present’ in the form of a new Secretary to replace Ian who
is stepping down at the AGM. If you have the organisational flair and
interest to take on this role, please do contact me.
There is of course no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you
decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections,
and traditions. So whatever you make of it, I hope that this Christmas
will be one to remember and I send you all my very best wishes.
Patrick Saunders
PRESIDENT'S EVENING FRIDAY 4 DECEMBER
Twenty five members and guests attended this, our last event in 2009,
and it went very well under the benign direction of our President,
Peter Woodhead. After an excellent supper of goulash or curry followed
by cheese, we enjoyed a series of anecdotes, poems and funny stories.
The highlight for your Secretary was, as in previous years, Ann
Bangert's reading of Ogden Nash; this year it was (appropriately) one
of his tributes to booze.
MEMBERSHIP DETAILS
An up to date membership list has been sent to all members, who are
asked to let Ian know if there are any errors or omissions. Our
Treasurer asks you to ensure that your annual subscription of £10 is
paid promptly. Although he is not (yet!) a member, everyone in SANO
who knows Captain Christopher Richards, Royal Navy, (son of our Vice
President, Martin Richards), will be delighted that he has been
selected for promotion to acting Commodore, with effect from December
2009.
LIEUTENANT COMMANDER JOHN AGER RD* RNR
Here is a brief tribute to John Ager who passed away on 23 November.
His funeral on 3 December was attended by Vice President Pip Noel,
Chairman Pat Saunders and many other members of SANO.
John had a long connection with the sea, serving in the Prince Line
from 1948 to 1951, then joining the RNVR in 1957. He served at HMS
SUSSEX for many years, and was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in
1970, just before he qualified as a CO of the divisional tender, HMS
CURZON. In addition to being awarded the Reserve Decoration and Bar,
he was awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal. When he retired from
the RNR in 1982, he took on the job of Wardroom Mess Secretary of HMS
SUSSEX, carrying out the duties in his characteristically highly
efficient, yet unhurried, fashion. While Mess Secretary, he took a
particular interest in mentoring Junior Officers into life in the
Wardroom, and it was highly appropriate that in 1992 he was made an
Honorary Life Member of the Wardroom Mess. He was an active member of
HMS SUSSEX Shipmates Association, serving as President from 2005. John
had a wide range of interests of which sport and sailing were the main
ones. He played cricket, rugby and tennis for many years, going on to
become Secretary, then President. of Jevington Cricket Club, and a
Honorary Life Member of Eastbourne RFC. He and Carol lived in
Hampshire for some time, and during that period he was a very active
member of Yarmouth Lifeboat RNLI and of the Royal Solent Yacht Club,
serving first as Rear Commodore, then Commodore, and co-authoring the
history of the Club. John was a man of great charm and abilities, with
a wonderful knack of making people feel at ease. As his obituary said,
he enjoyed a good life thanks to wonderful family and friends. SANO
sends its deepest sympathy to Carol, Michael, Richard and Anna and all
his family.
THE
BAIRDOW TROPHY
You
may recall that SANO has presented a trophy in memory of our late
President, Captain Don Bairdow, to Hove and Adur Sea Cadet
Unit. Don was Chairman of the Unit in the early 1990s. I am pleased to
report that Mrs Eleanor Bairdow, Don's widow, presented the trophy to
its first recipient, Cadet Alex Gander, at the Unit's annual
presentation evening held on 1 December. The photograph on the home
page shows Eleanor, Alex and the trophy, a handsome, suitably engraved
silver salver.
RIGHTS CHARTER FOR ARMED FORCES
A charter giving serving members and veterans of the armed forces
specific and possibly legally binding rights, including priority
access to public services such as healthcare, has been proposed by the
Defence Secretary,
Bob Ainsworth in a recent speech to the Royal United Services
Institute. He has admitted that
despite a series of benefits newly available to service personnel,
some did not know what they were entitled to or how to find out about
them. He said the Ministry of Defence needed to do more to inform
personnel of their rights, and public services of their duties. The
proposal for a charter was part of a vision of "permanent cultural
change" to ensure Britain fulfilled its "nation's commitment" to
support service personnel, he said. Ainsworth has also said that the
MoD would fund a pilot scheme by the British Legion to give legal
advice to bereaved service families to help them with inquests. A
survey of NHS hospitals has raised questions over the existing scheme
to give priority to veterans in England, Scotland and Wales suffering
ill-health as a result of service. Statistics gathered from 118 NHS
trusts in England found 80% had no idea whether they had treated
veterans under the scheme.
EMPIRE OF THE SEAS
This is the title of a new series to be shown early in 2010 on BBC2.
In it,
historian and avid sailor Dan Snow goes beyond the
battle tactics to reveal a surprising history by examining the impact
of the Royal Navy on society, from its role in the foundation of the
Bank of England to the creation of a model for the civil service. The
book to accompany the series is written by the distinguished naval
historian, Brian Lavery, and will be published by Anova Books (http://www.anovabooks.com)
in January 2010, RRP £20, ISBN 9-781-8448-6109-5.
TAILPIECE
Following Ann Bangert's contribution at President's Evening, here is
some seasonal advice from Ogden Nash.
To
keep your marriage brimming,
With love in the loving cup,
Whenever you're wrong, admit it;
Whenever you're right, shut up.
Best
wishes
Ian
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