Page 181 - Mind, Body & Spirit Number 104 2020/21

EASTERN BRANCH ASSOCIATION
KINGFISHER BOXING CLUB REMEMBRANCE SHOW
ARMY PHYSICAL TRAINING CORPS VETERANS & ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Ex WO1 (SMI) Jack Goodwin APTC
Having recently moved from York and the NE Branch Association area to Lowestoft and the EASTERN Branch area, it quickly became apparent that there were numerous
former APTC/RAPTC personnel in the EDIST area.
Contact was made with the Secretary, Maj (Retd) Chic Wilkinson and after a few meetings over coffee, it was decided that due to the somewhat increased numbers of personnel in the area, every effort would be made to reinstate the EDIST Branch with an annual Branch Association Dinner and additional events.
With my association and involvement with the Kingfisher Amateur Boxing Club in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, where myself and my partner Ellen regularly trained, they were due to have their club show over the Remembrance weekend and invite local VIP Normandy Veterans and a special invite was made to us as the EDIST RAPTC Association members also.
Myself and my fiancée Ellen, started to make the necessary arrangements and invited a total of 16 members from the region, however only 8 of us were able to make it as follows:
Maj (Retd) Chic Wilkinson, WO1 (SMI) Jack Goodwin, WO1 (SMI) Bob Duncan, WO2 (QMSI) Kev Greef, WO2 (QMSI) Jim Darrah, WO2 (QMSI) Dave Bowen, WO2 (QMSI) Pete Lydall, SSgt (SSI) Tom Prentice, Ellen Wright
As indicated, ex WO2 (QMSI) Kev Greef also attended. Kev was my former APTCI in the 1st Battalion Queen’s Regiment in Germany from 1978 to 1980 when I was a young Cpl AIPT in the Battalion. He was also the Battalion’s Boxing Coach and then went on to be the Head Coach for the Army Boxing Team in the early 1980’s. Kev was also very instrumental and an inspired me to transfer to the APTC which I successfully did in 1982. Sadly, he is suffering from dementia and Parkinson’s disease, is almost totally confined to a
EDIST Veterans: Veterans Balcony - Back L-R: Jim Darrah, Dave Bowen, Bob Duncan, Pete Lyddall, Tom Prentice, Chic Wilkinson Front L-R: Ellen Wright, Kev Greef
wheelchair and requires constant care, however, he still has that well known and remembered cheeky grin, and he has maintained his great sense of sarcasm and humour. I have been fortunate to visit him on a number of occasions with Chic and he is still able to remember names, dates, times and places and can chat for hours about the 1 Queen’s Boxing Team from my time with them over 40 years ago.
It was also great to see other good friends and colleagues who I had previously served with during my APTC career but had not seen for a number of years.
The Kingfisher Boxing Show was held on the Saturday before Remembrance Sunday at the Hippodrome Circus in Great Yarmouth, known as East Anglia’s Mini Royal Albert Hall, and a great venue for a boxing event. We all met up at the Wherry Hotel in Lowestoft and got a minibus to the venue, where we were in a special segregated area just for us VIP Veterans. A good
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EDIST Veterans - Standing: Pete Lyddall, Tom Prentice, Dave Bowen, Chic Wilkinson, Bob Duncan,Jim Darrah, Jack Goodwin Seated: Kev Greef