Page 26 - QARANC Vol 15 No 2 2017

24 QARANC THE GAZETTE
HRH the Countess of Wessex with the Branch Chairs and Secretaries
70th Anniversary Garden Party at Bagshot Park, home of the Earl and Countess of Wessex
We were lucky that 14 June 2017 dawned bright, clear and very warm, for the QARANC Association 70th Anniversary Garden Party held at Bagshot Park, the home of the Earl and Countess of Wessex. This was the ‘location close to the Royal Military Academy’, if we hadn’t guessed already! The Countess as our Colonel in Chief and Patron of the Association very kindly offered the use of her garden to help us commemorate our special anniversary. As the garden party was held at a royal residence, we all had to gather at QA RHQ Robertson House in the grounds of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before being conveyed by coach to the house, just three miles away in Bagshot. Many of the Association members attending had not visited Robertson House (the former Army Staff College) before, so were able to have a quick look around before gathering in the dining room for a final security briefing. There was much admiration for the busts of Florence Nightingale and Queen Alexandra, as well as the Op Gritrock painting (What Really Matters) and the superb painting of a ward scene at Cardiff Royal Infirmary during World War One which hangs in the entrance hall.
We moved off in two separate groups to Bagshot Park, and once there were greeted by the friendly and welcoming staff of The Royal Household. As the Earl was away, the Countess’ own personal standard was being flown. The house is a surprisingly long way from the road, and despite passing it every day on my way to work for many years, I had not realised how extensive the grounds are (seventy acres) and indeed how beautiful they are. Many members availed themselves of the opportunity for a guided tour of the garden, hosted by the head gardener, Andrew, and he was highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He made a very important point that all the
work he and his team were doing was to ensure the longevity of the garden, and he was looking fifty years ahead in terms of planting. The garden is divided into a number of separate, but connecting gardens, with a maze to get lost in!
As many will know, Bagshot Park was built in 1879 replacing an older house, and was the headquarters of the Royal Army Chaplains Department for many years after being offered to and used by the military after the death of the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (a son of Queen Victoria) in 1942. It reverted to the Crown estate in 1998 and was leased to the Earl and Countess of Wessex as their residence. The chaplains reportedly had a sign made for the pond stating ‘please do not walk on the water’!
Once everyone had gathered by the Long Pond, the Countess arrived to the strains of the National Anthem, played
HRH the Countess of Wessex with the beautifully colour co- ordinated Regimental Secretaries past and present. Major Judy Evans, Major Diana Wilson, The Countess, Ms Sue McAteer