Page 32 - QARANC Vol 18 No 1 2020

30 The Gazette QARANC Association
Millbank Branch
Chairman: Lindi Kibbey Secretary: Judy Cook
Millbank branch continues a busy programme of events and with leavers, joiners and transfers in and out, maintains a stable membership.
Following a long, dignified fight with illness, we were particularly sad to lose Tim Woods, one of our honorary members in December 2019.
Thank you to all those for their contributions to this Gazette and of course the support of all members throughout the year.
Judy Cook Branch Secretary
Lord Mayor’s Show – from L Karen Ives, Janette Parkins, Fran Olivier-Kay
Lord Mayors Show
Despite the forecast of rain for 9 November 2019 we remained optimistic and were not proved wrong as it was a sunny Saturday. Our checklist before leaving home included poppy, beret, QARANC Association scarf, medals, invitation letter and of course warm underclothes. The Standard bearer was Karen Ives with Fran Olivier-Kay and Janette Parkins escorting. We arrived at the traffic island outside the Royal Courts of Justice in good time, this year knowing that by displaying our letter we would be allowed through the extensive security and barriers.
The procession was magnificent, service personnel proudly marching in unison intermingled with a variety of colourful floats. Gleaming boots and smart pressed uniforms marching, glittering bridles on the horses and their coats groomed to a velvet gloss. The Golden Coach arrived carrying the Lord Mayor and his dignitaries and Colonel Burford gave the order to raise the Standards. A swift warming lunch was followed by returning to raise the Standards on the Lord Mayors departure.
A proud moment for all.
Fran Olivier-Kay Branch Member
Service of Remembrance St Paul’s Cathedral
Yet another sunny and clear day for myself, Janette and Helen at our next mission the following day at St Paul’s Cathedral. We took our places in the Cathedral with the other Standard Bearers, our position allowing us to appreciate all the pageantry and spectacle of this amazing service.
After the service we formed up with the Old Comrades to march to the Royal Exchange for the laying of the many wreaths at the London Troops War Memorial. Two other QA’s were invited to escort the RAMC standard on the march and Major (Retd) Brigid Kelly also joined us. This was a moving ceremony with a lone bagpiper supporting the proceedings. We finished the event at the Mansion House with an amazing curry lunch.
As per QA custom we were photographed with the Lord Mayor, and his famous actor brother and true to QARANC tradition we were the last to leave. Having carried the Standard through the maze of underground tunnels and trains to and from our destination we all agreed that it needed a shoulder carrying strap to avoid causing casualties on future journeys!
It is always an honour to represent our amazing Corps on these occasions.
Fran Olivier-Kay Branch Member
QARANC 70th Anniversary Celebrations
The QARANC 70th Anniversary Celebrations on 10 September 2019 at St James’s Palace London, got off to a flying start for the Millbank QARANC Association Branch. A number of us arrived in our best bib and tucker to greet our fellow QA’s and ultimately to meet our Colonel in Chief, HRH The Countess of Wessex GCVO.
QA’s to be presented to HRH were clustered in groups of eight with QA hosts. Colonel Marie Richter and Lieutenant Colonel Jo Cooke both of 256 (City of London) Field Hospital hosted groups and we were individually presented. I was honoured and privileged to be presented to
The Countess as was fellow Millbank member Bettina Wood and we both chatted about our lives and careers in the Army.
It was a memorable reception. The canapés and wine flowed, as did the excited conversation of the many QA’s. It was a wonderful way to celebrate the QARANC’s 70th Anniversary.
Gwin Foley Branch Member
The group at the Beefeater Distillery
Millbank Branch
Distillery Tour
September 2019
Friday 6 September dawned as a rather overcast, autumnal sort of day, but in no way deterred an enthusiastic and eager group travelling to Kennington South London. Following a pub lunch we walked a short distance to the Beefeater Gin Distillery.
The main entrance to the distillery led us into the souvenir shop, where we were introduced to Marcie, our hostess for the afternoon who presented us each with a presentation pack of gin miniatures. From there, we undertook a self-guided tour of the distillery museum, which introduced us to the horrors associated with the very widespread drinking of cheap, home produced gin in the slums of London in the mid – 1700s. It was said that one could ‘get drunk for a penny’ – how times have changed! This led to the eventual regulation of gin production and the formation of licensed distilleries, some of which are still in production today, including the Beefeater distillery. This started life as Burroughs distillery in Chelsea, establishing the Beefeater brand in 1820. The yeoman warder or ‘Beefeater’ being seen as a symbol that most represented the great city of London at the time and remains instantly recognisable worldwide.
After the tour we were reunited with Marcie who told us all about the