MONTHLY MEETINGS 1st and 3rd MONDAYS, 7.45 for 8 pm.

AT THE T.S. TERRA NOVA, 34 THE WALDRONS, S. CROYDON.

Dear Members,

Another year, another AGM, I hope we get a good turn-out as this is a good barometer for the health of the club and your endorsement of the work the committee does. I have now been secretary for nine years ... but how much longer?

NEXT MEETING. 57th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING.

Formal notice of this ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING was given in the last newsletter. This will be held on 6th April at the club room, 7.30 for 8 pm. Enclosed herewith is a copy of the minutes of the last AGM, please bring it along as they have to be accepted. At the end of this newsletter is the AGENDA and also a nomination form for proposing members for the committee 1998/99. The acceptance of the nominee must be obtained and the form must be in the hands of the committee prior to the Chairman opening the meeting. The committee consists of the Secretary (to be nominated separately) and seven members. The names of nominees will be displayed on the blackboard before the meeting. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and Treasurer will be selected from the seven elected members at the AGM.

THIS PROBABLY IS, OR SHOULD BE, THE MOST IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE YEAR, so please make an effort to attend even if you are not normally able to get along to other club meetings. This is your opportunity to elect the committee, to find out how the club has been operating in the past year, to scrutinise the accounts, and to express your views as to how the club has been run over the past twelve months. The committee puts in a lot of work on your behalf and tries to carry out your wishes so please come along and express your views as regards contests, outings etc. which does help the committee to plan ahead. It would be nice to have more nominations and some new blood would not come amiss. I would also like to take this opportunity to express my thanks, and also I hope yours, for the efforts the committee has made to keep the club as successful as it has been over the past 63 years.

AS WAS MENTIONED in the last newsletter, there is a proposal to change the rules in order to make the club financial year to end on 31st January so that the Hon Treasurers will have more time to prepare the accounts and also hopefully, to sent a copy of the accounts with the AGM notice. These changes will have to have the approval of the meeting.

We have nominations for the committee but more are always welcome.

In the past these meetings have generally been very successful, some better than others. However this one suffered from the success of past meetings, when there was so much gear that some items were not reached or had to be hurried through which meant that time was not spent on particular items. This I feel has put members off bringing along gear and there was not the wide range that we have had in the past. Also we (fortunately) did not have any silent key items. We only raised some £25 whereas the last one was nearer £150. Perhaps March is not as good a time of year as the autumn one but I do hope that we can continue with sales, as without the benefits to club funds the subscription would have to be considerably increased. We still had a good turnout of members but there were some familiar faces missing, but in view of the small amount of gear on offer perhaps it was just as well. Our thanks to Maurice in assisting me, and to Peter G3ZPB and Ray G4FFY who kept the accounts.

REPORT ON CLUB DINNER.

This took place on the 21st February and this year the weather was kind to US. 25 members and their XYLs attended although at one time we had 31 on our list but some dropped out at the last minute. It was very nice to see some members who are not normally able to get to general meetings. We found that the Windmill Wallington attended to our needs very well and all there spoke most highly of the food and service. A short speech from the Chairman commenting on his three years in that capacity and the raffle (which now seems to be traditional) were very well received, and our thanks to those who donated prizes. To sum it up, I would suspect that the next one might again be held there.

RSGB NATIONAL VHF CONVENTION.

The day was Sunday, the venue Sandown Racecourse, and the queue not too long when G3BFP, G3ZPB and myself attended. There seemed not to be as large a crowd as usual on opening but the hall filled up later on in the morning. Harry G4TWK was there and it was also nice to see Harry G3SBV up and about though unfortunately with his leg still in plaster. Also there were many other SRCC members and I was able to get a few bits and pieces from Robin Sykes G3NFV. We left about mid-day... a very pleasant morning out.

CONSTRUCTION CONTEST.

Another reminder that the meeting after the AGM will be the construction contest. Last time I seem to remember that we had some 17 entries, so I hope that we will get the same number this time. I know that many of you are building equipment so bring it along, with a little spit and polish some quite simple pieces come high up in the judging.

USED POSTAGE STAMPS.

I am glad to say that I still have a number of members who regularly send stamps which help towards the funds of the Diamond Riding School. I am also pleased that they also come from non members and I had three batches from Elsie, Florrie and Pat from the Old Coulsdon centre with which Hazel (XYL G3BFP) is connected and I am very grateful. So keep them coming along, the more the merrier. I understand that foreign ones are more valuable!!!

FOR SALE.

YAESU FT 902DM HF Transceiver and YAESU 2100Z Linear Amp. In mint condition together or would consider separate sales. £750 ONO. Can be seen working at QTH G3YRB. 0181 684 3974.

ALSO can anyone tell Arthur where he can get a quart of TRANSFORMER OIL?

THE HOME GUARD Continued.

These patrols started at 8.00pm at the Selsdon Park Riding Stables where the first task was to saddle the three horses. Our uniforms differed only from the normal in that we wore riding breeches and puttees and carried revolvers. The patrol went by various routes to stables at Chelsham Common. The horses would be fed and watered and we would get a few hours sleep before arising at 4.30am to muck-out the stables, saddle up and patrol back to Selsdon, usually by the most direct route. After stabling the horses we dismissed at 6.00am and I would then catch the first bus from Selsdon to Addiscombe to breakfast before cycling to Purley Way to start work at 7.30 am. The summer patrols were very enjoyable with a possible stop at the Harrow Pub on Farleigh Common which then was a typical country pub. I invariably had the job of standing outside to mind the horses, legally I was still too young to drink beer and at that time I didn't like it so 1 wasn't too bothered. The winter patrols were another matter, moonlit nights were not too bad but with the blackout regulations some patrols were carried out in pitch black conditions. I put my trust in the horse and hoped he could see better than me. The other hazard was the icy roads, I hated the very steep hill from the stables to the Bird Sanctuary. It was fortunate that there were few motor vehicles on our routes as we didn't carry lights and the car head-lights were heavily masked. During the spring of 1943 in addition to the mounted patrols I had to guard a Bolton Paul Defiant aircraft that was sited in Selsdon High St. where the garage now stands next to the supermarket. It was there as part of the Selsdon 'Wings For Victory Week' to encourage the sale of National Savings Certificates. As it was a mild night I and two other sentries had no problem sleeping under the wings of the aircraft.

After a year or so I was asked to join the Selsdon Signal Section to become the Mounted Platoon Signaller. I then spent many interesting evenings and Sundays installing telephone cable around the Selsdon area. The longest run was from the Platoon HQ to the Company HQ at Addington Palace. The route for our overhead cable was mostly across country. The last two houses in Selsdon were just past the pylon opposite the footpath leading to Selsdon Vale. I believe they are still there. From there it was across fields until we got to Gravel Hill which we crossed using suitable trees!

By this time we were getting infantry radio equipment and I was getting more interested in army signals. In addition I was finding it difficult travelling to and from Selsdon because of my long working day. I therefore requested a transfer to the A company Signals section based in a house opposite Shirley Park Golf Club in Addiscombe Road. During this period I attended parades in the Shirley Park Hotel whilst my over-night duties involved operating the telephone switchboard for the HQ at Addington Palace.

During my Mounted Patrols air raids were infrequent but during my time at Shirley Park Hotel we had many and as there was a Home Guard manned anti-aircraft battery sited on the golf course we had many very noisy parades. Apart from radio and telephone links I had no contact with Selsdon until June 1944 when all Home Guard units were put on 'Stand to' following the D Day landings. All 59th Surrey Units provided manpower to increase the strength of the nightly guards in the southern area of the Battalion and they were centred in Selsdon.. When my turn came round I was back in the Platoon HQ at Selsdon and my night duty was accompanied by the noise of an almost continuous procession of Flying Bombs passing over Selsdon. After a few weeks it became apparent that a counter invasion by Germany was unlikely and that he would be pinning his hopes on the V1s and V2s and therefore the 'Stand To' was rescinded and I returned to switchboard operating at Addington Palace. In Sept. 1944 1 was called up f or Army service and in the November all Home Guard Units were 'Stood Down'.

It is not for me to say whether the Home Guard would have been an effective force against regular enemy units but they were well trained in small arms and provided additional means of communication we well as relieving regular troops from the task of guarding public utilities etc. The anti Aircraft Batteries manned by Home guard units most certainly fired many 'shots in anger' with I am sure great effect.

THANKS HARRY for that very interesting insight into "one man's war.

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17A. The Club's financial year shall run from February 1st to January 31st.

17B. The Club Accounts shall be scrutinised annually prior to the AGM by one or more independent examiner(s)

17C. The Independent Examiner(s) (who should not be a committee member but may be am ordinary member of the Club) shall be appointed for the following year by the Club Members at the AGM.

Well that's the lot for this month. Don't forget the construction contest next month. And I hope to see a bumper number of you at this very important Annual General Meeting on MONDAY 6th APRIL.

73 es 88. Bernard G8TB