Kent Branch History

2008

In June 2008 Peter Nixon (Ex Chock head) and Mike Foote (Ex Greeny) both Committee Members of Ramsgate RNA and Chairman and Vice Chairman of The Channel Dash Association, were wondering why Kent did not have a National Fleet Air Arm Association Branch in the county. Mike, a member of the Daedalus Branch, and Peter thought it was a ridiculous situation that Kent, the birth place of Aviation in the UK and Naval Aviation in particular was not represented.

By early August they decided to look into the possibility of starting a Kent Branch and contacted the National FAAA Secretary Arnold Thompson who advised them to attend the next General Meeting being held at Derby in October where they would be able to address the National Committee and put forward their proposal to form a Kent Branch.

At the meeting in Derby, Peter and Mike explained how they proposed to base the Branch in Ramsgate but wanted to recruit members throughout the county. Monthly meetings would be held at the Ramsgate RNA Club, but once a quarter the meeting could be moved to a venue anywhere in the county to accommodate members from outside the Ramsgate area. The FAAA Committee gave them their full support and wished them every success.

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2009

Peter arranged a Press Release using a freelance journalist contact he had, and an article

appeared in the local papers during early January 2009.

The inaugural meeting was held at Ramsgate RNA on 31st January 2009; the attendance was 14 of which 10 joined.

A Branch Committee was elected, Peter Nixon (Chairman), Mike Foote (Secretary) and John (Dinger) Bell (Treasurer).

The following day Peter and Mike attended the FAAA Committee meeting at RNA Hanworth to report on the Kent Branch

inaugural meeting, from this the Committee gave them a generous grant of £200.00 to help establish the Branch.

The Inaugural Meeting.

 

Left to Right.

Peter Nixon, Mike Foote, Harry Field, Mike Adams, Ron Bowers, Ben Parish, John Williams,

Dick Richards, John Bell, Peter Stokes, George Meaden.

Seated.

Patricia Knox-Duignan, Jennifer Nixon

 
Mike and Peter with the National FAAA Committee at Hanworth RNA.

  Monthly meetings were held at Ramsgate RNA and by April membership had grown to 16. Peter and Mike said that recruiting

new members would be a slow process and were pleased the Branch was growing at a steady rate. 

4th April. FAAA AGM and Reunion Weekend at Bosworth Hall. This was attended by the Secretary who had booked as a Daedalus member before the Kent Branch was formed. During the weekend he managed to recruit 2 members for the Kent Branch.

1st May. Pioneer Memorial Service at Eastchurch Isle of Sheppey.

Branch Chairman and Secretary with Rear Admiral Charlier

This event also marked the start of celebrations to commemorate the start of Fly Navy 100 the Centenary of Naval Aviation.

7th May. The Secretary attended a Fly Navy Heritage Trust event at HMS President. This was to launch stamps depicting Naval Aviation,

and a new bottled beer consisting of a 4X beer and “Pussers Rum” called “Swordfish”. The Chairman attended a Mess Dinner on HMS Illustrious that evening; his invite was under this position as Chairman of the Channel Dash.

8th May. Again under his position of Channel Dash Chairman Peter Nixon attended the Memorial Service at St Paul’s Cathedral.

10th May Trip by Kent Branch members to visit and tour HMS Illustrious at anchor in London. The day out was attended by a combined party of FAA and Channel Dash members.

 
Branch members on the “Goofing” deck of HMS Illustrious. 

Left to Right. Christine Loveday, Jim Loveday, Sheelah Foote, Dick Richards.

By June the Kent Branch membership had reached 19.

17th June. Jim Loveday offered to give members a tour of Southwark Crown Court where he works as a Police Liaison Officer. Dick Richards and Mike Foote made the trip to London for the visit and also met up with members of HMS Belfast Association, of which Jim is an honorary member.

18th June. Members who served at HMS Peregrine made a nostalgic return to the air station, which is now HMP Ford. It brought back many happy memories and was a very interesting day. 

27th June. Members joined with the Ramsgate RNA for a coach trip to attend Veterans Day at Chatham Dockyard.

9th July. Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace. This was one of if not the main high light of the year for the FAAA. The weather was good and those of our members who attended had a very good day out.

3rd October. The Secretary attended as the Branch delegate the FAAA General Meeting at Derby.

21st October. An invitation was extended to the Branch by HMS Belfast Association for members to join them in a Trafalgar Day lunch in London. This was taken up by three members, Jim Loveday, Mike Foote and Dick Richards; it proved to be an excellent run ashore.

8th November. It had been agreed by the members that we would lay wreaths at Ramsgate and Margate Remembrance Sunday Parades.

Member Ernie Coppard Lays our wreath at Ramsgate War Memorial

Branch Treasurer John 'Dinger' Bell Laid the Branch Wreath at Margate War Memorial.

14th November. The Branch held a Taranto Night Dinner at The Racing Greyhound in Ramsgate, 26 members and family attended, who all declared the event a great success. This will probably become a fixture in the Branch calendar.

 

16th December. HMS Belfast Association extended an invitation to those members who attended the Trafalgar Lunch in October to join them onboard HMS Belfast for a Christmas Dinner.

 

Left-Right. Dick Richards, Jim Loveday, Mike Foote.

21st December. Unfortunately the planned Christmas Social Evening had to be cancelled due to the very severe and adverse weather conditions.

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2010

 Kent Branch History 2010

25th January. Kent Branch 1st AGM meeting.

 

Election of Committee:

Peter Nixon was re-elected as Chairman, Margaret Lees elected in the new position of Vice Chairman. The Secretary and Treasurer will serve until the AGM .in 2011.

 

 

 
Kent Branch Committee 2010 

Mike Foote.     Margaret Lees.       John Bell.    Peter Nixon.

Secretary.       Vice Chairman.        Treasurer.     Chairman.

 

12th February.  Channel Dash Association Memorial unveiling in Ramsgate.

 

The FAAA National Standard was paraded, and a good turn out of Branch members attended, despite the wintry conditions.

 

 

Left to Right.

 

Carol Lee. Peter Nixon, Val Sayer, Dick Richards, John Bell, Admiral Charlier, Mike Foote.

 

 

 

At the reception held after the Memorial Dedication, Branch member Ben Parish (on the left) met up with his old CO Captain Winkle Brown.

 

 

9th April.  The Secretary as Branch delegate and his wife attended the FAAA AGM and Reunion weekend at Bosworth Hall.

13th May.  The Vice Chairman and Secretary on behalf of the Branch, attend a cocktail party held at MOD Manston by The Fire Training and Development Centre ( RAF Chock heads).

24th May.  At the Branch meeting a talk and slide show was given by the local Kent author Susan Pope on Airships, entitled “Lighter than Air”.

26th July.  The monthly Branch meeting was held at Pembroke House the RNBT residential home in Gillingham, 14 members made the trip.

 

 

 

Back row. John Williams, Peter Stokes, John Bell, Ben Parish, Norman Wilmshurst, PH staff member, Jim Loveday, Mike Foote. 

Front row.

George Meaden, Patricia Knox-Duignan, Stella Warden, Joyce Fyles.

 

In residence there are 6 ex FAA people, of which 4 were able to join in the meeting and socialise, unfortunately the other 2 were not well enough to join us. During the meeting one of the residents (Ken Whittingham) decided to transfer his membership from Daedalus to the Kent Branch.

 

 

 

Standing L-R John Williams, Patricia Knox-Duignan, Stella Warden, Peter Stokes, Ben Parish, John Bell, Dick Richards, Jim Loveday and Mike Foote.

Seated L-R  George Meaden, Joyce Fyles, Ernie Watson (resident), Norman Wilmshurst Roy Scadden.

 

 

28th August.  The residents and staff at Pembroke House invited Branch members and guests to attend their annual summer garden party in and around the grounds of the home. A coach with 21 passengers made the trip to Gillingham.

 

 

 

Pembroke House Garden Party.

Patricia Knox-Duignan, John Williams & Dick Richards.

 

19th September. Members attend the 70th Anniversary Battle of Britain Parade, organised by the Ramsgate RAFA.  The FAAA Kent Branch wreath was laid by Ernie Coppard.

 

 

8th October. Eastchurch Aviation Pioneer Memorial Service, the event was attended by 4 members of the Kent Branch.

 

 

Mike Foote (Secretary), Dick Richards, Ernie Coppard, Dinger Bell (Treasurer)

11th  November.  Branch Secretary lays Poppy Wreath at Ramsgate Cemetery war Memorial.

14th  November. Remembrance Day. The Branch Poppy Wreath was laid by the Vice Chairman Maggie Lees at the Margate Parade, while at the Ramsgate Parade it was again laid by Ernie Coppard.

 

 

 

20th November.  A 70th Anniversary Dinner to celebrate the Battle of Taranto was attended by 30 Branch members and friends at The Racing Greyhound, Ramsgate.

 

 

 

 

Mike Foote (Sec), Mike & Jean Thompson, Peter Nixon (Chairman), John Williams.

6th December.   Christmas Lunch, held at the Racing Greyhound Ramsgate, 17 Branch members and family attended.