| Coldstream
Guards Association |
| Middlesbrough and District |
| Reunion
Event |
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YORK RACES OCTOBER MEETING 2007
Annual
Dinner Dance
September 2007
Thursday
evening at the Marton Hotel & Country Club, saw Chairman, John Ferguson and the
duty manager Rita making a start to the preparation for our Annual Dinner Dance.
Late as Friday evening saw John dashing back to the hotel to accommodate a couple of late comers. Saturday evening arrived and although slightly down on numbers due to various reasons, our member's with friends and guests started to arrive. Arriving early and staying at the hotel was Mick and Myrna Lewis over from Ireland, and it is always a great pleasure to welcome them both back, also
attending and staying at the hotel was his friends Pat and Mary Cassells. ![]() All four joining Peter Hellings and his wife Barbara and I must mention my lodger for the night, also in their company, from York, Manny Mercer. With everyone in their place, Chairman John Ferguson called upon yours truly to say Grace, we then all sat to enjoy an excellent meal, with duty manager Rita and her four waitresses looking after us. While dining our resident DJ and former Coldstreamer Tony Bernistone had one of his assistants playing some enjoyable records. At the end of the meal, the Chairman called for everyone to stand and gave the Loyal Toast. He then proceeded to welcome our visitors Mick and Myrna and Pat and Mary, Mick and Pat are members of Liverpool branch of the Association.![]() Also our ever present York Branch member Manny Mercer (I promised his lovely wife Pat that I would look after him). We were delighted to welcome Geoff Dakin, committee member of the Sheffield Branch, who was in the company of Paul Knox. John finished by thanking the remainder of our company for their attendance, without them we would not have a Social evening. John and my daughter Suzanne had been around selling raffle tickets and it was decided to get the draw out of the way so our guests could enjoy the
dancing. ![]() There were shouts of fix when my table won a couple of prizes, and I thought at one time Treasurer Ian Camp's table were going to walk away with all the prizes. Now it was was time to dance the night away, with the DJ playing an assortment of sequence modern and disc dancing. Members and guests soon picked up the tempo and by the end of the evening the floor was very full. Manny (Old Twinkle Toes) Mercer and John (Strut my Stuff) Ferguson along with Norman (Give it all) Wise could be seen enjoying themselves, everyone
had a go at something. ![]() With last orders being shouted, I stopped the music for a short while, to thank everyone for their attendance, John and Suzanne for doing the raffle, Rita and the staff of the Marton Hotel and Country Club and not forgetting our DJ's. In closing I commented that I hoped everyone had enjoyed themselves and if they had my name was Manny Cook and if not, it was Manny Mercer. Norman Wise followed me to ask everyone to give a big hand to the two people who had spent a lot of time organising the evening John and myself, thank you Norman it was greatly appreciated. My carriage awaited and it was a very tired but pleased Secretary who returned home. Here's looking to 2008 and I know it will be a fight for tickets next year, so don't forget to get yours early. Manny Cook Hon. Secretary Hon Secretary
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Black
Week End May 2007
![]() Victoria Barracks Windsor, the home of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards was where a party of fourteen Boro members headed for by mini coach, unfortunately one member was unwell and unable to travel, and a further member travelled by car in order to visit his family after the weekend. Arriving a the barracks we were allocated our rooms and given chance to settle in. The sergeant’s mess was closed in order to prepare the huge marquee for the evening farewell dinner to RSM Peter Carr and to welcome the ![]() new
RSM Andy Johnson.Smartly dressed in best bib and tucker nine members made their way over to the Sgt’s Mess for pre drinks, before making their way into the marquee for dinner. The meal was excellent and with the wine flowing the chill night air was soon forgotten, mind the ladies dressed in their evening gowns must have been chilled to the bone. The Corps of drums entered the marquee to play and medley of tunes, before RSM Carr was presented with farewell gifts form the Sgt’s Mess. We then retired back in to the Mess to meet up with old friends of the Boro branch, Captain Pete Dale, CSM (Sniper) Dave Waller, Sgt Gary Howe, Sgt Lee Westerman. It was nice to meet up with the Hoggarth family, senior was Chelsea Pensioner Bob, and his sons Julian who is serving with the Life Guards and Andy, who is a member of the 1st Battalion, also our good friend John (Axe) Anderson. As
per custom it was last man standing as the Boro lads closed the Mess. ![]() Saturday morning and a few bleary eyed members turned up for breakfast before walking in to Windsor to watch guard mount, the Welsh guards taking over from the Scots. In the afternoon some members attended the Sgt’s P & P meeting, while others rested in preparation for yet another late night in the Mess. After an excellent evening meal we retired to the Mess to meet up with more friends from Ashington and Sunderland Branches, and a further Boro lad, Peter Hellings who arrived with his lovely wife Barbara. Our battalion contact CSM Andy Jones joined the company with his wife Sue to learn just what makes the Boro Branch tick. As the night wore on Captain Pete Dale came over to us muttering, he had set his stall out to be last man standing but couldn’t stand the pace, maybe one day Sir, one day, like hell you will. Sunday morning and a few thick heads arrived for an early breakfast before boarding the bus to Wellington Barracks and while the Secretary
attended
the Secretaries conference the lads were invited into the Welsh Guards mess. The rain was causing havoc with the parade while the Church service went on, it was on, it was off. no one seemed to know what was happening. Eventually the brave ventured forward and with the Regimental band leading the parade marched round to Horse Guards where the Colonel laid the wreath and then returned back to Barracks for the salute. We then climbed aboard the coach back to Windsor, and so yet another excellent weekend spent in great company had come to an end, as we boarded our Mini Coach for the drive back to Middlesbrough. I must pay tribute to our driver Vice President Mac Finkill, who was at the wheel for both the outward and inward journeys, but the return journey was horrendous with torrential rain following us all the way home. It
was fourteen tired but contented members who arrived back safe and sound. ![]() Finally a vote of thanks to WOI (RSM) Andy Johnson and the Sgt’s Mess members for giving up their weekend’s leave in order to entertain us. Thank you gentlemen it has been an excellent time spent in excellent company. We wish you all a safe and successful tour of Afghanistan. Mannie Cook Hon Secretary
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