This has been a bit peculiar from the outset.
For the record, I read your idea but like the entire membership, did not comment. Without some idea of the format of the event it seemed premature to do so. Obviously it needs to be choreographed and no doubt the committee will be working to that end, then we will now whether your idea would fit in the grand order of things. For the record - again, I am neutral.
Joined: 26 Feb 2006 Posts: 290 Location: Harlow Essex
Posted: Mon Mar 10, 2008 4:53 pm Post subject:
Thanks for your response Paul.
paul croxson wrote:
This has been a bit peculiar from the outset.
For the record, I read your idea but like the entire membership, did not comment. Without some idea of the format of the event it seemed premature to do so. Obviously it needs to be choreographed and no doubt the committee will be working to that end, then we will now whether your idea would fit in the grand order of things. For the record - again, I am neutral.
_________________ Clive (aka Gypo) Langeleben 1967-1971
Marlene (the last NAAFI girl to serve in Langeleben) 1969-1970
i've been thinking, something I reserve for important matters. It sometimes seems to me that we leave too much to our committee who do a damned good job year after year after year and like all of us don't mget any youn ger or (as far as I know richer).
This unveiling next year could be the last time that many of us make the pilgrimage, I'm pretty sure it will be my last time, anyway.
Ernie has suggested that we can make decisions at the AGM but I would like to propose something slightly more radical. We should take the burden of organising the Funfest next year off the backs of the existing committewe and create a ne sub-committee incorporating those on the main committee who wish to be involved PURELY to organise this event. It could be big or it could be a sad affair.
Southsea where I live is not quite Germany and so we should take advantage of JR who is still out there just down the road. He is my no.1 suggestion to get the event on the road. We've got to get the thing ratcheted up quite a lot and time is getting shorter and shorter. The type of people we want all have full diaries. If we go for the R.S band as I would like they probably book themselves a year or more ahead. I'd like to see a real Brit military presence - how about a torchlight tattoo. I want lots of goodies, the Last Post, the Lone Piper, let's have fireworks.
Who can we tap up for money?? Loads of people The I Corps Assocn to which JR and I are connected could be good for a few bob.
This is just wild burblings leading to my point ..... we need a sub-committee and soon. I can only hope that the main committee accept this suggestion in the spirit in which it is intended. We cannot expect them to carry the entire burden of running the Group and this major and final celebration, it's not fair on them and we need to use the talents that we have who may not be on the committee.
By the way, if anyone thinks that I am out of my tiny mind with these absurb ideas, I promise I am not. I've got bigger things than this going with just a few volunteers and good will all round. The Army is DESPERATE for good publicity and what a story we have. This tinpot little field in the back of beyond where we have all stuck together with our memories. Look at the History! The number of compliments that I have had on its uniqueness is amazing. Is there a TV programme in this? I think that possibly there is!
Does anyone out there share my enthusiasm or should I go and have a cold shower?
Joined: 08 Jun 2006 Posts: 394 Location: Hanham, Bristol, England
Posted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject:
Hi All, Especially Paul, I think your ideas are brilliant! In particular the one concerning a cold shower! I do hope our committee, who as you say do an excellent job, do not take amiss at your suggestion of a dedicated sub committee, I believe it has a lot to recommend it and I support it. If it gets off the ground, perhaps there could be regular (monthly?) updates on the site. Can I suggest that 1) the committee comment on the suggestion of a sub committee, and 2) assuming they agree, individuals (including main committee members if they feel so inclined) put themselves forward. All the best. Dave T. _________________ Dave Thomas 2 Sqn 13 SR, '63-'66
Thanks Dave.
I think that JR is definitely with us in this. I gather from him that the Kinderheim carpark is plenty big enough for such an event. When we had the re-uinion at the same time as the schutzenfest I reckon we had one hell of a party. can we combine them again ? Answers to this kind of question demonstrate how useful JR could be if we can, subject to the committee's approval, get him on-side and leading this.
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 79 Location: Bexley Kent (Garden of England)
Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject:
Paul, I think your Idea has a lot of merit and although it is after the event I can tell you that I have been thinking along similar lines, I believe that the remit for the celebrations and the inaugeration is too far reaching for the existing committee and needs fresh new thinking and to include people with local and perhaps military contacts, it indeed should be a memorible event.
I would suggest that because of the enormous amount of work already put in on the form, wording and manufacture of the proposed monument that the Langeleben reunion committee should carry on the responsibility of the delivery of the memorial to the agreed site and any sub committee should then be responsible for the festivities and funding of same.
I am slightly worried that if outside funding is forthcoming then it should be funding only and that the doners should not have any input or control of any part of the event. Let us have military and local bands, TV and national press coverage, fireworks and beertents, although I think it should be kept apart from the Schutzenfest because I think both events would be minimised and would clash with the Konigslutter council planning.
Of course we cannot make any decisions on the FORUM, a member or group of members must put forward the idea of a sub committee at the AGM in May and after discussion a vote should be taken.
Two points Ernie, if I may.
How far has the design etc of the memorial got? I am concerned on reading your message that it might have gone further than we thought.
There is a feeling amongst one or two others I have broached this subject to that a joint fest with the schutzen lot might be a good idea and that we reduce on the dinner dance type of thing. That certainly would be my feeling. But .... at the end of the day they may not even want us.
Will you put out a call and ask us to volunteer (totally against any Squaddy's natural instincts of course!
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 79 Location: Bexley Kent (Garden of England)
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 11:45 am Post subject:
Paul, be concerned no more, as stated in an earlier post Paul Ellis has prepared a design on paper only, wording both in the English and German language has been prepared and can be amended or changed , not a chisel has touched stone, not a penny has been spent and will not be until we have the approval of the membership after the presentation at the Loughborough AGM, we are supposed to live in a democratic society so lets be democratic. I feel embarrassed to say this but nothing has been cast in stone.
As for your suggestion about arranging the whole event to coincide with the whims of the Schutzengild, this could delay things even more. Last year the Schutzenfest was held in September, this year it is to be in August, timings for the 2009 Schutzenfest will not be decided untill Feb or March of the same year and will give us little time to fit our arrangements around it.
The Schutzenfest is not the event that it was six or seven years ago due to local apathy, Jim Husband and wife Erica attended last year and the beer tent was less than half full on the Saturday night. The people who run the beer tents have indicated that as profits where so bad over the last couple of years they are thinking of withdrawing support.
You asked that I put out a call for volunteers, (I assume that you mean for the sub committee) you must realize that forming a sub committee would be a change in the constitution of the rules of the Langeleben reunion branch and would need to be put to, and voted on by a quorum of our members at the AGM and not only made available to the dozen or so members who have input on the website forum.
We still have at least 15 months to go and time is on our side so let us do this properly and democratically..
Thanks Ernie for the reassurances. I am sure that you understood my concern.
That is disappointing news re the Schutzenfest.
Let's not go down the path of changing constitutions for goodness sake!
Call it A STEERING GROUP surely we cannot have a constitution that precludes this. Frankly I have never read the damned thing anyway and, in my experience, if one needs to do so the concept being considered is usually wrong.
Joined: 07 Jun 2005 Posts: 104 Location: In the Danny Eck
Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject:
Yes, I'd heard that about the Schützenfest, it seems to be a trend. All the more reason, I thought, to speak to the men in charge and tell them what a boost we would be to their profits. The Schützengilde would love to have us, by the way, marching in the procession, drinking their beer etc. The point about using the Schützenfest is that then we don't have to worry about beer tents, barmen, waiters, food or entertainment. If we had to do it ourselves we would have to book them well ahead.
I think it is good and proper that other members are also taking the long view on the Memorial festivities. What was the old adage which was drummed into us on NCOs cadres: Prior Preparation and Planning Precludes P1ss Poor Performance. I am involved in the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the International Police Association here, this is to take place in Summer 2009. At the AGM last week a sub-committee was formed, already the rooms for the Civic Reception at the City Hall in Braunschweig have been reserved, and the Lord Mayor's office informed.
My choir books the Stadthalle in Braunschweig two years in advance for it's annual concert, admittedly that's a bit extreme (as Braunschweig is short of medium-sized concert halls).
I think it is desirable that when the subject is raised at the AGM, that at least one or two members attending have done some homework and are in a position to speak with some authority regarding the events proposed.
I haven't read the constitution, all I can find on this site are a set of rules for the Branch. In other committees where I am involved the Committee usually can appoint additional members for special tasks at the discretion of the Chairman. I don't think we need to change the constitution (whatever it says). A rose by any other name. No-one is proposing sidelining the committee. But we do have a pool of very talented members with immense experience in all sorts of fields who can contribute for the common good. We all know the capabilities of those who served in the Y Services, and I am sure some great and constructive suggestions will emerge in May.
As I am fond of saying, this Forum is a great sounding board, nothing more. It is not representative of the whole membership by any means, but it does give a voice to a certain number of us. _________________ John Richardson
That's extremely good news JR. Iam still very much sold on the concept of joining up with the Schutzenfest, beer tents et al. call me un sophisticated but that's nearer to my recollections of Germany in the 'good old days' . There's a Tea dance on the Pier at Southsea every week and I don't go to that either!
I was bored stiff last time and wandered off to the bar and didn't find myself alone. Sorry but as good a mate as he was once there is no way I am dancing with Stubbings.
I can't take that sort of dancing seriously since seeing Joyce Grenfell singing "stately as a Galleon" pushing an invisible overweight tightly corseted partner around the room.
My neighbour Mrs. Fanshawe is prtly plump ang gay.
She must be over sixty-seven if she is a day.
You might have thought her life was dull
It's one long whirl instead.
I asked her all about it, and this is what she said.
I've joined an Old Thyme Dance Club, the trouble is that there
Are too many Ladies over, and no gentlemen to spare.
It sems a shame, it's not the same,
But still it has to be
Some ladies have to dance together
One of them is ME
Stately as a galleon, I sail across the floor.
Doing the Military Two Step, as in the days of yore.
I dance with Mrs Tiverton, she's light on her fewet, in spite
at turning the scale at fourteen stone and being of medium height.
So - gay the band
So - giddy the sight
Full evening dress is a must.
But the zest goes out of a beautiful waltz
When you dance it bust to bust
There are two morte verses but I hope I've made my point.
Just another thought, Ernie.
If indeed the Schutzenfest is later in the year what is it - if anything- that stops us moving the date of the re-union?
It's not as if we all have full diaries, is it?
Have any of the other committee members any views on the subject, strong or otherwise?
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 79 Location: Bexley Kent (Garden of England)
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:27 am Post subject:
Paul, just a quickie, if we change our timing to join the Schetzenfest in say September, or as in three years ago October, then we will have
17 months between reunions and then we would either have only 7 months to the next UK reunion or we change the next UK reunion to Sept/Oct to equalise..
As I say we will be subject the the whims and fancies of the Schutzengild.
If it was decided that as a one off we arrange our monument inaugeration to coinside with the 2009 Schutzenfest then I cannot see a problem, and as you say 2009 will probably be your last time to march and to watch other people dance in the beer tent anyway. Have a good day.
That's encouraging Ernie.
As I see it this would be a 'one-off' event so if they could coincide it would make a tremendous celebration and I bet Konigslutter and some others would back it in a big way. It may also resolve itself if the Schutzenfest brought their meeting forward, say, to August. I suppose JR has an inside track to this and could tell us if it is possible.
After 2009 everything could go back to normal. Sadly I think that the memorial might end the pilgrimage for quite a few of us. The grass will have grown over the site and by 2011 God only knows where we will all be! Certainly cheap air fares will be a thing of the past. Alastair Darling could perhaps make a one-off payment available in the next budget for Langeleben survivors but I don't give it too much hope.
Joined: 08 Jun 2005 Posts: 79 Location: Bexley Kent (Garden of England)
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:44 am Post subject:
That's the boy Paul, much more cheerful now. Are we the only ones using the forum at the moment, John, yourself and I? let's hear from some of the other grumpy old men who at the moment are conspicuous by their absence. As I said before, this years Schutzenfest is in August so to have it in August 2009 could easily follow, we would have to bear the brunt of August prices for hotels, flights and ferries, plus the pound sinking like a stone against the Euro, but hey, it's only money, right.
When are you going to confirm your attendence at the Loughborough doo?
I cannot imagine the AGM without you.
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