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The renewed interest in the School amongst OVs is reflected in further increases in Life Membership. Over 1200 Old Victorians have joined the Association since it replaced the OBA at the end of the 60's. We welcome enquiries as to membership for all 0V non members. The once only subscription of £10 is a very worthwhile investment. We do extend, however, a very warm welcome to Life Membership for the new Bursar, Mr John Drysdale and wish him well. Best wishes and thanks also to his predecessor, Mr Ian McGregor, for his support for the OVA in his comparatively short time at QVS.
We always welcome visits by OVs to the School and a special welcome was extended to the Dukie /Victorians who returned for Grand Day 2000 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the DYRMS evacuation to Dunblane in 1940. In the event only five were able to be here, age and distance possibly taking its toll but not, I'm pleased to report, on Jim Macdonald (an original evacuee) and Ron Field, Peter Wheeler, Tom May and myself (who all joined QVS direct from home and were educated here in the '40s without seeing Dover at all!) We had a great reunion in the Stirling Arms much aided by OVs of our generation at QVS.
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The Annual Reunion of the Association took place in March as usual with a good turn out of 100 plus and the weather behaved itself! Our musical theme, practice on the Saturday afternoon and performance on Sunday was much appreciated again but I do hope more will participate next year. I was especially pleased that another Gunner, Major Johnathan Colder-Smith RA (3571) was able to escape from Larkhill and his very busy staff post at HQ DRA in order to take the salute at the Church Parade and, as we have established over recent years, met with Gunner pupils including several whose fathers were in 1 9 Regt RA (The Highland Gunners), with whom he had served as 2i/c recently in Bosnia and Kosovo. The most significant event of the weekend was the dedication of a new memorial in the Chapel to commemorate the lives and sacrifice of three Old Victorians who had died on active service post 1945. John Eoston (1530) and Wallace McGregor (1877) both died in Palestine due to terrorist action and Robert Marshall (201 5) was killed in action in Korea. The memorial
was designed and crafted in wood by Mike Smith (2924) and is situated in the memorial corner of the Chapel.
Mention of active service emphasises the
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continuing deployment of OVs operationally. Neil Collie (3506) Emailed to confirm that he was in East Timor; both he and brother Phil (3631) are Sqn Ldrs in the RAAF. Willie Milne (4122) took a cruise on HMS Ocean to Sierra Leone and John Girvan (3471) flew Phoenix in Kosovo - a representative from each service of the many OVs who are so committed to operational duties currently.
Travel and work abroad tempts many of our Members. Richard Givens (4151) ventured to Belize on a very successful Raleigh International Expedition. Jamie Scott (3911) has taken up a VSO teaching post in a rural Secondary School in Kenya and plans to meet with Stephen Grant (3056) also teaching in a Preparatory School there. Sean Glenn (3764) and Bill Crichton (3100) have moved to the Netherlands and Belgium respectively and Ken Crease (4061) from Moscow to New York. Visitors to the Czech Republic might like to call in at the British Council in Prague and ask to see the Director i.e. Paul Docherty (2943).
Branch activity varies. London & South East have continued with their 'hostelry' get together and have enjoyed several happy evenings. Activity in North America and
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