Last Post on this Blog - Normal Service is resumed on the new CRA Website

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This is the last post on this blog.

The CRA Blog can now be found on the "News" page of the CRA Website at www.c-r-a.org.uk 

1964 CRA AGM - Minutes now uploaded

After a wait of 50 years, the minutes from the 1964 AGM held on 7th July at Southover are now available on the Download page of the CRA Website.

Keep checking in for further updates and uploads. If you are a Facebook or Twitter user you can also keep up with the latest CRA news via social media. 

Twitter (@CRA_Update)

Facebook ( Centarian Regimental Association CRA) 

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2013 CRA AGM - Minutes now uploaded

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The minutes from this years AGM held on Thursday 21st November at Southover are now available on the Download page of the CRA Website.

Keep checking in for further updates and uploads. If you are a Facebook or Twitter user you can also keep up with the latest CRA news via social media.

Twitter (@CRA_Update)

Facebook ( Centarian Regimental Association CRA) 

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New Upload of Documents to the CRA Website

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As part of our aim to make as many of the CRA's documents available online (as well as a selection of the Stockdale Trust's archive material) your Chairman, Secretary, Magazine Secretary, Membership Secretary and Webmaster (assisted by the Dinner Secretary) have got together to upload new documents to the CRA Website at www.c-r-a.org.uk

Copies of Ricochet from 2003 and 2005 are now present and you can also find a copy of the Chairman's report to this year's AGM.

All documents are in PDF format - although the Ricochet downloads are quite large.
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Events in Barnet of interest to Centarians

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Centarians might like to be aware that the re-dedication of the Middlesex Regiment War Memorial is to take place in the Ridgeway, Mill Hill, on this coming Thursday (18th July). If you already had this event in your diary you should be aware that the parade time has been altered to 2pm 

Secondly, the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment are to parade through Barnet on Saturday 20th July starting at 11am as part of their "Exercise of the Freedom of the Borough".

The troops and band will leave Queen Elizabeth's Girls School before being inspected in the courtyard of Barnet College, prior to marching to Barnet TA Centre, and hence by coaches to a Reception at Middlesex University.   The troops on parade will form part of the UK's final large contingent in Afghanistan departing for Operation HERRICK 19 in the Autumn.

Both events are open to the public and any members who are available are encouraged to attend.  Arthur Banham, Brian Fuller and Mick Crick will be attending the re-dedication.

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Ricochet 2013

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Here is a link to the latest edition of Ricochet.

http://www.zen113982.zen.co.uk/cra/Ricochet2013.pdf

You can "right click" on the link to save the file directly to your computer or open it in your browser by simply clicking on it.

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CRA Dinner 2013 - Photographs

Here are the images from this year's CRA Dinner held on Friday 7th June 2013.  As always, if you'd like a full resolution "original" image (around 6Mb each) please email me.

A full dinner report will follow.


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Gary Tucker's retirement party

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As you may know, Gary Tucker the Headteacher at Christ's College is retiring at the end of this school year. The CRA has been asked to extend the invitation below to all members. Please RSVP directly to the email address on the invitation if you can make it.

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The Unit's Queens Colour - featured in the Daily Mail

Congratulations to eagle -eyed Centarian Bill Hintze who saw this in yesterday's Daily Mail (18th May 2013)

Hi, Everyone,

I just was catching up on reading yesterday’s Daily Mail and was looking through the Queen’s Coronation Special magazine with the paper and as I got to Page 7 there was a photo of loads of people, as it said in the caption, “painstakingly hand-painting official flags and banners”.  Well, in the foreground there was the Unit’s very own Queen’s Colour part-way through completion; clearly seen in the centre decal is “Christ’s College CCF” surrounded by “Duke of Cambridge Own Middlesex Regt”.

I really couldn’t believe what I was seeing.   What a coincidence the Colour was photographed along with all the other Coronation flags etc.  I think it was taken at Edgington’s flag factory at Sidcup, Kent.

Bill 

The 2013 CRA Dinner

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This year's CRA Dinner will be held at Southover on 7th June.

Invitation letters will be sent in the post towards the end of March but it will aid planning (and cost!) if members respond to the email invitation sent on the 9th March.

For convenience, the invitation letter can also be downloaded directly from the CRA website or via the link below.

http://www.zen113982.zen.co.uk/cra/Dinner2013.pdf

This year, following extensive discussion, we are extending the invitation to the wives and partners of Centarians and we hope that this will encourage greater attendance levels. We will also be reducing the number (and length) of speeches in order for the social nature of the evening to come to the fore.

If you haven't attended a CRA dinner for a while, this may well be a good year to return.



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Ricochet 2013

Dear Members

We are intending to produce the next edition of our Association magazine "Ricochet" in time for the annual dinner on 7th June.

I'm sure you know that any magazine is only as good as its content and that club and association magazines such as ours rely largely on its membership for content.

So I'm writing today to ask you to put pen to paper (or these days fingers to keyboard). 

We would like to hear from you if you have any news that might go in "Notes and Jottings" or maybe a longer article that will stand on its own.  This might be recollections of your time in the cadets or during any form of military service or a more recent trip or visit with a military or similar theme or any other subject which you think might be of interest.

Photographs, drawings and cartoons are always welcome. 

We can receive material by email or post and can copy any original photos or negatives, etc which will then be posted back to you.

We would like to receive any material by Easter but our very last deadline would be the first week in May.

Please do not ignore this request and simply delete this email in the assumption that "someone else will produce something".  Remember if we don't get any articles we won't be able to produce our magazine.  Its up to you - our members.

Thanks in anticipation.

Look forward to seeing lots of you at  our dinner on 7th June,

Regards

Mick Crick

(Chairman & Magazine Secretary)

CRA Dinner 2012

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The invitation letter for this year's dinner can now be downloaded from www.c-r-a.org.uk

The dinner will be held on 8th June at Southover and this year's event promises to be the best ever with some very distinguished speakers lined up.

Information will be circulated by post and email, on the CRA website, Facebook, Twitter and of course here on our blog.

If you haven't attended a CRA dinner in a while, make this the year of your return. Timings are slicker these days and you are guaranteed an enjoyable evening in good company.

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CRA Dinner 2012

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This year's dinner will be held at Southover on the 8th June. Please make a note of the date. Further information will be published shortly.

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Photographs from yesterday's highly successful 100th Anniversary event at Southover can now be viewed on Facebook (you do not need to be a member of Facebook to follow the link)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.338261189534072.99385.100000505813333&type=1&l=c9119ba12a

The images are compressed for the web, if you would like a full resolution copy of any image to print at home or take to a photo processor, please contact Terry Gibson.

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100th Anniversary Celebration

Sunday 11th December will mark the 100^th Anniversary of the Official Formation of the Cadet Unit at Christ’s College, Finchley in 1911 following its earlier creation as a Rifle Club in 1904.

This will be marked by an informal gathering at Southover on that Sunday afternoon commencing at 2pm with tea and light refreshments being served at around 3.30. We anticipate it being completed by around 5pm.

All Centarians and their families and friends are invited to attend and meet up with their former colleagues for an afternoon of reminiscences.

And if you have any historical artefacts or photographs that we might photograph or copy for the Trust, do please bring them along.

There will be a comprehensive display of archive material from the Stockdale Trust.

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Remembrance Day Parade - Harrow 13/11/11

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Today I had the honour of attending the Remembrance Parade at Harrow Civic Centre - where my daughter read her poem after the 2 minute silence (having won a poetry competition organised by the mayor). Proving what a small world it is, the Guard Commander was none other than Olaf Dudley, (CCF 78-85) and in the detachment from 131 Independent Commando Engineers was Tim Borrill (CCF 1972-77).

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Ricochet 2011 - Now available for download

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The 2011 edition of Ricochet is now available for download from the main CRA website at www.c-r-a.org.uk

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Cricket Fans - OF News !

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There will be a presentation of awards for the Herts Saracens Cricket League at a forthcoming Saracens Rugby match.

This year the O.F. 1st Team won Division 2 and the 2nds were runners up in Division 7 making them one of the most successful if not THE most successful Club in the League. So there is plenty to celebrate. Awards will be presented to both Divisional Winners and Runners Up.

The presentations will be on Saturday 10 December at Wembley Stadium prior to the Saracens v Ospreys Heineken Cup Match which kicks off at 18:00.

Watch this space for ticketing details.

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Wreath Laying at the Menin Gate

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CRA members may be interested to know that we have been given permission by the Last Post Association, Ypres www.lastpost.be/calendar to lay a wreath at the evening ceremony at the Menin Gate at 8pm on Wednesday 19th October.

Messers Fuller, Groom, Crick and Millen will attend during this year's pilgrimage to locate the remaining 28 ex-pupils of CCF who are commemorated in that area.

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"Growing People" - A Charity worthy of your support.

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Surely one of the purposes of an "Old Boys Club" is to support old friends from our cadet days - especially in charitable endeavours.

John Cliff  runs Growing People - a horticultural therapy project for people with mental health issues. The project is in with a chance to secure £6,000 from Natwest bank via an online and phone vote. This process is only open until the 24th October so if you feel able to support John in this way, please act quickly.

To vote on line

1. Go to http://communityforce.natwest.com/ and click on the ‘Register’ link at the top of the page;
2. Enter your name, email address and password in the form provided;
3. You will receive a confirmation email sent to your inbox. Click on the link supplied in this email to confirm your registration; (if you do not receive an email phone Helpline 0800 2100 246 and they will verify your registration);
4. Log in on the site, entering your email address and password;
5. To vote:

• Click on the Projects Tab
• Click on ‘List’ (blue button)
• Click on ‘by project name’
• Enter Growing Friends in the search box and click on the magnifying glass. When the entry appears click on ‘Read more’
• Tick the ‘I accept the NatWest Community Force Voting Terms and Conditions’ box;
• Click on the “Vote for us” red button.

To vote by phone

1. Contact phone the helpline 0800 2100 246 and leave your name and telephone number
2. They will phone back to validate your details and take your vote. (Your call may not be returned until after the closing date but your vote will still count)
3. Minicom line 0800 0155 545

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