Orwell Park 2022

After a wait of two long years, during which we have all been through so much, it was so wonderful to again be able to attend this years event. The day did start very wet, with heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight, but by just after 10.00 am on the morning of 19th May 2022, the rain stopped and the sun started to shine, Association Members, veterans, vintage vehicle owners and current service personnel gathered for a Service of Remembrance and wreath laying at the memorial situated in the grounds of Orwell Park School, near Ipswich, Suffolk,  at the invitation of the Headmaster Mr. Adrian Brown, Staff and Pupils of the School. 

This year’s event again enjoyed fine spring weather we were fortunate enough to have detachments and displays from  'F' (Sphinx) Parachute Battery RHA of 7th Parachute Regt Royal Horse Artillery (from the Colchester Garrison). The Battery is one of the units that formed the 7th Armoured Division back in 1939 and was associated with the Desert Rats throughout WW2 and in the years afterwards. The purpose of the service of Remembrance is to remember the men who were for a few short weeks stationed at the School, while waterproofing their vehicles in four huge wading pits, in preparation ng for the Normandy campaign. After boarding their Landing Craft and Ships in early June they sat at anchor in the Rivers Orwell and Stour before sailing on 5th June as part of the follow up troops after D-Day landings, and started to disembark in France late on 6th and during 7th June 1944.

This year we were lead from the school to the memorial by the Standard of the Royal Tank Association (Medway Branch) Before the service became Association Treasurer and Historian Mr Ian Paterson spoke to those assembled, including the whole school,. The Last Post was sounded by a pupil from the school, followed by a two minute silence, after which Reveille was sounded and wreaths were laid by Mrs. Frances Dinning (widow of the Associations founder), a representative of RTR Association (Medway Branch), the Head Boy and Girl from the School, Mr Rodney Scott BEM (Chair of the Trustees) and Mr. Ian Paterson (Treasurer) accompanied by Bde D Murray (‘F’ Battery). The parade then returned to the school. where the pupils of the school where able to visit the displays from the Army and vintage vehicle owners.

The school kindly provided a wonderful lunch, hosted by Mr. Brown and his wife, Nicole, followed by fantastic set of musical performances by pupils from the school, concluding with a piano playing and singing display. As in past yeas the school hosted us wonderfully and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day greatly. The Association would like to thank Mr. Brown, his wife, the pupils and staff for hosting such a wonderful event again this year, plus of course the Army personnel and the owners of the vintage vehicles, who attended as well.

Group photograph of the guests before the ceremony.
The parade forms up	.... and marches off!!
Parade being led by the Standard of RTR Association (Medway Branch)	Rest of the parade follows on
RTR Standard at the service	Dignitaries at the start of the service.
Guests at the service	The Pipe leads the return to the school
More guests at the service	RTR wreath is laid
School wreath is laid		Trustee's Wreath is laid
RHA Wreath is laid		Wreaths at the Memorial

Some of the displays at the school.
Military Vehicle Display

Display from F (Sphinx) Parachute Battery RHA
Gunner from F (Sphinx) Parachute Battery RHA, chatting to pupils	Pupils from the school with a 105mm Light Gun
Pupils chatting for the RHA team	More pupils with the 105mm Light Gun