Visit to the Mary Rose - First May Bank Holiday -

Some of us will be camping Friday the 1st may to get an early start to go and see the Historic dockyard at Plymouth on Saturday to see;

The Mary Rose -The only surviving 16th century warship on display anywhere in the world, the Mary Rose was one of the earliest ships to carry heavy guns.
She was a favourite of King Henry VIII and sank off Portsmouth in 1545 during an engagement with a French invasion fleet, in full view of the King, the screams of the men on board, ringing in his ears.

HMS Victory is the Royal Navy's most famous warship.
She is the world's oldest commissioned ship and a proud memorial to Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Britain's greatest Naval hero.
Standing proud in her home of No. 2 dry dock, HMS Victory is one of the most famous warships ever built. Built between 1759-1765, Victory was a first-rate, ship-of-the-line.

HMS Warrior 1860 made her triumphant return to Portsmouth in 1987, she was fully restored to her Victorian glory and changed the panorama of the City, sitting proudly in the Harbour.When she was originally built she was, quite simply, bigger, faster and more heavily armed than any other warship afloat. Warrior was the world’s first iron-hulled, armoured warship powered by steam as well as sail and constructed of wrought iron. She was the ultimate deterrent. She never once fired a shot in anger.

On Sunday we will take a trip out to Fort Nelson - built in the 1860s, as part of a chain of fortifications protecting the great naval harbour of Portsmouth in Hampshire and its Royal Dockyard from a feared French invasion.

we will be camping at ; Please feel free to book in and join us if you wish.

Kingfisher Caravan Park
Browndown Road
Stokes Bay
Gosport
Hampshire
PO13 9BE
Telephone:023 9250 2611
FAX:023 9258 3583
EMAIL:info@kingfisher-caravan-park.co.uk http://www.kingfisher-caravan-park.co.uk

Trip down to Irons Brothers. Wadebridge

Proposed Plans / ideas maybe!!

The PTA has Guns booked in for

Late May - Loseley Park
8-9 Aug - Weston Super-Mare
29-31 Aug - York

these still need to be confirmed but as a Unit we will be present whatever.

End of April Arnie and crew set off for sunny Span to do a red coat show good luck to those going on that one.

There is a small gathering at the Exeter end over some of Easter to spring clean and do some repairs to kit, also it is hoped to do the final cuts to the log (see above)oh yes i should mention that Melchi is keen to try the double handed saw volunteer's please!! and get it out of its current position and to a saw mill, we hope at some point this will be trail material. there is some floor space for those interested i will be doing food, drop me a line.

The First May Bank - New muster is at Bovington, other end of country, the requirements are drastically changed.Organiser now only wants 3 small guns.
This means Physically small 1 & 2 oz guns. (severe space restrictions).
if you wish to go to this event you will need to be booked in.

If you are members of Hazards they are down the road at Lulworth Castle.

There are several of us from this part of the country that intend to book into a public campsite and go and see the Mary Rose before she is taken off display for the museum rebuild; there are a couple of others at the dockyards for that day out. On day 2 we will be going to Fort Nelson for a shifty round.When we have settled on a campsite I will post the details anyone who is interested is welcome to catch us up.

Good Bye Owen & Sheila and good luck.

The PTA says good bye and good luck to Owen and Sheila Collier, who after 20 odd years are moving on to hobbies different. Owen is Wootton Bassett’s town crier, and competing not only all over the country but in Europe as well. We send all our best wishes hope that all goes well for you and Shelia in the future, do feel free to keep an eye on the doings and drop in if we pass near.

To everyone

Glad to hear you're feeling better Garth. Keep being a good boy and doing what the doctor says: NO BEER, NO WOMEN, NO SONG!!!
Question: Where are we going this year and which battles are PTA getting involved in? Can you please let me know so I can mark any events on my calender as life is to busy now I've retired!!!!!! Ha. Ha.
Hope everyone is fit and well.

Regards

Roger (Wass) The lowest of the low.

I haven't been very well over the last 6 months and haven't been able to do anything for the P.T.A. or Holcroft bloods or do anything around my bungalow.

A check at the doctors found my heart rate was sky high as was my blood press. Simple things like washing up left me out of breath and having to lay down.

I am glad to tell you that I am fine now. The lastE.C.G. scan shows my heart is back to normal.

I will be back with you making big bangs this year if you can all put up with me....

See you all at the battles

Regards Garth.

ECW (& earlier) happenings in New Zealand

G'day to all in the PTA,

And first off, belated Happy New Year to you all and greetings from the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand where it's a public holiday and a balmy 22 degrees. A couple of weeks ago I attended the Harcourt Park International Jousting Festival, which also contained a "living history" encampment ranging from Roman through to ECW. And guess who was representing the ECW?

Good news is, I won a prize for the best "soft kit" as well as for my consistency in remaining in period (at least while anyone was watching. So good to know that all my old SK/ECWS kit still cuts the mustard (and fits). And that my Past Tents tent, plus rooster on the knob, has still got it. Whatever "it" is.

It meant a 5 hour drive, followed by a 3 hour ferry trip and then a further hours drive (as it was in the North Island) which made it feel like going abroad. Well it is nearly a different country!

I've attached a few piccies, but for more (and better) ones you can visit either/or:

http://www.jousting.co.nz/ or http://www.gatheringdarkness.co.nz/

Great to see you all prospering, flourishing, etc and hope you survive the snow OK. Although those of you with Landies are probably suffering from permanent grins and drivers elbow/knees by now I guess.

Now working for Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd, based at the Stockton Mine site on the Denniston Plateau. My company vehicle is, unfortunately, a Toyota Rav4 but I get unlimited private mileage and can also use the company fuel card for it as well. So I thrash the beejeebers out of it on site and on the road on the long, long trips and keep the Defender for "specialist" work. Like going through the alpine passes and driving on closed roads and forestry tracks etc.

So keep well, keep safe, keep the faith. And if you're ever out in New Zealand do drop in.

Forth and fear no darkness!

Mark Godwin