HMS CARYSFORT REUNION 2024

 

A joint reunion with HMS CAVALIER will take place over the w/e 22 - 24 November 2024.  We will be staying at the 4* Mercure Maidstone Great Danes Hotel. As well as other events taking place in Chatham Dockyard our newly purchased Standard will be dedicated over the weekend. We also expect the newly formed HMS CAVALIER and HMS CARYSFORT ASSOCIATION to be fully formalised at the AGM.  We don't want to turn anyone away but we would expect you to be a fully paid up member of the joint association in order to attend.  The reason for this is the wine at the gala dinner is subsidised by funds from the association as well as the traditional tot time bubbly. Joining is easy.  All you have to do is contact Rowdy Yates on 07957 498769 and he'll sort you out.  I've already sent the link to the booking form to all Carysfort's I have email addresses for. Sarah Fletcher of SF events will be organising the weekend and you can contact her at 01452 813173 or click the icon below.  The link may not work on some mobile devices so the full email address is associationmembers@sarahfletcherevents.co.uk

 

 

 

HMS CARYSFORT REUNION 2023

 

Thanks to Julie Tester for this photo

 

It has not been possible to arrange a reunion in October 2022 for various reasons but Tony Cox, Chairman of the HMS Cavalier Association has invited us to join them for a reunion in Chatham 19th to 22 May 2023 and their members have agreed this at their AGM.  We will be staying in the 4* Orida Hotel Maidstone but there will be an opportunity to visit HMS Cavalier in the Historic Chatham Dockyard.  To date 26 Carysfort's have expressed an interest. We will not lose our identity as it will be known as HMS Cavalier and HMS Carysfort joint reunion.  Sarah of SF Events will be organising this and those who attended the Royal Beach Hotel for the 2021 reunion will know how efficient she is.  Please mark your diary for this date in 2023.  You can see a list of those going (or who have paid the deposit) as of 4th January 2023 by clicking the link below. There are many more who have said they are going and their names will be added when Sarah of SF Events lets me know:

 

 

 

 

2023 Photos

 

HMS CARYSFORT REUNION 2021

 

Well that's the 2021 reunion over and feedback so far has been very positive.  Flossie has thanked Sarah Fletcher of SF Events for a most enjoyable and well organised weekend and thanks also need to go to Flossie himself for his massive contribution to a successful weekend that would not have happened without his efforts.  The hotel staff were also very efficient and friendly and I'm sure that will be fed back to them. Don't forget to share any photos you took at the event and send them to me for inclusion on the website.  I've started it off with some of my own. Click on the icon below to view them. I've rewritten this spiel a couple of times because there were more thanks in it than a Hollywood Oscar presentation so if your name is mentioned then assume you are being thanked!  Robin Gainsford for his welcome speech at the Gala Dinner and to his wife Kate for drawing the raffle tickets.  Alan (George) Tully who made an excellent rum bosun and to Flossie who remembered our old shipmates who had crossed the bar since we last met up.  Too many of them unfortunately.  Ken Beales, Albie Davies, Roger Davage, Mansell Smith, Bill Cock and Soapy Watson who were at the last reunion.  Ken (Kit) Carson, Chris Chynoweth, Don Loveridge, Jock Mitton (AGO) and Peter Norman (Supply Officer) who weren't.  Former Commanding Officers Martin Sands and Dickie Bates sent their very best regards to the reunion as well as Rear Admiral Peter Franklyn (Corro 1968-69), Phil Thurlbourn (Jack Dusty), Sam Hurst, Taff Perryman, Pony Moore, Jimmy Green and a host of others.  Flossie for donating the proceeds of the raffle towards the website costs and the generous personal contributions made by Robin Gainsford and Bill Bayley.  Due to popular demand it has been proposed we hold a reunion in 2022 over the weekend 21st October 2022 in Bristol or the Gloucester area so please keep that date free in your diary and support your old ship. Don't forget to put your personal comments in the Guest Book.  It's free!  

 

 

to see who went

2021 for Reunion Photos

HMS CARYSFORT REUNION 2006

On the 6th October 1966 HMS Carysfort recommissioned for the last time and exactly 40 years later over the weekend of 6th to 8th October 2006 over 40 people (including wives) attended the reunion to celebrate this auspicious occasion at the Trecarn Hotel in Babbacombe.    Compared to the initial interest shown over a year ago the final number attending was disappointing (where were you Jimmy Green, Yorkie Holmes, Paddy McMaster, Mick Hewitt etc etc!!!)  It was surreal to meet up with old shipmates from many years ago and Roger Davage describes it perfectly in his Guest Book entry which says "It seems to take only a minute for the familiar looking stranger to be the person you knew so well."  We certainly all looked a bit different than we did in 1966 with the exception of  Clubz  and Jack Frost who don't seem to have changed a bit in 40 years.  It didn't take long  for old friendships to be renewed and there were lots of sea stories told. One in particular everyone remembered was that horrendous passage in 1968 from NZ to Australia across the Tasman Sea where the storm got worse as the night wore on and the beer began to take effect.  I'm grateful to Ian Fraser who organised the coach to Guzz Dockyard and an old boss, Commodore Ewan Macdonald RN who put me in touch with the visits people there to get it underway. Everyone who went seemed to enjoy it and appreciated the enthusiasm of our guides.  I've written to thank them and suggested they add oggies to the menu in their little cafe.  The coach driver was very flexible so we managed a pint or two in Guzz town centre  before heading back to the hotel.  There was a special visitor on the Saturday night when  Les (Danny) Daniels' wife secretly arranged a 60th birthday surprise for Danny by taking him to the hotel to join up with the reunion.  Again, please read Roger Davage's entry in the Guest Book about this.  All in all, the 1966-69 commission had an enjoyable weekend and they're looking for another get together in the future.  Any volunteers to organise this??  Also, Stephen Thatcher who served in the first commission 1945/46 is particularly keen to swing the lamp again and would like the chance to do so at a Carysfort reunion soon as he is over 80 years old.  

All Reunion photos................