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In
late September 1945, a month after the end of the Second World War, men
who had joined H.M.Services for the
"duration of
hostilities" now awaited
demobilisation. Some were impatient to pick up the threads of civilian
lives and careers; some were bewildered by the sudden end to tension and
danger, unready for the equally sudden change that peace implied; others
were content, as they had learned in the Services to take each day as it
came and were merely grateful to have survived. As men returned home from
foreign stations or disembarked from redundant aircraft carriers to
H.M.S.Daedalus- it was inevitable that they found themselves once again
among friends and comrades from earlier phases of the war.
So it was with R.A.Singleton MBE,
P.W.Blakey and J.K.G.Taylor, three Lieutenants (A) R.N.V.R who had known
each other in 836 squadron earlier in the war. Reg Singleton and his wife
Kathleen had taken a flat in the High Street while they awaited not only
demobilisation but the arrival of their first born. Phil Blakey was "looking
in"
at Lee during a period of sick leave following a road
accident, and John Taylor was about to be discharged on medical grounds.
As the three talked of old times and absent friends in the High Street
flat it was clear that their wartime experiences, the months spent in 836
had a special place and that the spirit of comradeship that grew in that
Squadron had been unique. They resolved to continue that fellowship of
earlier days in the days of peace through some form of informal
organisation. They agreed that Lt.Cdr. (A) J.H.Palmer, MBE, RNVR was the
ideal man to get things off the ground and maintain the secretarial
centre. The three wrote to him suggesting that the organisation be called
the RANSFORD CLUB in memory of their incomparable Commanding Officer, Cdr.
Ransford Slater. OBE, DSC, RN whose brilliant career had ended tragically
in a flying accident in 1944, and that Ransford's widow should be
invited to be the Club's president.
Membership of the club should in
the first instance be limited to those who had served in the Squadron
between the spring of 1942 and the autumn of 1943. Jim Palmer agreed to be
secretary, Katharine Slater (Katharine Hollins) delighted everyone by
accepting the role of President, and the first reunion and meeting of the
Ransford Club took place at the RNVR club in Pall Mall in June 1946.Thirty
five years and twenty five reunions later (twenty six if the reunion in
the Commodore Hotel, Timaru, New Zealand in 1975 between Taylors,
Johnstones, Blakeys and Robertsons is included) the Ransford Club met at
the Taylors home in Kings Heath Birmingham. That it was held at all is a
tribute to the constant work of its secretary in keeping in touch with the
members, and the enthusiasm and encouragement of the President over the
years. The President drove up from Ringwood with the secretary as
passenger/navigator. Owen and Prue Johnstone were over from
New Zealand
and staying with the Taylors, who five years earlier had spent three
months with the Johnstones. Eric Waterson, the Air Gunner to Johnstone and
Taylor in H for Harry in former days, now Cdr.RN (retired) came with his
wife Pat. Reg Singleton and Kathleen were there, as was Johnny Lisle.
Ginny Blakey was there
"in loco
parentis" one might say and the
Taylor
children and friends, there was a gathering of seventeen. James And Joanna
Turner telephoned (they would have been there but for a confusion over
dates) as did Tug Wilson, Bertie Blacow, and from New Zealand,Phil
Blakey. Reg Singleton took many pictures of the occasion including
that seemly rare phenomenon- a complete Swordfish crew after nearly forty
years. The Ransford Club was very much alive.
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