80th Entry Reunions

Our first reunion in 1995

Back row, left to right: Trevor Dobbs, John Matthews, Jim Blackhurst, Peter Argent, Bill Swan, Terry Farley, Alan Jones, Brian North, Rick Bright, Ken Emmings, Monty Firmin, Gerry Smith.

Kneeling, left to right: Ray Cane, Mike Lee, Graham Brown, Jim Grieve, Malcolm Tanner, Bill Freeston, Gus Smart, Alec Burt, Stuart Carden, Ed Austin, Nev Feist

Clockwise from the left: Ray Cane, Adrienne North, John Matthews, Janet Matthews, Bryan Soppitt, Sandie Soppitt, Brian North, Nev Feist, Geoff Lidbetter, Trevor Dobbs.

Standing, left to right: Bill Sowells, John Matthews, George Lowe, Alan Jones, Tom Lidbetter.

Kneeling, left to right: Nev Feist, Gordon Eadon, Terry Farley, Bill Freeston, Alan Greenwood.

2002Reunion

Left to right: Gerry Smith, Joan Eadon, Ray Cane, Maureen Sansom, Adrienne North, Sandie Soppitt, Bryan Soppitt (with tongue in cheek or sucking a gobstopper), Doreen Burt, Alec Burt (still at full chat), John Crombie.

2004 Reunion

Front row, left to right: Gordon Eadon, Joyce Feist, Terri Blackhurst, Adrienne North, Doreen Burt

Back row: Gerry Smith, Nev Feist, Geoff Lidbetter, Brian North, Ken Emmings, Jim Blackhurst, Sandra Gallagher, Tony Gallagher, Alec Burt.

The following additional entry members attended the main HAAA reunion the next day: John Crombie, Tom Lidbetter, George Lowe, John Matthews, Rex Paice, Graham Walker and Tony Walton.

And just to show what a few drinkies do to people at reunions: Geoff Lidbetter at full chat and Gordon Eadon agreeing with him (I think).

Our thanks go to Adrienne North for the surprise 50th anniversary cake.

Reunion In New Zealand 2005

Here we are on the Blenheim River Queen after having had a good meal and a few drinkies. From the left: Gus smart, Brian James, Rick Bright, Alastair Burt, Gerry Smith, Sam Sansom, Nev Feist, Monty Firmin, and Ed Austin. Eric Harman is kneeling at the front.

Alec and Doreen Burt had an epic journey from Mount Cook (a very long way south of Blenheim where we held the reunion) by coach, plane and car, and just arrived as we were casting off.

Some of the 80th and NZ ex apps at Woodbourne Engineer Training School. The oldest guy to attend the reunion was Jim (6th from the right, to the left of Gus Smart) who was 82 years old but still very alert and active. Would you believe it, the training school had psychiatrists to counsel the students when they didn't do well in the tests - not like in our day, eh? There are eight 80th guys in the photo if you can spot them.

This photo shows the car number plate belonging to Derrick Hubbard ex RNZAF (at the left hand side of the photo above.

2005 Reunion

Taken during the Meet'n'Greet, from left to right: Hugh Dibb, Dave Parsons, Trevor Dobbs, Alan Greenwood, Dick Brawn, Brian James, Bill Swan, Alastair Burt, Graham Walker, Gerry Smith, Brian North, Bryan Soppitt, Mike Meager, Hugh Lane, Geoff Lidbetter, Ted Land, Alan Jones, John Matthews, Nev Feist

Tony Gallagher, Keith Ward, Ken Timmis and Jim Blackhurst and their wives couldn't make the meet'n'greet but attended the dinner in the evening.

We made quite a crowd with the wives.

The 50th Anniversary Cake provided by Tony Gallagher

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