Veryan Bay Reunion 2000
The Year 2000 reunion was held in the Royal Fleet Club
Devonport during the long weekend of Friday April 27th to Monday
May 1st.
A varied list of events was ably organised by the Veryan
Bay Association committee which included
On Thursday evening there was dancing in the ballroom
for early arrivals.
Friday a full day tour of the Devonport Dockyard was
organised visiting the dockyard museum where many artifacts from
19th and 20th century navy were on show. Buffet lunch in HMS Drake,
followed by a tri-miran trip down the river to Plymouth Sound.
Then back into the dockyard to the destroyer refit sheds where
we viewed the covered dry docks available for ship refits.
Saturday the AGM was held in the ballroom where new
members of the committee were voted in. A discussion took place
on the location of the next reunion, Blackpool and Liverpool being
the main contenders, Liverpool was finally decided. The AGM was
followed by "up spirits " and a buffet lunch. The Presidents
reception was at 1900 followed by the reunion dinner with music
until midnight.
On Sunday a coach was organised to take reunion members to
join the church service at Veryan where a wreath was laid at the
memorial outside the church. The local inhabitants of Veryan excelled
themselves with a buffet lunch for shipmates in the Veryan Sports
& Social club to which they were also invited.The coach trip
back to Devonport was quite a ordeal for some shipmates, as there
doesn't seem to be any public toilets open in Cornwall on a Sunday.
Sunday evening Country and Western dance was arranged at the
Fleet Club where the local Country and Western club dressed in
authentic western clothes entertained the guests. Shipmate Bill
Godwin (centre) amongst others participated in the event.
Monday after breakfast it was time to say our farewells and
promise to meet up next year in Liverpool.
Facilities were excellent at the Royal Fleet Club, a big change
from the old days, when the cabins had chicken wire roofs. Now
some rooms have four poster beds. The catering staff excelled
themselves with the variety of breakfasts served.
Return to H.M.S. Veryan Bay Home
Page
