The Branch enjoyed a highly successful weekend with 40’s/WWII theme. The majority of the 25 RBL members who attended dressed in clothes/uniforms appropriate to the theme on the Saturday Gala Night. Apart from one lady dressed as Britannia, our branch was the only group to make an effort and we were roundly applauded by other hotel guests. On Saturday we took a whole day excursion, this included Dartmouth where we enjoyed an hour’s boat trip on the river Dart (with witty and informative commentary). In the afternoon we visited Slapton Sands where rehearsals for D-Day had been held with tragic loss of young American lives. En route, the coach driver played a poignant recording of Ken Small’s account of the tragedy. Our President Ken Bucknell paid homage and laid a poppy wreath on the recovered Sherman tank which now serves as a memorial to the nearly 1000 lives that were lost.

Our other coach excursions included a morning trip to Teignmouth in gale force conditions and, following our obliging driver’s suggestion, we had a quick look at the storm damaged main railway line at Dawlish. The hotel facilities were excellent and the staff very obliging. The entertainment was first class and libation flowed. At just under £180 per person the weekend was deemed excellent value and a return visit for a ‘Turkey and Tinsel’ weekend on 31^st October this year is being considered.