News & Notes

1940s

DAVID GIRLING (1948, E)

I'm still enjoying retirement in Cornwall, despite a hip replacement, and a pacemaker! I'm still walking and playing golf. My wife and I are enjoying 61 years of marriage, with 3 children and 9 grandchildren!

ROBIN PHIPPS (1948, E)

It is now 132 years since my father left Radley. I failed to match his prowess scholastically or on the cricket field. I'm now reduced to playing snooker once a week, however am still just about 'batting' on. I visited Mikinos, Greece, our place in Cognac and the Isles of Scilly over past months. I'm running out steam, but looking forward to 17 September (Old Radleian Day). At least the food will be much superior to my day (just after WWII). Well done to the VIII at Henley. Sorry that you could not quite pull off the ultimate prize.

MICHAEL BAWTREE (1951, G)

I received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada, in May 2022. I gave the Convocation Address, available to watch online at https://youtu. be/4z9rFAh10rc

HUGH HUDSON (1951, G)

I retired from UNHCR international field service (in the realms of Public Information and Communications) in 1998, after 23 years working in different counties with two UN agencies. This followed an earlier career in international radio journalism during the previous 13 years. Based in Berkhamsted, Herts. for 28 years, we decided to up sticks; sold up and moved to Neckargemuend, Heidelberg, SW Germany 6 years ago for family reasons. Since then I have taken out German citizenship (without losing my British passport). Many thanks to Radley language Dons, SH Paton, R Waye and DTM Birks. Having learned Russian during my National Service (1957-9), I have now picked it up again and find it useful in helping Ukrainian refugees. I have two children and four teenage grandchildren, all bilingual in English and German.

1950s

Rod de Courcy-Ireland (1951, H)

After no international travel for over two years, I visited Portugal and the UK in July 2022. This included a trip to Radley on 18 July with my cousin Melissa Gadsden who now lives near Abingdon. Term was over so there were no boys to be seen, but we were made welcome in the Admissions Office! Melissa is a keen sculler, her husband's family were all rowers and have no less than 6 illuminated oars from Henley (Grand Challenge 1926) and Oxford Bumps, so I had to take her down to the Boathouse! Now I am back in Canada and on the golf course again - I played 110 rounds last year, which didn't improve my scores!

DONALD LEGGET (1956, B)

Since 2015 I have been helping Bobby Thatcher with the coaching of the Senior Rowing Squad at St. Paul's, where massively improved results have been achieved with the 1st VIII. In these 7 seasons St. Paul's have won the Queen Mother Cup at NSR in 2017, 2018 and 2019 and the Princess Elizabeth Cup at Henley in 2015, 2018 and 2021 as well as many other smaller boat victories. I have also continued to help Cambridge at Ely and on the Tideway.

I have survived Prostate Cancer in 2006 and more recently Bowel Cancer in February this year. Although I am slowing down at 80 I still retain my passion for coaching rowing. So you can imagine I was slightly torn this year with Radley racing St. Paul's in the Final of the P.E.. I had coached both schools to win this event, but I had no doubt at all that a young St. Paul's crew would win. Radley have plenty of talent coming through, but so do we at St. Paul's.

Michael Bawtree giving his Convocation Address.

golden wedding anniversary, postponed due to the pandemic. We are actually now married for over fifty one years, and celebrated with a party for old friends, including several ORs. I am church warden for our local church, now in my thirteenth year. The bureaucracy of the C of E continues to keep me on my toes.

I was hoping to withdraw from party politics but have recently been made president of our local constituency Conservative Party.

I continue to fish, deer stalk and shoot. The greatest love of both my wife and I is looking after a very beautiful thirty-three thousand acre estate in the Highlands while the resident caretaker/ boatman/ manager is on annual leave, usually three times per year. I first went there in1959 when I shot my first stag.

We are hoping to visit Oman a few times over the next two years where my youngest daughter's husband has been posted by the Army on an accompanied tour.

HUGH HENDERSON (1959,B)

Although I enjoyed rowing at Radley, and was subsequently persuaded to row for my Cambridge college, and then for medical school, it took up a significant amount of my free time which I feel now could have been better spent with other stimulating activities which could have created longerlasting hobbies and interests for the rest of my life. Rowing should be fun, but never all-consuming of our sports time. I think we should have done lots of other things like shooting, fishing, skating, croquet, riding, visiting art museums, etc, which would be given over to one day a week as a non-rowing/ major sport day.

RUPERT TURNER (1956, F)

I have just turned 80, and my wife and I recently celebrated this and a belated

1960s

ANDREW ROBINSON (1960, H)

Having practised law for many years, I retired in 2014. Whereupon I got so bored, there was no-one to talk to (I am a widower) and nothing to do, so I now practice quietly as a notary public from my home in Truro, which business keeps me into enough mischief to make life interesting.

My children (4d, 1s) are all grown up, and I no longer keep a dog. I am 45+ years now a friend of Bill Wilson, and still in contact with a few contemporaries at SPCR.

I just published a long awaited book of poems, “In Personam”, see New Releases. My next, provisionally titled “Verona, a Handbook” might be more of a memoir, subject to redaction as advised.

Would the chap who sent me a nameillegible Christmas card sans return address, complaining that his emails to “carvoxa”(sic) were bouncing, please contact me legibly by post, or at carvoza@gmail.com.

JOHN GAMMAGE (1962, A)

It just struck me that September 2022 marks the 60th anniversary of my arrival at Radley. It is also poignant that Patrick Lunt RIP died this month last year and that the two of us were both in A Social, Stewart-Morgan's or "Guy's" back then, and our lives would become somewhat entwined during the following four years. I believe that my Father had requested that I be in this Social based on his Welsh international rugby fame!

MARK HAYTER (1963, G)

Having attempted to retire from active parish ministry at the end of 2021, I find myself called out of “hiding” to take over as Rural Dean of Chalke Deanery, and was commissioned in July. As they say, no peace for the wicked!

WILSON PRICHETT (1964, H)

As, as far as I know, the only native American Indian to have ever attended Radley, I have settled for the last 30 years in East Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains only 30 miles from the Qualla Boundary (a separate nation within the US borders). We are happy in our little estate and I think fondly of my years at Radley. I invite fellow Radleians to come and dance the circle dance with us on the reservation some time.

Wilson Prichett designs and constructs wind turbines, such as these in Sweetwater, Tennessee.

A Social in 1963. The late Patrick Lunt is seated front row, far left, and John Gammage is seated front row, two from centre right (both 1962, A).

SIMON LYSTER (1965, C)

I have been appointed Chair of the Essex Local Nature Partnership.

TOM COLVILLE (1965, F)

Little did I know that in September 1965, when I arrived at Radley, far away in Scarborough, a 35ft wooden motorsailer was nearing completion. Today after a delivery trip north last summer from Dover, she is kept here. Many people say old Wooden boats are unaffordable. They are probably right. But surely it is never too late to put so many practical skills learned while at Radley into practice … and hopefully inspire the grandchildren? Vega of Garth is believed to be one of the last of the gaff rigged 35ft Sole Bay class to be built. She was built in 1965 for a Liverpool barrister. She took part in filming for Darkest Hour off Eastbourne and was shown in the film heading out for the evacuation of Dunkirk. Despite WW2 being before her time, her design was very traditional, and so she looked the part.

JOHN GOLDSMITH (1966, E)

2022 celebrates the 42nd year of business for my company Goldsmith and Young. We started restoring old Aston Martin DB4s 5s and 6s back in 1980 in a small railway arch in Battersea London. Since 1984 we have been based in Mere on the A303 in Wiltshire. We have watched and benefitted from the increase in value of these cars over the years, but the business has had to adapt to meet changing demand from our clients, the majority of whom own the more modern cars which require a completely different approach. An entrepreneurial business which, like many small niche enterprises, has had its ups and downs but we are still here. I am now relatively part time, as age is catching up, but still working and enjoying managing something that I created all those years ago. Brexit and the pandemic have been the recent real challenges - brexit in particular as 25% of our clients came from the EU and since then we have had no EU based work unit the last month or so. This green DB4 is the first EU-based car we have had in since 2016. I am very happy to show what we do to any interested petrol heads who are passing down the A303!!

TOBY WHALEY (1969, A)

Retired on 1st June 1969.

WILLIAM GREIG (1969, C)

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years ago but has had a course of radiotherapy which seems to have helped. I hope all men over 50 years old will have regular medical checks on their prostate.

I continue with my Ballroom and Latin dancing, and reading and writing poetry.

My name-dropping epitaph To name-drop’s behaviour I hate; a fault which I won’t tolerate but, although it’s so bad, I do it like mad; I have just met Prince William and Kate! ....

At Cambridge with Hugh Laurie; and Sir Andrew Motion at Radley Greig said he was very sorry his poems rhymed so… wrong.

TIM LAKE (1969, H)

Still ploughing my furrow as a property lawyer in the West End at Stepien Lake LLP

The Goldsmith and Young workshop with an original left hand drive green DB4 awaiting restoration. - which has now been started.

Vega of Garth rigged overall on Jubilee Day, June 2022.

1970s

CHRISTOPHER SANDFORD (1970, C)

I have a book dealing mainly with the November 1943 'Big Three' Allied Conference, probably called Midnight in Tehran, appearing sometime in the spring or summer of 2023, and another one later in the year with ambitions to be a social history of 1964. Other than that, still in long-term exile here in Seattle, should anyone interested ever visit these parts.

JAMES LAMBERT (1972, E)

I was declared High Sheriff of North Yorkshire in April 2022 for one year, which is a Royal appointment going back over 1000 years. The original ‘Shire Reeves' were appointed to enforce the King’s interests in a county, in particular the collection of revenues and the enforcement of law and order.

NICHOLAS HOLLAND (1973, D)

I have been living and working in the US since 2000. After the events of January 6th, 2021, which were 6 blocks from my flat, my wife and I decided it was time to return to the UK. I retired early and we flew home in August 2021. We are now living happily in Bridgnorth in the family home and I am thoroughly enjoying the amount of time I have to row and scull and participate in Alumni events!

CHARLES HAWKINS (1973, E)

I continue as Chair of my village's Community Group. I am also serving on the board of a local Credit Union, where I am Chair of the Audit Sub-Committee. Both are proving a rewarding.

WADE NEWMARK (1973, F)

A year of change with sadness and joy. Losing my mum at the ripe old age of 92 was more than balanced by the arrival of my first grandchild: Madeline. Despite the challenges of the past 2 years, my care homes survived with a miracle of keeping Covid at bay for 2 years! Lots of contact Chris Martin, Tim Lambert, Mark Payne and Julian Pycraft. The older I get the more precious are these friendships!

CHARLES CROLE (1976, B)

I have been appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Diverse Income Trust, a leading UK investment trust specialising in investing in smaller UK companies.

ANDREW MCMURTRIE (1976, F)

I have been re-elected to the Common Council of the City of London, become a Warden of the Salters Livery Company, am a trustee of Thames 21 (caring for the River Thames), and sit as a Presiding Justice in Westminster Magistrates Court.

CERI FIELDING (1977, G)

I graduated with an MSc in Sustainability and Adaptation Planning from the Centre of Alternative Technology this year, an occasion I was delighted to share with my daughters, Felicity, 17, and Lyra 13. I've discovered my academic potential late in life [much to Geo Dave's relief, and finally making him proud of his wastrel son!] and achieved a Distinction for my research into what's gone wrong with retrofit of old buildings in the UK. My first paid commission this year was a report for Plaid Cymru Senedd Members, on housing stock and retrofit measures in the S Wales Valleys in the context of the cost-of-living crisis. This region inculdes many of the most deprived communities in Wales and the UK, with the highest fuel poverty, excess winter mortality, and multiple other indicators relating to poor housing standards. Welsh Government is well ahead of the rest of the UK in addressing these problems and improving energy efficiency, whilst decarbonising and recognising the negative environmental and health impacts of inappropriate materials such as impermeable plastic insulation.

Housing is a policy-sharing area for Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru, so it gives me the greatest possible satisfaction to report that Plaid Cymru are proposing my Policy Recommendations as policy at the autumn party conference. Top of the list is banning production of new plastic foam insulation from 2030, providing a decarbonisation target for the construction sector equivalent to that for Transport of no new petrol/diesel engines. I'm keen to connect with any ORs active in this arena, particularly creating a joined up strategy to overcome key barriers of skills/ training and decarbonisation through use of low embodied energy materials in retrofit.

SIMON WALKER (1978, G)

My nephew Sebastian left Radley 5 years ago. I have been in Dubai 10 years and recently started my own law firm, SkyeWalker Law. I've also co founded a mental health charity here, MindForce, under patronage of Dubai Health Authority & Dubai Police. My daughter Daisy, 23, graduated Edinburgh and is working in fintech for good in London.

James Lambert, High Sheriff of North Yorkshire

1980s

GEORGE FREEMAN (1980, H)

Returned to the front bench as Minister for Science, Technology & Innovation, responsible for the £32bn UK SciTech portfolio: UKRI, ARIA, InnovateUK, UK Life Science & Space.

RICHARD JOHNSON (1981, C)

We are still in Dorset with four children now in the early work years or university, the last two are Bristol and Caius College, Cambridge. All six of us will soon be embarking on a four-week Zimbabwe expedition, with Seymour Shaw (2016, F) among others. I worked for several years on elephant and rhino conservation in the 1990s, and on this trip, we will be crossing some remote parks and tracking elephants on foot.

HUGH RILEY (1981, D)

I have built upon a career in residential property. In the 1990's I started in estate agency, eventually reaching Fellow grade with the NAEA, before converting to surveying with the RICS in 2007. A few years ago I was awarded Fellow FRICS grade status with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors as well. Having spent almost 15 years with SDL Surveying, I was asked to join Countrywide Surveying Services at the end of 2021, part of the Connells Group. I am now the Regional Director for the South West Region servicing mainstream residential lender mortgage and survey work.

JAMES SHAKESPEARE (1984, D)

Our youngest, Edward, left school and hopes to join his sister, Hannah, at York University, studying English. Last autumn I was elected an Associate Fellow of Homerton College, Cambridge, whilst continuing as Vicar of St John's, Hills Road. In the past year I also served as Acting Rural Dean, and Bishop's Spirituality Adviser.

CHARLES SELIGMAN (1985, A)

I was ordained Deacon in the Church of England on July 3rd at Winchester Cathedral. Amongst the congregation were James Wyldbore-Smith (1985, A) and George Humphrey (1983, D). The seed that was sown in College Chapel and nurtured by Rev. Simon Wilkinson has finally borne fruit!

JAMES BILDERBECK (1985, A)

Having been a co-owner of an experiential marketing company specialising in automotive events for 12 years, the lure of running something small, innovative and personable ... without having to work with compliance and procurement departments, was too great. I have been the Managing Director of 'Family Copies', for the past 4 years. See: www.familycopies.com. We specialise in the reproduction of art for

Richard Johnson and his family will be tracking elephants during a four-week expedition to Zimbabwe.

© Daily Mail Image: PA Wire/PA Images

George Freeman MP, Minister for Science, Technology, Innovation & Space, joined (the then) Prince Charles in Didcot to visit Astroscale, the UK SpaceTech company tackling the increasing problem of space debris through specialist in-orbit satellite capture, service & repair.

Kerry Ellis, Ambassador for In2Drama Academy, founded by OR Phil Waller

private clients, historic houses, interior designers and international auction houses.

PHIL WALLER (1986, E)

Following 2 years of COVID, I am finally looking forward to the first full week of the In2Drama Academy at the Cranleigh Arts Centre. It’s great to have Kerry Ellis as my ambassador, who is coming on Friday 29th July to give a live Audition Masterclass to 11-15 and 16-21 year-old aspiring actors, in between her performances of Anything Goes at the Barbican. Singing, dancing, acting, audition techniques, not forgetting film studies, and theatre tech, are all taught at the Academy. It would be great to find some aspiring actors from the OR community. Come and join us! www.in2drama.com

MARK ROWAND (1986, G)

I live on a small boutique wine farm in Constantia, Cape Town. Chris Hardy (1984, E) has been a wonderful help in assisting me with marketing our wine in the UK. Chris’s father Dave and Jock Mullard were my rowing coaches back in the day! I recently hosted my dear Radleian friend and ex-Don Andrew Gordon Brown and his family during a holiday they were taking in Botswana and the Northern Cape. His son Kit (2017, A) stayed on which gave ample time for some hiking up Silvermine Nature Reserve.

Mark Rowand (1986, G) and Kit GordonBrown (2017, A) in Silvermine Nature Reserve, part of the Table Mountain National Park, Cape Town.

HAMISH MACKIE (1987, F)

Early 2022 was spent in my Oxfordshire studio sculpting a sounder of wild boar, two life size wild boar and a series of three hare studies, all of which are now cast, or being cast by the foundry. The RHS Chelsea Flower Show was in May for the first time since Covid, and it was great to be back exhibiting my work and seeing clients. Travel has also been high on my schedule with memorable research trips to both Canada and Costa Rica. As Autumn descends, I can’t wait to get back into my studio and start sculpting! https://hamishmackie.com

NICK HISCOCKS (1988, A)

Enjoying God's amazing creation on the south coast in Bournemouth, still enjoying serving as vicar at Christ Church Westbourne and people still finding real hope and life in Jesus Christ.

Children fast growing up; Lucy (16), Millie (14) and Jonty and Titus (11) and Cecilia being an amazing long suffering wife! Do look us up when in Dorset - www.christchurchwestbourne.com.

ALEXANDER MILLAR (1989, G)

Living in North Wiltshire, and happy that our eldest son Fred is starting Radley this September.

Hamish Mackie in the studio.

1990s

BRETT ERSKINE-NAYLOR (1992, C)

Currently working in Bovington, Dorset as Chief of Staff (COS) Royal Armoured Corps, I have been selected to command the Armoured Fighting Vehicles School Regiment (AFVSR), also in Bovington. So we have dodged a move for the family (still managed 7 in 12 years) and been lucky enough to get a command. A good result! Girls are now 10 and 6, so looking at senior schools. The fees of which makes me wonder if my Father may have had a sideline in armed robbery.

GEORGE MOSS (1993, B)

I have now moved out of London and live on the edge of Guildford, with my wife Davina, and three children. I'm still busy doing deals and growing businesses after almost 15 years working in private equity. When I ever get time, still loving cross-country running in the hills (… or mountains) and a good game of tennis.

NICHOLAS ASHFORD (1998, A)

Nicholas Ashford and Fred Bellhouse (both 1998, A Social) continue to grow Fordhouse, a niche UK focused buyand-build fund. Current investments are Cymphony, a contact centre; Wilson Partners, an accountancy practice; and Zenzero, a Managed Service Provider (aka IT Support).

TOBY MITCHELL-INNES (2000, F)

I am getting married September 2022, and I completed a half and Iron Man in June 2022. I am now working as a dentist/ implant dentist in Cheltenham.

WILLIAM DYOTT (2000, F)

Our daughter Evelyn (born Nov 2019) was joined by a little sister, Florence, in September 2021. We moved back to Staffordshire in April 2022 where I now work for Arcadis as a geotechnical engineer.

JAMIE BROWN (2003, D)

I'm still living in Newquay and continuing to grow my business selling health and fitness equipment. I enjoy travelling, and recently got married in Las Vegas to my wife Melissa!

ALEX WRIGHT (2005, E)

Since launching 5yrs ago DASH Water has scaled rapidly now exporting to 20 international markets and will sell 18 million cans in 2022. DASH recently started to manufacture in Australia, their APAC hub, where they sell to Woolworths supermarket and export to New Zealand alongside Singapore.

The brand is the UK category leading “seltzer” product and is listed in 8,000 stores inc Starbucks, Tesco, Sainsbury's, British Airways, Waitrose and Ocado.

SAM HÖRBYE (2006, H)

Ollie Horbye and I (both brothers from H Social) co-founded Olsam 2 years ago, Ol + Sam = Olsam. Our mission is to help independent brands blow up (in a good way) with tools and expertise to succeed on digital marketplaces, globally. Once a part of our platform, brands tap into technology, data and operational expertise custom-built to drive exponential revenue and profit growth. Our marketplace-first approach to digital brand building is unlocking the overlooked potential in the growing $2.7 trillion global marketplace economy. Olsam is a growing global team sitting across 3 continents, 15 nationalities, with deep eCommerce expertise, and has raised over $170 million from top-tier VC funds including Christian Angermayer's Elevat3 Capital, which counts Peter Thiel as a strategic partner. We now have 60+ colleagues in North America, Europe and the Far East. I received the Forbes 30 Under 30 award within Ecommerce and Retail in Europe for our progress to date – Ollie was too old ... just.

2000s

WILL STUART (2009, D) ED WAKEFIELD (2009, H)

England rugby player Will Stuart was flown back from Paris by fellow OR Ed Wakefield in March following a match. They reunited briefly on the tarmac for a photo.

BERTIE BEOR-ROBERTS (2009, H)

I was called to the bar in November 2021, and have been busy completing pupillage with a set of commercial chancery barristers. In this regard, wearing a gown for five years at Radley has turned out to be better preparation than I realised at the time. I moved to Bristol last year, and have been lucky to have caught up after many years with fellow H Social OR James Burgess (2007, H) who made the move at the same time.

Ed Wakefield and Will Stuart on the tarmac.

2010s

CHARLIE CRAVEN (2010, F)

I passed out of Sandhurst in December 2021 and joined the Grenadier Guards, and was a member of the colour party. This June I took part in the Queen’s Jubilee Pageant as part of the Grenadier Guards Detachment. I will be deploying to Iraq in December as part of Operation Shader.

GEORGE TRELAWNY (2011, C)

Yesterday, the Officer Cadets of the senior term at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, finished our final exercise (Ex Dynamic Victory). After the final attack, all cadets were allowed to put their new regimental headdress on for the first time. This was followed by a little photo shoot. The fairly strong Radley contingent took this opportunity, and secured a photo in the little German model village.

FREDDIE MARSHALL (2012, C)

Freddie shared a photo of six of the numerous Old Radleians who are currently

Pictured left to right: Nick Bennett (2011, J, Royal Lancers), Rupert Elmhirst (2011, E, Grenadier Guards), Jacob Peel (2011, C, Royal Anglians), Tom Allan (2012, C, Welsh Guards), Freddie Marshall (2012, C, Irish Guards), Harry Ashcroft (2010, B, Welsh Guards)

From left to right (unless stated otherwise commissioning as 2nd Lieutenants): • Harry Ashcroft (2010, B, Welsh Guards) • George Trelawny (2011, C, Coldstream Guards) • Captain Tom Stewart (2005, F, platoon commander and part of the RMAS permanent staff, Household Cavalry) • Nick Bennett (2011, J, the Royal Lancers) • Rupert Elmhirst (2011, E, Grenadier Guards) • Freddie Marshall (2012, C, Irish Guards)

at, or have recently completed their training at, Sandhurst.

FERGUS WILSON (2013, J)

This September, myself and Tom Daniel (2013, H) cycled 300 miles in the South West of Scotland raising over £1000 in aid of the charity RE:ACT Disaster Response. We did this independently over 4 days whilst carrying our bags on our bikes, making it all the more difficult, and the total elevation gain over the 300 miles was the equivalent to climbing Mount Kenya.

CHRISTOPH WALLENDAHL (2014, F)

I have enjoyed coxing the Magdalen College Men's VIII and captaining the Oxford University Men's Blues Fencing Team at Varsity this year. I am looking forward to starting the final year of my MEng in Information Engineering, focusing on Machine Learning.

GEORGE MEDD (2014, H)

On the 23rd July 2022 ORs George Medd (2014, H) and Edward Roest (2015, E) commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (CCS 222) into the Queen's Own Yeomanry and the Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry respectively. They are continuing their university education alongside this commitment.

ED ROEST (2015, E)

On the 23rd of July I marched up the steps at Old College, ‘passing out’ from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. I have joined E Sqn (Lothians and Border Yeomanry) The Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry as a Troop Leader, and will return to Sandhurst upon completion of my university degree. I aim to stay in the Royal Armoured Corps as a regular officer.

HAMISH AIRD (Hon Member)

Her Majesty the Queen was delighted to meet the Emperor of China who, as King Hamish l was happy to accept the throne of the kingdom of Lock Bottom at Sandford-on-Thames, Oxon for 24 hours. Although delighted to be honoured in this way The Emperor of China may not have been well-advised on current regal wear in the West, even though he matched up quite well with The Lord High Malcolm, Enthroner in Chief, who aided by the Venerable Archbishop Bob of Lock Bottom conducted the ceremony with all due solemnity. There was feasting after the ceremony to the accompaniment of a steady fall of rain (seen in these times as a true miracle).

MARK FLOYER (Hon Member)

Snezzy and I continue to enjoy ‘retirement’ in Sussex welcoming a fifth grandchild into the family in April. I have enjoyed being part of a successful Sussex Over 60s cricket squad and have published two books - a collection of poetry ‘Scrabbled’ (Paekakariki Press) and some more memoir essays ‘More Harvesting’ (Cyberwit).

Fergus and Tom cycled 300 miles to raise money for RE:ACT.

George Medd (2014, H) and Ed Roest (2015, E). Emperor Hamish at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations

Hon Members

Ed Roest (2015, E), front row, 3rd from the right, and other officer cadets being inspected by the Sultan of Oman at Sandhurst.

OLD RADLEIAN OFFICERS

We are aware of a number of ORs who have undertaken duties following the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II. They include:

(pictured above, L – R) • Lt Col Guy Stone LVO, Welsh Guards (former Brigade Major Household Division) (1985, D) • Col David Hannah MBE, Irish Guards (former Brigade Major Household Division) (1980, C) • Col Toby Till MBE, Coldstream Guards (1986, B) Maj Charlie Beare, Welsh Guards (1997, G)

Col David Hannah said of the role of Brigade Major of the Household Division: ‘this particular job carries the responsibility, working for The Major General, of the planning and preparation of the military contribution to Operation London Bridge, which is the codename (no longer classified), for the arrangements relating to the death of the sovereign and all the related events leading up to Her Majesty’s funeral, for which the overall responsibility is in the hands of The Earl Marshall, the Duke of Norfolk.

This particular aspect of the Brigade Major post has occupied much of our time, effort, and focus over the past few years, on top of responsibility for policy & planning of other more usual State Ceremonial Commitments (such as the Birthday Parade, state visits, public duties & guards of honour). Lt Col Guy Stone and I have both tried to build on the excellent work of our distinguished predecessors in this unique post, including Colonel Christopher Langton, Irish Guards (1965, F) & Charlie Lomer, Coldstream Guards (1963, F), both ORs of earlier generations.

This photo of the four of us was taken very quickly because it was in the middle of a handover of vigil teams. At the time, there was at least one other OR present, Lt Col Hugo Collis, who was not in the group photographed because he was still on parade at the catafalque, about to dismount from his last vigil duty. We were all subsequently privileged to have various roles in the state funeral on Monday 19th September, ranging from marching in the procession, as procession marshalls, and providing support to the BBC coverage. It was a great honour to have the opportunity to be part of the enormous collective effort to serve these last duties for Her Majesty The Queen, our late Colonel in Chief, hopefully with a diligence that follows her constant example and, by definition, our first formal duties to our new King and Colonel in Chief.’

Also involved have been: • Lt Col Hugo Collis, Irish Guards (1988, E) • 2nd Lt Tom Allen, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards (2004, A) • Major Charlie Williams, Grenadier Guards (2002, F) • James Castle (1984, D): On September 19th I had the enormous honour and privilege of being one of the 72 hand selected Royal British Legion Standard Bearers to parade at the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. I am currently the Standard Bearer for Cowden, Hartfield and District Branch of the Royal British Legion.

2nd Lt Tom Allen, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards (2004, A)

A RUDE AWAKENING

Seymour Shaw (2016, F) recounts his extraordinary gap year spent training and patrolling with Protrack, an anti-poaching unit based in South Africa, and backpacking through Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

After leaving Radley in 2021 I wanted to grab the bull by the horns for my gap year. I was determined to find some character-building experiences by throwing myself into a challenge. I found this in the form of an anti-poaching unit in Hoedspruit, South Africa, called Protrack, an organisation which combats poaching of wildlife using armed teams, and promises the toughest anti-poaching training in Africa. With an average 25% pass rate, only the most persistent recruits remain to serve the worthy cause of protecting highly targeted and endangered rhinos.

In my dream, I was back in Hall, feasting on Radley’s finest fish and chips (generously slathered with tartar sauce); I was rudely brought back to reality with the sudden splash of ice-cold water to my blindfolded face. The all too familiar phrase was belted out by the instructors: ‘If the ears don’t listen?’ followed by our groaned drill reply ‘the body will feel’. I remembered where I was. The instructors, never failing to follow through with this promise, treated us to what felt like an endless 12 hour overnight ordeal of stress positions and cold-water sprays. By the time our ‘Vasbyt’ (gritted teeth) exercise was over, we were down to 15 out of the 29 who had started training a few weeks earlier. At dawn we were treated to a 30 km march back to camp, with 30 kg of kit, made to feel even heavier as most of us had lost around 10kgs of our bodyweight, and were covered in ticks (I was baffled as to why they would bother; there was barely any nutrition to extract from us). Though team UK had halved (two British ex-soldiers having quit) my friend Harry (from Sherborne) and I were keen to persevere, spurred on by assertions about us ‘British oaks’ being ‘too soft’. Team UK performed well in the drill, however the CCF masters would be appalled at the general standard of marching.

This experience was a real eye opener, putting me in extreme situations and presenting me with challenges I would never otherwise have experienced. My training course was 45 days and began with all recruits having our hair shaved (the first time I’d been bald since 2003). The challenges of the training came in different forms. First, the cultural and racial divide was clear: we were told by the sergeant running the course that we were ‘no longer black or white or coloured, you are now green’, and the instructors made sure to inflict severe ‘beastings’ on us if we didn’t mix. Though there were a few digs about the Boer War from some Afrikaners, the Radley history department had equipped me with enough knowledge of the topic to set the record straight. With any hairy situations I often pointed out that the Boer Army actually helped the British Army prepare for the First World War, and led to the founding of my father’s regiment, the Irish Guards. In effect, I courageously said to the Afrikaners that the Boers were really to thank for these successes, and the blatant flattery thankfully resolved any disputes.

Second, the food became an increasingly difficult challenge, as did the social dynamic. With our ration packs, Harry and I scrutinised calorie counts for trades and calculated rationing, resulting in many accusations of ‘using your brain’ too much. This was a criticism I was familiar with, having been told the opposite at school. Even more surprising, I found myself in arguments over science vs black magic (mooti), disputing such claims as it being possible to bottle lightning bolts, or that poachers could turn themselves into baboons to escape anti-poachers.

Though we did ration effectively and made trades with other recruits to get more calorie-dense items, food was a desperate issue. I found myself rummaging in any bin I could get my hands on. Taste wasn’t an issue anymore for the first, and hopefully last, time in my life. All kinds of discarded fruit peel left around by the instructors was a welcome snack. This meant that, during my three days of survival training, I had no qualms about eating impala brain, eye, intestine, charcoaled bones, and squeezing part-digested grass from the impala’s stomach to gain a little water. A week with only two litres of water a day for cooking, drinking, and washing made me see the essentials in a different light.

Seymour (R) on patrol in South Africa

ProTrack training is exceptionally challenging.

Naturally, 3am wake ups and the dietary conditions were a far cry from Radley. Yet, I managed to bring something from the College in the form of a few Red Army chants, creatively replacing ‘Radley’ with ‘Protrack’. The biggest learning curve was trying to emulate the total self-sufficiency, savvy general knowledge, and unrelenting endurance of our fellow South African recruits. Instructors kept us in the dark regarding each day’s activities, and this meant we became used to uncertainty. The instructors delivered surprise beastings day or night. This reflects the reality of the job – being alert and prepared for variable situations is essential when you are on patrol or potentially dealing with night ambushes. Aside from beastings, we learned first-hand why conservation of rhinos was so crucial, by being exposed to the brutal damage of poaching. All this stood us in excellent stead after earning our black berets at the completion of training and being out on the job, and also during our travels once we’d left Protrack.

After Protrack, Harry and I travelled through South Africa to the Mozambican border with our 120 litre rucksacks, of all our gear, and a tight budget. Our expedition took us 100 km north along the Mozambican coast from Ponta do Ouro to Inhaca Island, carrying all our food and pitching tents on the beach despite being warned and discouraged by locals. Thankfully, the coast provided fewer hills to climb, though the sand made walking particularly tough. Water was always a concern, but we managed to find various luxury lodges dotted along the coast who, despite providing us with water, were keen to shoo us away. Our camo rucksacks, torn, dirty, overworn clothes, and scraggly hair were not appealing to their guests, apparently. Completing this exertion was highly rewarding and proved we could undertake a lengthy hike, navigate local public transport, and find good value street food. After Mozambique, we joined Harry’s family, including his father Richard Johnson (1981, C), in Zimbabwe for an expedition in Gonarezhou National Park.

I hope to continue making similar excursions, which I expect to get even bigger and more extraordinary. I look forward to leveraging these valuable experiences, particularly when I start university this year at LSE, studying History and Politics. The time away from books and academia has fuelled my motivation for study. Finally, no matter how pitiful the food or squalid the accommodation, I’ll find humour knowing that 8000 miles away there are some poor recruits rustling in bins for orange peel and being rudely awoken by the angelic chorus of the instructors.

Seymour Shaw (2016, F)

Harry, Seymour’s friend and travel companion, on a beach in Mozambique.

ARCH 2 ARC

In their first summer since finishing at Radley, four new ORs undertook a remarkable journey to raise money for two charities: the Batten Disease Family Association and the Ruth Strauss Foundation. They set out to travel from Marble Arch to the Arc de Triomphe, all under their own steam. Hamish Rimmer (2017, G) explains their motivations, and the unexpected challenges along the way.

20,000 calories, 4,500m elevation, 500km, 40°C heat, 5 bikes, 4 riders, 4 punctures, 2 cars, 2 charities, 1 challenge.

In November of 2019, Edward Mortimer (2017, C) and Max Hartwright (2017, C) proposed a challenge to me that they had devised to raise money for charity, ‘Arch2Arc’ they called it, and they asked March Turnbull (2017, E) and I to join the team. More than two years later, after countless meetings, facetimes, emails, and phone calls, we finally stood beneath the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. We were knackered. We had rowed halfway and back across the Channel, had cycled from London to Paris, and now stood on shaky legs at our finish line. Yet we knew we had accomplished something amazing, and that the sponsorship had continued to pour in while we were travelling. We felt like we were on top of the world.

The Arch2Arc challenge went through many adjustments: originally it was Arc2Arch; we were meant to do it in 2021; we wanted to row the full Channel rather than half and back. Yet the one thing that did not change were the two charities we were supporting.

The Batten Disease Family Association (BDFA) helps support families affected by Batten disease, a group of fatal genetic disorders, and was chosen by Mortimer due to his close friendship with a family affected by the disease. The Ruth Strauss Foundation (RSF), set up by former England cricket captain Sir Andrew Strauss (1990, B) in memory of his wife, aims to help families with professional support when facing the death of a parent from cancer. Both charities do amazing work and help those in need, and it was a privilege to raise money to support them.

Due to weather conditions, we had to do the challenge in the wrong order, rowing the Channel before leaving from London the next day. As we pushed off from Dover beach on the morning of Monday 18th July, I don’t think any of us understood just how tough the next few days would be. Still riding the high of a successful Henley campaign, we were all in decent shape, yet this did not amount to much after the first 30km at sea.

Reflecting on the whole journey afterwards, we all were unanimous: the hardest day was undoubtedly Tuesday 19th July when we cycled the 150km from London to Dover. When we left at 5am it was 17°C, but when we arrived it was almost 40°C.

During that day alone we had two punctures and a broken gear mechanism, resulting in us mobilising our spare bike only 60 km into a three-day, 450 km ride. The heat took its toll, and only three of us were able to make it to Dover, the fourth unable to continue with just 15 km to go. As we hobbled aboard the ferry to Calais that evening, the next day seemed all too close.

Setting off from Calais we once again rode as a four-man team, light drizzle provided stark contrast to the weather of the previous day, and the 152 km ride passed much faster as we made our way along the gentle hills and smooth roads of the French countryside. A small crash early that morning resulted, remarkably, in the only injuries of the entire challenge. We rolled into Amiens that night tired and sore, but with the satisfaction that we had made it this far and would be in Paris the next day.

The last day was the easiest. The miles seemed to fly by, and we made excellent ground all through the day, navigating wrong turns and the occasional gravel road with practised ease. We managed to pick up two punctures in the last 50 km, one only 2 km from the Arc de Triomphe, bringing our total to 4 punctures. As we stood at the top of the Champs-Élysées and leant on our bikes, with Arch2Arc completed, we knew we had devised, planned, and executed the challenge of a lifetime. We could not have done it without the help of numerous people, not least our fathers, Alastair, Harry, Ian, and Simon, who accompanied us in the support cars, and were always ready to refill water bottles, fix bikes, or give directions. They undoubtedly made the challenge not only possible but enjoyable, and they deserve much of the credit for making it the adventure it was. In truth, it was not a four-man team, it was four men on the shoulders of many others.

At the time of our arrival at the Arc de Triomphe on Thursday 21st July, £13,400 had been raised for two amazing charities, and we were sure that number would increase.

It was an incredible journey, and no doubt something the four of us will remember forever. Yet the challenge is not completed until the last donation is made. We invite the whole OR community to donate and help us raise even more, to help those who need it.

Hamish Rimmer (2017, G)

At the time of publishing, Arch2Arc has raised £17,232 for BDFA and RSF. It is still possible to donate by visiting https://www.justgiving.com/team/Arch2Arc22