With regard to the letters you have very kindly printed from me over the last few months, I have had a terrific response and hundreds of ex Royal Navy Electrical Branch Electricians have joined their new Association, many now making contact again through the membership lists.

Thank you very much.

But there has been another response. The salt in the blood of other ex matelots has been stirred and they have contacted me and asked "Is there an Association for this?" or "An Association for that?" etc, and in many cases I have been able to direct them to their old HM Ship's Association, but many, many more do not have an Association, either because numbers have fallen due to age and the Association has been wound up, or nobody has started one.

"Well can we come to your reunion because we want to be among ex matelots again?" I am afraid that the answer has to be no, because it is an "Ex Electrical Branch Association and Reunion".

However I have passed this concern to the Managing Director of the company which provides administration for dozens of 14 M Ship Association Reunions and she has very kindly come up with "We will put an ex Royal Navy Shipmates Reunion on for you as long as you take charge of it as a normal Ship's Association Committee does".

So there you are. I have hoisted the White Ensign in my back garden. Painted the house Admiralty Grey and had an Anchor tattooed on my face.

The weekend is February 8-11, 2008, at Mill Rythe Holiday Village, Hayling Island, an establishment well used to Naval Reunions.

Meet up on the Friday and start to "swing the lamp", evening meal followed by live entertainment, coach trip out somewhere Saturday, "UP SPIRITS" and the Gala Dinner, full live entertainment, Sunday Remembrance Service, "UP SPIRITS", "Sod's Opera" and/or coach trip in the afternoon, evening meal more entertainment and go home Monday.

Wives and partners welcome.

Well that's the basis for the weekend. Your prompt response is requested, with your name and address and a couple of stamps, we can have a cracking reunion, but please let me know if you are interested as soon as possible, as the whole Holiday Village is on "reserved for you" status.

mike.crowe1@btinternet.com