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THE No.4
(South West) Area |
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| TORRIDGESIDE BRANCH |
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We Will Remember Them
Ashore The Branch meets on the second Monday of each month at the Bideford RFC HQ Bank End, Bideford, at 20.00hrs. New Members are Welcome. For more information contact the Branch Secretary
Branch Officer
BRANCH HISTORY The Rev. D. L. Peyton-Jones (an Ex Royal Marine Major) Vicar of Appledore, convened a meeting in September 1976, at ‘The Beaver Inn', Appledore. Local ex- Royal Naval and Royal Marine personnel, about thirty of whom attended, decided to form a Branch of the ‘Royal Naval Association', to be known as the ‘Appledore Branch'. At that time very few Branches had been commissioned in the South West (Area 4), compared to the fifty which exist today. It was proposed and agreed that from October 1976, meetings would be held every second Monday of the month at the ‘Beaver Inn' , Appledore. At the October meeting, under the Chairmanship of Lt. Commander Rowe, RNVR, Officers were elected to serve for the next sixteen months. The Rev. Peyton-Jones agreed to act as the Branch Padre. Late in November of 1976, permission and instructions as to the formation of a branch were received from the national RNA HQ. On the last weekend of November 1976, the Branch was commissioned at a ceremony held in the ‘ Royal George Hotel ' Appledore, by Officers of Area 4, as the twelfth South West Unit. President Ken Kennet, Chairman Ron Tremlett and Secretary Vera Bell with their wives, as well as the members of the newly formed Branch and their wives, all had a most enjoyable afternoon and evening. The regional Officers informed us that there would be a ‘Get Together' of members of Area 4 Branches at the end of January 1977. This weekend of real Naval Entertainment was held at Barton Hall, and places for six members were available. This was so enjoyable, that for the following sixteen years a truly marvellous time was had by twenty and more members at similarly entertaining weekends. The membership from Braunton, Bideford, Torrington , Instow and the surrounding area increased, but for various reasons, from Appledore dropped off. When the landlord of the ‘Beaver Inn' Appledore moved, the meetings were changed to a central venue at the Royal British Legion Club in Bideford, and to recognize that the membership all lived in the catchment area of the River Torridge, the name of the Branch should to be changed to ‘Torridgeside'. After some time, permission for this change of name was granted by the National Council.. Officers of the No 4 Area together with representatives of Area 4 Branches, attended the Dedication by Rev. Peyton-Jones, of the Branch Standard at St. Mary's Church Bideford on Sunday 13th May 1979. Branch meetings continued to be held at the Bideford RBL Club for five years, but in view of the difficulty of the narrow stairs for some members, meetings from 1981 onward have been held at the Bideford Rugby Club, keeping to the same meeting times as in the past. Torridgeside was responsible for the sponsoring and formation of the Braunton RNA Branch in 1982, and of the Bude RNA Branch in 1990, attending the Dedication of their Standard on 12 th August 1990. With a more or less constant membership level of between thirty and forty ever since commissioning, the Branch assists and takes a keen interest in the local Sea Cadet Corp. Ships on Which Members Served
Shipmate
Next Shipmates Meeting
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