RAFBEA (North America)
The 2003 North America RAFBEA Reunion was held in Las Vegas on Sunday November 23 and Monday November 24 at the Monte Carlo Hotel, a first class hotel on the famous Las Vegas Strip. There were 22 ex-boy entrants who attended the third annual RAFBEA North American reunion. The total number of people attending, including spouses/significant others, was 39! We had one couple who came from Australia ... and two surprise visitors from England!
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23: We held an informal get-together in the Houdini Lounge (in the Monte Carlo hotel). This is a piano bar just off the casino. Everyone met at 7pm and many who owned RAFBEA NORTH AMERICA sweatshirts wore them as a convenient means of recognition.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24: During the day, everyone enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Las Vegas Strip. At 4:00pm, all the RAFBEA members gathered together for their AGM to discuss plans and proposals for the next reunion. It was agreed that the 2004 North America RAFBEA Reunion will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 7:00 p.m. Everyone met on the second floor for pre-banquet cocktails and to see the display of Boy Entrant memorabilia. A great big "thanks" to everyone who brought such great momentos (shoes, photographs, letters, etc.) At 7:30pm, Brian Carlin welcomed everyone and started the banquet. By the way, a big THANK YOU to Brian for doing such a great job in getting all the details wrapped up and taken care of for this reunion. We all really appreciate the hard work he did in making this reunion such a success! Thanks Brian! Be sure to check out his website and the new book Brian just wrote.
After everyone has finished with the banquet, Brian Carlin invited first time attendees to give a brief and informal self-introduction followed by other ex-Boy Entrants who gave a brief description of their years of service.
BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT (STANDING):
David Cutbush (41st Entry Air/W Cosford), Alan Mackay (26th Entry Teleg Cosford), John Weatherly (8th Entry AirRad Yatesbury), Mike Claydon (26th Entry Teleg Cosford), Chris Simpson (26th Entry Teleg Cosford), Reg Moore (47th Entry ElecAir St. Athan), John McCauley (34th Entry A/frame St. Athan), David Brown (25th Entry AirRad Cosford), Brian Carlin (29th Entry ElecAir St. Athan), Bruce Allen (46th Entry Air/W Cosford), Martin Roberts (22nd Entry AirRad Cosford).
MIDDLE ROW LEFT TO RIGHT (SEATED ON CHAIRS):
Allan Harrison (46th Entry ElecAir St. Athan), Peter Rushby (30th Entry Arm St. Athan), Norrie Hathaway (46th Entry ElecAir St. Athan), David Williams (27th Entry ElecAir St. Athan), Les Carey (2nd Entry Arm Kirkham), Eric Peak (40th Entry AirRad Cosford), John Wade (21st Entry Teleg Cosford), Gorton Lawrence (21st Entry Arm Cosford).
FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT (SEATED ON FLOOR):
Stuart Cox (37th Entry AirRad Cosford), Mel White (26th Entry Teleg Cosford), David Mattingley (44th Entry AirRad Cosford).
And we certainly can't forget the ladies!
BACK ROW LEFT TO RIGHT (STANDING): Wendy Cutbush, Pam Rushby, Adrienne Williams, Janet Mattingley, Annie Allen, Jane Hathaway, Jill Moore, Sheila Roberts, Diana Young.
FRONT ROW LEFT TO RIGHT (SEATED): Ann Lawrence, Julie Claydon, Jill Wade, Gail Simpson, Joyce Carey, Sheila Harrison, Pam Carlin, Margaret Weatherly.
Mel White (one of our two surprise visitors from England and a former boy entrant from the 26th Entry Teleg Cosford) decided to show off one of his hidden talents; that red thing in his right hand is a chicken. No, it's not alive but was a carefully-folded napkin which took on the shape of a chicken. Mel confided to us later that it took him months to learn how to properly fold a napkin in the shape of a chicken! Way to go Mel!
Here's some of the ex-boys and their significant others enjoying themselves while dining. Left to right: Les (2nd Entry Arm Kirkham)and Joyce Carey, Sheila and Allan (46th Entry ElecAir St. Athan) Harrison, Pam and Brian Carlin (29th Entry ElecAir St Athan). And the husband and wife with their backs to us is Sheila and Martin Roberts (22nd Entry AirRad Cosford).
Here's our other surprise visitor from England, Alan Mackay (26th Entry Teleg Cosford). Alan is giving a brief talk to everyone at the banquet. That's Brian Carlin in the background.
Here's a couple of real cowboys ... all the way from Calgary and Oregon! Chris Simpson and Mike Claydon (both 26th Entry Telegs from Cosford) couldn't resist showing up at the reunion wearing their Stetson Cowboy Hats!
Well, ya know how everything's BIGGER in Las Vegas? Its certainly true with the size of beer servings! Just take a look at this pitcher of beer the fellas ordered one evening.
Wanna send us an e-mail? Here's our mailbox. We've tweeked our e-mail address a bit to prevent all that awful spam. We think you'll figure out that AT is to be replaced with the @ with no spaces in between the @ symbol.
