Membership

The Association. was conceived in 1990 after a get together of 22 Shipmates, at Bognor Regis in 1990. It all started off by my having read the “Navy News”, for the first time and noting that all these old Shipmates were having reunions, all that is except “Ceylon”. So in October of 1989, I, Ron (Sticks) Pratt asked the “Navy News” if they would place a notice in its column calling for all old S/Ms of the 1950/2 commission to get in touch with a view to a reunion.

As stated above, 22 got in touch and so we had a get together in Bognor. After further notices in several other magazines and again in the “Navy News”, there was quite a response, some from other commissions asking if they could join us and so it was agreed to open the doors to all ex “Ceyloner’s”, and in April 1991 a reunion was held in Portsmouth with some 142 attending. The Sunday after this most successful first reunion, an open meeting was called at which Officers and Committee was formed and we duly registered as an official Association and have gone from strength to strength.

Reunions have been held every year, 1992 again in Pompey, 1993 again in Pompey, this time at the Warrant & C.P.O.s mess, 1994 at the RNA in Leamington Spa, 1995, back to the mess in Pompey, 1996 again in Pompey, 1997 time to go up country, so Blackpool was the venue and then to Babbacombe in1998, it was wonderful at Babbacombe in Devon. This indeed has to rate as the best yet. The Hotel is excellent, the food, service, civility, cleanliness and price second to none and so it is, we were duly booked in there for 1999 . In 2000 we went back in Blackpool but to a different Hotel, reports from some commitee members who have visited to check it out report very favourably about the amenities there, 2001 we went back to Babbacombe and then in 2002 we went to a new venue at Sandown, Isle of Wight which was part of the same group hotel as Babbacombe, it was a 1st class weekend, 2003 saw us at Chesterfield where again it was excellent but very expensive and for 2004 we went back to one of our old venues at Babbacombe. Our venue for 2005 was at Llundudno, in 2006 we tried another one at Bournemouth with turned out to be an excellent venue. 2007 we went to Gillingham, Kent and spent the Saturday at the Dockyard. 2008 was held at the Kistor hotel Torquay, this was very popular so we have decided to go there again for next year. The 2010 reunion was held at Chester. In 2011 we went back to Torquay but at a different hotel. Coventry was the venue for the 2012 reunion. We went to Bournemouth for 2013, for 2014 we went back to Babbacombe but to a different hotel, this turned out to be excellent with friendly staff and good service all round, we have booked this one again for our 2015 reunion.

The reunion for 2015 will again be held at the Anchorage hotel Babbacombe from Friday 24th April until Monday 27th April, for further information please contact the Secretary Cliff Pell on 01962 714270 or online at secretary@hms-ceylon.co.uk

Also attending all of the above reunions up to 2001 has been our President, Rear Admiral G. A. Thring CB, DSO, who was Captain of HMS Ceylon from March 1951 until September 1952, alas he passed away on 15th November 2001 at the ripe old age of 98, he will be missed by us all, a new President was elected this year namely Lt. Cdr D.M. Scott. The wives, friends of members are all welcome to our reunions. All our S/Ms are kept fully informed throughout the year by way of a newsletter that goes out to everyone every two months.

This same newsletter welcomes you to send in anything you consider would be of interest to be included in any edition. We now have a membership of just over 200 and room for a lot more and we also ask of any of the “Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders”, that were our shipmates for their trip from Hong Kong to Pusan in 1950, that would like to join us, please get in touch.

All enquiries may be sent to the compiler of these home pages and will be dealt with immediately.

Ron(Sticks)Pratt R.M.