Review

As others will testify I'm sure, the London reunion was a great success, thanks largely and once again to the efforts and hard work of Sue and John Spence. Sue reminded me this was the 10th major reunion in UK, the first being at Lyndhurst in Hampshire 18 years ago.

Due to a number of coincidental factors, the reunion seemed to take on a Nevasa theme. Hans-Peter Lemcke-Braselmann the owner of Nevasa (3)'s bell was present, together with bell which he had brought specially for the reunion from his home in Germany. And Malcolm Paget brought a large inscribed brass plate from Nevasa's engineroom. So, advantage was taken of the presence of these two objects to have a Nevasa photo-call after dinner. I think more than 50 people gathered for the photo - getting on for a third of the 180 present.

To summon everyone to dinner, seven bells were rung on the bell by Ian Denholm and Doug Brodie as they were reckoned to be the most senior Nevasa hands in attendance; they joined the ship when new in 1956. David Kirchin was reckoned to be the most junior hand (run voyage to Taiwan, 1975) and had his chance to ring the bell after dinner.

There was also a replay of a recording supposedly made by some officers on board Nevasa during that scrapping voyage to Taiwan, when the ship was allegedly attacked by pirates in or near Indonesian waters. There seems to be some dispute about how or even whether this attack actually happened! Undaunted, Tony Gray introduced the recording with some amusing anecdotes from Nevasa's cruising days.

The food and service at Runnymede Hotel was terrific and the lamb curry, in particular, was superb. I hope one day we can return to this most congenial location for another reunion.

It was a great weekend on the riverbank at Runnymede, not in any way dampened by the rain which eventually fell.....thank you Sue and John - simply terrific.

John Prescott