Chiief Officer(X) Graham Ferguson, Crossed the Bar

Sitrep 1 Funeral Arrangements

It is with much sadness that  I report that Chief Officer(TA) Graham Ferguson RFA(Retd)(Member 0106)  Crossed the Bar on Monday 4th April  2022 at his Dorchester home with his long time partner. The arrangements for Graham's funeral are being made by Grassby Funeral Service (HERE for their website and HERE for a map))

Graham will be interred, with his partner at  Higher Grounds Meadow Natural Burial Site (HERE for their website and HERE for a map) on Tuesday 10th April 2022 at 12:00.

Family Flowers only please, but donations in lieu and if desired, should be made to Mental Health Research (HERE for their website) or as coordinated by the funeral directors.

Former shipmates and colleagues attending the funeral will be invited to join the family afterwards.

On behalf of the RFA Association and all Graham's former shipmates and colleagues  I offer our sincere condolences.

If you have any remembrances of Graham please email it to me at captain.pat@rfa-association.org.uk and I will post them on this page. Alternatively you can post to our facebook page "RFA Crossed the Bar". I am also looking for photographs of Graham  for this piece and the RFA Association Gallery and Archive, if you have one please email it to me.

Chief Officer Graham Ferguson 1939 - 2022

Seen here presenting Bosun Chan PO Shui with the South Atlantic Medal for his services on Plumleaf 1982.

Obituary Notice from the Dorset Echo:-

How many Brain Cells have you got left after Chrimbo?

So how many brain cells have you got left after after all the alcoholic excesses of Chrimbo, not a lot methinks. So here's little quiz from my old mate "The Rozzer" that might either tell you what a good boy (or girl) you were or send you down to see Alcoholics Anonymous (if you can still remember where to go) and don't cheat either to AA when they ask you how much you imbibe or by Googling the answers.

And talking about cheating I remember an SRO who was, allegedly, a regular visitor to the "Long Basket Weaving Course at Netley, used to say "when you arrive at Netley you will be asked how much you drink, if you are on a bottle a day tell them you are on 2 bottles a day and they will give you a bottle". Plus ca change, plus c'cest la breathalyser. Anyway enough of this gay badinage and on to the quiz.

• 1.       Which ship demolished a light house at the entrance to Brisbane Harbour, Australia in October 1949?
• 2.       Which ship was the only RFA in the Royal Fleet Review by King George V in July 1924?
• 3.       Which ship was sunk as a War Grave off the Falkland Islands in June 1982 and is now a protected wreck?
• 4.       Six of the crew of this RFA were drowned in the River Medway in April 1925 when they were returning onboard after a run ashore – which RFA?
• 5.       A steward on the ss Titanic was saved looking after his passengers and he later joined the RFA serving as a Chief Steward – on what ship?
• 6.       In June 1970 this RFA was sunk after striking an uncharted pinnacle of rock off the Seychelles. There was no loss of life but was the ship?
• 7.       The German supply ship Lothringen was captured by Royal Navy in June 1941. She was renamed as an RFA and based at Newfoundland – what was her RFA name?
• 8.       Which RFA ran aground on a sand bank off Ferry Point, Changi, Singapore in November 1957?
• 9.       Which RFA was used to ferry a donkey named Antonio from Malta to Devonport in February 1962 to be used as a mascot at HMS EXCELLENT on Whale Island
• 10.    Which RFA sailed from Malta with an Archbishop and his Chaplain as passengers in May 1952

Answers  to follow in a week or so but email your answers to captain.pat@rfa-association.org.uk  and points wil be awarded, and points mean prizes. whadda points mean .... PRIZES First prize is a week's holiday in Immingham, Second prize is a two week holiday in Immingham both to be taken during the first week of the next millenium. Never been to Imminham (You haven't lived)? If the River Humber was the "a___hole" of the world, Imminham is 11 miles up it.

Thinking caps on Chaps and chapesses

Falklands40, RBA Commemoration.

Were you There?

On Tuesday 14th June 2022 the Royal British Legion will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas in Staffordshire. All applications to attend must be made via the RFA Asssociation, ie me as the designated representative by email:- falklands40@rfa-association.org.uk . or telephone 01833 640045

I will manage all applications by veterans , RFA and Stonnery for the event providing they are members of the RFA Association, Serving RFA or retired RFA and not members of the RFA Association. In the latter two cases I might ask for verification of their status as RFA verterans, appropriate discharge book page or the like as there application will be going under the good name of the RFA Association and I do not want to submit the name of non veterans ie. "Walts" . The closing date for submissions is late April so there is plenty of time but the sooner you apply the better

If you are intending to attend this event and need local accomodation I strongly suggest you book it now, my spies tell me there is a lot of interest already in local hotels already and you may need to seek accomodation in Lichfield https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=303948;label=lichfield-TFUseF2xGbfm6G_BpMUaxAS525562401973%3Apl%3Ata%3Ap15%3Ap2%3Aac%3Aap%3Aneg%3Afi%3Atikwd-4628213421%3Alp1006688%3Ali%3Adec%3Adm%3Appccp%3DUmFuZG9tSVYkc2RlIyh9Yf5EcukO1MOGLSSAuId8ToA;sid=febebbb4b0cc07dbcb051e2f39229985;city=-2601098;redirected=1;redirected_from_city=1;source=city&.

Notes from the Royal British Legion's page:-

https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/remembrance/remembrance-events/falklands

Seriously important:- I do not do Messenger CBA,, its horrible IMHO and I will probably miss the message so to contact me with any queries or required help please use:-

falklands40@rfa-association.org.uk

01833 640045

Watch this page, I will update it as more info becomes available.