THANKS

Thank You for the 2026 edition of the Beachley Echoes as always a Great Read.

Hi John
Many thanks for the info. Also my apologies for the delay. It is our busiest time of the year. That's the problem in running a Accounting and Tax business with over 200 clients some being overseas. We have staff who work various hours and at weekends. We can work in access of 12 hours per day (weekends included) so we are kept busy.
However we have decided that in 2 to 3 years we will sell the business and enjoy ourselves. We already have people interested.
Ray (55b)
There is a group photograph on the website that shows Rob as a instructor at Beachly. I believe that he went into 9 Para and looks like he then went to Beachly

I was in 55b group at Chepstow and after my time there and my 9 years in the Royal Engineers I left the REs and moved to Zambia (Northern Rhodesia). This was on the advice of my brother in law who was an accountant living in Lusaka and said there was a shortage of skilled people there. When I arrived the firm saw that I had accounting qualifications and rather than work as a overseas service engineer I was put on the management account side. After a number of years I moved to South Africa as a Investment manager for listed company engineering company and was investigating companies in South Africa, Iran ,Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, to see if they were worth buying. I then moved to Botswana as a Company Secretary on a Diamond mine on contract, and then on contract to a listed company in Papua New Guinea. Then back to South Africa and joined Deloitte and Touche as a manager, then left and formed my accounting and tax company, which I still run today.
One of my good friends at Chepstow Robert Kewley whom I have been unable to trace, He married a Betty Wright who was the daughter of a instructor in the VM shop at Chepstow. Can any one help?

Wishing all who passed through the gates a Great festive season and a Healthy ,contented 2026

Thank you to all our members attending the Cenotaph Parade tomorrow in London representing BOBA, my thanks to Matt Arlow for organising our contingent, I hope you all have a fantastic day and I know you will do us proud.

Gary White
Chairman BOBA

Dear Ken Webster , as I hold a record of the enlistment records I should be able to help. I will attempt to sort it out in the next few days and be in touch with you by email.
Regards
Alan Chatt
Hon Sec BOBA

I recently had the honour of being invited to attend the VE Day Anniversary Concert at the Usher Hall Edinburgh on the 6 May. For years I have not considered myself as a World War 2 Veteran, having had no active Service during the War I felt it was not possible for me to use that title. Recently I was told you have the Medals so you are a Veteran.
So when the day came I was taken by British Legion transport to the Usher Hall where i was met by many sailors of the Royal Navy who were assisting those of us who needed help in mobility. We were taken to a Reception that was being held above the Hall, where I was greeted by many people,and if I wanted to I could have had as much food and drink as I wanted.
When the time came to move to the Theatre our Escorts Wheeled us to our places in my case to a Box overlooking the Stage and I shared this with three other Veterans. The Concert was fantastic there were three bands plus pipers and for two hours we had the pleasure of listening to them. Visual information was provided by means of a large Screen mounted on the Stage. At one point a Standing Ovation was given to the Veterans and this continued for some time.
Finally The British Legion took us home. Happy but tired.

Thank You for the March Edition Beachley Echoes 2025

Sorry to hear of the death of John Bass.I never met him but corresponded with him for quite a while in the Guest Book.I think he must have been.about two years younger than me as I was in 42A making me 98 years young.