After being assigned to quarters we went straight out on to the tank course learning to “drive” Chieftan tanks and Land Rovers. Dinner in the Officers’ mess ended the first day.

Morning arrived with the sound of a bugle at 06.00 hours. Exercises and a three mile run soon followed.

Then on to the ranges for target practise and, the finale, the assault course.

On the horizontal logs a major disaster occurred when the CO fell and suffered a serious cut to his head. Swathed in blood soaked bandages he was taken to hospital for treatment.

Eventually all returned home safe, if not entirely sound.

Update: Under the Fifteen Year Rule, new higer resolution images have been released…

Longshanks had been hunting in Sherwood Forest and failed to reach the side of his queen before she died.

On 3rd & 4th June led by the Commanding Officer, Charlie McCormick 24 members of the Brigade collected a few drops of medicinal Ise water and walked from Sherwood Forest (Rufford Country Park)  the 25 miles to Harby in an act of redemption.

The walk started with flag in attendance at 09:00am on the Saturday morning with lunch in the ‘Square & Compass’, Normanton and an overnight stay in grade 1 listed accommodation at Stoke Rochford Hall Nr. Grantham.

The walk recommenced at 09:30am on the Sunday arriving in Harby at 12.30pm to be greeted by a peel of bells. The waters of the Ise were ceremonially poured over the statue of Eleanor outside the church and at the rear of the church where the lodge once stood where Eleanor died.

To conclude a buffet lunch in the ‘Bottle & Glass’  was hosted by the Harby Historical Society. Needless to say a great weekend of comradeship was had by all.

• Decide the best pub in the county
• Decide the best pub in each local authority area
• Raising money for our charity

Each of the 5 GVFB Sections visited 100 plus pubs to select a top three that would go forward to the final selection process. The Pubs and Publicans pictured here are those that reached this stage. They include town as well as village pubs demonstrating the diversity of establishments in the county.

This was no mean feat taking some 9 months to complete with some individual Firemen visiting in excess of 100 pubs. Needless to say the next 9 months was spent on diets.

Publicans were invited to purchase voluntarily one or more raffle tickets for £1.00 each. The tickets were entered into a Grand Draw, with the winner, The Cock Inn at Denford awarded £100. This was donated equally to the Royal Variety Club of Great Britain and the British Lung Foundation.

The Grand Draw raised in excess of £2000 for charity funds these in turn being donated to deserving causes within the local Geddington area.

The decision as to which pub was the best in Northamptonshire was not easy as the assessment criteria included not only beer quality and pub ambience but also the contribution made to the local community.

The winning Pub received not only the accolades of the members of GVFB, but also a specially commissioned trophy.

Outside the winning pub, the Fox & Hounds

After reviewing the 16 Public Houses above the Althorp Coaching Inn (Fox & Hounds) was declared the GVFB 2004 best pub in Northamptonshire. Licensed premises since 1620 the pub is full of character, serving some 10 real ales at any one time.

The Bell Inn – Finedon was runner up.
The Bell – Helmdon came third.

Presentation

On Tuesday 3rd May a group of some 25 Firemen visited The Fox & Hounds for a celebratory charity evening.

The trophy is a half inch brass and copper alloy Branch manufactured in the 1920s and used on front line fire appliances in Oswestry.  In the war it was given to a training college at Gobowen & was stamped DCTC (Derwen Cripples Training College) It appeared in front of HRH Queen Elizabeth at the Royal Shrewsbury Show in 1976.

Presented to Jackie Ellard and Marion Comuk.

Blue Bell - Easton on the Hill

Queens Head - Bulwick

Kings Head - Apethorpe

The Sun - Broughton

The Bell Inn - Finedon

Ranelagh Arms - Wellingborough

Stags Head - Earls Barton

Spread Eagle - Piddington

Chequers - Ravensthorpe

Fox & Hounds - Great Brington

Red Lion - Crick

Royal Oak - Crick

White Hart - Flore

Dunn Cow - Daventry

New Inn - Middleton Cheney

Bell Inn - Helmdon

The Presentation Party

CO's perks!!!

Map of Norhamptonshire and villages visited

Friday 18th October and a fresh autumn evening saw 16 members of the Brigade meet at the Cross to undertake the 2002 great adventure. Over the weekend 25 members circumnavigated the County boundary – 175 Miles.

Teams were led by John Hughes, Charles Lockwood, Graham Brown, Brian Ward, and Paul Richardson with the start and finish at the Royal Oak, Duddington.

The weather was kind allowing the teams to enjoy passing through villages such as Marston Trussel, Farthingoe and Sutton Bassett all of which reflect the very nature of Northamptonshire, the “Rose of the Shires”.

Sponsorship of £400 was raised and the planning for the 2004 adventure got underway during the event. To visit every Public House in the County what else!!

Team arriving in Rutland

Through the Boughton Estate and Wicksteeds Park on to the Fen draining water course of the river Nene.

Navigating through locks and being escorted the final few miles by Wisbeach Fire & Rescue to fly the flag at the entry to the Wash.

We climbed the highest peaks in England, Scotland, Wales and Nothamptonshire (Arbury Hill, near Daventry).

Burgos Fire Station

1997 saw the fire engine and a group of GVFB members set off from Plymouth to Spain. We wanted to take the Queen Eleanor to Los Heulgas Abbey where much of history began for the inhabitants of Geddington and of course members of the brigade.

From the time that we landed on Spanish soil we were given an enthusiastic reception, the Santander fire service hosted us magnificently and prepared us for the difficult journey over the High Sierras into Burgos.

Queen Eleanor entering the grounds of Los Heulgas Abbey

The fire service in Burgos were no less welcoming shutting off the streets so Queen Eleanor could drive through the city and enter the grounds of the abbey in spectacular fashion.

Crab Apple tree planting 1997

We took with us a young Crab Apple tree from Geddington Chase which was planted in the grounds of the Fire Station, as can be seen in the photo aside beneath that is another taken in 2005 when one of our number returned for a short visit the Crab Apple tree was still there and thriving.

The then commanding officer Lloyd Marlow presented the mother superior with a plaque (see below) marking our visit and why we had come to her ancient domain. In return she gave us a glass of sherry each and a postcard. The order is silent so it is not known to this very day the significance of the postcard.

The tree still growing in 2005

Local newspaper cutting showing the GVFB party and the presentation to the Mother Superior