“HMS Broadsword and the Falklands War” by Charlie Threlfall and Christmas Social
The December meeting is the Surrey Branch Christmas Social Meeting. A festive buffet will be provided. On this occasion we will not be providing tea or coffee but if you wish to bring other drinks (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic) of your choice then please do so. Please note the date. This meeting is on the second Wednesday of December – the 11th.
In a departure from our Western Front focus, Charlie will give us his recollections of being a junior officer onboard HMS Broadsword during the 1982 Falklands conflict. The ship had a busy war sustaining action, damage and casualties.
Charlie joined the Royal Navy in 1980 at age 17 and saw active service during the Falklands War in 1982 before leaving in 1986 as a Lieutenant. He served for 30 years as a Constable in the Metropolitan Police and the Hampshire Constabulary. On retiring in 2016 he served another 7 years as Police Staff coordinating Royal/Ministerial visits to Hampshire/IOW before retiring proper in 2023. He joined the RNLI at Calshot Lifeboat Station (Southampton) in March 2023 and is a Trainee Boat Crew on the Atlantic 85 Inshore Lifeboat as the oldest person afloat at the station.
This meeting will be held in Cobham. Members of The Western Front Association and non-members are equally welcome. For this social event, we ask for a £10 donation on the door to cover the costs of the food and the normal hall hire.
Members joining us at Cobham can use our new cashless card system and use their credit card/phone with the new reader that will be available at the signing-in desk.
Charlie’s talk starts at 8pm. Doors open at Cobham at 7:15pm and the meeting starts at 7:45pm