News

A report by Chris Perkins

A group of club members and their wives/partners had a superb day out when they visited the Lasham Gliding Heritage Society at Lasham airfield, south of Basingstoke. In the nine years since their first visit much work has been carried out by volunteers to expand the whole set up. After being met outside of the Lasham Gliding Centre we were escorted around the airfield perimeter to the south side where the exhibition is housed and a group photograph was taken outside of the original hanger. We were then treated to an introductory talk outlining the history and development of the centre.

It was formed in 2012 when a bequest from one of the founders of the international Vintage Glider Club, Chris Wills, enabled the centre to build the first hanger. Over the years, the centre has grown and they now have the largest collection of historic gliders in this country – over seventy gliders with an age range from 1910 to the present day with several more stored in trailers outside on the airfield. Most are in flying condition or can be made airworthy.

We learned that most of the gliders have been donated by owners who want them to be preserved and if possible, kept in flying condition. A second hanger was built in 2018, and recently a much-needed modern workshop was constructed thus facilitating major restoration projects and routine maintenance. Each year, certain gliders are earmarked for restoration and returned to flying condition, thus ensuring, by rotation, that the immaculate condition of hanger exhibits is maintained.

The complete centre infrastructure has been financed by generous voluntary donations. In particular, the expansion to establish a workshop and briefing room complex, has been made possible by a large bequest from one of the former members Trish Williams.

After the briefing we were split into small groups for a comprehensive tour of the hangers and workshop. The volunteers gave us an in-depth excursion around highlighting the development of gliding over the years both in operational terms and technological development.

Two of the gliders the extensive collection of particular note were the “Clarke Chanute” and the “Colditz Cock”.

• The “Clarke Chanute” is an original machine, manufactured in 1910 by T W K Clarke & Co of Kingston on Thames. Due to its age it’s not airworthy and has been in storage since 1913 in the Science and RAF Museums. It was presented by the Aero Club Trust on loan to the Centre in January 2018.
  
• The “Colditz Cock” is a replica, one of two gliders, manufactured in 2012 by South-East Aircraft Services and loaned by Tony Hoskins. A non-airworthy machine, it was built to support the Channel 4 documentary on the Colditz Cock which was screened in that year. The sister glider was built in the same Colditz Castle attic that the prisoners had used to construct the original in 1944/45. The sister aircraft was launched under radio control from the Colditz Castle roof in March 2012 and made a crash landing in the planned landing field below the castle.

After, what was a most enjoyable and incredible three-hour tour we were escorted across the airfield, busy with gliding activity, to our start point where the majority of us made the most of the dining facilities offered by the “Flight Deck Café”. It’s open to the public as well as members and has an outside patio and seating area. The café serves an extensive variety of snacks besides an excellent selections of hot meals. All very reasonably priced.

Photograph taken by Stephen Thair in 1981 while being aerotowed on a glider flight

A good result as we come to the end of the summer absences as most magazines have a break although the Villager (Sherborne & areas) had their break for the September edition and unusually we failed to appear in the Kempshott Kourier.

As a result there are various reports to see.

Except during the Covid pandemic the Probus Summer Pub lunch has been held every year since 1996. Started by the then president David Carwardine, who had retired from a senior position at the Basingstoke fork truck manufacturer then known as Lansing Bagnall, each incoming president has been responsible for arranging this event where wives and lady friends are involved.
This year president Paul Klinger, a retired solicitor, had the responsibility of ensuring that all guests received their specified lunch selections which was managed successfully by the staff at Barton’s Mill in Old Basing.
Situated under the large awning the setting allowed a gentle breeze to keep temperatures down to a comfortable level during the heat spell.

August sees many of the local magazines take a break which leaves a few that carried our reports. In the circumstances four publications is considered a good result.

The Kempshott Kourier is behind with our reports as they ran with the trip on the Basingstoke Canal. The three others gave a full page to the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence including the Loddon Valley Link in Sherfield on Loddon, a rare but welcome change.

Another good month for support of our activities by the local media. This is mainly concerned with the 46^th AGM and the appointment of Paul Klinger as president.

Some magazines carried earlier reports which is due to a combination of calendar variances in their final copy dates  being before our meetings, others not being monthly publications and this month the Kempshott Kourier was so late that a decision was reached not to have a July edition.  

Thursday 18 June was a self drive trip to the Bovington Tank Museum, just west of Wareham in Dorset. Organised by Chris Perkins MVO, in his usual professional manner, this was a splendid visit augmented by the use of a guide for our tour.

This expansive modern facility has examples of tanks and other armoured vehicles from the introduction of the first tank in 1916, which changed warfare from mounted to mechanical, through to the latest Challenger 3 tank currently being developed by Nato. The museum claims to house the only German Tiger tank in working order.

Founded in 1979 the Probus Club of Basingstoke has elected a new president and committee at its 46^th AGM on 9th June 2026.

As the Probus name suggests its membership is made up of retired professional and businessmen who enjoy meeting regularly for lunch where they have a range of interesting speakers as well as a social monthly pub lunch accompanied by their wives or lady friends. Mixed specialist lunches are taken several times each year and organised outings are arranged to interesting venues. The next, later in June, will be to the Bovington Tank Museum.

The new president is Sherfield on Loddon resident, Paul Klinger, a retired solicitor, while the other officers are a mix of working experiences. In fact, the glue holding the club together is the spread of members working across the spectrum of all the local commercial and industrial employers as well as medical, nuclear, police and military services.

An excellent month for support from our local magazines and from the Basingstoke Gazette.

Nine publications ran with the trip on the Basingstoke Canal, including that rarity. the Loddon Valley Link, while the ever late Kempshott Kourier ran with our previous report about Black Broadcasting.

It was good to see that the Chineham People and Hook Focus carried our report. There was no report from the CommunityAd stable of magazines due to calendar variances with their publishing dates.

The Probus Club of Basingstoke held its Spring Ladies’ Lunch at the Test Valley Golf Club where the guest of honour was Alison Wood, President of the Basingstoke Ladies’ Probus Club. Thirty nine dined well and enjoyed good company. Organised by Vice President/Lunch Steward Paul Klinger ensured that everyone received their chosen menu selection although it appeared the most popular main course was the roast lamb.
A brain testing puzzle had been also set by Paul Klinger leaving attendees with a range of words to add to their lexicon.

The ladies were pleased to receive a spray of flowers.