Edward Cecil Johnson 10 February 1931 – August 2016
The funeral of past member Edward Johnson took place at Trinity Methodist Church, Sarum Hill, Basingstoke on Friday 9th September 2016.
He resigned from the club in 2011 as his Alzheimer’s disease progressed which meant he had to go into a care home where he resided until his passing.
The funeral was well attended and President Fred Locke and Secretary Paul Flint represented our club. After the church service the immediate family went to the Crematorium for a final farewell to Edward. We learnt that as well as his extensive sporting interests that Edward had been one of the original Street Pastors that serve the town at night time. He leaves second wife Barbara, a son and daughter from his first marriage, grand children and great grand children.
The annual Probus Club of Basingstoke Summer Pub lunch took place at the Swan Inn, Sherborne St John on Tuesday 9th August. It was attended by thirty six people, consisting of members, wives/lady friends and friends who had an enjoyable lunch time with with quality food and wide menu choice.
The choice of venue was made by Fred Locke in the spring, while still Vice President – it was his selection of this hostelry that made it the success it was on the day.
While the photographs show the attendees it is slightly bemusing that several of the “couples” don’t appear in the same photograph as their other half – there are no prizes for identifying who belongs to whom! And sincere apologies are offered to Lesley Atchison who is missing off the photograph that contains Rob Hopkins and her photo bombing husband Tony Atchison. Even deeper apologies are offered to Nick Waring and his lady, Ann, who didn’t get photographed at all. They shared a table with Tony and Lesley Atchison and it must have been the standing presence of Rob Hopkins who threw a wobbly at the man behind the camera. A pity that these days he can’t blame the last frame on the film being used before he reached their table. He does suggest that on the next occasion any one should shout out if they do not get photographed.
Richard Tanner, a retired head teacher from North Waltham, gave the Probus Club of Basingstoke an informative insight into the ancient Incense Routes that were so important to the Middle East well before and after Christ. The nativity story of the baby Jesus receiving gifts from the three Kings of gold, frankincense and myrrh is well known. To hear that incense had a value, weight for weight, greater than gold puts some perspective to the importance of this commodity. How was incense produced and where did it come from? And the Queen of Sheba comes into the story too.
Richard’s interest in the topic came whilst he was teaching geography at the ‘Royal’ school in Amman, Jordan. This teaching post gave him the opportunity to travel throughout the region.
The term incense, that includes both frankincense and myrrh, refers to a substance that emits a fragrant aroma when burned. Resins are collected from certain tree barks during winter which were found only in the arid regions of Southern Arabia and to a lesser degree in Eastern Africa. As early as the 8th century BC, incense was popular across the ancient world for sanctifying religious ceremonies and masking the pungent odours of burned flesh – from cremations and human sacrifices – and sewage.
Richard described the route taken by incense traders, at first by sea along the coast of Dhofar to the port of Qana in Yemen. The prospect of continuing by boat up the Red Sea was dismissed due to difficult wind patterns and the threat of pirates. The inland route chosen, using camel trains, had extremely difficult terrain with robbers determined to get their hands on the valuable cargo. .For some 1500 miles it followed a route parallel with the Red Sea through Medina and on to Petra, thence to Gaza on the Mediterranean coast.
The inhabitants along the route were Nabataeans. They were experts in trading and desert agriculture with skill in water management with its collection and storage in reservoirs. They played a central role in controlling the incense trade route. They built 65 fortresses and resting stations in strategic points along the route to serve and protect the convoys set at a distance of a day’s walk, while the journey could take three months.
The ‘Incense Route’ reached its peak during the 2nd Century AD. At this time the Romans had succeeded in sailing directly down the Red Sea to Southern Arabia. From the 4th century AD when Christianity became the official religion, the practice of sacrifice and cremations was avoided and there was a return to ordinary burials leading to a significant reduction in the demand for incense. Finally, following the Moslem conquest of the area in the 2nd half of the 7th century, heralding a further decline in the demand for incense, the trade route died out and the resting stations along the route gradually fell into decay and were deserted.
And the Queen of Sheba? She came from the kingdom of Saba, in present day Yemen. Legend has it that she travelled up the Incense route to Jerusalem to seek the Wisdom of Solomon. And she brought the same gifts the Magi afterwards brought to the infant Jesus.
The Mayor of Basingstoke & Deane, Cllr Jane Frankum was guest of honour with her son, the Deputy Mayor, Cllr Paul Frankum at the first lunch of the new Probus Club season. Fred Locke, the newly-elected President of the Probus Club of Basingstoke – a club for retired professionals and businessmen – welcomed the Mayor to the lunch at the Test Valley Golf Club on Tuesday 12th July. This was his first official function since being appointed President at the Club’s recent AGM.
Cllr Jane Frankum told the Club how she was working as a hospital cleaner when she was first elected as a Popley councillor in 1998, and gave an outline of her work as a councillor, both on Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, and also on Hampshire County Council.
She gave details of her charity – the Mayor’s Community Chest 2016-2017 – which is administered by Basingstoke Voluntary Action, with the aim of providing support to small groups working in the community. She also encourages people to donate their time in volunteering, as well as donating money. When she attended the lunch, she had been Mayor for about 9 weeks, and explained that she has already had success in encouraging youngsters to volunteer, a project to which she attaches great importance, particularly to facilitate communication between the young and old. Fred Locke thanked the Mayor and Cllr Paul Frankum for attending the lunch, and was pleased to present a cheque to the Mayor in support of her charity, on behalf of the Probus Club.
The Probus Club of Basingstoke had been in existence since 1979, the organisation having been formed in Surrey in 1965 by retired members of the Rotary Club. These days most towns have a Probus Club whose diverse membership brings a wide range of experiences to bear in what is a social organisation for like-minded men. The ladies also join in several times during the year at lunches, the Christmas dinner, and various outside trips.
The very recent 37th Annual General Meeting of the Probus Club of Basingstoke saw a change at the top of this social organisation for retired professional and business managers. Fred Locke of Bramley was appointed President for the ensuing year by the outing holder Alan Porter, also of Bramley.
“It is a coincidence” said Fred,” that we both live in the same village, but many of our members live in Bramley so it’s really no surprise that this has happened. However the new Vice President, Nick Waring, lives in Oakley so next year when he becomes the President will ensure there is a geographical shift to the west of Basingstoke.”
Except for Tony Atchison of Chineham, who returns as the Outings Organiser, the other members of the Executive Committee are unchanged which gives great continuity as the club moves into its 38th year of existence.
Fred Locke receives the President’s chain of office from immediate past President Alan PorterAlan Porter receives the Past President’s tie, lapel and name badge from Secretary Paul Flint
John Field, a retired solicitor from Ashstead, gave the Probus Club of Basingstoke an informative insight into the history of magic over the centuries. John has been performing magic for over 40 years and is a member of the prestigious Magic Circle. He has developed his skills to such a high level that in 2005 he was elevated to the exclusive degree of Associate Member of The Inner Magic Circle with Silver Star. Fewer than 350 magicians hold this degree worldwide.
John started with the first known magician, Dedi, in 2700BC. He was famous for cutting the head off a bird – it would fall to the ground – then attaching another one so the bird could fly away. The secret? It’s all to do with the way a bird will tuck its head under a wing. And a second, less fortunate bird. Rumour has it that he tried the same trick with a cow.
Moving along through the ages John described the famous ‘cup and ball’ trick, which is 2,500 years old. “Which walnut has the pea under it” together with the “Find the Lady” card trick are all variations of the same idea. They have one thing in common in that you can never win! Gangs who do this are highly sophisticated and make a good living. Associates planted in the audience appear to win small fortunes with ease, luring onlookers to bet large sums. Despite knowing how the trick is done John described how he lost $14 in less than a minute in Times Square, New York.
On a more serious note, he told of witchcraft trials, where suspected witches were repeatedly pricked with a bodkin – a needle with a small handle. This was to test for the Devil’s mark, a numb spot where the Devil had supposedly kissed the witch. Initially the success rate was minimal, so a bright spark redesigned the bodkin, putting the needle on a spring so it would retract when it touched anything. From that point onwards the fate of hundreds of innocents was sealed.
In early years magicians could be hanged or burnt for witchcraft but, later, magicians made their fortune. He told of William Ellsworth Robinson, who shaved his head, grew a pigtail, dressed in Chinese robes and called himself Chung Ling Soo. His speciality was catching bullets in his teeth, and it paid very well indeed – in 1912 he was earning the equivalent of £31,500 per week – until the day when the trick went wrong and he was killed. Some say it was because special chambers in the gun had corroded; others whisper of suicide – or murder.
John gave a demonstration of his ability to mind-read National Lottery random numbers from the audience, getting all six correct. He finished off, with the help of an audience assistant, in a demonstration of a version of the ‘cup and ball’ trick. Amazingly, even an observation at close quarters could not detect how it was done.
Questions were welcomed at the end but he refused to say how any of his tricks were done.
Tuesday 10 May 2016 was the date of the Ladies’ Spring Lunch held at the Test Valley Golf Club near Overton. Forty three sat down for lunch on a very pleasant day with guest of honour Gill Dunn, the President of the Ladies’ Probus Club of Basingstoke (pictured below with our President Alan Porter).
Gill Dunn, the President of the Ladies’ Probus Club of Basingstoke, with our President Alan Porter
A splendid selection of food, good wine and great company was complemented by an intriging cross word puzzle about members’ names devised by Alan and Liliane May, who once again organised everything to what has become their usual high standard.
Organisers of our Ladies’ Lunch – Alan & Liliane May
Retired Royal Air Force Squadron Leader Chris Perkins from Kempshott, who was awarded the MVO by HM Queen at Windsor Castle last year, enjoyed a varied 35 year career with the boys in blue. He is himself a member of the Probus Club of Basingstoke, the social organisation for retired professional and business managers, and gave an illustrated and entertaining presentation to his colleagues tracing the origins of the Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service from its inception to the present day.
“All officers have to undertake a secondary role” Chris explained, “and although I come from Birmingham it was the call of the countryside that led me into the RAF Mountain Rescue Service.” He became so involved with this sector during his time in uniform that he is today the chairman of the RAF Mountain Rescue Reunion Committee for Cymru-Wales.
There are records of ad hoc RAF mountain rescues going right back to 1938. The outbreak of the Second World War, the rapid increase in the size of the RAF and the need to move training stations as far as possible from enemy attack, led to a huge increase in the number of crashes in mountainous areas. The subsequent discovery of an aircraft in such remote places was often a matter of chance and nearby RAF bases were left to make their own arrangements for search parties and used whatever personnel and equipment that were available.
This task had traditionally fallen to the Senior Medical Officer of the nearest RAF station to the accident. Of all those involved, Flight Lieutenant George Graham, the Senior Medical Officer based at RAF Llandwrog outside Caernarvon in North Wales, is credited with taking the most prominent role in the creation of the RAF Mountain Rescue Service. He doggedly bombarded the Air Ministry with requests for equipment and training and his tenacity and persistence resulted in the formal creation of the Service as we know it today in 1943.
By the close of WW2 twenty six teams had been established at RAF stations across the UK. With the decrease over the years in the size of the RAF, only three now remain at Kinloss in Scotland, Valley in North Wales and Leeming in Yorkshire.
Base camp circa 1980
All team members are volunteers. Membership is open to all ranks both male and female. MRT status is independent of rank and relates to mountaineering and rescue experience. Each team consists of 7 full time personnel and up to 30 volunteers. The unpaid volunteers give up their spare time for training on at least two weekends in four, as well as one evening a week.
Modern day kit
In the earliest days of the MRS, virtually all mountaineers used adapted military equipment, but as the years have gone by and the pace of technology advanced, so has the rescue hardware. All team members are now supplied with state of the art Gore -Tex clothing and up to date satellite navigation and communications kit. The ubiquitous Land Rover has now been replaced by Toyota Hilux 4×4 pickups and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter communications control vehicles. The modern day rescue co-ordinator can actually track the progress of his search parties on the hill by way of a computer link and watch their progress in real time on an electronic ordnance survey map.
“I’ve been extremely privileged to have been closely associated with the organisation over the years and indeed generations” Chris continued, “They have always been the people that go in on foot when the weather is atrocious and everything else has failed. They are dedicated, consummate professionals in their craft.”
Retired Royal Navy Captain Mike Sant and Alan Porter
Retired Royal Navy Captain Mike Sant has experienced a full and varied 35 year career on land, sea and in the air. He gave a presentation to the Probus Club of Basingstoke for retired professional and business managers, recounting his flight training and operating helicopters around the globe for the Senior Service.
Mike joined the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth in 1958. Initially cutting his teeth training as a young naval officer he spent weekends and summer camps learning to fly the legendary Tiger Moth biplane. This propeller driven aircraft from the 1930s was a basic trainer with an open cockpit and most did not have a radio. It was often described as easy to fly but very difficult to fly well.
Tiger Moth Flying Training
Then selected for fixed wing flying training Mike underwent joint service jet instruction with the RAF at their Linton on Ouse base in Lincolnshire, but due to chronic air sickness while instrument flying, was re-streamed to fly helicopters. He attended the elementary Royal Naval helicopter flying school at Culdrose in Cornwall and was awarded his Wings in 1964.
Mike illustrated the basic principles of helicopter aerodynamics and its controls describing the many problems he encountered when learning to fly the early types of single engine machines including how to land the aircraft on engine failure.
Wasp Landing on HMS Eskimo
Posted for anti-submarine duties flying the then new Wessex helicopter, he was on board the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious in the Far East. The Wessex had a crew of four; two pilots, sonor operator and observer. Operating day and night, he explained how they searched for submarines and what life was like on board an extremely busy, congested ship alongside fast jet aircraft. A Wessex had to be airborne every time a jet took off or landed should one go overboard and the crew needed rescuing.
Promoted to be the Flight Commander on the Frigate HMS Eskimo, Mike and his men flew the single engine Wasp helicopter in the anti-submarine role. Perched precariously on a tiny platform cum hangar at the aft end of the ship, he described operating and managing a team in an inhospitable Arctic Ocean environment.
Wasp on its landing pad on HMS Eskimo
He was promoted to be the Senior pilot of 819 RN Squadron based at Prestwick, positioned on the west coast of Scotland. They were equipped with modern Sea King helicopters, its main role being an anti-submarine aircraft. However, the base was ideally geographically positioned to support the deployment of nuclear submarines from nearby Faslane together with search and rescue emergency cover for both sea and the Scottish mountains. Mike’s last flying job was as Commander (Air) at Portland where he flew Wessex V.
Raja Cavale 26th January 1937 – 23rd February 2016
Raja Cavale, who joined the Probus Club of Basingstoke in August 2012, died following a stroke and had a private family funeral service in London. On Sunday 6 March a Memorial Service was held at the Carnival Hall Community Centre in Basingstoke that was attended by over 80 people. With Raja’s wife Padma, son Naveen (a Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive surgeon in London) and daughter Gowri (a Chartered Accountant in New York with Price Waterhouse Coopers) most of the audience were from the Indian community, originally from Bangalore in SE India, who are now spread throughout UK.
The service took the form of reminisces from several attendees of how Raja was deeply involved with their association, Kannada Balaga. Raja was the conduit for all the various forms of communications with the membership, as his interest in technology played a major part in his computer expertise and skills with desk top publishing. It also emerged that after retiring from the NHS he worked for the Citizens’ Advice Bureau for three years but had to study and take a GCSE “A” level in social studies.
The Probus Club was represented at this service by President Alan Porter, Secretary Paul Flint (who spoke on our behalf about Raja’s involvement as the technical expert on our web site and his role as principal photographer) with Richard Wood and Mano Singh. No doubt the fact that this day was Mothering Sunday meant that other Probus Club members who would have normally been present to pay their respects to Raja’s family on a date other than this, were committed to attending lunches and other family matters.
Raja Cavale was a kind, gentle person, who played an important part in the background of the Probus Club of Basingstoke. We shall miss him deeply.
Richard described the route taken by incense traders, at first by sea along the coast of Dhofar to the port of Qana in Yemen. The prospect of continuing by boat up the Red Sea was dismissed due to difficult wind patterns and the threat of pirates. The inland route chosen, using camel trains, had extremely difficult terrain with robbers determined to get their hands on the valuable cargo. .For some 1500 miles it followed a route parallel with the Red Sea through Medina and on to Petra, thence to Gaza on the Mediterranean coast.
Cllr Jane Frankum told the Club how she was working as a hospital cleaner when she was first elected as a Popley councillor in 1998, and gave an outline of her work as a councillor, both on Basingstoke & Deane Borough Council, and also on Hampshire County Council.
Probus Club of Basingstoke 
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