BASINGSTOKE LADIES PROBUS
HAPPENINGS !
At the 32nd AGM of the Basingstoke Ladies’ Probus Club, Alison Wood took up her role as President for the ensuing year of this social club for retired and semi-retired women with professional backgrounds or supervisory business experience, as reflected in the acronym PROBUS. At this regular monthly gathering in the BCoT restaurant followed by, as always, a delicious 3-course lunch, outgoing President Janet Fagg handed Alison the ribbon of office.
More recently the Club was treated to a fascinating talk by Hampshire Councillor Rhydian Vaughan MBE who, as a war historian and a passionate battlefields guide, has previously proved a very interesting speaker. On this occasion he held his audience spellbound as he detailed the sinking of the battleship, the Bismarck on 27th May,1941 in a battle which lasted just 16 minutes and which resulted in what was said to be the Royal Navy’s biggest disaster, the sinking also of HMS Hood with the loss of 1415 men – just 3 survived after being in the water for 3 hours. The Bismarck shortly met its own demise resulting from, initially, a torpedo fired from an antiquated Swordfish biplane from HMS Ark Royal which jammed her rudders. Thus unable to manoeuvre she was finally sunk by two torpedoes from HMS Devonshire. 2,090 lives were lost and for some time rescue efforts were made by British warships, ultimately saving 114 personnel, but when it was thought a U-Boat had been spotted, the rescue had to be abandoned.
The membership of this Ladies Probus Club covers a wide spread of experiences stimulating interesting conversations which, together with presentations by guest speakers, makes for lively interchanges. Outside visits, when BCoT is shut in summer, have recently included a private tour of Stratfield Saye and a visit to a speaker’s beautiful Japanese garden, also the opportunity for theatre visits – several had attended the latest stunning production by BATS, Basingstoke’s own excellent amateur theatre company, of ‘Come From Away’ which deals with the hospitality shown to those on the 38 planes diverted to Newfoundland following ‘9/11’ – particularly emotional viewing for one member who was actually in New York on that dreadful day.
For more information and enquiries about possible membership, please contact:
Admin Secretary
reverendjane@hotmail.co.uk
07754 296994
