On Saturday, 3rd June, all roads led to Cardiff for the British Speedway Grand Prix and on the Sunday, all roads led to Bournemouth for the WSRA Southern Lunch. Well, not exactly all roads. There were around 45,000 people at the GP, but the numbers for the Bournemouth lunch were down owing to too many members going to bed too late the night before. (us "Golden Oldies" need our beauty sleep).

 Despite the attractions of Cardiff, and I mean the Grand Prix, not the local girls with mini-skirts that some of our members raved about, we still had 45 stalwarts turn out to the Connaught Hotel for a super lunch organized by our "Southern Rep", Merv Hannam and his wife, Sheila and, as the saying goes, "A grand time was had by all".

Merv gave the welcoming speech on behalf of our new WSRA President for 2006, Jack Geran who, despite this being a "home meeting" for him, (he lives in nearby Exeter), was unable to attend. Jack had gone into hospital for a hip operation, so we all wished him well and raised a glass of lemonade to his speedy recovery. 

Our veteran Press Officer, Cyril J Hart, also gave a speech welcoming everyone to his neck of the woods and thanking Ian Williams for his help when the younger Williams brother was riding for Swindon and Cyril J. was just a "Cub Reporter". Cyril told the members that this would be the last time he would make a speech at the Southern lunch but I think that we will be able to persuade him to continue with his anecdotes next year.

Meanwhile. that other famous Bournemouth lad, Brian Crutcher, had kept everyone waiting and twiddling their thumbs  as the restaurant staff tried to keep the soup warm as "The Nipper" rolled in late.  I guess we should have put him on "Two Minutes" once we had sat down then fined him for being late, just like the "proper" referees do!. We had our own ex-referee, Mike Barnes in attendance, so perhaps he could have brought his two-minute siren with him, but Mick was kept busy feeding the television set with videos of Bygone Races, especially coverage from the late, great County Ground at Exeter.  It was stirring stuff watching the likes of Goog Hoskin and later, Ivan Mauger, sweeping round the bottom of that oh-so-hard "safety" fence, in fact, I got so engrossed in watching the video, that I spilled my soup down my tartan tie. Luckily I wasn't wearing my kilt otherwise it could have got a bit hot in The Trossachs! 

Nice to see our ex-President, Archie Windmill make his way south from sunny Hemel Hempstead, looking as fit as ever although he is just reached the ripe old age of 92 years young and still going to Ballroom Dancing. Perhaps we should enter Archie for Television's "Strictly Dancing" competition on behalf of the WSRA.  Keep up the good work, Archie! 

A sprightly Maurie Mattingley, who is still working and now building miniature railway engines, kept us entertained with his tales of fighting all the way through Italy during the Second World War  and must have found riding a 500cc Speedway bike quite relaxing after all his adventures. In his racing days, Maury used to build Speedway frames for Rotrax and Erskine JAPS before making his own very popular Mattingley frame. Certainly a man of many talents who can claim that he was probably the first rider to fly to his home meetings when Trevor Redmond was running Glasgow Tigers at White City and Maurie flew up from his Southampton home every week.  

Unfortunately, former West Ham & Oxford star, Pat Clarke is not keeping too well, so brother Colin brought  Pat's wife, Joyce (and her dog!) along for her first Southern Lunch and she enjoyed meeting up with Pat's old friends and rivals.  

The Roll-Call of ex-riders and guests attending the lunch was quite impressive, in fact, I was the only one I hadn't heard of.  There were the Flying Williams Brothers (sounds like a trapeeze act), Freddie and Ian, Poole legend, Ken Middleditch and his former teammate, Norman Strachan., known as 'Strawn' in England, but the full Scottish pronunciation of 'Strachan' at Old Medowbank.  Also Reg Duval from South Africa, "Speedy Pete" Jarman who was hobbling around on a walking stick just waiting for a knee operation, Colin Goody, Des Lukehurst, George White, Ron Sharp, Phil Woodcock, Brian Hanham, Ron Sharp, Pete Rogers and the ex-Oxford  "Terrible Trio" of Bernard Crapper, John Payne and Glyn Shailes plus John Tremlin, Cecil Bailey and Brain Thornton.  Sorry if I have missed anyone out, but I am sure that everyone had a great time.  

See you at the South Eastern Lunch in July, so book your tickets now for another great day". 

Bertola.