Visit of Ian Fraser VC DSC RD and Bar JP.

By Ken Collins, Branch Chairman

The visit of Lt CDR Ian Fraser VC and his lovely wife Melba for the Annual Dinner Dance started with an opening ceremony in BAE Systems of the newly refurbished conference rooms, named after four of the Submarine service VCs. The Fraser room along with Sanford, Cameron and Linton were opened by Ian on Friday 25th May in the company of the Managing Director Murray Easton, Terry Spurling representing the SHC and your's truely representing the Branch.

The VCs Citations were downloaded from our website and reproduced by kind permission and annotated accordingly, prior to framing, with a print of XE3 donated by Terry on behalf of the SHC, positioned adjacent to the entrance. Ian and Melba then had a guided tour of the Technical offices, build hall and then retired to the Fraser room for refreshments and lunch. That evening your branch officials entertained Ian and Melba, along with Chris and Sandra James in the Queens at Biggar Bank, for a meal and some drinks as the Mayors ball which Ian and Melba were invited too, had been cancelled owing to lack of support.

Saturday morning Ian did a presentation on X Craft in the Dock Museum and provided some audio visual as well as a question and answers session, ably accompanied and assisted by Melba.

That evening all four attended the Annual Dinner dance which all the guests thoroughly enjoyed; Ian was presented with Copy 3 of the XE3 print by Tom Murphy on behalf of the branch as a memento of his visit, with the ladies receiving flowers.

Ian and Melba ended their visit by bogieing the night away until the wee small hours. For 82 year olds they performed like 28 year olds, well done. I have since received a telephone call from Ian expressing his gratitude for a spectacular weekend which made him feel like a younger man and said a letter to the branch will follow.

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