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Contact details

Effective today, the contact details for the Northern Ireland Veterans' Association have changed to the following

The Secretary
57 Mortimer Street,
Derby.

DE24 8FX

Email: membership@nivets.org.uk
Web: www.nivets.org.uk
Mob: 07368 293729

NIVA Administration.
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24 October 1990

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  • #16
    I wrote this year for two very good friends, who lost a loved son that day:

    Mersey Lads

    Walk along the busy road
    the rolling traffic, unaware
    as homeward, workward they bustle past
    impervious to what happened there

    Once, this was an Army base
    an outpost on the edge of town
    with blast walls, sangars, briezeblock huts
    manned by soldiers of the Crown

    It stood for many violent years;
    saw generations of uniformed youth
    trudge through; standing strong, at post
    their duty clear, their job to do

    Sharing the endless routine of stags
    first time for some, for others a return
    the First Battalion, King's Regiment
    took over the post, to take their turn

    Stagging on is a tedious chore
    but the Kingoes understood their role;
    'waiting for nothing to happen' mode
    as the hours, the clock would slowly burn

    0400 - a change of stag
    the lads in the middle, exchanging chat
    with their reliefs, who headed in
    for a cuppa, before grabbing some 'zees'.

    Quiet - a chill breeze, the rustle of trees
    eyes became accustomed to the dark
    check the log, the radio net
    check the Gimpy, watch your arcs

    a bit of trade - headlights approach
    a delivery van, on an early start
    perhaps the chance of a still-warm loaf
    a packet of buns, an apple tart

    the van gets closer, approaches the humps
    and slows to come to an expected stop
    the soldier raises a commanding hand
    and hopes the driver doesn't throw a 'strop'

    but as the vehicle draws close
    instead of the usual scripted chat
    the world erupts in a flash and roar
    as the energy wave blasts everything flat

    Standing on this busy road
    that horror still hangs in the air
    and the spirit of the Mersey Lads
    like the breeze, always will be there


    For the two Stephens, David, Vincent, Paul and Patsy

    (c) Stevie King 2016

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    • #17
      Originally posted by Lynx7 View Post
      Yes,
      Brilliant pictures mate sorry I missed the event

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      • #18
        I attended Vinny Scott's funeral, having escorted one of the survivors from Manchester a truly sad day, RIP Kingos. Also not forgetting Pat Gillespie,

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        • #19
          Never forgotten.

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          • #20
            Be who you are and say what you feel...
            Because those that matter, don't mind.
            And those that mind, don't matter!

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            • #21

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              • #22
                This is our main purpose, we will not forget them.
                Spanners do it with their tools.

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                • #23
                  Originally posted by spanner View Post
                  This is our main purpose, we will not forget them.

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                  • #24
                    In memory of Private David James McCahill
                    The Gloucestershire Regiment.
                    In memory of Gunner William John Marks
                    91st Field Regiment. The Royal Artillery.

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