Friday, October 11, 2019

21, 10th October 2019


Today it was off to Nottingham for the Officers Mess Dinner Night at Chetwynd Barracks, Chilwell , as the guest of The Commander of 170 (Infrastructure Support) Engineer Group.

After changing into Black Tie in my hotel I took a 25 minute taxi ride out from the centre of Nottingham to the Barracks .The cab driver set me down at the entrance barrier to the Barracks , saying he was not permitted to take me any further .

After going through security formalities, the guard then produced a map of the Barracks, saying that the Officers Mess was a good ten minutes walk or so right to the other end of the Barracks ! Fortunately I prevailed upon him to drive me down to the Officers Mess , otherwise I think that I would almost certainly have got lost , so lacking in signposts was the Barracks , and so deserted were the roads.

I was given a very warm and hospitable welcome upon arrival by the Commander of 170 (Infrastructure Support ) Engineer Group , and met my “shepherd” for the evening , who is heavily involved in the water projects that the Group undertakes overseas . It was a very useful evening in terms of renewing contact with the Group.

The dinner itself was splendid .After pre- dinner drinks, we were summoned to dinner in the Mess Dining Room where a long table had been beautifully set for around 80 people ; the regimental silver glinting in the soft candlelight . After Grace we all sat down to dinner. The Officers looked absolutely splendid in their red jackets with blue lapels, white shirts, waistcoats , dress trousers and patent leather boots with silver spurs . The scene – with the scarlet, gold, white and blue set against the wood panelling of the Mess, all softened by the flickering candlelight – had an almost Georgian quality about it . An excellent meal followed, accompanied by some fine wines. After dessert, we adjourned for 20 minutes and then returned to the table for cheese and port and the speeches. We were entertained throughout the dinner by an accomplished group of musicians.

At around 11.30pm, I bade my farewells – this time , the Commander asked his chauffeur to take me back direct from the Officers Mess to the hotel !

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