The President, Tony Hill, and the Club Secretary, Martin Evans, represented the Club at a Service of Thanksgiving in the Guards’ Chapel, Wellington Barracks on Thursday 10th April 2008. The College were represented by Sir Hayden Phillips, the Chairman of Council and a great many people attended including nearly all the Field Marshals in the British Army. Addresses were given by Brigadier Melville Jameson and General the Lord Walker of Aldringham and a Reception followed the Service at The Cavalry and Guards Club.
Harry Dowty (PR 1998-2003) died suddenly on January 21st 2008. His funeral service was held at the church of St Michael and All Angels, Withington, on Friday February 1st.The beautiful 11th century church was filled for the service, and outside more than two hundred gathered on a bitter day to say goodbye to Harry and to support his family.
The College was represented by the Chaplain, Douglas Dales, and by Harry’s Housemaster, Colin Fraser and the Dame of Preshute, Margaret Rose. A number of other beaks from the College were also present, as were many of Harry’s friends from Preshute.
Harry’s sister, Suzie, delivered a moving personal tribute to the brother she and her family loved so much; he had such a perfect smile, such a sense of fun and adventure. A family friend, Guy Rooker, spoke of Harry’s zest for life, of the terrible and unpredictable choice he had made, of an anguish that none of us could understand, of our love for a wonderful young man. Harry’s father, George, gave a reading from John 14, vv1-6 “Do not let your hearts be troubled..” John Evetts read the poem “Horses he loved”, and his close friend, James Rooker, read the poem “Courage”. The Reverend Tony Lomas gave the address, and Giles Smyly read “The Cotswold Prayer”. As Harry’s coffin was lifted by the pall-bearers, Dominic Jones, a master of fox hounds, blew the haunting call “Gone Away”. Harry was interred in the graveyard of the church.
College friends of Harry hope to meet in early September to plant a tree in his memory in the grounds of Preshute. If you would like to have more details of this (and perhaps make a contribution to the tree planting) please contact Colin Fraser on caf@marlboroughcollege.org.
The President represented the Club at a Memorial Service for Sir Richard Rougier (C2 1945-50) which took place at the Temple Chapel on Thursday 17th January, 2008. Lord Griffiths, the former Captain of the R&A and former President of MCC gave The Address and many OMs attended the memorable service.
Lt Col Charles Geoffrey Wylie OBE (B3 1933-37)
The Club Secretary attended the Thanksgiving Service for Charles Wylie on Wednesday 26th September 2007 at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. A large congregation was present to honour this Nepali-speaking Ghurka officer, who was also the organising secretary of the British Expedition which conquered Mt Everest in June 1953 and which was led by another OM Col John Hunt (C2 1924-28).
Personal tributes were paid to Charles Wylie by General Sir Garry Johnston, who had served with him in Malaya and who recalled Wylie’s great bravery and leadership as a Prisoner of War of the Japanese on the notorious ‘Burma Railway’.
Another fine tribute was given by George Band, who had been with Wylie on the Everest Expedition in 1953 telling the congregation how Wylie had inspired the Sherpas on the Everest climb and, in particular, Tensing.
It was a moving and uplifting service and ended with a Ghurka piper piping a lament as the congregation left the Chapel.
The Master and the Club Secretary attended the Thanksgiving Service for Juliet Peck in a packed St Bride's Church, Fleet Street on Thursday 14th June 2007. The Address was given by the Marquess of Salisbury, a former head of Afghan Aid, for which Juliet had worked tirelessly since 1986. Her son, Fynn Vergos (C2 2001-06) and her daughter Lettice (current MC pupil) took part in the lovely Service, as did her brothers Nick Crawley (C2 1971-76) and Silas Crawley (C2 1976-81). There will be a proper Appreciation of this remarkable and courageous Marlburienne in the next edition of the Club Magazine.
The Club Secretary attended a moving Memorial Service for Lily Hastings-Bass (MO 2000-05) at St Luke’s Church, Chelsea on Friday, 27th April 2007. A huge congregation of over 700 people were at the service, including most of her Year Group. Memorable Readings and Tributes were paid to Lily by Will Foulsham, Jessica Harvey, Eloise Lawson, Louise Corbin, Flora Cameron and Florence Keith-Roach and her sister, Alice, read beautifully from Ben Johnson. The Address by Kate Caley, Lily’s former Housemistress in Morris House, was outstanding and made everyone realise what a tremendous loss Lily’s untimely death was.