Amazing - On Parade 17th April

On Parade 17th - The West Kent Military Lodge

So we will shortly be 'On Parade 17th' (date changed due to Good Friday) and we hope you are all looking forward to being in our company once again. The DC will be inspecting so we trust that you have all polished your medals and boots and that your headdress has been brushed, you have be warned!

On parade 17th - This meeting will be a double-passing for two of our members.

As is our custom the Mess Dinner will be a celebration and on this occasion we will be celebrating the formation of the Royal Air Force. A formal summons will follow in due course, but consider this your advance operational briefing. Prepare yourselves for another outstanding evening of ceremony, camaraderie, and controlled chaos.

Operational Briefing - On Parade 17th – Operation High Spirits

H-Hour (Muster Stations): 17:30 sharp

Secondary Reinforcement Entry: 18:00 (for those delayed by work, travel, or enemy interference)

Objective: Double Passing Ceremony

Dress Code: Normal Masonic wear with service headdress, service tie and service medals

Mess Theme: Royal Air Force – formation 1st April 1918

Points to Note

• The meeting will be a double Passing ceremony,
• The Mess Dining will celebrate the formation of the Royal Air Force (1st April 1918 – yes, April Fool’s Day… we couldn’t resist),
• Every attendee must wear or carry something relating to the RAF at Mess Dining.

Failure to comply will result in immediate and merciless Mess Fining.

Random inspections may occur.

Creative interpretations are encouraged.

Excuses will not be entertained (unless delivered at full parade volume).

Members of the Senior Service and the Infantry are reminded that good humour will be compulsory.

Dining Arrangements (On Parade 17th) in the Mess

“Be prepared to be flown away…”

Starter – Prawn Cockpit

(The finest prawns harvested from Himalayan mountain waters by elite WRAF operatives.)

Main – Lancaster Bomber Hot Pot

(Tender chicken pieces, gently simmered in historically authentic aviation coolant, accompanied by “Dig for Britain” vegetables of operational resilience.)

Pudding – Crash Landing

(Eton Mess, deployed with precision and authority by Matron, with a very firm hand.)

Tea & Medals

Cheese, Port & Coffee

Altitude will increase progressively throughout the evening.

A couple of general points to hopefully assist in maximising everyone’s enjoyment of the evening:

• As you know our meetings are generally very well attended. We anticipate that there will be 75 brethren in attendance at this meeting. To this end we should be most grateful if, wherever practicable, those attending would consider car sharing, not only to help the environment but also to reduce car numbers in the car park

• When parking in the Wilmington Masonic Hall car park please consider other car park users and park as near to the next car as allows you (and others) a safe access to/egress from your vehicle and is practicable and considerate

• Our meeting is due to start at 1730hrs so please allow plenty of time for your journey, for parking and for signing in. The Hall should be open from around 1600hrs onwards,

• Finally the Wilmington Masonic centre DOES NOT have a card machine so any purchases and/or donations to charity can only be made by cash. Please therefore bring plenty of small notes (£5) and plenty of £1 coins for our collection boxes/any fines imposed

This On Parade 17th post has been created by the West Kent Military lodge for information. If you would like to now more about the Lodge contact us here