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June (Austin) Broomer has sent us this report, of a meeting that took place in June 2008

RED LETTER DAY

Or perhaps it should have been a black and red letter day as these are the Elliott colours! It was special because four people who were pupils at the school in Guildford in wartime, met up for the first time as a group after the passing of more than sixty years.

June (Austin) Broomer, Don Brown, John Merlini and Alan Trengove who came over from Australia, had managed to come together at the home of John Merlini in Tonbridge, after nearly 9 months of constant email contact and exchange of reminiscences. Patrick Williams (who couldn’t be with us) had put a contribution on the Elliott website under Elliott at War and this was seen by June who contacted him.

What followed was a dynamic correspondence between the five as, with Patrick as mentor, we networked with an exchange of information about ourselves and our mutual memories of being in class in Guildford. On the strength of this, June had already visited Guildown House which accommodated our school and had brought away much valuable information provided by the owners – not least the Hewetson Report – which is now on this website.

At their invitation, many photographs of the house and grounds had been taken and distributed between the five of us. It was like entering a time-warp as nothing had changed inside and the ghosts of many a boy or girl must still be wandering around the place.

At Tonbridge, on Friday 13th.June 2008, our quartet found each other again (with a couple of charming wives in tow) and were able to amaze each other by our agelessness, considering we were all coming up to our 80th. year all too soon! After preliminary greetings, John led us all down Tonbridge High Street to his favourite Italian restaurant and, like the Knights of the Round Table, we all sat for a circular meal so everyone could see everyone else.

A jolly occasion there, and then back to John’s place for more talk and tea-drinking before dispersing to our various homes – Alan to Australia, June to Peacehaven, Don and his wife Elfie to Seaford and John and June Merlini left to clear up after we left.

We have another meeting planned in London at a future date when, we hope, Patrick and his wife will join us. Watch this space!