Spean Bridge May 2008

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 28/05/2008 18:13:10

Hi all,
This May my family and I travelled once again to Achnacarry and as we always do, we paid our respects at the Commando Memorial to my father and his comrades?. It would have been his 85th birthday this month. We gave his plaque a coating of WD40 and left behind a small bunch of flowers by way of a small remembrance.

However, this visit was extra special as we had brought with us my Dads brother Kenny, he was to ill to make the journey in November. He left a small token as well, a tin of corned beef, it was a very special item with quite a long story, but it meant so much to journey the hundreds of miles to place it, so if you see it and wonder why its there, you now know. I suspect that it will be removed during the regular maintenance but the meaning and the emotions of why and how it got there will always remain for one old gentleman.

My Uncle found the visit a very emotional experience we shed many tears together and I was very proud to have made it possible for him to pay a visit there.

We also once again did our best at the Commando Speed march albeit in a much more relaxed manner. I managed to knock two minutes off my time from last November and completed it in 1 hr 33 minutes. (You'll be pleased to know Geoff that I could walk normally after this one!) However my younger brother astounded us all by completing it in 1 hr 16 minutes. He will give it another go and reckons he may just crack under an hour, not bad for a teacher I thought!
My older sister managed to knock 15 minutes of her previous best, so you can see its getting to be a bit of an Unwin tradition, with an edge of competiveness creeping in!

I now have a nephew his partner and my cousin from Inverness all chomping at the bit for May 2009.

In November this year I will have another go, alongside my brother who is travelling from Florida especially for the remembrance weekend.
Over the weekend I took the opportunity to take quite a number of photos during the various times of day and night with some good and some not so good results.

I also witnessed the visit to the Commando Memorial by members of the SAS Regimental Association and I have attached a photo of their wreath and memorial card for you all to share. Our forbearers are responsible for quite a bit of history!

This message on the visit to spean bridge has prompted to mention my visit in May 2007.
It had been my intention to visit Achnacary and the Commando Memoreal
ever since my father died in 1990 but the chance never seem to to arise.

Last May I convinced my wife that at 66 time could running out to go , we booked a cottage near LOCH NESS as my wife has friends in Inverness and she could see them (cunning planing)

Midweek we made the visit to ACHNACARY and SPEAN BRIDGE I was not expecting the effect the Memoreal would have on me. Standing there in that bleak and splendid landscape. The tributes from friends and familys of former commando,s who have sadly passed moved me more than I can say and it was some time before my mood lifted. I will try to visit again but if I am unable the memory,s will remain.
If anyone with commando connection,s has not been I would say make the effort it is very rewarding.

Stephen Unwin wrote:Hi all,
This May my family and I travelled once again to Achnacarry and as we always do, we paid our respects at the Commando Memorial to my father and his comrades?. It would have been his 85th birthday this month. We gave his plaque a coating of WD40 and left behind a small bunch of flowers by way of a small remembrance.

However, this visit was extra special as we had brought with us my Dads brother Kenny, he was to ill to make the journey in November. He left a small token as well, a tin of corned beef, it was a very special item with quite a long story, but it meant so much to journey the hundreds of miles to place it, so if you see it and wonder why its there, you now know. I suspect that it will be removed during the regular maintenance but the meaning and the emotions of why and how it got there will always remain for one old gentleman.

My Uncle found the visit a very emotional experience we shed many tears together and I was very proud to have made it possible for him to pay a visit there.

We also once again did our best at the Commando Speed march albeit in a much more relaxed manner. I managed to knock two minutes off my time from last November and completed it in 1 hr 33 minutes. (You'll be pleased to know Geoff that I could walk normally after this one!) However my younger brother astounded us all by completing it in 1 hr 16 minutes. He will give it another go and reckons he may just crack under an hour, not bad for a teacher I thought!
My older sister managed to knock 15 minutes of her previous best, so you can see its getting to be a bit of an Unwin tradition, with an edge of competiveness creeping in!

I now have a nephew his partner and my cousin from Inverness all chomping at the bit for May 2009.

In November this year I will have another go, alongside my brother who is travelling from Florida especially for the remembrance weekend.
Over the weekend I took the opportunity to take quite a number of photos during the various times of day and night with some good and some not so good results.

I also witnessed the visit to the Commando Memorial by members of the SAS Regimental Association and I have attached a photo of their wreath and memorial card for you all to share. Our forbearers are responsible for quite a bit of history!

Congratulations to all the Unwin's involved, for upholding not only what has become a family tradition, but for adhering to the principles our Dad taught us, many of which originated in Achnacarry.

As Steve has mentioned I am intending making the journey in November and we will both complete the speed march. Whether we improve our time together remains to be seen, but the operative word is "together".

I was disappointed not to be able to make the trip this time, secretly I had been trying to make the time available and simply "turn up" but it wasnt to be. November however, is a different matter....

This is the photo of the corned beef

Thought I would upload this photo I took in May

It seems the mention of Spean Bridge or Fort William means absolutely nothing to those other than Commando, although it appears emotion, togethernes, a feeling of belonging, have all been unknowingly passed down to us from our Commando family, our Fathers, our Grandfathers, and long may it be so that we may also pass these feelings down to our Generations to come that they may look back into the forgotten mists of time and both know and appreciate with an immense sense of proud satisfaction, the supreme qualities of these truly outstanding warriors, and maybe if fortune favours us we may be lucky enough to inherit some of their immeasurable modesty.
Regards Ron

Well said Ron!
hey Stephen . the photo is excellent You have real talent there as a photographer

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 02/07/2008 21:08:27

believe it or not I actually got that shot by default! I wes trying to get a photo of the monument, with the 'united We Conquer' in but not the bird crap! It just came out brilliantly. Mind you the night time shots I took at 0030 on the way back from a few sherberts at the Glen Garry Castle Hotel did by and large turned out rubbish, might have been my inability to focus let alone stand up that did for me and the few that did turn out look extremely spooky!

I am looking to get Adobe photoshop 6 but when I saw the price I dedcided against it.

Everyone knows about Jpeg files for photos, well if you take and record them in RAW format they turn out even sharper and crystal clear, so lomg as they are in focus. Adobe is the best software for processing these. So it looks like I'm on a savings plan!

As for Spean Bridge, I cannot enter the memorial garden without shedding a tear, you are right, its like passing on a memory but its tangible like a flame and will be forever eternal. sadly even now more names are added to the long list enshrined for ever in the 'Role of Honour' and another generation joins the associate members.

No need to burden your wallet by starving it of cash brother of mine. I know where there may be a copy at the right price, so its all yours when you come over next week.

Excellent phot by the way...

Just a quick update for anyone interested.

Flights and accomodation are booked, my wife and I will be in FW this November as planned.

If all goes well, after Steve & I finish the speed march, it will be time to hand the baton to the next generation of military minded Unwins. Providing he can swing some extra leave, my son who is serving RN will be coming with us.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 12/09/2008 00:05:47

Looking forward to meeting up with everyone agian this year, sorry I haven't been to active recently but I needed to find alternative employment pronto as my company lost the contract I managed. However a TUPE move has now resulted in better prosepcts.

We will all be in the Premier Inn as there are due to be 15 of us. I didn't want to deprive any veterans of the bargain rooms at the Alex so as a family this is were we elected to stay.

Just need to sort out the Saturday night dinner.

A quick update:

Will finish packing for the trip on Sunday, but confirmed flights and have received the Oporder for our visit to the UK..

Steve, myself and our wives will travel up on Friday morning, Son is travelling up from Portsmouth on Friday independantly.

Saturday, am looking forwards to doing the speed march one last time (honestly), but am looking forwards to meeting everyone later in the day...

Roll on next Wednesday, so I can leave my car in Tampa, and cross the pond for a week eh !