Messages posted by: Andrew Unwin

Sheryl & I are both deeply saddened to hear this awful news. Obvioiusly Janet and their family will be in our thoughts and prayers.

Like others, Bob sponsored my associate membership and I had the absolute privelidge of meeting him on Saturday and introducing him to my wife, son, and future daughter in law. Bob had lots to say about where we live in Florida, and recounted his own experiences from when he lived here.

No words of mine could do justice to Bob. He was, is and will always remain, an absolute gentleman and I count myself as fortunate to have met him.

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 !

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.

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...

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....