Many thanks to: Alison and Tim from Fitzbillies, Leon, Laura Sawyer from The Detail, Lizzie, Katrina, Amy and Jo on the cake stall, the many generous Ogilvy bakers, and Peter for the beautiful vintage bunting.

I’ve organised a Vintage Tea Party to take place at the London HQ of top global ad agency Ogilvy and Mather tomorrow. The taxi charity are bringing a number of special guests – veterans from World War 2 – for tea, cake and probably a beer or two.

Many thanks to Jon Morgan and Mike Watson, Creative Directors at Ogilvy and Mather, and Mark Osbourne and Andy Breese from Room Design, for the fabulous poster.

Thanks also to all the bakers at Ogilvy and Mather who are putting on a great spread.

Special thanks to Alison and Tim from Fitzbillies in Cambridge who are sending a whole tray of Chelsea Buns!

This didn’t seem the time or place to debate the moral complexities of the WWII bombing campaigns, but to remember the people who lost their lives and appreciate those who’ve lived to tell the tale. Among the many great people I met was Dennis Thompson, born 1925, a Lancaster rear gunner. He was part of Operation Manna in 1945, when Bomber Command aircraft dropped 6,500 tonnes of food and clothing to the Dutch people on a mercy mission. This, he told me, was the most gratifying and humane experience of his life. I also met two sisters whose father had been a pilot. Sadly he died last year. One was wearing his RAF peaked hat, the other his Victoria Cross. It was clear that this memorial meant so much to all the veterans and their families.

The crowd sought shade from the scorching sun under various improvised protective devices – handkerchiefs, the RAF News, umbrellas – as a Lancaster Bomber dropped a cloud of poppies over London. Their exact number was a  matter of some debate. Some said it was 55,573 – one for every young man who died in Bomber Command. Ms. Vorderman said there were a million. She’s rather good in the maths department, so I’ll go with her. Whatever the number, it was an extraordinary sight. A friend of mine found some of the poppies on Primrose Hill, 3 miles away, so their message of peace and reconciliation was carried far and wide.

Everyone was incredibly well looked after by the RAF, who supplied a steady stream of much needed bottles of water to the veterans. We all had a brew of special Royal Air Force Tea made by the marvellous Rare Tea Company (definitely one of the nicest cups of tea I’ve ever had), and snacked on special wartime buns prepared by Fergus Henderson and Gail’s Bakery. Much to the  delight of Eric and Jack, Prince Charles and Camilla stopped by later and shook hands with as many veterans as they could. Black Cabs ferried veterans all over London all day for free. Altogether, it was an incredibly moving and uplifting day. Reggie said it was the best day of his life.

During the ceremony, the Queen will unveil a nine foot high bronze sculpture depicting seven Bomber Command aircrew. There’ll be a flypast by five RAF GR4 Tornado bomber aircraft and by the RAF’s last flying Lancaster Bomber. Thousands of poppies will be dropped over Green Park as a message of remembrance.

It’s always wonderful and heart-warming to meet the veterans who survived World War II, now enjoying old age, proudly wearing their medals. They seem like heroes from another time. The war seems pleasingly distant, far away from life today in so many ways. But, for a stark reminder of modern-day conflict, I discovered, there’s nothing like meeting a young man who’s just returned from Afghanistan having been very seriously injured. During his speech in Worthing Municipal Hall, Dickie Hudd asked the three young veterans to stand. The whole room, full of men in their 80′s and 90′s – many who I suppose would have been a similar age when they themselves were soldiers – erupted into spontaneous applause. No doubt meeting these young soldiers gave great cause for reflection and brought back many memories for the older veterans. Perhaps memories of friends who’d been injured or worse, without  the benefit of the extraordinary care and facilities at places like Headley Court. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this, or the three young veterans, since.

More than 100 Black Cabs collected the veterans from various locations in and around London. They gathered first in South Holmwood, a former British Legion village in Surrey turned over to the rendezvous. I travelled in Terry Millington’s cab, with Charles, 88 and Hughie, 91,  both veterans from World War II. A welcoming party was already in full-swing in the village hall by 10 AM. The whole village seemed to have been up since dawn, making sandwiches and baking cakes. The place was full of veterans, taxi driver,  their friends and families, all very happy to see each other. What with Harry Harris, a musician in his late 80′s, playing Fly Me To The Moon on the organ, I had the curious feeling of having gone back in time.

We then drove in convoy down to the South Coast. This time I was in Mickey Small’s Black Cab (actually a yellow Hailo cab) with three other WWII veterans, who sang pretty much all the way to the coast whilst Mickey masterfully dodged the odd British summertime flood on the A24. I was struck by the kindness of the taxi drivers, who give their time for free when they take veterans on these trips. Clearly they hold ‘the old boys’  in great regard.

In Worthing Municipal Hall, we had a great lunch, a few beers courtesy of London Pride, speeches from Sir James Eberie, the charming Mayor and Mayoress of Worthing and Dickie Hudd, the chairman of the charity, and a marvellous performance on one of the few remaining Wurlitzer organs in the country. This magically emerged from beneath the stage to everyone’s delight. A quick jaunt down the to pier for an ice-cream, more tea, cake and beer, then it was back to South Holmwood for yet more tea, cake, beer and goodbyes. The local children gave flowers to all the veterans and then everyone went home, very full, happy, but no doubt as moved as me by the whole experience. As will become clear in my next post, this was a great deal more than a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

The trip begins in earnest on Tuesday morning in South Holmwood in Surrey, a small village turned over to the rendezvous, complete with a welcoming party in the village hall. I’ve heard that the ladies from the village and the local WI usually bake so many cakes and make so many sandwiches there’s no need to eat ever again. After filling up with various refreshments, we’ll then drive in a convoy up to 5 miles long to Worthing. Look out for us if you are on the A24!

In Worthing, we’ll have lunch and a knees-up in the Municipal Hall. An organ player is coming along especially to play one of the few remaining Wurlitzer organs in the country.  The Mayor and Mayoress of Worthing will be there, as will guest of honour Sir James Eberie. It looks to be a wonderful day, as well as being an extraordinary sight. In my recent experience, it’s unlikely to receive much media coverage owing to it being such good news. But you can follow it on Twitter. #vetsroadtrip

I’ll be going along, collecting stories, taking photographs, enjoying the company of some wonderful people.

Janet Hodgson
Artist-in-residence

Watching the Jubilee celebrations in London reminds me of the last time I saw crowds out to welcome a procession of visiting British dignitaries! Then, however, the crowds were Dutch and they were out in force to welcome 160 World War II veterans in a convoy of London Black Cabs in Holland. Frans Ammerlaan from the Market Garden Foundation of The Netherlands recently sent me this collection of photographs which wonderfully capture some of the events: crowds of Dutch people welcoming the convoy, the Mayor of Arnhem Pauline Krekke giving a speech, children wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the words ‘I am a child of freedom. Thank you Mr. Veteran’, teenagers perched on window ledges watching the convoy, ‘forces sweetheart’ Kas with some of her fans, Chelsea Pensioners in their finery, veterans enjoying themselves here and there, and, most memorably, children clamouring to give the veterans presents, cakes and sweets.

My mind’s been filled with so many thoughts, memories and pictures: the smiles, the children, the sheer number of people who turned out to greet us, the warmth, the affection and the kindness that was shown to us on this wonderful trip. ‘A trip of a lifetime’. This has been said so many times, by so many people, veterans and our taxi drivers, it’s seemed like a record being played. Our committee have racked their collective brains and all have come to the conclusion that this Netherlands trip is the best thing the charity has ever done.

The help and assistance from the Dutch people was truly amazing. The police escorts, from the time we arrived, until the time we left, were outstanding. The Papendal Hotel was perfect, the food and accommodation first class. Many people gave of their time and worked hard to make this venture a success. The effort made by our Dutch friends was phenomenal. My thanks go out to all of them. Franz, Hans, Henk, Powel Vos, Brigitte, Wiel, Kathy and Tim from the Papendal, our heartfelt thanks to you all.

I think, like me, nearly everyone will have one special memory. Mine is of veteran Alan Reade, 87 years old, singing his father’s favourite song on our last evening. Alan’s father fought in the trenches in the first world war at the age of 16. He told me what a wonderful father he’d been and that he said he still missed him to this day. With tears in his eyes and his voice breaking up, he then started to sing these words: “Comrades comrades ever since we were boys, Sharing each other’s sorrows, sharing each other’s joys.”

Alan gave me a memory I will treasure. Thank you all for the chance to renew old friendships, and bless you all for the opportunity to forge new ones.

Dickie Hudd
May 2012

Comedian Al Murray was very supportive of the trip to Holland, coming to the send-off at the Union Jack Club and tweeting his 150K followers about the trip, all to the great delight of the veterans and the charity. I shared a cab, driven by lovely cabbie Jim, on the way to Holland with John Evans, 87, and James Baker, 89, who turned out to be a great fan of Mr. Murray.

On the way back from Holland, I interviewed James about the trip and his thoughts on Al Murray. This short no-budget film is the result! It gave me the idea of taking James and John to see Al Murray in his forthcoming Pub Landlord tour.  Cabbie Jim is going to drive me up north in November. We’ll pick up James and John from Blackpool and take them on a mini road trip to Liverpool for the gig. We all can’t wait!