arthur mcdonnell - The Royal Green Jackets Association Contacts Board

Date: Aug 27, 2008

arthur mcdonnell

Date: Aug 27, 2008

Hi Lee
Sorry for spelling your name wrong and saddened to hear your Father has died.
I remember the Cyprus Tour with the UN very well, i am interested in any pictures of that tour.

I think your dad's friend who died in Northern Ireland in a Road accident was John Keeney he played Rugby with us and he was outside half, if i remember he was also very good at badmington and table tennis.

I remember first meeting your Dad in Berlin, we went to Cyprus and Canada.
I think he got married when we were in Celle Germany, sorry i don't have any photo's of him.

Regards to you and your Family

Ray (Smuger) Smith

Date: Aug 27, 2008

hello ray. i,ve just spoke to my mom and shes going to dig out some photos,she reckons shes got quite a lot of when you was in cyprus.do you also remember graham bennett [benny].thanks lee.

Date: Sep 6, 2008

Lee,

Have just returned from holiday, hence my late entry.

I remember your dad very well. Mad Brummie!! So sad to hear we have lost him. He was up for any kind of mischief you could name. Along with Graham. (I am sure I seem to remember your dad and 'Benny' were related in some way. Or had some kind of family connection.)
In those Berlin days, 65-67, your dad had a mop of blond curly hair. He was always laughing and a great mate to be with. I think he ended up in the Mortar Pln in Tidworth, though I could be wrong on that. All that knew him will be saddened at his passing.
My thoughts are with you and your family.

Date: Sep 7, 2008

Hi To Lee

I can confirm what Sandy said
I remember Your Dad and Benny looking out for each other i think they were related, thats how we understood it.

Hi To Sandy our Scrum Half
How you doing? It's great to hear from old 1 RGJ.

Ray

Date: Sep 7, 2008

Ray,

Glad you are still with us mate and hope you are well. Sad news about Arthur though.
I do hope his son Lee comes back on and we get more info, or a picture.

Last saw Benny twenty years ago at his daughters 21st. He decided to combine it with a Recc Pln re-union!! Bet his daughter was impressed!!

Whereabouts are you living now?

Date: Sep 7, 2008

Hi Sandy

Great to get a message from you.

We are all a bit or should i say a lot older now
But i still think back to days in the RGJ I guess we will never forget them

I live in Cardiff and I support Cardiff Blues Rugby ~ great team and of Course visit the Millenium Stadium when i can get tickets for the Welsh Internationals.

Do you still have an interest in Rugby?

Sue and i have been married now for 41 years and my Daughter who was born in Celle is living in Barry with her husband and 3 Nippers.

Hope to meet up one day with some of the lads as i still call them.

Regards

Smuger

Date: Sep 7, 2008

Ray,

No involvement in Rugby now mate. Played my last Battalion game in late 86 when I was 40. I left 1st Bn as they went to Osnabruck in early 87, and retired later that year. Still love watching it though.

Were you originally from Wales? I have this vague memory of you coming from the West Country area.

We must meet up at next years Winchester reunion. I missed this year but am determined to be at the next one.

You take care mate.

Date: Sep 13, 2008

sandy, its nice of you to say them nice things about my dad ,i,ve got a lot of things going on right now, but i have got quite a few pictures of my dad and the other lads in his battalion. if you give me a bit of time i will somehow get copies of these pictures to you with a bit of help from the missus, also i do have bennys phone number,again i,ve got to dig it out many regards lee mac.

Date: Sep 13, 2008

hi ray its lee again, i,ve been having problems with my internet but i have sorted out a fair amount of pictures for you, we will have to sort out the best way of getting them to you, my missus might be able to take copies and email them to you, bear with me and one way or the other i will get copies to you, regards lee.

Date: Sep 13, 2008

Hi Lee

Thanks for your message and i look forward to recieving the Photo's
You can scan copy them to your computor ~ then attach them to your e mail.

I am looking for photos of Berlin, Cyprus, and Canada - 1966-70

I have some great photos of Celle, and NI.

My e mail: raysings@talk21.com

Regards to your family

Ray

Date: Jul 24, 2009

Hi Lee

It was tragic to hear of your dads untimely death, he was a great friend to me and all who new him.

We had wonderful times in berlin in A Coy and went on a skiing course with other mates especially three amigo scousers Louis Rundle, Eddie Turkington, and diddy Lenny Bayliss, your dad was a real practical joker and always made us laugh with his ideas on the easiest way to dig in! . We all new Benny Bennett and as others have stated there was a connection, I saw Benny afew years ago at the winchester renunion he like us all had put on a few pounds but was in good form.

I hope you and your family get some comfort out of hearing how well loved Artur was, i will always remember him with all our fellow Greenjackets

Best Wishes

Bob Beesley 24078518

bobbeesley@yahoo.com Would love a photo of your Dad