Thought it was about time introduced myself as your new Secretary. My name is Geoffrey Scott better known as either Ginge or Scotty, I joined the Squadron on the 31st July 1972 from 10 Signal Regiment in Hounslow, when Smudge Smith marched into my flat at Summern whilst I brought Beryl, Andrew and Rachel over from England, I cannot remember his first name but he also lived in Summern with us, his wife’s name was Betty and he had 4 children, we called ourselves the forgotten Summernites, with only about four of the 260 families living out there.

When I joined 260 I worked in the Battery Shop with Bill (Geordie) Lawrence as my Troop Sergeant, and when I left in September 74 I was still in the Battery Shop and as I was left behind on rear party when most of you went to Ireland I find myself not knowing many of you very well. During my short stay I represented the Squadron at cross-country and we were successful in winning the Minor Units Championship. This was the second time I had been involved in an athletics team, as whilst stationed at RAF Laarbruch I had represented 21 Signal Regiment taking part in the hurdles and javelin winning the B.A.O.R. Championship and then going on to win the Army Championship in Aldershot. Unfortunately it was athletics that caused me to leave the army after picking up an injury which led to me losing my kneecap permanently (not even a plastic one fitted) and therefore being down graded fitness wise to P4 from A1 and I just could not cope with this. Halfway through my tour the family increased to five with the birth of a second daughter Heather at BMH Iserlohn and when the reunion was held in Dortmund in 2000 we took Heather back to her birthplace and she ended up as Squadron photographer. The visit to Summern ended up quite emotional for Beryl because everything was exactly the same as when we left in 74 even to the sandpit behind the garages.

One other thing I remember well from my tour was the exercise with 8th Signal Battalion at Bad Kreuznach and I still have their cap badge among my memorabilia. Late 97 I received a phone call from Roy Andrews asking if I’d like to get involved in trying to get a reunion organised, I was only too pleased to say yes and so in June 98 with about 30 of us present 260 Signal Squadron (SAM) R.S.A. was born in Lutterworth.

I was already with Beryl when I joined the Army in 1966 and she has always travelled and supported me so much so that she accepted the position of Treasurer this year and hopefully we can make as good a partnership as Roy and Pat Andrews have done from the onset. Besides working for 260 I am also the Secretary and Standard Bearer for the Huddersfield Branch of The Royal Signals Association and for the past two years I have been Chairman of the Elland and Greetland Branch of The Royal British Legion.