27 May 2016

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

“Per Ardua ad astra, we’d rather drink than fight”  was sung with gusto on Friday for perhaps the last time, by a group of men who fought in the 2nd World War and received horrific injuries from burns in aircraft and other incidents.    The Guinea Pig Club held its 75th Annual General Meeting at East Court, East Grinstead today followed by a Town Mayors reception for the members, widows and officers of the club along with guests from surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe’s family, the Queen Victoria Hospital where they were treated and members of the friends of the Guinea Pigs Club which included past Town Mayors and Councillors of the East Grinstead Town Council and representatives of the Blond McIndoe Research Foundation and the Town Museum.

The Club decided after the AGM in 2015 that it may not hold another AGM as the Guinea Pigs are dwindling in numbers (there are 19 left living in the UK and approximately 55 world wide),  however the East Grinstead Town Council offered to host the milestone 75th Anniversary and final AGM and mark it with a Town Mayors reception.   Club Chairman Sam Gallop CBE said “the Council and Clerk are true friends of the Guinea Pigs and we were delighted to accept the offer “.

The AGM received a special message from the Duke of Edinburgh (President of the Club) and the Council presented each guest at the lunch with a commemorative 75th anniversary lapel badge depicting the Guinea Pig Emblem and the Town Crest to symbolise the enduring relationship between the Town to the Club.

Town Mayor Bob Mainstone said “Since 2004 each Town Mayor has been granted the privilege of being made a member of the Friends of the Guinea Pig Club,  we are very proud of the relationship between the town and club, and delighted that we can mark this end of era historic occasion, by a civic reception. We will miss their annual event in the future but wish to ensure that the men and the club are never forgotten in East Grinstead”

Following the Lunch the Guinea Pigs were taken to see the flower bed in the High St which depicts the 75th anniversary and then on to the Town Museum where they were shown the plans for the extension to permanently display the story of the Guinea Pigs and the medical equipment used by Sir Archibald’s Team at the Queen Victoria Hospital.

Guinea Pigs in attendance 20.05.16 East Court – AGM and Mayors reception:

• Sam Gallop CBE
• Jack Perry
• Sandy Saunders
• Eric Pearce
• Des O’Connell
• John Miles
• Alan Morgan
• Doug Vince
• Jan Black

Top Table:  Air Marshall Chris Nicholls, Mayoress Christine Mainstone,  Rene Gallop, Sam Gallop CBE, Town Mayor Bob Mainstone,  Margaret Collins DL,  Adonia Montford –Bebb, Gordon Bebb