LONDON

Alan Davidson
Nice to hear from Alan Davidson who left RSD in 1976, he will be attending The Old Boys Dinner this year.  I taught Alan A-Level Chemistry and he does remember some of my jokes.
Alan works within the newly created Defence Cyber Operations Group in Whitehall.  He meets Philip Ingram (who was a number of years behind him in school) and Catherine Weir occasionally . 
Catherine, if I remember correctly, attended Royal School in the early days of amalgamation.
These are the only former RSD pupils he has met in London.

AFGHANISTAN

Bert Stewart
From the Upper Gereshk Valley in Afghanistan.  Bert is Regimental Medical Officer with 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment normally based at Palace Barracks in Holywood but at present on Op Herrick 15 from Sept last until Mar-Apr next year.
Bert describes the weather as turning distinctly Chilly with overnight temperatures below freezing.
“We have only had one fatality in this area while I have been here but a few near misses and some unlucky young lads undergoing treatment in Birmingham.
Caroline Wyatt (BBC defence correspondent) visited earlier this week, narrowly avoiding a roadside IED near here which blew up a minibus carrying 23 members of the one family to a wedding party. 18 were killed but we treated the 5 survivors including 3 kids under 5 years old, an adolescent 12-15 years old and an old man 60-90 years old.Her report should be on BBC 1 News at 6.30 or 10pm next Monday, unless something more important happens (the Euro seems to be hogging the headlines at the moment!) .It doesnt feel much like Christmas yet but I'm watching out for snow.
I nearly caught up with Jonathan Paisley in May past when I was in Bucharest, Romania with the Army rugby team (non-playing team doctor!). He had cycled from the North Sea to the Black Sea to celebrate his 50th birthday". 

CANADA
Robin Smith. 1944 to 1948
Originally from Richhill and now living in Canada for many years boarded in RSD from 1944 to 1948. He sent a couple of photographs of RSD Scout Troop on manoeuvres in Scotland with their leader Mr "Dusty" Millar.
He was only there for three years but it still evokes a lot of memories.
His family lived in Richhill, Co. Armagh, when he attended RSD. His father was the Police Sergeant there .  
In Sept, 1945, as a 12 year old, he registered as a boarder along with two friends, David, D.T. Wilson and Charlie Nellins.  Robin was in the Junior Dorm and assigned to “Bullingbrook” House.
Mr. A. De G Gaudin was Headmaster at the time and feared by all. He lived across the street from the school. Robin remembers HMS Scott (woodwork, PT and sports) Dusty Millar, Mr. Kennedy, (geography) Mr. Taylor  (music.) he was blind. Mr. Crook, (French) among the teachers
Some of his contemporaries were; Ben Spillard, Danny McLean and Jimmey Wolsley
He was nicknamed “Tubby” when he went. Thankfully things changed.  He recalled an incidence when a visiting rugby team arrived to play RSD short of a player, his own rugby team members “volunteered” him to play on their team. He survived, without scoring any points for the visiting team.
Several things stand out his recollection of days at RSD.  While at RSD he was part of the Boy Scout Group and recalls going to Omagh to compete for the County Flag. (we didn’t win)
On another occasion robin remembers a Scout camp on an island in Lough Neagh for a few days.  The highlight was a trip to Scotland, with Dusty Millar as leader. They camped on the shore of Lough Lomond.  Highlights were a trip on a paddle steamer to Rowardennan and climbing to the top of Ben Lomond, 3197 feet above sea level.  I have a photo taken of our group standing on the stump of what was the largest oak tree in Scotland. Alas I cannot presently find it, but when I do I will send you a copy.
He spent a little time learning gardening, in the garden beyond the cricket pitch and learned the technique of “double digging” Now his wife does the gardening, mostly flowers, while I cut the grass.
Like many of the boys, they meet up with girls from the High School, down by “the wall” after dark.  Mavis Abernethy was one he became friendly with but doubts she would remember him.
Sunday afternoons were filled with a rather lengthy walk using several routes on the outskirts of Dungannon.  It was quite common to meet one of the teachers walking the opposite direction, to check up on us. Of course they wore the little brown skullcaps as part of our uniform.
On at least two occasions when there was sufficient snowfall, they went tobogganing on the hills nearby. The school, I recall, had one monster sled.
He has memories of meals in the dining room where everyone sat in “Houses” and the masters all sat at the “Head” table. Everything was very orderly, even when more bread was needed, one boy from the table approached the masters’ table to request permission to go to the kitchen for more.
On one occasion the scourge of scabies hit the school and Robin had the misfortune to get it. I was quarantined in the sick bay for several days.  The matron had to scrub him quite vigorously while he was in the bathtub!At RSD he learned the basic principles of radio, in hobby sessions. Starting with a crystal set and graduating to building a two tube model. Radio Luxembourg might have been one of the stations they listened to.
He has an official panoramic photo of the entire school body dated October 1947. It measures 32” x 7” high.  If you do not have a copy please let me know and I will have a copy made for you.After leaving RSD (I suspect my parents did not have the wherewithal to have me complete Forms 5 & 6) Robin had one year at Portadown Tech, before going to Belfast and completing an Electrical Apprenticeship at Hugh J Scott & Co (Belfast) Ltd.  While there he completed Junior Trades Scolarship and Senior Trades Scolarship  and obtained Higher National Certificate, with endorsement subjects.  This secured him membership in the Institution of Electrical Engineers  which was recognized in Canada for Membership in The Association of Professional Engineers, Ontario. He subsequently became a Fellow of the IEE.
Most of his working career in Canada was with the Federal Department of Transport (now Transport Canada), where Robin ended up Chief Engineer at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport where he enjoyed his work
By coincidence he married a girl called Grace Barton, who attended Dungannon High School for Girls, although he only met her several years after leaving RSD and when living in Belfast. Her brother David Barton attended RSD, but only after Robin left.  A couple of years ago David visited Dungannon and on his return presented Robin with “The Castle and the Crown” The History of Royal School Dungannon 1614 – 2004”.  He found It quite nostalgic reading this book
Robin and his wife are soon to celebrate their 54^th wedding anniversary, he has been back to N.I. several times and invariably makes the pilgrimage to Dungannon to see the old haunts. He still has a sister living in Holywood and many friends throughout the province.
He would be keen for news of others in his year and would be to delighted to read of their comings and goings.

Sports

CONGRATULATIONS TO dARREN clarke on  winning his first major.

 British open champion 2011 by three shots from phil mickelson
with rounds of 68,68,69,70

The Old Boys Association presented RSD touring cricket team with £ 150 . 

A new sand based synthetic hockey pitch was opened on 25th October 2006 jointly by Claire (Redpath) and Violet McBride

school history

The school history "The Castle and the Crown" records in detail the 390 years of the "Old Grey Mother" .  This is well worth having if you treasure memories of the school .  Copies are available from the school and will also be for sale on the evening of the dinner .  Price : £ 25.00