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DE LAUNE CYCLING CLUB FOUNDED 1889
Sponsored by EVANS CYCLES (UK) Ltd. & SPECIALIZED CYCLES
December
2004
THE PRESIDENTS REPORTS From the information received from letters and e-mails I have received from you, the Belgium Night was a great success. For those who did not attend, let me explain how the night went. We started off with the normal meeting of old friends. With a glass of wine or beer in one hand and a crisp in the other. You know how it go’s ‘Good God I have not seen you for years!’ or ‘you are looking well’. Our chef said in his lovely Irish accent ‘Kav, I have not got the soup to perfection yet so can you add another 10 minuets to the start?’ ‘Of course you can I replied’ but as time went by and the wine started to flow people started to get loud and I think a little sloshed! Our members then made their way to their tables. After they stood up a couple of time for the Belgium, German and French national anthems they sat down to eat. And when I say eat I mean eat. I have asked Mark to print the menu to remind you what you had and all for 17 euros! This splendid meal, like previous years, was all down to Cliff and Carol Steel who we cannot praise enough. I was asked, how you old boys, the waiters (Titch, Stax, Mike and I) could run around waiting on people for say three hours! No problem when you think that Cliff and Carol came in to the kitchen at 1pm to prepare and cook our food and left at mid night. By my reckoning that is 11 hours on your feet! Carol also had little Cassia to look after. She was good as gold. We did not want to slow the evening down with speeches but Malcolm Adams insisted on reading out one of his poems, you know what he is like bless him! We had Stax on the catwalk showing of the latest club clothing that I can only explain as a De Laune racing hat and under pants. To keep the ball rolling, the prize presentation was kept to a minimum. Malc took the Vets best all rounder award, Roy Savery took the OMA 10 award, Mat Goods the Hill climb and a special award for our first Triathlon champion, Geoff Heaton. This section is all down to Harry Corbett who has encouraged all of his lads to ride everything, including time trials I am glad to say. Thanks Harry. From acorns oak trees grow, we hope. We had our junior team as guests. James King, Sam Fensterheim and Nathan Palmer. Nathan won the special cup for being the fastest junior in the OMA 10. I think the well-deserved award for the night went to our World Track Vets Champion, Brian Dacey. We not only presented Brian with two special De Laune vests with the world champion rainbow armbands but also awarded him the clubs highest award. The Gold Badge of Honour. Well-done kid. Sunday the 21st of Nov. our annual Remembrance Service at Newnham. What a jolly crowd we had and very noisy, well that was in the pub afterwards! The service was held at the little church we have used for over 70 years. I think we had over 40 people at the service, which I think is good. Talking to Mark Ballamy and he remembers the time when only four turned up. After a few hymns the Vicar gave his sermon he then said ‘the President would say a few words’ well that was a new one for me as this was not on my agenda! I thought shall I get up and say a few gags ‘the vicar for next Sunday will be nailed upon the door’ or we passed the plate around and got 15 pence. The vicar was not worried about the amount. As it was the De Luanne, he was lucky to get the plate back’ but I thought no, it is the wrong place. On a serious note, we paid homage to our club members who fell in both world wars. As your President this would be my last time to have the honour of reading out the names. After five years I still get a little choked when read them out, especially their ages. We have a group who died aged 19 to 21. Not much older than our junior racing team and it makes you think. Well that is all for now but I would like to take this opportunity on behalf of our hard working committee to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year. I think as a club we have had a good year, so it is up to us all to keep the ball rolling. Kav.
O.M.A.NEWS Another great De Laune Promotion! At the Belgian Night/OMA Supper, a very well organised evening – with ‘KAV’ getting it all together, making umpteen phone calls, and of course the trips to France for the necessary drinks! Mick Peel and Stack were hard at work all the day, decorating the Blackheath Clubhouse with ‘old’ De Laune racing jerseys draped around the walls and from various beams. Then Belgian Flags on the tables plus the menu cards which were designed and printed off by Mike, they looked so good they could have graced any Hotel Restaurant. It all looked great. There was great activity in the ‘kitchen’ where our brilliant Chef Cliff and his wife Carol were hard at work preparing our ‘feast', they had been there for most of the day also. They were accompanied by their new baby Cassia you would never have thought there was a baby in the kitchen, she behaved so well, not a sound from her amidst all the activity, I think most of the ‘girls would have willingly taken her home with them, she is gorgeous. Anyway – eventually everyone had arrived – apart from Terry and Carole – he did have a good excuse this time though, he was working on the Gold Badges, which were to be presented during the evening. So – with all our ‘Belgian Waiters’ at the ready i.e. Mick, Stack, Tich and Pres Kav. we were asked to stand for the National Anthems – of Belgium, France, Germany, and even our own, this caused much hilarity to start with. Finally 68 sat down to await the waiter service! All suitably attired (well they thought so) even to the yellow rubber gloves worn by Stack! Our first course arrived, accompanied by ‘rousing’ music from the Accordionist, (and not a drop of soup was spilt). Cross toasting commenced, Alan and Malc leading the way – as usual, great to see Alan back in action – Jean did allow him to come along without his new crash helmet! We welcome new members and juniors to their first attendances at one of our Social Events don’t quite know what they expected with all us ‘oldies’ there, maybe they thought they were in for a quiet ‘sane’ evening, but soon found out differently I believe! Anyway hope you all enjoyed a De Laune ‘Do’. There were a awards to be presented, which was carried out by ‘Kav’, I am sure the Juniors – James King, Nathan Palmer and Sam Fensterhiem were surprised to collect their Cups. Then – the surprises of the evening – Mike had to almost force ‘Kav’ to sit down and listen to his speech, which was a real ‘This is your life’ for Kav; he was awarded the Clubs Highest Honour – The Gold Badge. Then it was the turn of another great ‘Clubman' Brian Dacey, for his super performances throughout his racing career and in the name of The De Laune throughout, what a brilliant career he has had, and of course still racing with great success at the age of 66 years, he received his Gold Badge and a Club Racing Top with World Champion Bands specially made for him (he told me he was ‘gob smacked’) how unassuming can you get! Keep up the training Brian! The evening carried on as usual, everyone chatting until it was time to leave. We had a great evening, as I am sure you all did so if you want to come along to the next one! Book early there are never any spare seats. Once again it was thank you to the Organisers/Waiters and especially to the wonderful Chefs Cliff and Carol for putting on such a fabulous supper it was definitely First Class, what more can I say. DOT.
Saxtonus trying to muscle in. NEWNHAM
We had a very good attendance at our Annual Remembrance Service - 35 in church. After the service we had the laying of the Poppy Wreath by our PRESIDENT “KAV” - who then read out the names and regiments of the De Laune Members who we lost in the two world wars - always a touching tribute from “KAV”. Afterwards we were all invited back into Church for refreshments by the local ladies - which are always very nice and welcome after the chilly ceremony in the Churchyard. Then into the “George” for lunch, 25 of us then, much chatting as always and catching up with each other. Many reminisce of the days when they all used to ride down to Newnham and back (no cars in those days). Good to see Geoff Sinnett, Alan Constable, after a few years absence - but I’m sure they will come along next year now! Also a couple of younger m embers - Cliff & Carol Steel (& baby well behaved as on the Belgian/O.M supper), hope they enjoyed the day. After lunch we were eventually “moved out” by the Landlord, so the chat continued out into the car park, where about 6 of the “lads” were instructing Len Brown how to get his car out of a very awkward spot - Alan in charge of course, nearly managing to remove a front mudguard off Malcolm’s’ sports car!! Then we all went our various journeys home in a typical November mist, hope you all arrived home safe and sound. So until 2005 - when we will all meet up again, probably in Brighton - Keep fit and well Have a great Xmas and Healthy and Happy New Year DOT & KEN Dear Mark Mike forwarded the last DLN to me (I don't get it directly) and I was surprised to see myself in it. It looks like I am blowing my own trumpet and all a bit out of context; people must have thought it a bit odd! I am sure that De Laune members, those that even remember me that is, would prefer to hear about my cycling exploits rather than what I do for a living. Both of us are still quite heavily involved in cycling and belong to an amateur sponsored racing team - our main sponsor is Tyco and we are also sponsored by Trek, Rudy Project, Limar helmets and some other South Australian companies. We don't have a website anymore. We mostly ride with the Vets and Ladies - Mike is an A grader and me in something lower down!! This reflects the amount of time we each spend on the bike in a week! Mike is riding between 400-500km a week and I am lucky to do more than 250 at the moment but still do a bit of running as well. We live in the same state as Stuart O'Grady, in fact he lives in the next street and can often be seen at the local coffee shops when he is in town. Its either flat and windy or hilly and windy here and not much in between but we have a nice beach to ride along or into the hills amongst the vineyards. We are looking forward once again to the Tour Down Under which will be here in January and is always a fantastic event to get out and see as we can get amongst the riders before and after the race. It travels through some fantastic countryside and is wonderful to follow and usually baking hot as it gets up to 40oC here in mid-summer. We are still thoroughly enjoying our riding and owe most of our social life to it as well. We enjoy reading about the De Laune and are pleased to see that the club is branching out into triathlon as well now - something we both pursued with moderate success for about 6 years. Please say hi to anyone who remembers me - Dot and Ken Fuller's daughter! Mark, you are doing a great job with the DLN and if you would like any articles from me please just ask. I would be grateful if you would put something in the next DLN so that members know that the previous article was not my doing but a bit of the Ed's websearching. Thanks and Cheers BERNARD PALASTANGA As we have just had our Remembrance Service at Newnham, it may be of interest to some of our members that Mike Peel received an E-mail from a Stevin Oudshoom, who lives in Holland and evidently looks after Bernard’s grave. He was asking us if we had a picture of Bernard. I am afraid, however, that we have very little information at all. What is available is already on the club website so we cannot add to what Stevin has already noted. I quote from the Club History the following: “In November 1941, Bernard Palastanga was reported missing from a raid on Germany, although the ‘plane from which he disappeared landed safely in England. We gather that the aircraft was returning from its objective and was over the Zyder Zee when the pilot saw another ‘plane flying in the opposite direction, which he told his crew was a Hampden. The rear gunner called through ‘Are you sure?’ and then reported, three minutes later, that an M.E. was closing in at 50 yards. The enemy sent tracers over the top of the pilot’s head shooting away the wireless mast, so the pilot turned away. Then the rear gunner told him to dive, which he did at 400 m.p.h. It is thought that this sudden, fierce dive threw Bernard forward, pulling out his intercom, and receiving no reply to a question, seeing tracers all around the pilot and with the plane diving at such a speed, thought that they were out of control and got out. He went out complete with parachute and ’Mae West’ so presuming he baled-out successfully we should hear in the fullness of time that he is safe and well. Bernard’s family had to wait for nearly a year before they had confirmation of his death: his body had been recovered from the sea and was buried in Holland.” In fact, it was the Germans who recovered his body and buried him in Holland. Brian Saxton MEMBERSHIP With next month’s DLN (January 2005) you will receive your annual subscription request form for 2005. All cheques should be sent to me in the stamped/addressed envelope provided, together with the form. Please do not send any monies to our treasurer, James Lett. Mike Peel will once again be producing our membership cards. On receipt of your cheque your membership card will be sent to you and your bank statement will confirm that your cheque has been paid into the club bank account. Separate receipts will not be sent. Brian Saxton SILVER TROPHY Kav recently received an E-mail, together with photographs from a Matthew Rotenberg, a silver dealer/collector based in Toronto, Canada, of a solid sterling silver cup (6” diameter, 4” high plus large handles). On the front of the cup is the inscription: J*C (Coat of Arms) A*C 1897 E Faunce De Laune On the reverse side of the cup is: 1st: Long Jump Dist 21 ft 1.5in, Hurdle Race
Time 18.5 Sc The under side of the cup is signed Munsey Silversmith Cambridge. Matthew was obviously making enquiries as to whether the club was interested in purchasing the cup and had obtained our details via the club website. After a short deliberation, it was decided that whatever the connection, if any, with the club we would not be interested in purchasing it as we have sufficient of our own trophies to worry about! At first we thought the cup could be connected to the now long defunct De Laune Institute Harriers (we have two photographs from the Harriers days dated 1893), but we were on the wrong track. Mark Ballamy set to work on the internet and, noting that the silversmith was based in Cambridge, decided to search on the Cambridge University sites. Sure enough he came up with Jesus College, Cambridge, where the coat of arms on the cup matched versions of the college’s coat of arms. Further investigation revealed that an E Faunce De Laune had been educated at Cambridge: the initial E could well stand for Edmund as this name has been used through several generations of both the De Laune and Faunce families. How the cup arrived in Canada to date remains a mystery. The Faunce family are no strangers to Canada as it was Major Thomas Faunce who, as an Ensign with the 4th Foot Regiment (King’s Own) was wounded at the Battle of Abrahams Plains in Canada in 1759. He became Town Major of Quebec 1783-1807. His cousin, Captain De Laune, was also there and was mentioned in various books for distinguished service in the initial assault on the Heights of Abraham (De Laune Scenic Drive in Ottawa is in his memory). Major Thomas Faunce married a Miss Bridget Nugent of Dublin and their fifth son, Alured (old English for Alfred) Dodsworth Faunce fought with the 4th Foot through the Peninsular Campaigns and then on to America, where he and his regiment had a hand in burning down the White House. He was also wounded at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. It would seem that all the De Launes/Faunces wherever they reside in the world appear to have been naval commanders, army colonels, barristers, etc – as yet I have never seen a white van with De Laune Plumbing or Carpet Laying on the side! Brian Saxton
Who?, What?, Where?
and When? of:  Adam
Glasser is a London-based musician and composer who has played keyboards for,
Martha Reeves, Jimmy Witherspoon, Hugh Masekhela, and Dudu Pukwana.
He is also one of the UK's leading chromatic harmonica
players, appearing on many gigs, sessions and recordings: Theatre work includes: Has worked with the following composers on
feature films: Major gigs include: Numerous pop and jazz session recordings
include: Reviews of his music include: ALL THE RACING
RESULTS * Steven is now riding for Prestige VC.com 1st Junior - Nathan Palmer De Laune CC Youth Race The 6th round of the 2004/05 London Cross League supported by Mosquito Bikes and USE, held at Eastway Cycle Circuit on November 7 and hosted by London Phoenix CC. USE Star Seniors The London League event is based on: Rankings after 7 events Juniors Veterans Youth London Cyclo-Cross Association Fixture 2004-2005 details, including London and Sussex Leagues All events are Category C unless stated and are entry on the line (unless stated otherwise) 5 December 2004 19 December 2004 27 December 2004 02 January 2005 23 January 2005 06 February 2005 All races and entry fees for teams of
4; cheques payable to London CCA ^closing date for advance entries 30/01/05,
followed by London League prizegiving @ 13.15 Eastway Winter
Series It’s a race if you want it to be, otherwise it’s just a training ride in safe traffic free conditions (and you can always duck into the clubroom if the weather turns). Sunday’s Times Entry No need to be a club member or affiliated rider. Cafe Location Herne Hill Velodrome 2005 dates Herne Hill Promoters Association dates for 2005. HHPA Spring League Monday/Weds Comps 9th May to Sat 3rd Sept. Herne Hill Track
League. Open meetings
DATES TO REMEMBER
PRODUCED
by MARK & JASON BALLAMY ***end***
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