Page 13 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • May 2006 13
Special royal memories for
1 Worried about
Freshbrook resident the shortfall on I
The Queen's 80th birthday on 21 April has a particular poignancy for
Henry Barkus, who lives at Elsie Hazel Court, and turns 90 in May.
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STARTING A NEW BUSINESS? DOWNSIZING? RELOCATING?
Look no further than Basepoint Business Centre, Swindon,
Henry serenading other Elsie Hazel Court residents, frontfrom left Wyn Robinson, where modern offices, workshops and a wealth of services
Vera and Ronald Meddlycot, standing Dolly Gordon
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In 1949 he was an officer in lowing 6 weeks waiting for his next
charge of the Royal Navy's small ship organising concert parties for
ships gunnery school in Malta service personel and civilians.
when he was asked to organise a After his Navy career Henry
ship board entertainment for the immediately landed an entertain-
newly married Princess Elizabeth ment job with Hal Monty's variety
and Prince Phillip, and her visit- show and was later the lead tenor
ing sister Princess Margaret. in Geraldo's Orchestra, touring
Before the war Henry had de- theatres all over Britain before Bill
veloped a talent for singing and Hailey and the Comets and The
playing the violin, but in the Navy Beatles gradually squeezed big
his abilities were in great demand bands and orchestras off the tour-
to put on concerts and sing songs ing circuits.
to relieve long days at sea or in Now Henry entertains his neigh-
port, interspersed with times of bours at Elsie Hazel Court music
terrifying action. nights and in February appeared
His war service took in the de- as a mad violinist in the winning
fence of Malta, escorting convoys performance at the Swindon One
across the Atlantic and to Russia, Act Play competition.
and protection for the D-Day land- "I like to think the show I put on
ings, before transferring to the Far for Princess Elizabeth and Prince
East before Japan fell. Phillip in Malta contributed a tiny
Henry had a somewhat charmed bit to their happiness overall these
career at sea, serving on four ships years," said Henry. "Nowadays I
which were sunk after he had left just like to organise music eve-
them. One was torpedoed before it nings for people living in Elsie
arrived in Gibralter where he was Hazel Court. They are all lovely
waiting to board. He spent the fol- people; we get on really well."