Celebrating E Comp Vic Bashford's 50 Years...

After attending the Annual Convocation of the Royal Arch Province of Lincolnshire at the Lincolnshire Showground on the morning of 10th May 2017, our Grand Superintendent, E Comp Wayne Williams, accompanied by the Provincial Grand Scribe E, E Comp David Brown, continued their travels towards St Ives for the evening Convocation of St Ivo Chapter.

In addition to a fine exaltation ceremony during which Companion Mike Osborne was welcomed and introduced to the Supreme Degree, the occasion was a well-planned opportunity to present a Jubilee Certificate marking 50 years in Royal Arch Masonry to E Comp Vic Bashford, PPrGScN at the spritely age of 96 years. The Grand Superintendent recalled the occasion of our own Provincial Convocation in June 2013 when it was his pleasure to present to E Comp Vic his “Certificate for Meritorious Service” to recognise his exemplary service to the Royal Arch in this Province in two of our Chapters (St Ivo and Ailwyn) and in which he had served as ME Zerubbabel on two occasions in both as well as MEZ in our First Principals’ Chapter in 2004. E Comp Vic has held the Provincial Rank of PPrGScN for some 25 years - a seasoned campaigner in every sense of the word and a stalwart for the Royal Arch in this Province, having held one senior Chapter office or another consecutively for no less than 31 years.

During the presentation, the Grand Superintendent also referred to E Comp Vic’s wartime service in the Royal Air Force when he served on the very first of the dreaded Russian North Atlantic convoys in 1941, escorting Hurricane aircraft parts to the Russians as part of the allied war effort. For such courage and bravery, the Veterans were rightly awarded, over time, the Russian Ushakov Medal and, more latterly, the newly minted Arctic Star medal by way of formal British recognition.

E Comp Vic responded in such modest terms expressing his appreciation to all concerned and one who, over the years, has rightly earned the respect and admiration of us all.