Reg Fearman Part Seven

Meeting Up With The Speedway Fraternity page 2

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND 2006/07

We arrived in Valcros on Sunday eveninig 25 February 2007 after 14 weeks away. Our first stop was Singapore for three nights where we did a tour of the island and visited what was Changi Japanese PoW prison.

My mentor Aub Lawson was in Singapore as a despatch rider with the Royal Australian Signals when it was overrun by the Japanese in 1941. He was lucky to escape by troop ship with hours to spare for it only to receive a direct hit by enemy aircraft. The prison had been built in the 1930s to hold 600 civilians, The Japanese put 6000 in there, among them British and Australian troops. We paid our respects to the fallen at the model of the prison church and left a message. We had been recommended to visit Sentosa Island which we did. We went up in the corkscrew lift to the top of the tower from where there were magnificent views over Singapore.

Despatch rider Aub Lawson

We had a marvellous trip catching up with a lot of ex riders, most of whom raced for me at one time or another.

The BBQ hosts Mick McKeon and his charming wife Sue with Reg and Eileen Fearman

Mick McKeon put on a BBQ for us in Perth to which about 9 or 10 ex-riders came with their wives.

The group at the McKeon's BBQ Reg Fearman Con Migro Mick ? Nev Riseley Colin McKee Kneeling Mick McKeon Craig Pendlebury Bob Humphries Doug McKeon

Reg with George Craig - George raced at Dagenham pre war and after at New Cross, Bristol and Plymouth before emigrating to Perth. He looked good for a 90 year old. George died in May 2009

Reg with former Ipswich Promoter John Berry who emigrated to Perth in the late 1980s

Reg Colin McKee and Craig Pendlebury, former Halifax Dukes

Reg with Bob Humphries, a former Reading Racer

Colin and Trish McKee whom we stayed with, took us to Kwinana Speedway with all its different disciplines of car racing.

Time to say goodbye for now. Reg and Eileen with Trish and Colin Mckee

Sheila Biggs widow of Jackie. Colin And Trish McKee

Colin McKee Reg Fearman Chum Taylor

Chum Taylor Aussie International: "The Claremont Express" and ex Southampton with Colin McKee

Last year, Ron Johnson was voted by the West Australian public their most successful sportsman ever. To this effect, a plaque was presented to former Clarermont and Kwinana Speedway Promoter, Con Migro. I was proud to be asked to place this on Ron's grave in Karrakatta Cemetery which I did on behalf of all Speedway fans.

In Adelaide, we stayed with John and Jackie Boulger. John arranged a reunion in a very nice fish restaurant, to which

Port about 20 including riders wives were invited. We were very interested in the old houses in Adelaide. John and Jackie took us to Mount Lofty which gave beautiful views all over the City. They also took us out to the wine growing country in the Barossa Valley. We had a tour of one vineyard, Seppelts, which specialises in Port. They have one hundred year old at £1000 per bottle which started coming on stream a few years ago. We were allowed to sniff it in a very small bottle but no tasting. We bought a bottle of 20 year old and drank that in Sydney over the Christmas and New Year period.

John and Jackie Boulger and Eileen listen
intently to the story of laying down of the Port

Ray Cresp met us in Melbourne and had us stay with him and his wife, Marion. Ray took us to Phillip Island to see

the 12 inch tall penguins come ashore at dusk. There were about a thousand of them. They waddle up the beach and make for their burrows. I just do not know how they know which burrow belongs to who. He also took us to the Superbikes race circuit and to a Koala reserve.

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Ray Cresp ex racer for New Cross Long Eaton and Wembley and Reg Fearman with centre Albert Mitchell a junior at Stoke in the 1950s. Albert emigrated to Melbourne in the 1980s, he died shortly after our visit. Ray kindly drove Eileen and me out to the Clinic in a Melbourne suburb

On New Years Eve we booked dinner on a Harbour cruise boat and saw the Harbour Bridge firework display at midnight on the water, a truly magnificent spectacle. A couple of days before New Year, we hosted a drinks party at the Manly Pacific Hotel for eight ex-riders and their wives

Jim and Judith Shepherd very kindly invited us for a traditional Christmas dinner at their home - roast turkey and all the trimmings plus Christmas pud. They were perfect hosts to their 16 guests. Allan Quinn kindly gave us a tour of some of the places we had not been to before in the Sydney area finishing up for a nice lunch at the famous Doyle's Restaurant at Watsons' Bay. We appreciated so very much him meeting us at Sydney Airport and taking us to our hotel in Manly as well as doing the trip in reverse order when it was time for us to leave for NZ.

The 80th Birthday lunch on 3 December for my old pal Jackie Gates which we hosted on the Gold Coast was a huge success. It was kept as a secret and surprise for over eight months of organising from France. All the invited turned up before 12.30 pm and were in place for Jack's entrance accompanied by Bluey and Ann Scott. He just couldn't believe it. I had spoken to him on the phone just two weeks before from Henley. We have some wonderful photos of the event.( See Page ! ) The Album of This Is Your Life contained 150 photos and a few write ups of his career. He wondered how I managed to get them ----- the web and e-mails are a wonderful thing. A 'Thank You' page was included from those who had contributed. Thirty Six of us including wives sat down for lunch, 2.30pm to 6. 30 pm, including six times World Champion, Ivan Mauger, and his wife Raye. It gave us as much pleasure organising the event over the eight months as it did Jack being on the receiving end and we were most appreciative of the support from all those invited. Later in the week, Greg Kentwell gave us a tour up the coast to Sanctuary Cove where the seriously rich people live.

After New Year we moved on to N.Z. for three weeks flying into Christchurch where we met up with Ronnie Moore, his mum and Geoff and Val Mardon. Val put on a super dinner for the six of us. We drove down to Dunedin and met up with Ron and Josie Johnstone. We did some of the places we had not been to before in the South Island and then drove up to the North Island calling in on the way to Ian Hoskins at Waitara, near New Plymouth. Ian took us to see the house in which his father Johnnie was born - Johnnie the father of speedway racing. In Auckland, we stayed with Bob and Lynda Andrews. Bob put on a reception for us at the Auckland Returned Soldiers Club. Another 20 ex-speedway riders turned up, some I raced against and some who raced for me. Some of the wives came along too.

We had over 5 weeks in OZ and managed to do Darwin, Kakadu, Katherine, Alice and Ayers Rock. We visited the Flying Doctor station --- the original -- and also the learning by wireless and computer for the children who live on cattle stations 300/ 400 kms away. We learned much including the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese in 1941 where over 250 people were killed in the bombings.

We are indebted to Colin and Trish McKee, Bluey and Ann Scott, John and Jackie Boulger, Ray and Marion Cresp, and Bob and Lynda Andrews who shared their homes with us and turned on the hospitality, we thank them all so much.

It was a wonderful trip and wonderful to meet up with so many of our old friends and colleagues.

Jackie on "The Flyer"

Jackie Gates on the flyer. He had a lift by Bluey and Ann Scott to his 80th on 3rd December 2006

Bluey & Ann Scott on London Eye. In on the secret 80th for Jackie Gates

Adelaide, Melbourne 2006

Geoff Mudge Charlie Monk ? Reg Fearman Dennis Gavros Robin Admundson John Boulger Brian Elliott Dene Davis Kym Admundson
Malcolm Mackay says: I am the person shown as the question mark next to Charlie Monk

The WAGS of the above riders

Geoff and Pam Mudge

Charlie Monk and Sue Gavros

Dennis and Sue Gavros

John & Jackie Boulger Eileen Fearman and father Christmas

Eileen with the little Penguins

Ray Cresp and Eileen Fearman with the sleeping Koalas in the tree

A better shot of the sleeping Koalas the little fella on the left looks like he has had a night on the Fosters

Manly Hotel, Sydney

Peter White Editor and owner of the Australian Speedway World, Howard Cole who emigrated to Sydney having had an excellent career in British speedway, he is now retired from being a lecturer and school master, Reg Fearman, Colin Quinn brother of Allan and husband of Aub Lawson's daughter Rosemary, Jim Shepherd owner of the "Phantom" comic and Australian speedway historian, Front row :- Allan Quinn ex St Austell and Harringay, Peter Speerin a champion sidecar racer, Lionel Benson formerly with the Leicester Hunters at Blackbird Road in the 1950s Jack Helbeck another exponent of three wheel racing.

The whole group at the Manley Hotel reunion just days before Christmas 2006. It would seem that most former speedway riders from Sydney, when they retire they move up to Queensland to the Gold and Sunshine Coasts.

Queensland

Bert Kingston Reg Fearman Nigel Boocock on the Gold Coast Queensland

Dinner at Moreton Bay "The Boys" with wives John Lawson son of Aub, Greg Kentwell, Nigel Boocock Bert Kingston
John Titman Eileen Fearman, John and Daphne Lawson's daughter Sasha.

"The Girls" at the Moreton Bay Dinner: Daphne & Sasha Lawson Cynthia Boocock Eileen Fearman Lynette Kingston
Anne Titman Claire Kentwell Moreton Bay.

Eileen Fearman Bert& Lynette Kingston Nigel & Cynthia Boocock.

Greg Kentwell and Eileen Fearman. Greg who raced for me at Halifax kindly took us on a tour of Sanctuary Cove on the Sunshine Coast, where he says the seriously rich people live. Greg has three Dredgers working along the coast, pumping sand back on to the residents private beaches after the Typhoons pass.

Greg Kentwell at home. Greg stands outside his Pole House at Noosa Sunshine Coast. A Pole house Is constructed by the tree trunks being inserted in the ground and then the house being built on the top some eight feet above ground. The space underneath keeps the house cool and is handy for storage and keeping the car out of the sun.

Greg Kentwell and Eileen Fearman on the trip to Sanctuary Cove.

New Zealand

Bob Andrews Len Perry Speedway & Road Racer International Reg Fearman Auckland Bob Andrews is secretary of the
New Zealand Veterans Association. The late Len Perry an International speedway rider and an Isle Of Man T.T. racer he
also sponsored many riders from his Auckland Motor Cycle Showrooms.

Bob Andrews Roy Trigg Auckland. Roy Trigg raced for Hackney Oxford
and Wimbledon with great success, he emigrated to NZ in the 1980s

Bob Duckworth Reg Fearman and Bob Andrews

Bob Duckworth raced for Belle Vue for most of his career, although he did serve a spell further north at Newcastle. It was at Southampton that he was involved in a big accident and sailed through the chain link wire fence. The heel of his foot caught on something sharp which sliced off the heel of his boot and the heel of his foot. The track doctor was Doctor Biaggi (an accomplished surgeon) who found Bob's heel on the grehound track and travelled with him to hospital, took him into the operating theatre and made an excellent job of replacing the heel. From then on Carlo was known as the "miracle" Doctor and up until his death in Scotland in recent times, hundreds of speedway riders travelled from all over Britain to be treated by him.

Eileen Fearman Ron and Josie Johnston. Ron a Kiwi International known as the "hard" man spent his racing carrer with
Belle Vue. Ron in July 2009 has underwent major stomach surgery. He ran a very successful transport business in
England before retuning home and raising sheep.

Johnny & Ian Hoskins

Life can be cruel! Ian Hoskins came to England with his parents in 1928 and left for South Africa in 1974. He promoted speedway in Rhodesia and made his home there for many years. In 1980 Southern and Northern Rhodesia was given Independence and became Zimbabwe and Mugabe President. We know he reigned with terror and wanted the white man out. When living there became intolerable Ian applied to come to England and was turned down, despite living in the UK for nearly fifty years and serving in the R.A.F. during W.W.11.

Ian Hoskins with Ian's father Johnnie Hoskins home in the background

Ian was born in Australia and never had British naturalization. Ian went to live in his fathers home town in New Zealand, Waitara, which is in the South Western part of the North Island. We called to see Ian on our drive North and he took us to see the house where his father, Johnnie Stark (not many speedway pundits know JSH's middle name) Hoskins was born in 1892. The house built of Kauri timber is as good today as it was in the day it was built. I thought it was a part of speedway history and should be photographed and placed on record. When Johnnie went to Australia as a young man he only returned once to his former home.

Reg with Ian Hoskins in 2007 at his home in Waitara New Zealand in January 2007

Ove Fundin

Anna, Ove Fundin, Eileen Fearman, Stefan son of Anne Marie and Totte Fundin

Eileen Fearman, Ove and brother Totte Fundin

Some of the Fundin family :- Torsten known as Totte is Ove's brother and a year younger. It is he who in the early days of Ove's career used to drive all over the Continent transporting Ove's Speedway, Grass Track and Long Track machines from their home in Tranas, Sweden to Marmande in France, Lonigo in Italy and many other racing venues. Ove would arrive at the nearest airport usually from England on a Sunday morning having raced at Norwich the previous night.

Ove has always been keen to retain his fitness and plays golf most days and thinks nothing of walking the five miles to our nearest village to post a letter !! For his 65th birthday in 1998 he decided to cycle from La Londe in the South of France to the Fundin's family home of Tranas some 2,200 kilometres distant. The trip took him just 21 days. He arrived to a large welcoming party in the centre of the town led by Joanna who had flown from the South of France to be there on his arrival.

For his 70th birthday Ove decided to walk a part of the way from La Londe to Tranas so took the train from Toulon to Lille and then started walking to Tranas which has a population of 13,700 people and a history that can be traced back 4000 years. The small country town is situated between Jonkoping and Linkoping. Tranas used to be the centre of the fur trade and the Fundin family business was as furriers. The "walk" was some 1,000 kilometres which took 21 days to complete.

Totte, Anne Marie and Eileen (Good night Eileen) Sorry that's "Goodnight Irene, Good Night Irene I'll see you in my
dreams". - Just an old song sung by Eric Chitty.