POSSIBLE BERMUDA POLICE REUNIONS IN 2013

You may be aware that the Bermuda Ex-Police Officers Association is looking into the feasibility of holding a reunion for our former colleagues here in Bermuda during next year’s annual Police Week which is usually scheduled in early October. We will soon be posting proposals and ideas.

In the meantime, another reunion of Bermuda Ex-Police Officers is being planned for next October 2013. A group of 14 new recruits arrived in Bermuda from the U.K. on 2nd and 3rd October 1973, including Ian Graham, Bob Kinnon and Paul Deans. One of the 14, Paul Deans, has proposed that as many of the intake as possible get together in early October next year which would be the 40th Anniversary of their lives going completely off track! They are looking to hold a reunion in England.

 Although this would somewhat clash with our possible reunion in Bermuda it would likely be possible to attend both because Police Week will probably commence during the week of 6^th – 12^th October.

Bob Kinnon and Ian Graham have been helping Paul with the organization, and plans are still in the early stages. If it happens it will probably be held in York on the weekend of 4/5th Oct 2013. If past events are any indication then this reunion will be a great success.  Ian and Bob have organized two previous reunions in the 1980's, one in York and another in 1986 in Edinburgh which was very popular indeed.  CLICK HERE for photos of the Edinburgh reunion and details of those who attended.

Ian Graham reports that they have been in touch with some of the original 14 and so far the response has been very positive.

We understand that these fourteen officers were in that 1973 intake:-
 
441 Paul Deans
442 Dave Lunn
443 George Reading
444 Chris Pearce
445 Frank Donald
446 Martin Connor
447 Colin Hopkins*
448 Paul Davis
449 Ian Graham
450 Donald Grant
451 Bob Kinnon
452 Damian Willcocks (deceased)*
453 Frank Wood
454 Chris Bowerman*

We have not yet had an opportunity to confirm their Force numbers against official records at Police HQ. Ian Graham was sure of most of their numbers except those marked with an asterisk. However, Davie (computer brain) Kerr was able to pair the names of these officers with their correct numbers, and that’s good enough for us! As a result of Davie’s input regarding their Force numbers, it has been pointed out that the numbers for Dave Lunn, Bob Kinnon and Paul Davis were all re-assigned to policewomen after they left the Force.

Those contacted so far are Paul Deans, Dave Lunn (Australia), Frank Donald, Paul Davis, Ian Graham, Donald Grant, Bob Kinnon and Frank Wood. They are also hopeful of making contact with Chris Pearce and George Readings who live in Canada. However, they are struggling with Martin Connor, Chris Bowerman and Colin Hopkins. Martin’s ex wife Maureen Connor was also in the Bermuda Police and they have tried contacting her in the hope that she might have an address for Martin but they have had no luck so far which is not surprising as the contact details they have for Maureen are over 25 years old.

Any assistance in tracing the above would be much appreciated, and we would like to make contact with Maureen to have her write an article for our “Then and Now” column.

We will keep you posted with updates on both of these possible reunions.