Over the next hour dinner was served, during which the hum of lively conversation filled the Hall. At the conclusion of the meal and after the singing of the National Anthem and Votum (pianist Ikeoluwa Hamzat, Grecian) Grace after meat was read by Miss Osaherunmwen Igiebor (Second Monitor). Our fourth guest Grecian, Miss Daria Ishchenko was most welcome.

Before announcing the traditional and necessary ten minute break the Chief Steward spoke about the Old Blues Rugby Football Club whose 150th anniversary this year is. Being an ex-player himself he drew attention to the number of players and ex-players who were present at the dinner and that without the unfortunate clash with the RMS we may well have been celebrating with the Rugby Club.

The story of the club is presently being written by Richard McGregor (Ma.B 1948-57) and Ken Mansell (Pe.B 1953-61), both Governors and Stewards of Founder’s Day, with support from many current and ex-players. The book is due to be published in the spring and is highly recommended to the hundreds of ex-players and anyone interested in a very active part of Old Blue history.

Following a very liberal interpretation of ten minutes we all sat down and over the next forty minutes were privileged to listen to two eloquent, articulate and highly knowledgeable speakers.

Our Main Speaker (an Old Shirburnian) commenced by explaining his many connections with Christ’s Hospital, the most significant being his wife Sian Keall (Ba.A 1983-90) who had shunned the Top Table to sit with her contemporaries.

Having established his “Housey” credentials Anthony spoke on how the rapidly changing world is creating new demands on the Royal Navy and how they are adapting to meet the challenges. With 70% of the earth under water, 80% of world trade transported by sea and 90% of international communication transmitted by undersea cables maritime security was of considerable strategic importance. Increasingly “operations” were carried out remotely and by someone more IT trained than sea warfare trained. Possibilities existed for a more formal “sandwich” career with time served in the Navy followed by a period in civilian life and then return to the services. This would allow the Navy to retain many of the skills it had trained in its recruits. He felt this could provide a more fulfilling life style combing a more outward adventurous experience running alongside a more traditional professional career. He saw how this fitted well with the original aims of the RMS and the school’s new Expeditionary initiative.

Anthony concluded by telling us how impressed he had been, when attending a senior officer course, by one of the speakers whose words still had an impact on him today and how delighted he was to have him here tonight as his Responder!

Buster began his personal, often self-deprecating but always interesting and entertaining response by explaining how his time at Christ’s Hospital had not been crowned by academic achievement but the nature and ethos of the school prepared him well for a career with the Royal Marines. He spoke of the many adventures and experiences of his very varied Marine career and on his heartfelt reflection on whether he left the world a safer place for his children and future generations and paid glowing tribute to the lifelong friendship he had forged at Christ’s Hospital with Bill Biddell (LH.B, Ma.A & La.A 1971-78). He concluded as follows,

“I speak directly now to the Senior Grecian and his three musketeers still at CH, who are here tonight. Do not be in a hurry to jump on the corporate ladder, for fifty years later, you may realise that, all along, it has been leaning against the wrong wall. Essentially, we all of us seek three things in life - Identity, Purpose and Belonging – and it is the journey, the expedition that is your life. Live in the moment. Ignore the siren voices and pressures to decide and remember that not all who wander are lost!”

Both speakers received considerable and prolonged applause.