Page 775 - Reading Mercury

teaching would be under severe restrictions, “If a school becomes controlled,” said
Mr, Rees, “it loses its, Christian, and its Church atmosphere altogether.
“This is no more matter of education in its narrowed sense. It is a matter of
securing the Gospel to the souls of your children. It is your way of doing your bit in
this part of the country to save the soul of the nation.”

th
Sat 5 Oct
R.E.M.E. CELEBRATE FOURTH BIRTHDAY
On Saturday the fourth anniversary the formation of the Corps was celebrated at the
R.E.M.E. establishment at Arborfield. During the morning the men at Hazebrouck
Barracks were inspected by Major-General Sir Basil A. Hill, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O.,
one of the Colonels Commandant of the Corps, who was deputising for the Corps
chief, Major-General Sir Bertram Rowcroft, who was indisposed. He was greeted by
Brigadier L.N. Tyler, Commandant of the Arborfield establishment, and the parade
was under the command of Colonel R.O. Girdlestone.
Sir Basil began his inspection with the guard-of-honour of cadets from the nearby
pre-O.T.C.U., and he was impressed with the smart turn-out of these young soldiers,
none of whom had more than 10 weeks service. After he had completed his inspection
of the six companies on parade, he gave a short address and then took the salute at the
march-past—which was led by the R.E.M.E. band under Bandmaster Selley. Earlier
there had been prayers conducted by the Padre, the Rev. Foley Hogarth.
The parade was watched by officers, N.C.O.s and men of the R.E.M.E. training
centre and many civilians, among whom were the Mayor and Mayoress of Reading
(Cllr. And Mrs. H.S. Langston) and the Mayor and Mayoress of Wokingham (Cllr. D.
Goddard and Miss M. Goddard). After lunch Sir Basil and the guests watched rugby
and soccer matches.

Fri 29th Oct
MR. A.T. HEELAS
Mr. Arthur Tyndale Heelas, head of the old established firm of Heelas, of
Wokingham, and one of the greatest authorities on the history of the town, died at his
home, “Oakleigh”, Fairview Road, Wokingham, on Monday, in his 79th year.
Eldest son of the late Tyndale William Heelas, he was educated at Reading
Grammar School and at a Royal Naval School in Portsmouth. He afterwards went into
the family business. At one time a member of the old voluntary Wokingham Fire
Brigade, Mr. Heelas served as a special constable in both world wars.
A pioneer of motor-cycling, he was also a keen cyclist, being for many years
president and chairman of the Berks, Oxon and South Bucks Centre of the National
Cyclists’ Union. He was a senior judge of cycling events in the county, and took part
in the judging at the Olympic Games of 1900. The Reading Athletic Club claimed his
interest for a long period, and he was a member of the Wellington Club, Reading.
Mr, Heelas was chairman of the National Trust for Finchampstead Ridges—a
stretch of country for which he had the greatest affection. His membership of the
Berkshire Archaeological Society was of very long standing, and in May, 1941, he
was elected to the society’s council. He had written extensively about every aspect of
the history of Wokingham and district, and made a life-long hobby of its research.
Although he was often urged to publish a book, he never did so, but he was always
willing to put the information he possessed at the disposal of any interested person.

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