Page 8 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 56

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

Conferment of the

Freedom of the Borough

of Aldershot upon the

Army Catering Corps

Wednesday 19th May 1971

Editor: ACC Association member Brian Woodrow was kind enough to send me
a programme for the Conferment of the Freedom of the Borough of Aldershot
which took place on Wednesday 19th May 1971. This was just a few months
before I joined the ACC as an Apprentice and I had never seen this document
before. Brian also sent First Day Cover which was produced by the ACC
Philatelic Officer of the day. I have reproduced a few images here as well as
some of the content, but I have also taken this opportunity to repeat the words
featured on a card which may be found in the First Day Cover. Brian asked
me to pass this memento to The RLC Museum where it will be carefully stored
in their archive.
It was interesting to read that the programme
was printed by The Forces Press (Naafi), Crimea
Road, Aldershot (those were the days!). The
Freedom Scroll, which was presented to the Army
Catering Corps, records the unanimous resolution
of a Special Meeting of the Council held on 2nd
March 1971. It is inscribed on vellum made from
calfskin and bears the Arms of the Borough and
Bade of the Corps illuminated in full colour and
gold leaf. The Corporate Seal of the Borough
is affixed to the Scroll, which terminates in a Front cover of the
fold interlaced with a ribbon of yellow and grey, Freedom of the Borough
the colours of the Corps. The Scroll was designed of Aldershot programme
and produced by Mr Derek W S Benny ARCA, a
Member of the Society of Scribes and Illuminators,
and who executed manuscripts for the Borough on
the occasion of two previous Freedom ceremonies.
His other commissions included a Book of
Remembrance for the RAF Church of St. Clement
Danes in The Strand, and addresses of welcome to
King Frederick IX of Denmark, King Gustaf VI
of Sweden, King Feisal of Iraq and Emperor Haile
Selassie of Ethiopia for the then London County
Council.
The silver casket which was presented to the
Corps to hold the Scroll is chased with a textured
pattern on all four sides. On the polished plain lid
the Corps Badge supports on either side the Arms
of the Borough. The inside of the casket is lined with
Moroccan goat skin and the whole piece is mounted
on a polished slab of solid rosewood. The inscription
reads: “Presented by the Mayor, Aldermen and
Burgesses of the Borough of Aldershot to the Army
Catering Corps on the 19th May 1971, when the
Freedom of the Borough was conferred upon the
The Freedom Scroll,
Corps”. The casket was designed and made by
inscribed on vellum
Mr Gerald Benny DesRCA, one of the country’s designed and produced
foremost silver designers and artist-craftsmen. by Mr Derek WS Benny
He previously designed and made the caskets which ARCA
PAGE 8 SECRETARY@ACCASSOCIATION.ORG | WWW.ACCASSOCIATION.ORG