COMMUNITY: Gainsborough Probus

Accompanied by photographs, Maurice talked about his life from birth in Hull, to life in York and Middlesborough, before eventually moving to Gainsborough.

Apart from his family, Maurice spoke about the Scout movement, his work in banks, and his time in the services during World War II, firstly in the Navy, before joining the Royal Army Corps.

Maurice’s memory is quite amazing, as he brought to life events and details going back right to his childhood.

On November 14, Brian Timbrell led the Service of Remembrance, and also contributed a film about the Battle of Jutland in 1916, an appropriate part of what is remembered.

Regarded at the time as a defeat, over 6,000 British lives were lost and 14 ships sunk, more losses than the German fleet experienced. The documentary sought to find out what went wrong, attributing failure to a combination of poor leadership and communication and, very importantly, mishandling of cordite on deck.

Having been seen initially as a defeat, the battle ensured the blockade of the North Sea, a significant contribution to victory in 1918.