Guisborough Lodges help to fund commemorative bench to honour D-Day hero Stan Hollis VC

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On Thursday 30 June 2016, Hollis family members, the Mayor of Redcar & Cleveland Council Barry Hunt, members of the Green Howards Regiment, the local community and Freemasons from Guisborough gathered at St Cuthbert’s Church, Ormesby for the unveiling of a commemorative bench to Company Sergeant Major Hollis, the only man to receive the Victoria Cross for his Operation Overlord heroics serving with the 6th Battalion on Gold beach, Normandy on 6 June 1944.

John Paul Jones – Freemason and Naval Commander of the Revolutionary War

John Paul Jones   Freemason and Naval Commander of the Revolutionary War

John Paul Jones is probably the best known Naval figure of the Revolutionary War He was born John Paul (The Jones was added later in America) in Kirkeudbright Scotland on July 6, 1747. His father, also named John Paul, was a gardener and his mother was Jean MacDuff. There were seven children in his family, John was number five. His oldest brother William Paul migrated to Fredericksburg, Virginia and was an important point of contact on this side of the Atlantic.

Wallsend Festival 2016

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The display stand was situated immediately inside the entrance to the Customer Service and Library complex and so it was an excellent spot. The team consisted of 5 fine men in the persons of W Brothers Dave Watson, Bob Bruce, Steve Reay and Brothers John Holmes and Tom Clifford.

On Saturday 2nd July 2016 the Wallsend Masonic Hall’s “A Team” was in action at the Wallsend Festival. The aim was to advertise and promote Freemasonry in Wallsend. The display stand was situated immediately inside the entrance to the Customer Service and Library complex and so it was an excellent spot. The team consisted of 5 fine men in the persons of W Brothers Dave Watson, Bob Bruce, Steve Reay and Brothers John Holmes and Tom Clifford.The event was not particularly well attended and there were long periods of inactivity. There were visitors from Canada who were after directions to an ancestral home in Wallsend and were more than happy with the directions we gave them although it was nothing to do with Masonry but we made friends.The upside of the day was that we got two young men interested in what Freemasonry is about and one of whom left his personal details. Tom has since been in touch with this gentleman and has arranged to meet him on Wednesday. Well done, Tom. Bob also had the contact details with another gentleman but he is still waiting to hear from him.All in all it was a quieter day than anticipated but rewarding was all part of a learning curve.

Eddie Rickenbacker – Freemason, successful race car driver, fighter pilot, airline executive, wartime advisor, and elder statesman

Eddie Rickenbacker   Freemason, successful race car driver, fighter pilot, airline executive, wartime advisor, and elder statesman

The American Ace of Aces, Eddie Rickenbacker, was an Freemason and a successful race car driver, fighter pilot, airline executive, wartime advisor, and elder statesman. Few aces achieved so much in so many different lifetime roles.

His twenty-six aerial victories came in only two months of combat flying, a spectacular achievement.