Duty to Ride

 

Phone: +44(0)1283 495100

Email: ride@dutytoride.org

Events

DUTY TO RIDE 2023

GORDON PRIME MEMORIAL RUN

To help raise awareness of the Duty to Ride initiative and to celebrate the life of Gordon Prime, a WWII Despatch Rider, the West South Wales Section of the VMCC are organising a special run. The event will be be on Sunday April 16th 2023 to mark the anniversary of the death of one of Gordon's closest friends who was killed in action only weeks before the end of the war. The ride will start from Carew Cheriton Control Tower Museum where there is plenty of space to park cars, vans and trailers. There is also space for overnight camping in camper vans, caravans or tents, however, there are no camping facilities at this location. There is a toilet block and outside tap available.

Before the ride commences there will be a short ceremony and a minute's silence as a mark of respect for Gordon who sadly passed away recently. Following this, riiders can follow a route out to the Chapel Bay Fort and Museum at Angle for lunch before returning to Carew Cheriton. Although organised by the South Wals Section of the VMCC specifically for pre-war girder fork machones, there is an opportunity for other riders to participate in the event. We would be especially pleased to see Military Motorcycles, preferably pre-1950. There will be a display of military vehicles from the Military Vehicle Trust. We are also hoping that representatives from the armed forces will be in attendence and buglers will play the Last Post. It is hoped the event and ceremony will attract local press and media coverage to help publicise the Duty to Ride Appeal to create a dedicated memorial to despatch riders and couriers at the National Memorial Arboretum. This was a dying wish of Gordon.

Those wishing to attend should assemble at Carew Cheriton Control Tower Museum around 10.30am. There will be a short ceremony and minute'ssilence at 11.00am after which the riders will depart. The route to Angle will pass through Milton, Lamphey, Pembroke, Merrion Army Camp, Castle Martin, Freshwater West arriving in Angle at around 12.15pm. There will be time for refreshments, toilets and a tour of the museum before heading back to Carew via Maiden Wells and Pembroke. Route cards will be provided on the day, signing on before the run commences is required.

Non-VMCC members on elligible bikes (over 25 years old) may purchase a one day temporary membership of the VMCC organised run. The one day membership fee of £5.00 will go towards the Duty to Ride fund. Riders on bikes less than 25 years old, whether VMCC members or not, are invited to make their own way to Angle for the lunch stop and back to Carew Cheriton by their own route. If they choose to follow the route card provided we ask that they be mindful of the older bikes and always leave plenty of room for the Vintage and Veteran bikes given their longer stopping distances.

There will be a snack van at Carew throughout the day. We are hoping to get press coverage, radio and television involved and perhaps a celebrity or two to help raise the awareness. There is no entry fee required for this event, however, we do ask attendees to give generously to the Duty to Ride fund. You can donate now at the following Just Giving page.

To register interest in partcipating in this event please complete the following pre-registration form.

Approximate Route

Plan of Carew Cheriton Control Tower Site

About Gordon Prime

Courtesy Western Telegraph

Introduction

Now 98yrs old, Gordon Prime lives in Pembroke Dock. Gordon has been a friend to the charity Age Cymru Dyfed over many years. A couple of years ago, Hugh Morgan OBE who is the charity’s Veterans Coordinator visited Gordon to collect his story as a Despatch Rider during WW2 for the West Wales Veterans Archive. This is a pioneering and national award-winning digital archive held at the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth.

On 3rd October 2022, Gordon’s book ‘Bash On Regardless’ was launched in the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre where Gordon briefly described his WW2 experiences as a DR to the large audience, and also then spoke about his ambition to see a memorial to DR’s installed in the National Arboretum click on this link:

Gordon Prime Book Launch. 3.10.22. Gordon speaking to the audience 'A Day in the Life of a Despatch Rider during WW2' | Peoples Collection Wales

To hear Gordon talking extensively about his wartime career and long-life passion for motorcycles then click on this link:

Gordon Prime (1924-). Royal Army Service Corps, Pembroke Dock | Peoples Collection Wales