Bearing the name "The Cockpit" ona large brass plate at its entrance, the club room of the Air Defence Ca., 8.V.C:, was on June 8 formally declared" open by Col.
W. B. B. Thoms, commandant of the Corps. The room was pack~ '<d with members of the unit and their friends, most of them from ether units of the Corps or from regular forces here. Those present included Lt.-Col. T. E. Trueman, a former Commandant, and Siz Victor Sassoon.
Situated on the fifth floor of No. 44 Kiukiang Road, the club room has been neatly fitted out, and has comfortable verandah, Lamp shades in the room take the form of aeroplanes or of parachutes, while a number of photographs of aerial subject are on the walls, lent, V. J, B, Holland. 0. C. of the Air Defence Ca., welcomed the guests, and thanked them for giving "such a practical demonstration of their friendship and well Wishes. He said that he had been told not so long ago that there were enough clubs in Shanghai and was asked why another should be started: to this he had answ ed that with such a highly tech cal unit as the Air Defence Ca, it was impossible at ordinary drill parades for members to" secure that degree of ce-operation and understanding for aerial defence work. Therefore, it was decided that " the interests of the unit demanded a place where members could meet, both officially and for recreation, ' and this club was the result, Colonel Thoms, speaking to the gathering, said ' that one of the casson why volunteer units tended to decay was that the S.V.C, Club actually served as a canteen. was a highly useful place for units after drills, but there were many and diverse ideas and interests in the Corps as a whole, The only way to keep a unit together was to have a common meeting ground, and he wished to congratulate this young unit, only six. months old, having shown the enterprise and initiative to provide such a mecting place. He remarked on the enthusiasm of the unit, and referred with pride to its fine showing on the King's birthday parade, both in smartness and in numbers When the idea of the club was first mooted, Col. 'Thoms con tinued, he did' not know what, would come out of it, just as Columbus Tittle knew, when he discovered America, that chewing gum would bea result, However, he was now quite satisfied that the club would Assist the unit in getting to know the right fellows for the right Jobs, and would prove a great
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.