Page 42 - EssexMason (Issue 89)online_version

Online Lodge of Enlightenment

FORTY YEARS AGO
Authored by WBro Tony Hales
The late VW.Bro Peter Neivens OBE QPM, Past Provincial Deputy Grand
Master of Essex and a Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan
Police was the interface to the world during the successful assault of the
Iranian Embassy by the SAS.
The siege took place from 30 April to 5 May 1980, after a group of six armed
men stormed the embassy in South Kensington. The gunmen, took 26
people hostage and demanded the release of Arab prisoners from prisons
in Khuzestan and their own safe passage out of the United Kingdom.
Margaret Thatcher's government quickly resolved that safe passage would
not be granted, and a siege ensued. Over the following days, police
negotiators secured the release of five hostages in exchange for minor
concessions. By day six the gunmen had become increasingly frustrated at
the lack of progress in meeting their demands, killed one of the hostages
and threw his body out of the embassy.

As a result, the government ordered the SAS to rescue the remaining
hostages. Shortly afterwards, SAS soldiers abseiled from the roof of the
building and ‘gained admittance’ through the windows. During the 17
minute raid, they rescued all but one of the remaining hostages, and killed
five of the six hostage-takers.

Demonstration
Demonstrat ion
T eam Debut
Team Debut

Lodge of Daily Advancement 99
79
Authored by WBro Tony Hales

At only the second regular meeting
of the Lodge of Daily Advancement
on the 4th February 2020 the Lodge
Demonstration Team received
much applause from members and
visitors for their debut performance of W.Bro Andy Cook’s adaption of Malcom Duncan’s work of 1866 entitled:

‘The Opening and Closing of a Freemason’s Lodge as Carried Out in the Mid-19th Century’.

All the members of the cast contributed to the fine performance with guest appearances by WBros Martin Cook and
Lawrie Morrisson who played their respective roles as a 19th century Treasurer and Secretary.
If you would like to be part of the Demonstration team in the Lodge of Daily Advancement which
meets on the first Tuesday of February, May and October (Installation) in Chelmsford please contact
W.Bro Lawrie Morrisson PPJGW the Lodge Secretary at secretary@loda.org.uk.

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