I have placed a question mark here because, in reality, John Bennett is the only one who can answer this with any confidence. I can tell you how I became involved!

I can't recall where I found the notice that John was going to try and set up an organisation for solo wargamers but I do remember answering it. At the time I believe he was asking something like £ 1.00 for the annual subs. (if only it could have always been like that). On sending my £ 1 I duly received the first issue of Lone Warrior. I believe it had been printed by an acquaintance of John's and, compared with current issues it did not appear to be much. The important thing was that it was a reality and we did have a journal of sorts. Suddenly I received a flier from John, circulated to all members, stating that the future of Lone Warrior was in jeopardy as the printing could not be maintained without a rapid increase in the subs.

By this time I had been in touch with John on a personal basis and, along with many others, I sent more money and an assurance of my full support. At about this time Stuart Asquith took over the role of Umpire and, on the prompting of a member that we should have some form of organisation, John gave me the role of Chairman. On making enquiries at work. I was given permission to use the firm's duplicator, so long as I supplied the paper. A quick phone call to John and the Lone Warrior took off with a more confident step than previously.

John produced the masters, while I turned the handle of the printer, my family assisting with the compiling, stapling, and envelopes. I must admit that, initially, there was no hard work involved as the first copy we produced in this way had only ten pages and I am sure that there were only some 30 copies to produce, (out of little acorns etc), of course we were only practising with the medium but we figured that, given a little time, we were on to a happy future. At this point fate took a hand.

Fate

The duplicator at work gave up the ghost and, rather stupidly, they elected to buy a photocopier. This of course stopped us dead. While we were trying to sort something out, a wargaming shop in Durham offered me the use of a duplicator to get the next issue out. In the meantime I made inquiries about printing future editions. The only alternative was to buy a new duplicator for our own use so I made enquiries accordingly.

The SWA funds were extremely low and so John, being rich (!), put up the outstanding amount and we bought our own printer. From then on it is history. We certainly increased our membership, size of LW, our committee, (along came people like John Poole, Terry Wise, and Bob Clifford, to name but a few) and we acquired a proper Treasurer in the name of Jeff Bayton who was certainly one of the early stalwarts. We became known throughout the world thanks to fliers we sent out and Terry Wise (followed by Stuart Asquith) in Military Modeller.

With the increase in size of the organisations, John voiced the idea of a "Postal Committee Meeting". After all, it was unlikely that we would ever be able to get together as a bunch! I started this system and ran it for a while until my wife had to go into hospital when Stuart kindly relieved me of the job and, taking the role of Secretary, continued thereafter. By this time John and I had met personally and, as he said in an editorial, it seemed so natural when we met that we did not seem in any way like strangers. I later met Stuart, Jeff, and Ron Moore, and, in each case, it seemed as though I had known them all of my life. This was the bonus I derived from my membership.

As time progressed, the membership had vastly increased to over 400 and my cottage industry had to come to an end. Lone Warrior was running at over 30 pages an issue and there was no way that I could print, staple, address and post off each issue. I can remember an editorial by Don Featherstone in Wargamer's Newsletter in which he commented on being greeted each month by the local post office as he struggled in with a sackfull of envelopes. I know how he felt.

Professional Printing

It was time for LW to go its own way and Jeff Bayton organised the professional printing. At this stage I slid into my role as Chairman and. at long last, began to do a bit more wargaming. With the coming of 1985 I suffered a minor heart attack and decided to stand down from the post of Chairman. (To be relieved again by Stuart). By a strange coincidence, John Bennett, at the same time, stood down from being Editor.

There can be no doubt that we had no worries over the future of SWA and Lone Warrior. It is true that the Committee has changed in various forms and people have come and gone but the same spirit that gave birth to SWA still prevails. (As I write this I can mentally hear the strains of Land of Hope and Glory so perhaps it is time to stop and end the sentimentality). If I can end on a personal note I would like to give my own thanks to the people who have made up the membership over the past 20 years. There are many who have given a lot to SWA over this period and their names are too numerous to mention but, being the type of people they are, they will understand. The only thing left to say now is:

Who's for another twenty years?

[The names are different, the equipment is different, the aim remains the same; to produce the solo wargaming magazine, Lone Warrior. Things that George's letter strike a cord are not only the sense of family but the involvement of family in the production; the fact that there is always someone willing to step in and carry on with the job and the possibility that the Solo Wargamers Association will see another 20 years!

Phrases: John with the Masters. These were Gestner "skins" and were a pig to type on with any mistakes being covered with Correctine, a substance which would be probably banned today for its intoxicating fumes. Makes for an happy Editor though! The masters today are on 3.5" disks with the graphics being on hardcopy.

Gestner Duplicator. The skin was placed on a drum and ink was either injected into another drum or squeezed onto a drum. A messy and fussy process. The handle of the machine was turned, the drum with the skin on revolved, came into contact with the ink and then the script was transferred onto paper which was fed through one sheet at a time. The skin would slip, crease or split and the whole skin would have to be retyped which of course held up production. A very time consuming, dirty and painstaking operation which was fraught with hazards.

Today for example; George's typed letter was scanned on our scanner directly into my computer and after a few minutes tweaking it was ready for printing on our laser printer. Main problem was ensuring I did not spill any of my caffeine fix on the keyboard! But once this high tech bit is over Steve Moore still has to stuff magazines into envelopes just like in days gone by! [Grand lad! I always bear in mind that without members subscribing and members contributing articles, Lone Warrior would cease to exist, so keep up the good work. Kenn]