Page 125 - Mercian Eagle 2012

Service took place on the 31st August
at St. Mary’s Church, Albrighton. On the same day, 3 MERCIAN paraded for their weekly run, which is called The Chindit. The Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Chris Davies read out the notes about Bill and the Chindits in general. The Battalion observed a minute’s silence, the Colours were lowered and after the run, the CO wrote to his widow saying that ‘Bill was once again part of the Regiment born from his legacy’.
Eric Williamson died in May 2012. He served in HQ Coy, 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment between 1955–56 in Berlin.
Trevor Wraxton died on 19th September 2012, at the George Elliott Hospital, Nuneaton. He is known to have served with 1st Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment in 1951–2 and possibly later. He later served in the Territorial Army in his native Tamworth in the 6th North Staffords. He was promoted to Corporal in the MT Platoon and represented his Battalion at shooting. Trevor was finally made CSM of C (Burton) Coy in 1 MERCIAN Volunteers and he finally left the Regiment in 1979. His funeral took place in Sutton Crematorium on the 28th September.
R. Yates. We received information that Mr. R Yates died in February 2012, aged 92. He served in one of the Stafford Battalions and according to the source, was a POW. He was buried in Stafford Crematorium on Wednesday 29th February 2012. Despite the short notice (we only heard the day before), members of the Staffordshire Regimental Association were present.
Joe Young died on 4th December 2011, aged 69. He served in 1st Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment between 1960–69.
Obituaries of People Connected to the Regiment
Judith Ayres Daughter of the late Brig P G M Litton OBE Colonel Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters 1977–83, on 8th December 2011.
Deborah Baptiste Wife of LCpl P Baptiste on 10th December 2011, aged 44.
Gillian Blake Wife of Lt Col Jeremy Blake late WFR/Mercian Volunteers on 22nd February 2012.
Zena James Wife of the late Maj H H H James The Worcestershire Regiment on 15th February 2012.
Bronwyn Price Wife of ex-Sgt Jim Price 1 Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters on 30th August 2012.
Tricia Reeve Wife of Maj (Retd) David Reeve MBE on 17th January 2012.
Mary Rochford Wife of Terence Rochford The Worcestershire Regiment on
24th January, aged 84.
Brig G G Reinhold MC On 11th October 2011 aged 94. He was commissioned into the Queen’s Royal Regiment in the 1930s and posted to the 2nd Battalion in Palestine. He was seconded to the 1st Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment
in 1944 and was acting CO in the forced crossing of the Rhine, the breaching of the
Siegfried Line and the drive into Germany’s heartland.
Angela Tarbuck Angela was the daughter of Major Mike & Mrs Jean Tarbuck of the Cheshire Regiment and passed away in St. Peter’s Hospice, Bristol on 29th February 2012, aged 52. In addition to her Cheshire Regiment background, as a young woman she worked in Gibraltar when her father was Quartermaster of 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment in 1982–3. She made many friends in the Regiment and attended a recent Officers’ Luncheon in Keele Hall. Our sincere condolences go to Mike and Jean and their family.
David Vodden David Vodden was a member of the Friends of the Staffordshire Regiment, (now the Friends of The Mercian Regiment) for thirty years and was Secretary of the Walsall Branch for a number of years. In April 2006 he
was appointed Chairman of the Branch. He was keen to support soldiers and the welfare of their families, so he helped with Branch fundraising, which was usually spent on Battalion welfare activities. He continued in post until his unexpected death. His funeral took place on the 30th March 2012 at St. Matthews Church in Walsall, where a very large congregation turned out to bid him farewell. Phil Holmes, former Chairman of the Friends, led the Regimental mourners.
Ina Wright Wife of the late Pte George Wright, 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters on 3 September 2012.
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