Page 134 - Mercian Eagle 2012

Summary
First of all, a big welcome to Captain Austin Miller who was appointed as Association Chairman in January 2012. He has proved to be most welcome and a great help to the Association both in a physical sense and by setting up a modern website. This complements the excellent Facebook set up by Dave Newey which now has over 800 members. We would like to thank everyone
who attended the Reunion or helped to run a Branch event or any informal function. This includes the unofficial groups such as ‘The Brothers of the Rock’, who are planning an ambitious reunion in Gibraltar in 2013.
We would also like to thank certain individuals and groups:-
• Greg Hedges for his outstanding work with L/Cpl Watchman V. • The Reunion Committee of Dave Bradshaw, Trevor Evans, Mick
Savic and Dave Newey.
• Lichfield Branch for all their hard work in arranging the Reunion. • All Branch Committee Members.
• All Branch Standard Bearers.
• Ken Love and Jeff Elson, who between them produced most of
our photographs.
Tamworth Branch
It is with regret that we have to announce the closure of Tamworth Branch. the existing group were too elderly to carry on. We would like to record our deep appreciation for the work performed
by Gordon and Anne Partridge of Wolverhampton Branch. They went to a great deal of effort to locate records and close down the account, which merited a personal thank you from Brigadier Williams, our President.
The final gathering of Tamworth Branch took place on 15 April 2012
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Staffordshire regiment Association
Stoke-on-Trent Branch
By Fred Williams, Branch Secretary.
On the whole the branch has been very busy in the last 12 months. In November we visited the Somme which was cold but most enjoyable. In the branch are looking forward to going again in the not-too-distant future. On December 20th we had our Christmas dinner, then in January we had some new members join the branch. In February the branch were informed about the passing of Reg Simpson who served with the North Staffords between 1950–1952. We were invited to the Lions brass band concert at the local church in Burslem where all the proceeds went to Help for Heroes and the night was a resounding success. We are looking forward to being invited back in May 2013. We lost another member in June: Keith Pearce served from 1961–1964 and like Reg was an enthusiastic member.
Burslem Park June 2012-10-26: R.Kimberley, F. Ralphs, G. Warrener and Bernard Titley.
Our local park in Burslem reopened in June and a few of our members hired one of the tents. They used the space to inform the people of Stoke on Trent of what we do, and where we have visited, with the aid of a photograph display. Following that success we
all had a lovely day at the National Arboretum to celebrate Armed Forces Weekend. The branch would like to thank Burton branch
for a fantastic day at Crich. It rained for most of the day but it did not stop people from having a good time. We also had a day at Blenheim palace which I would recommend to anyone.
We are in the planning stage at the moment for a trip to Normandy next September 2013. We are looking forward to a day out with the Hednesford branch on the 13th October to celebrate them being presented the freedom of Hednesford.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE