Page 76 - Mercian Eagle Year of 2023

Worcester Branch
Nigel Fish. Chair & Secretary
The branch has had another busy and productive year; some highlights are:
March: Following our branch AGM, our Branch President travelled to Belgium for the re-burial of Sgt William Clay Cubberley on the 22nd. Sgt Cubberley of the 2nd Bn Worc R was KIA in 1917 near Gheluvelt Belgium and his unmarked remains
were identified by DNA through one of
his family’s descendants. On the 24th, Richard Fox, Libby Massam, Alan Fish
and Nigel Fish attended the Gheluvelt Memorial rededication. The ceremony
had good attendance from the Mercian Regiment, Mayor of Worcester, Worcester Ambassadors and local dignitaries. Whilst there, we visited cemeteries and museums and were present at the Menin Gate Ceremony where our Branch President had the honour of delivering the Exhortation and afterwards, he and the Mayor of Worcester laid wreaths.
April: On the 4th, it was the rescheduled Norton Sentry Statue event where
HRH Princess Anne unveiled a plaque alongside the statue. Members of the branch and Association had the chance
to meet and talk with HRH. Our Parade Marshals and Standard Bearers were very smart on parade giving the Association
an important part in the ceremony. The Mercian Regiment, Regimental Mascot and band were also in attendance. The event
went off very well and we were blessed with good weather. Afterwards, at the reception at St Peters Garden Centre, our branch President made a presentation of
a framed badge and certificate to branch member Dennis Hodgkins, who along with the Worcestershire Regiment at Norton Group, organised the day’s event. Over
the many years, the group have been
busy with keeping the Worcestershire Regiment and Norton Barracks memory alive with installations of signs, information boards and other activities at Norton. Our President also made a presentation to Will Blake, owner of the Garden Centre, who has been instrumental in support of the Norton Group and the installation of the Worcestershire Regiment Memorial Garden within the garden centre. On the 16th, the Branch President, Allan Poyner and Alan Fish, the Mayor of Worcester and I were at Dancox House with the Museum staff for the presentation of a Union flag that was on the grave of Sgt Cubberley for his reburial in March. The flag was presented to his great nephew John Cubberley who attended the presentation with his daughter Elizabeth. Also in attendance were three ladies from JCCC who linked him to his great uncle by DNA.
June: On the 3rd was the Worcester Reunion (more of that in a separate article). On the 11th, Alan Fish with the Worcestershire Regiments Standard, Libby, Anita Fish and I attended a re-dedication of the MECO Memorial in St John in the
Bedwardine Church, St Johns Worcester.
It was a very good service and we got to speak to some of the family members of those that were killed in WWII when a German plane dropped its bombs then returned to strike the area of the factory in St Johns. VJ Day on 15 June saw some of us attending the Evesham RBL Branch`s ceremony at the Burma Star memorial near the Almonry in Evesham.
August: On the 18th of August, eleven
of us were at Berkeley, Spetchley for a fish and chip lunch. The fare was very good. The fish and chip lunch is something that we can carry on but we might have to find a new venue as Simon Gresty, (our newest member who is ex WFR and 2 MERCIAN) has now left his post as Manager. We wish him well in his future employment. The following day, some of us attended a talk by Betty Webb who, at 100 years old, is as sharp as a pin. She talked about her life and times, including her service in WWII at Bletchley Park and at the Pentagon in America. After talking she took questions for an hour. On the 26th, we were at the Worcestershire Regimental Stone in Gheluvelt Park to remember the actions of the 1st, 2nd and 7th Bn’s Worc R at Vernon France, Burma and Malaya.
September: On the 16th, we held our first Branch Lunch as opposed to an evening dinner. The event was held at the Berkeley at Spetchley and Branch Member and Manager, Simon Gresty and his small team were hosts who worked very hard to provide
April 2023. Plaque unveiling at Norton Sentry Statue. L-R HRH, Late Lt Col (Retd.) Keith Jeavons TD, Worcester Branch Members, Parade Marshall, John Walters, Allan Poyner, Alan Fish, Barry Kemp
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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