Page 125 - MERCIAN Eagle 2011

Mons Reunion – 2011
Although the calendar showed that it was still the summer, the recent poor weather and an unpromising weekend forecast did not bode well for the Mons Parade held at Chester on Sunday 11th September 2011. The date this year held special significance, albeit not for any
was good to see a strong officer contingent and nice to see some who were marching for the first time. We were also grateful
for the attendance of a group from our 1st Battalion. There were ten standards on parade, led by Terry Finlay.
Following the Cathedral Service the contingent formed up in Werbergh Street, before marching back through the streets
of Chester, led by Peter Gresty, Chairman of the CRA. The salute was taken by the Lord Mayor of Chester and warm applause met the parade as it made its way back to the Castle.
Afterwards members sat down to a
curry lunch in St Mary’s Centre where our President updated all present on the exploits of the Mercian Regiment and particularly those of our 1st Battalion. During the lunch it was also our President’s great pleasure to make a special award to Lynne Szwejkowski for her services to the Southern Region and the CRA as a whole. This was the first time that an award had been made to anyone other than a full member of the CRA and the applause that accompanied the presentation showed how much the award was merited. As usual the formal proceedings ended
with toasts to Her Majesty the Queen, the Colonel in Chief and the Regiment.
Brigadier Mike Dauncey catches up with Major Philip Oulton’s
he has seen a lot more of the work of the CRA in attending Wootton Bassett and
the funerals of those who died. He spoke humorously of Derek Sykes and Terry Finlay attending these ceremonies in Derek’s Ford car as being somewhat reminiscent of a scene from “Last of the Summer Wine”.
Bollington Brass Band played during the evening, as has been the tradition for decades.
Some members left after the formal proceedings had ended as they had some distance to travel, but most stalwarts retired to the bar for further reminiscences, mindful of the fact that the clocks went back at 2 am and they would somehow regain that extra hour spent in the bar.
regimental reasons, but more of that later.
Those attending were pleasantly surprised
to discover that the promised rain had
...the promised rain had held off
The Cathedral Service was slightly more reflective this year owing to the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia, known to
held off and in fact Chester was bathed
in bright sunshine. These were perfect conditions for those who were to march from the Castle to Chester Cathedral, and back again. The parade was commanded by Brigadier John Donnelly, President of the Cheshire Regiment Association and we were fortunate to be led by the Band of 4 MERCIAN. Despite the advanced age of most of the marchers it is pleasing to report that everyone kept more or less in step. It
most people by the umbrella term “9/11”. Canon Christopher Humphries, the Vice- Dean and Canon Preceptor alluded to the events of ten years ago on several occasions and questioned the congregation on how the term “Christian Soldiers” was perceived by ourselves and also the wider world. Whilst the choir sang Henry Purcell’s Remember, remember not, Lord, our offences, a chaplet was laid in the Regimental Chapel by the President of the CRA.
East Cheshire Reunion by Alan Jennings
It was another successful East Cheshire Reunion with 185 members sitting down to supper.
It was good that Brigadier John Donnelly CBE, our Association President, Major General Keith Skempton CBE, Brigadier Mike Dauncey DSO and Mr Peter Gresty, Chairman of CRAMC were with us, as were seven WW2 veterans. The WW2 numbers are reducing each year but it is always a great pleasure to have them with us. We were also delighted that Major Phil Oulton also managed to make it. This year more than ever, I thought that those attending truly represented the “Regimental Family.” We had an age range from Brigadier Mike, now OC of the Nonagenarian Company, down to the 14 serving members of the
4th Battalion Mortar Platoon. As I looked round at the people who were sat at their tables I thought that probably there were representatives from every theatre that the Cheshire Regiment had served since 1939.
They had travelled from all parts of the country to attend.
A considerable number of the members attending were from the National Service era, who served in Suez, Malaya and Germany, but there were colleagues who
served in, for example Hong Kong, Bosnia, Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Rhodesia, Oman and recently Iraq and Afghanistan.
As usual the evening started with “Lest We Forget”; a formal ceremony with the Association Standard on parade and
the turning of the pages of the Book of Remembrance by Colonel Edward Scott, Brigadier John Donnelly and Percy Cooke. Trumpeters from Bollington Brass Band blew Sunset, Last Post and Reveille and, as is the tradition, we concluded with
three verses of Abide with Me. During the ceremony we remembered colleagues who had died during the past year and our 12 colleagues from 1st Battalion who lost their lives serving in Afghanistan.
After the traditional plate of Cheshire Hot Pot, followed by a selection of Cheshire Cheeses, we came to the toasts. Colonel Edward Scott, our Presiding Officer proposed the “Loyal Toast”; Major John Holden “Our Colonel in Chief” and Brigadier John Donnelly proposed the toast to the “22nd” and also took the opportunity to update us on the 1st Battalion’s recent
tour of Afghanistan, which was very well received. We thank Brigadier John for attending; he is most welcome and recently
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