Page 140 - MERCIAN Eagle 2011

Burton on Trent
It has been another full year for the Branch. The Branch had been present at numerous Regimental Functions; Crich, The Anzac Parade at Cannock Chase, Remembrance Day, a Reception in the Mayor’s Parlour, Burton Heroes Flag raising, Freedom parades and sadly funerals of the Soldiers who have been killed in Afghanistan.
The Branch had supported the Local ACF Unit during this difficult time of financial cuts with a donation and bag packing in the local super market. Financial help had also been given to the families Club of the 3rd Battalion in Germany to refurbish the soft play and coffee area. The centre was now operating and being enjoyed by the families. The new Corps of Drums
of the 4th Battalion is based at Burton and is being helped by Branch members. It made its first public appearance at the
Branch Curry Evening in October. The Corps has continued to develop and is to parade later in the summer at The RMA Sandhurst and the beating of Retreat at Whittington Barracks.
The social side of the Branch Activities had not been
omitted and the Annual Curry Supper was held in October when a Presentation was made to Capt J Stewart and WO1 M Whitlock. Branch members have joined the Company for Social evenings. Mr. Jim Willinson was standing down as Standard Bearer and Mr. Stuart Adams had taken over. The Branch is very appreciative of the work that Jim has done. Mike Read was recovering after a long illness, but unfortunately Peter Wisner was not too well and we wish him a speedy recovery. Mrs. Nancy Langley, wife of WO2 Langley has been ill and we wish her too a speedy recovery.
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Mercian Volunteers Regimental Association
A Presentation to WO1 (now Capt) Whitlock, RSM 4 MERCIAN by Lt Col Bridges
The Annual General Meeting 2011 of the Mercian Volunteers Regimental Association was held at the Walsall Headquarters at ‘Rock Steady Eddie’s’ Stafford Road Walsall on Sunday 6th March 2011 hosted by members of the Branch. There was a very good attendance from all the Branches.
We would like to thank the Branch for the welcome that we received and Eddie and Emma Hillback for the excellent lunch that they provided.
Our Chairman, Lt Col AJ Scott MBE welcomed the members and thanked the Walsall Branch for their invitation to hold the AGM at their headquarters. He went on to say that the Association had enjoyed a very good year as their charitable activities showed. The twin pillars of the Association were support for their members and comradeship and welfare activities and
the many Branch events show that the MRVA met those targets most successfully. The MRVA has a high reputation within
the Regimental family and their support
of Regimental activities is appreciated
and valued. It has been a very good year indeed and the very strong Association membership enabled Branches to help
its members whenever the need arose. The chairman thanked the members for
Brigadier Wilkinson and Major Chell confer at Nottingham
their hard work during the year and looked forward to next years meeting to be held at Burton on Trent.
Mr. M Webster Walsall Branch Secretary then extended the Associations sincere condolences to the families of the members who had died during the last year: Lt Col Peter McGahey MBE, [CO I Mercian V] Lt Col Len Smith MBE, [2 Mercian V , 4 WFR and ACF ]Capt John
Cllr Capt Bernard Derrick (Vice Chairman Lichfield Council)
The Branches of the Association have supported many of the service Charities this year, and are to be congratulated on their charitable efforts. Our present membership is over 500, but there are many more Mercians out there; potential areas of expansion are Stoke on Trent, Crewe, Ellesmere and Worcester. The MRVA had figured prominently in the life of the new
Hadfield, [C Company 1
Mercian V and 49 Bde]
Capt Robert Vallance,
[D Company 1 Mercian
V] C/Sgt Malcolm
Bowers, [ Drums 1
Mercian V] S Sgt Phil
Brittle, HQ Company 1
Mercian V] Sgt Richard Gould, and Mr. Ivan Haller B Company 1 Mercian V] This was followed by a one minute’s silence.
The secretary thanked all the members for their support. Branch Chairman and Secretaries, with their committees continue to work hard to enable the Association to move forward. He had been able to visit all the Branches during the year and received a very warm welcome. It was pleasing to have received E mails from outside the UK, which meant we are now world wide.
Regiment and had been large contributors to the magazine. The Secretary concluded by thanking everyone for their contributions and asked that everyone kept a diary so that news was
always available. After consultations with the Charity Commission and Regimental Headquarters it was unanimously agreed
at the Annual General Meeting to extend the membership of the Association to all members who have served in the successor units of Mercian Volunteers based in the Mercian area if they so desired. At the same meeting it was agreed that Mr. Luke Cole MC should be awarded Life Membership of the Association in recognition of his service.
the Association had enjoyed a very good year as their charitable activities showed
THE MERCIAN EAGLE