Page 142 - MERCIAN Eagle 2011

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Presentation to the Mayor of Worcester of a Mercian Volunteer plaque
Stockport
The year started with St George’s Day at St Mary’s Church Stockport with the standards on Parade. The Standard was also on Parade for the sad occasions of the funerals of the members of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment [Cheshire]. The standard had
also been on parade at the repatriations through Wootton Bassett. In June the Branch attended the funeral of WO2 Eric Longson, long time Provost Sgt of the 1st Battalion Mercian Volunteers and CSM of A Company. The Standard had been on parade at twenty two occasions during the year.
Several of the members attended the Armed Forces Reunion held at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool. They were joined by our wives, so didn’t have to find an excuse to get away, although we did escape to see a broken submarine on the Sunday morning. The Branch joined with the CRA Stockport Branch to visit the Crich Memorial in July for the Annual Pilgrimage, originally a Forester occasion, now a Mercian Regiment event. August 1st saw the Branch on parade again for the St Julien’s Parade held at St George’s Church, Stockport followed by lunch at the Armoury.
The Branch attended the East Cheshire reunion in force. This reunion started life
as the 7th Battalion Cheshire Regiment reunion and had been re named as the East Cheshire reunion since 1999. The
7th Battalion was disbanded in 1967 and many of the Battalion transferred to Mercian Volunteers so there is a connection, as with the Mercian Regiment.
In the early part of November, members of the Branch entered a fishing competition to raise funds for the ABF (the Soldiers’ Charity), which raised £300.00 We hope to make this a twice a year event, although it was a day to forget as many competitors didn’t catch anything!. The winner was a local lad and the winning weight was just one and a half pounds!
The branch held a Regimental Dinner at the Armoury 2 [The Pub] in late November which was an extremely successful evening. The year was rounded off with festive celebrations once again in the Armoury
2 [The Pub]. Membership continues to grow, but new members are always very welcome.
Some of the Guests at the Curry Supper Tranmere
Tuesday the 9th November 2010 saw the Tranmere Branch annual pilgrimage to Belgium and France take place. In total, 46 souls, including members from other Cheshire Regiment Association branches and friends; and for the first time a large contingent from the Stockport Mercian Volunteer Regimental
The Branch Dinner at The Armoury 2 at Stockport
at least half the coach went to the nearby grill and ordered half a lovely chicken, bread and beer, some who will not be named had a full one.
Day one saw us up early with a few wishing they had gone to bed earlier and we then travelled to Vauchy Cemetery to place
a wreath on the grave of Pte T.E. Downey of the 15th Cheshire Regiment who was killed in 1917. The standards were
all on parade and the Cheshire Regiment prayer and eulogy were spoken over the grave, followed by the last post. Swaying Birch
trees at the top of the cemetery on a hill away from the road surrounded the grave itself and when the minute’s silence took place I thought what a very peaceful place to rest with, just the sound of the rustling trees around you; a number of the other members reflected in the same way.
We then made our way to Arras where we visited the Wellington tunnels, 20km of subterranean passages and tunnels used to house and hide 25000 men of the British and Commonwealth armies for 8 days
prior to the major battle of Arras in 1917 where they popped up from holes punched
Association and one
member from the
Walsall Branch. Three
standards and their
bearers accompanied
us from Kirkham CRA,
Stockport MVRA and
Tranmere CRA. We
also had our own
entertainment team with
us that would have put Butlins redcoats to shame, but more about that later. After a quiet journey and smooth crossing of the channel we arrived in Ostend Belgium late in the evening. The only highlight to this was when Dave Mapley put on a DVD called Soldier starring Mel Gibson, the audio being completely in German. Very educational – “Thanks Dave”. Alan Rowe also held a raffle raising £165 including a £60 donation to the Mercian Regiment benevolent charity. After sorting ourselves out most decided to explore the local watering holes. It was not a good day to be a chicken in Belgium as
We also had our own entertainment team with us that would have put Butlins redcoats to shame
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
One of the plaques from the restored St Mathews Memorial