Page 83 - MERCIAN Eagle 2011

The Brelsford Block
The gallantry of two soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan has been honoured at the official opening of two new accommodation blocks at the Infantry Training Centre (ITC), Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.
The £16m buildings will be named
after Sergeant Craig Brelsford, who was serving with the 2nd Battalion The Mercian Regiment when he was killed in September, 2007, and Corporal Lee Brownson, who was deployed with 3rd Battalion, The Rifles when he fell in January, 2010.
The blocks were officially opened on 3rd August 2011, at 11.30 a.m. by General Sir Nick Parker KCB CBE ADC, Commander- in-Chief Land Forces, with the families and friends of the deceased in attendance.
Sgt Brelsford (25), from Chilwell, Nottingham, was posthumously awarded the Military Cross for his part in the rescue of wounded comrades in a night time contact near the town of Garmsir.
Cpl Brownson (30), of Bishop
Auckland, was posthumously awarded
the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross for the selfless commitment shown when rescuing wounded comrades during an attack on his patrol base south of Sangin.
The ITC has long held the tradition of
naming buildings after those infantrymen whose courageous actions have been recognised by the
Queen.
Sgt Brelsford’s mother, Sue, said: “I’m very privileged to have this site named after
my son, and I’m very proud of him.
“I would just like to say a very big thank you to everyone involved with this.”
Mrs Brelsford, accompanied by her sons, Chris and Jamie,
and family friends was then taken for a tour of the accommodation block named after her son and then hosted in the Officers Mess for lunch. Mrs Brelsford said “Craig joined the Army almost 12 years, to the day, ago and I’m very privileged to have this named after my son and I’m very proud of him.”
“I’m hoping it helps when soldiers read what Craig has done and realise how important it is. I’m very honoured about the naming of the training block. Who would have thought three years ago that all this was going to happen? I just can’t believe it.”
The importance of the day was highlighted by those who attended; Col Banton OBE, Lt Col Kimber MBE, Lt Col Spiby, Maj Nowell, Maj Crabb, Capt Hallam, WO2 Bashford, CSgt Giles CGC, CSgt Bishop, Sgt McNulty, Cpl Cotterill, Cpl Hill and Cindy Baines (Assistant Regimental Secretary Notts)
The two new blocks,
which provide 392
bed spaces and were
completed eight weeks
ahead of schedule, are
part of a multi-million
pound modernisation
programme of single-living accommodation throughout Catterick Garrison.
“I’m very privileged to have this site named after my son, and I’m very proud of him.”
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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