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Sgt David MARTIN
24017188 Sgt David MARTIN of Gosport who died aged 69 on 11 May 2016 whilst on a visit to Worcester. He enlisted in The Worcestershire Regiment in 1964, joining the 1st Bn in Lydd and serving in Gibraltar, Tobruk and Cyprus and
with 1 WFR in NI and Berlin and then with 1 MERCIAN Volunteers in Nottingham, before discharge in 1979.
LCpl Harold James MASSAM
23725551 LCpl Harold James MASSAM of Worcester died on 21 February 2017 aged 76. Harry enlisted into the Worcestershire Regiment at Shrewsbury on 17th May 1960. After Training Harry completed a Carpentry and Joiners
course before joining the 1st Bn. Harry served in Jamaica and British Honduras, for the Hurricane Hattie relief mission, Gibraltar, Tobruk, Germany and UK. Harry served in B Company going on to work in
the Company Stores and became Families Quarters Storeman. He was also a keen boxer and served on one of the first Army Youth Teams. Harry was at Depot Lichfield, being discharged on 6th February 1968 serving another 4 years on reserve. On leaving the Regiment Harry became a conductor and then a bus and coach and Depot Controller. Harry was an active member of Worcester Branch becoming Chairman in 2009 and was awarded the Association Merit Award in 2013.
Pte Edgar (Archie) MERREY
5254616 Pte Edgar (Archie) MERREY of Sudbury, Derbyshire, on 22 August 2015 aged 97. Edgar served in 7th Bn Worcestershire Regiment throughout WWII. He served in Egypt and his ship was torpedoed in the
Mediterranean by Italian dive bombers; he earned the Malta Cross when the Norwegian Ship (The Hoegh Hood) had to dock to make repairs and was in Malta at Liberation. He fought with 7 WORC R in the Battle of Kohima (for which he was awarded The Burma Star). His wartime service included, also, Gibraltar and India. He was later involved in the Kohima Educational Trust for the education of the Naga children, and he initiated ‘The Merrey Scholarship’. Edgar was born and lived all his life in the village of Sudbury, where he was the Village Master Butcher. On retirement, he worked as gardener for Lord and Lady Vernon of Sudbury.
WO2 (CSM) Frederick MILNER
21013319 WO2 (CSM) Frederick MILNER of York died on 2 February 2017 aged 94. Frederick enlisted into the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters in 1942 and served with it in MT Section throughout WW2 and had attained the
rank of SSgt when he was demobbed in 1947. He received two commendations, one in January 1946 from Eastern Command and a second from Field Marshall Montgomery for outstanding work during the occupation of Germany in June 1946. He re-enlisted in July 1947 into the 1st Battalion as a Sgt and in the mid 50s was promoted WO2. He served the majority of his time with the 1st Battalion and was CSM at the Derby Depot 1959 - 61. During his service he served in UK, BAOR, Middle East, Libya, Singapore and Cyprus. He left the Army in February 1978.
WO2 Dave MOORE
23213609 WO2 Dave MOORE of Pershore died on 17 January 2017. He enlisted into The Worcestershire Regiment in 1953 and served with the 1st Bn in BAOR, the West Indies, Gibraltar and Cyprus. His final tour before discharge in 1972 was as CSM
C Coy in Warminster and NI.
Pte Michael Vincent MURRY
4977535 Pte Michael Vincent MURRY of Nottingham died on 8 February 2016. Mick enlisted in 1939 into 1st Bn The Sherwood Foresters and served with A Coy as a driver. He was taken PoW on the fall of Tobruk in June
1942 and became prisoner number 29999. He was initially held at Benghazi before being moved to Italy and then Germany. He was held in various camps, last known being Stalag 344 at Lamsdorf. Mick worked in coal mines in Poland and was on the long march as the Russians advanced. He was repatriated in 1945 then transferred to the Royal Artillery Garrison Regiment before transferring back to the Sherwood Foresters in July 1946. Mick was then discharged to the Reserve on 19 August 1946. He was recalled and served in Korea with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 1950 - 51. Mick was a long time member and President of Nottingham City Branch WFRA.
Pte Steven NEWBOLD
24312637 Pte Steven NEWBOLD of Burton on Trent died on 8 January 2016. Steven enlisted into 1 WFR in 1973 and served with B Coy until discharge in 1976.
Pte John NOAKES
22656284 Pte John NOAKES of Swindon, W Midlands died on 1 Aug 2016 aged 82. John enlisted into 1st Bn The Worcestershire Regiment on 3 April 1952 and was discharged on 25 April 1954. During his National Service he was a
Signaller in Malaya. He also served with the Royal Engineers. He was awarded the GSM. He was married to Edith and they had 3 children.
Maj Kenneth William NOAKES
500939 Maj Kenneth William NOAKES died on 8 March 2017 aged 84. Ken enlisted
in the ranks as a national service soldier
in 1951 and served with the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment. On leaving the regulars in 1953 he joined 5/6th Staffordshire Regiment TA later rebadging to Mercian Volunteers. In 1971 Ken was instrumental in forming the Light Infantry Mercian Volunteers at Whittemere Street Walsall, which in turn became the newly formed 2 MERCIAN Volunteers where Ken was RQMS. He was commissioned to
Lt with 2 MERCIAN Volunteers and went on to become Captain (QM). When the Mercian Volunteers reverted back to county Regiments, Ken transferred to 4 WFR attaining the rank of Maj (QM) serving at Hazlucks Green, Shirley and North Moons Moat at Redditch.
Sgt Allan ORME
4978637 Sgt Allan ORME of Belper, Derbyshire died on 16 December 2016 aged 97. Allan enlisted on 16 October 1939 and served with 2nd/5th Bn The Sherwood Foresters. In 1940 he went with it to France with the BEF
making his own way back to the UK after being left behind at Dunkirk. He then went on to serve with the Bn in North Africa and was taken PoW at Sedjenane, Tunisia. He was sent to Sicily then to Italy before being sent to Stalag 357 at Oerbke in Germany. Allan left the Army on 1 March 1946 but he was not strong enough to return to his former employment at Leys Malleable Castings in Derby so took up employment as a Cutter for a clothing firm in Belper. He later worked as a maintenance fitter for Johnsons Wire Works in Ambergate until he took early retirement.
Maj Philip OULTON
Maj Philip OULTON Cheshire Regiment died on 23 December 2016. Philip served with 1 WFR as Bn 2IC in Berlin 1972 - 1974.
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