Page 131 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

Worcestershire Regiment Commemorative Garden
The Norton Worcestershire Regiment Group, in partnership with St Peter’s
Garden Centre and funding from the Armed Foreces Covenant Fund, opened a Commemorative Garden remembering soldiers from the Worcestershire Regiment on 16th July 2015.
With the centenary of WW1, a small group of local residents came together with the main purpose of highlighting the local history of the area; significantly the history of the Barracks and the soldiers who joined the Worcestershire Regiment.
The event was attended by local dignitaries, military representatives and the WFRA and the garden, located in the garden centre, was formally opened by Sir Anthony Winnington Bt, High Sherriff of Worcestershire. Also in attendance were children
from the local school who had entered a competition of designing a garden that
would commemorate the Norton Barracks, and the soldiers of the Worcestershire Regiment. The garden’s final design was based upon a combination of the winning entries. It features a large red poppy, with a central feature denoting the Worcestershire Regiment, a surrounding wall which depicts the walls of the Barrack’s Keep, four interconnecting paths, rose beds and a bench flanked by sandbags to allow visitors to take a seat and reflect on times gone by.
Norton Barracks was the Depot of the Worcestershire Regiment from 1877 to 1959, and thereafter the RHQ of the regiment. The barrack site is now a large housing estate. To record the regiment’s long association with the area, the regimental museum recently produced a book on the barracks. This can be purchased from the museum.
Chair and Secretary Worcester A place to reflect in the Worcestershire Branch with Standard Bearers Regiment Commemorative Garden
75th Anniversary of VJ Day
WFRA was honoured to be invited to attend the Service in St Martin in the Fields in the presence of Her Majesty, The Queen to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day. Major (Retd) JH Cotterill MBE represented the association.
Maj (Retd) JH Cotterill MBE Represented the WFRA at the 75th Anniversary Of VJ Day At St Martin in the Fields in the presence of Her Majesty The Queen
The 96th Annual Regimental Association (Crich) Dinner
Major (Retd) John Cotterill MBE
Ninety-five former members of the regiment and their guests assembled at the Novotel in Long Eaton on Saturday 4th July, to mark the eve of the Crich Pilgrimage for the 96th time. This was the second year in which this new venue was used, and due to the hard work of Cliff Housley, and after the success of last year’s Crich Dinner, attendance was up by over 50%. It is hoped that we can maintain this upward trajectory until our centenary dinner in 2019, for which we are already planning. By then, we would like to have re-established the Annual Dinner of the Regimental Association to its former glory, as an event attended
by most members of the Regimental Association from Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Worcestershire.
Private Derby XXX attended the dinner, as did the Colonel of the Regiment. It continues to be popular with local civic dignitaries, who fund their own attendance. This year, we were pleased to welcome the following dignitaries and their consorts: the Mayors of Erewash and Broxtowe,
the Deputy Mayors of Derby, Matlock and Amber Valley, Vice Chairmen of Derbyshire Dales and South Derbyshire District, and the Chairman of Ashfield Council. £264 was raised for the centenary dinner by raffling prizes, including meals at local restaurants and golf at a local course. The photographs show members and their guests enjoying the evening.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE 129