Page 98 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

96 THE MERCIAN EAGLE
RHQ, Lichfield
Jim Massey, Assistant Regimental Secretary
We are now into the post Afghanistan world, and whilst 2015 did not have a major event, we have continued working to support our battalions, cadets, museums, regimental associations and the wider family of people who have an affiliation with The Mercian Regiment.
There were two major external events; the
first was the service in St. Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate the Afghanistan Campaign.
This took place on 13th March and Lt. Col Bill Temminck had to work like a Trojan to comply with the ever changing scenarios that came down from on high and at short notice. The Bastion Wall Re-Dedication Service which took place at The National Memorial Arboretum on 11th June was another major event which had its fair share of last minute changes. It turned out to be very much
a Mercian Regiment led event, as 2 MERCIAN was responsible for both security and meeting and greeting. We had hosts from both regular battalions and a strong team from RHQ and the Regimental Support Team, to assist with hosting the bereaved families. From our perspective, it ran well and we were proud to have taken part and work alongside our soldiers. Two of our families, the Bothas and Bellinghams were privileged to meet the Prime Minister.
We bade farewell to Eddie Pickering in Chester after a highly successful period in post, he left us in December 2014. Tracey Parsonage and Sue
Weston held the fort (or Chester Castle) for six months, whilst the recruiting process chugged along. We are delighted to welcome Sqn Ldr Andy Manktelow as Asst Regtl Sec in Chester. He has settled in quickly and is already making an impact.
The lack of a Regimental Secretary was covered by the existing staff pulling together, taking the strain and spreading the load. We would like to thank Lt. Col Greg Bayliss who
has run officer recruiting from Warminster, whilst doing a busy job at the same time. We would
also like to thank Lt. Col Andrew Smallbone
in HQ PofW Div in Headquarters Infantry, who became line manager to all our staff and who has been supportive and helpful from afar. The other person who deserves a mention is our Regimental Adjutant, Captain Pete Shergold, who left us in July 2015 after an outstanding tour. If we could highlight one task, that was the work he and the Heritage Committee performed in dividing up Regimental Chattels. Let us be frank here, this was a thankless task, which was bound to upset someone somewhere and with the help of his sidekick Sgt ‘Smoothman’ Spilsbury, they both did an outstanding job. Their places have been taken by Captain Luke Beetlestone who joined us from
2 MERCIAN and has also settled in remarkably quickly. Sgt Bryan Chadbourne has taken over running the Regimental Support Team, with his pioneering abilities utilised in the process.
RHQ, Chester
Andy Manktelow, Assistant Regimental Secretary
Can you write a couple hundred words on what you’ve been up to since you arrived six months ago? asked the Editor. Well here goes.
The first month was about taking over from the ‘retired’ Eddie Pickering and meeting
key players in the Chester area, be they civic links, personnel from 2 MERCIAN or museum trustees, staff and volunteers, Cheshire Regimental Association personalities and then in the wider Mercian family at RHQ Lichfield in addition to learning the ropes.
My first official engagement was at the Crich Memorial,
where Jim Massey
and I welcomed the
invited dignitaries and escorted them up
the hill for a proper soaking – I was still drenched when I
got home three hours later. I attended my first CRA meetings, was given the role of Secretary to the Heritage Committee and volunteered to adopt the Mercian Regimental Archive to be housed in Chester – a work in progress. I was involved with the organisation of the CRA Mons Day parade and escorted the Lord Mayor whilst he laid a wreath and took the salute at the dais.
Sadly I have visited bereaved mothers but also had the pleasure of helping 2 Battalion arrange the presentation of miniature medals and quilts to the children of a fallen soldier by the Lord Mayor of Chester. Recently, my wife and I went to the Remembrance Parade in Birkenhead where 1 MERCIAN paraded and wreaths were laid on behalf of the Mercian Regiment.
Together with RHQ and museum staff we have reviewed a number of policy documents to prepare the museum for accreditation. In
We have taken long-loan of two armoured cars for the museum
an effort to increase museum ‘footfall’ we have taken long-loan of two armoured cars for the museum from the Cheshire Yeomanry Squadron.
I have also completed some training including a week in
London for my Regimental Curators Course preceded by a Security Officers and First Aid Training course. Then there is the routine admin: infrastructure, insurance, press releases, Heritage Lottery Bids etc – six months have flown by!
RHQMERCIAN