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Malvern, Evesham and Worcester until 1967. He became a Stewardship Adviser to the Worcester Diocese until 1979 and was a member of the General Synod and then the Diocesan Secretary in Leicester. In 2007 he was awarded the MBE for his charitable work.
John Wilson Bannister, T.D. (174308) Lt Col
Of Bridgnorth, Shropshire on 11 October 2013 aged 93. John Wilson Bannister, known as “Jock”, was born on the 23rd April 1920 at Bromsgrove. Son of
William W. Bannister (Solicitor) and Mary M. Bannister (née Boston). He was educated at Selbright Public School, Wolverley near Kidderminster.
After his schooling he followed his father’s career and started his training to become a solicitor. He joined the solicitors, Westwood & Morris & Co., Birmingham as an articled clerk. After only two years war broke
out and he decided to join the army and enlisted as a Guardsman in the Grenadier Guards and started his army training.
After his initial army training he was selected to go to the Officers Cadet Training Unit at Sandhurst and on the 22nd February 1941 he received an Emergency Commission into the Worcestershire Regiment as a 2Lt. He was then posted
to the 11th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment as a Platoon Commander. On
the 1st January 1943 the 11th Battalion was reformed into the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment and when Captain Bob Durrant, Mortar Platoon commander became Adjutant “Jock” took over command of the Mortar Platoon.
He landed with the 1st Battalion in Normandy in June 1944 and continued
to command the Mortar Platoon with the rank of War Substantive Captain. “Jock” was involved in all the Battalions operations throughout the war. At the end of the
war “Jock” was awarded a well deserved Commander-in-Chief’s Certificate signed by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery for his outstanding service and devotion to duty.
In May 1945, the war now at an end, “Jock” transferred to the 1st Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles and served with them in Palestine as a Company Commander. He was based in Ramala and was effectively responsible for the town and took on the role of town Mayor. The following year
he returned to the U.K. to continue his training as a solicitor and 2 years later, after qualifying, he joined his father’s firm of W. W. Bannister & Son at Stourbridge, but remained in the Army Reserve of Officers.
In the 1950s during the Suez Crisis he was recalled for service and joined the 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment as a Company Commander with the rank of Major. He then spent the next eight years with the Territorial Army as
a Company Commander with the 7th Battalion Worcestershire Regiment based at Halesowen.
In 1961 “Jock” was appointed second-in- command of 7th Battalion and three years later he was promoted to Lieut.-Colonel and given command of the 7th Battalion. The same year he was awarded the Territorial Efficiency Decoration (T.D.) and continued to command the 7th Battalion until it
was disbanded in 1967. He was the last Commanding Officer of that Battalion.
Later in life “Jock” continued his association with the Worcestershire Regiment by becoming Chairman of the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment N.W. Europe 1944-45 Association and was responsible to organising all the annual re-union dinners and get-togethers until the very last one in May 2011.
BECKETT William Thomas Sgt 4984461
Of Ilkeston, Derbyshire on 29 March 2013 aged 97. He enlisted into
the 14th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters
in October 1940 and served with it in North Africa, the Middle East
and Italy. He left the army in 1946. After demobilisation he worked in the family greengrocer store, he then became a miner.
BENNETT John Robinson ‘Billy’ Capt 105022
Of Mickleton, Gloucestershire on 9 April 2013 aged 94. He enlisted into the Sherwood Foresters on 15 July 1939 and served as an OR at the
Depot in Derby. On 8 December 1939
he was posted to 168 OCTU at Aldershot and in May 1940 was commissioned as
a 2Lt into the 8th Battalion with which
he served in Ireland until 1942. He then moved to Wrotham in Kent where it was re-roled as 148 Pre-OCTU. He was then posted to the 2nd Battalion and became the Mortar Platoon Commander. He
was wounded whilst fighting in Anzio. On recovery he returned to the 2nd Battalion and became Coy Commander HQ Coy
and Education Officer. In 1945 he went to India and saw service with both the 12th and 13th Battalions until 1946 when he was demobilised. He then took up a career in mining in the steel rope industry until retirement in 1980.
BIRCHER John J CSgt (Drum Major) 19037696 Of Derby on 8 August
2013 aged 84. He served with the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters from 1947 until early 1952 and then six months later after discharge he
joined the 2nd Battalion. In 1954, on the amalgamation of the 1st and 2nd Battalion he became the Drum Major of the 1st Battalion until 1968 when he left the Army.
BIRD John Pte 22587235
Of Worcester on 29 September 2012 aged 79. As a National Serviceman he joined the 1st Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment in 1951 and served with 11 Pl
D Coy in Malaya. He was discharged from the Regiment in September 1953.
BRIDGWATER Roy Percy Pte 23414151
Of Alcester, Warwickshire on 4 April 2013 aged 77. On
13 August 1957, as a National Serviceman, Roy joined the Warwickshire Regiment. He was then posted to
the 1st Battalion The Sherwood Foresters and served in Malaya. He left the Army in August 1959. Roy became a Plumbing and Central Heating Engineer and ran his own business. In retirement he was a part-
time chimney and flue consultant and was an expert witness specialising in carbon monoxide cases.
BROADLEY Dennis Arthur ‘Jim’ Sgt 22092762
Of Bulwell, Nottingham on 9 December 2012 aged 82. He joined the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters as a National Serviceman in 1949- 1950. After completing his
service he joined the Nottingham City Police and during this time he was also a member of the 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters (TA). In 1954 he re-enlisted into the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters and served in Malay with A Coy between 1958-60. He also served with Support Coy and D Coy. Jim left the Army in 1969 and took up employment with the Post Office until retirement in 1988.
BROCKLEBANK Malcolm ‘Brock’ WO2 23967367
Of Whittington, Staffordshire on 9 September 2013 aged 68. He enlisted into the 1st Battalion the Worcestershire Regiment in 1964 and
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