Page 145 - Mercian Eagle 2013

WFRA REUNION
By Ms Baines, Assistant Regimental Secretary
The Glorious 1st of June was truly glorious this year. The date of The Worcestershire Regiment’s famous Battle Honour coincided with the WFRA reunion, so attendees were already in high spirits on arrival (or was
that to do with the quick pub stop on the way?) and they quickly adapted to the new changes made to the day. The cost of entry was slightly higher but still offering good value for a Glorious day and ensured that the event was totally self funding whilst the parade and Drumhead service was brought forward ensuring that everyone had plenty of time for fun and socialising afterwards.
The Glorious summer’s day saw members of the WFRA march around the parade square under the skilful command of WO2 Saunders to the beat of the Tenbury Town Band. This is the first reunion in which the band, some of whom served with the WFR, played for us and as they quickly took to the spirit of the day we hope they will join us again. The Regimental Silver Drums were used for the Drumhead Service led by Canon Tounge and Lt Col Gilby, the
new WFRA Chairman and CO 2 Mercian, took the salute and followed the service with a rousing speech to the members and their families.
Alongside the regular faces there were lots of very welcome new (and somewhat younger) faces this year and all mingled to catch up on war stories, re-acquaint old friendships and make new ones. There was also the band to keep us entertained with more light-hearted tunes, PRI stands to entice us to spend our money, memorabilia and photographs to ponder over and a Ferret to clamber over! Special thanks go
to the cadets and adult instructors of the Hereford & Worcester ACF who completed a superb job with the programme selling and signing in, the WFRA branches who donated to the raffle, the Worcester branch for their persuasive raffle ticket selling skills, all those that brought memorabilia to share and also to the RST and 2 MERCIAN for their support and muscle on the day.
It truly was a Glorious Reunion. See you on Saturday 7 June 2014.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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