Page 148 - Mercian Eagle 2013

Laying Up of The Staffordshire Regiment Colours
Lichfield Cathedral – 24 June 2013
The Colours laid up were:
1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s) presented in 2006. 3rd Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales’s) presented in 1990.
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Stafford Branch.
The Branch grows from strength to
strength and at this time, we hold our monthly meetings with an attendance of 22 Members. Since the last reunion we have held several functions and each September we hold our Anniversary Dinner which is well supported. After this year’s dinner and once we see both Battalions settled in the UK, we hope to see the Regiment’s serving soldiers at the monthly meetings. Hopefully RSMs and CSMs will allocate a soldier who wants a Monday off to attend our monthly Branch meetings. Stafford Branch can assure you that the soldiers will have a good day.
As you all probably know, the Stafford Branch now meets at the Stafford Rangers Football Club. The Club has kindly allowed us our own meeting room and we have decked it out with Regimental Memorabilia. If anyone would wish to donate any item
we would gladly place it on the wall. Plans for the future are to hold a Branch games day, the annual BBQ and other such events in the hope to keep our name in the public eye. The most popular event the Branch has held is the annual excursion to Shell Island weekender, the annual challenge between members to catch the first fish. The event for the last two years has been won by Mick Ashmore with a ray on year one and a flounder on year two. Dave Lovell caught nowt. One piece of advice gained is to bring plenty of sun cream/lotion.
In September 2014 the Branch is en route to Arnhem to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of the Arnhem Battle and the 100th Anniversary of the beginning of the First World War. The dates of the trip are 17th September to 22nd September 2014. It may be well worth contacting us to find
out if we have any spaces left if you are seriously interested in joining us.
Now the Regiment are on the last posting to Afghanistan and we wish them every success in the final Operational commitment as 3 Mercian (Staffords). Once back in the UK and settled we wish ALL the soldiers every success in their future roles either as Light Infantry Role or Armoured Role.
The Branch will welcome anyone from
1 Mercian and 2 Mercian (Cheshires, Worcester Foresters and Staffords) to our Branch. We fully understand the family commitment will come first but hopefully the time will come where they will attend and assist us to forge a good union moving on in the future Association.
Richmond Leason – Branch Secretary
THE MERCIAN EAGLE