Page 157 - Mercian Eagle 2013

Museum of The Mercian Regiment
(Worcestershire and Sherwood
Foresters Collection)
By Mrs Angela Tarnowski, Assistant Curator
Last year, following much debate, the Trustees decided to update the Museum’s name to encompass all Regiments and their histories in a more inclusive way and the museum is now named Museum
of The Mercian Regiment (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Collection). The museum said a heartfelt thank you for their years
of support to the museum to departing Trustees, Majors (Retired) Ford, Hutchinson and Loveday and welcomed new Trustees Maj Keith Spiers and Mr David Harrison. We look forward to their active involvement with the museum.
We have begun what we hope will prove a long lasting and fruitful partnership with Nottingham Trent University. Five of their Second Year History students volunteered their time and assisted with a diverse number of projects which included researching and installing the new Afghanistan display case, carrying out conservation checks on objects from the reserve collection, and researching First World War soldiers for local history societies. All students enjoyed their placements, and the Museum has benefited from their work. We hope this arrangement will continue.
The new Afghanistan display case has attracted much interest and positive feedback from visitors to our Regimental Museum. It wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Major Fred Slaney and CSgt Shakes Breakspear who both donated examples of the
kit used in Afghanistan. We are grateful to Mrs Brailsford for the loan of her son’s medals (Sgt Craig Brailsford MC), medals and also CSgt Marc Giles for the loan of his medals. Thanks are also due to Maj Dean Canham for his maps and write ups and Sgt Ben Umney for the loan of his helmet complete with bullet hole! We wish to continue to build the 2 MERCIAN collection and are happy to receive any items to enable us to do this.
Volunteers are vital to the museum and we are pleased to have recruited two new volunteers, Paul Hallett, 3 WFR, and Alan Platt who served with the Sherwood Foresters as a National Serviceman during the 1950s, to assist with enquiries, the transcription of documents and any other work that arises from time to time. Our regular volunteers continue their sterling work. Mel Siddons carries out the skilful task of mounting any newly acquired medals for
display and continues to photograph our extensive photo album collection. In addition, he also helps with changing displays and the maintenance of the Gallery and any other task that the Curator and Assistant Curator can find for him! Eddie Edwards continues working with Cliff Housley inputting photographs to the museum’s digital records system and maintaining the databases of former Sherwood Foresters and WFR personnel. Cliff also gives regular talks on regimental history to various local organisations and the Battalion and is always happy to assist with enquires or guided talks if requested to.
This year we have acquired a number of interesting items for the museum collection, including a silver menu holder won by CSM Instructor (later RSM) Arthur Stevenson, 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters in a Bayonet Training Competition in February 1916. It was made by silversmith Edward Barnard and Sons Ltd of London in 1915. RSM Stevenson enlisted in 1907 and served in the First World War in France where he was wounded on 21 October 1914 and subsequently invalided out. He was then posted to the Army Physical Training staff at Aldershot, before returning to the Sherwood Foresters from which he was eventually discharged in 1934. The menu holder was donated by Mr and Mrs Spencer of Nottingham.
Afghan Display
RSM Stevenson’s menu holder
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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