Page 6 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

Cpl Phillip Thornton
2019 has been a very busy period for me and the new Ram Orderly, Pte Joe Holmes, who the RST welcomed at the beginning of the year. We said goodbye to the former Ram Orderly, Pte Lee Bradbury, who has moved back to 1 MERCIAN.
I would like to thank him for all his hard work and dedication.
We started our year off heading up and down the country. We made a trip to Derby County marching the Ram out to play Reading, which to us was a successful trip because Derby County won! The fans were once again saying we were bringing them good luck by attending. This trip was also an opportunity to do some recruiting.
Along came March and with it another trip to another football club, but this time showing our support to Stoke City FC who had kindly welcomed the Regiment and its sponsorship, giving great publicity for the Regiment.
April came along and we made our usual trip to Nottingham City Centre to mark Badajoz Day on the 6th April, with the raising of the scarlet jacket up the flagpole. Later in April we then attended the Gheluvelt Park in Worcester where a Memorial bench was unveiled to remember the fallen members of WFR and its antecedent Regiments.
On the Glorious 1st June, Pte Derby had a high- profile job of leading the Regiment on a large 1.3- mile parade through the town of Tamworth – the ancient capital of Mercia - once again exercising the freedom of Tamworth. Later in June we made a visit to the Nottingham War Memorial where
Pte Derby met his first royal of the year: HRH, the
Duke of Kent.
Along came July and we attended the Buxton
Military Tattoo, which was a proud moment for me and the Ram Orderly, and another job that seems to be firmly in our calendar. Next up was the Crich Memorial Service which happens every year on the first Sunday of the month. Again, another event which is firmly set in our diaries and one we are proud to attend to show our respect to the fallen. Luckily this year we had the fantastic weather for it. Later in July Pte Derby met his second royal of the year, the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, at the War Memorial village in Derby, which was organised by Micky Doyle.
I would personally like to thank him for his great support to the Regiment.
August saw more trips to Derby County, and once again a parade in the Derby War Memorial where Pte Derby led the parade and again a fantastic event organised by Micky Doyle.
September saw visits to Derby County once again, and also the unveiling of the Kerridge War Memorial where the weather wasn’t very kind at all with the heavens unleashing.
Then finally came Pte Derby’s favourite time
of the year: December, where both he and Notts went on their annual leave to Chatsworth where they were be placed among the ewes on the estate, so no doubt they will both arrive back tired and Grumpy in the new year! The Ram Orderly and I are looking forward to seeing what 2020 has in store for us as we have a lot of dates already firmly in the calendar.
Regimental Mascot Pte Derby XXXII and Ram Major Cpl Phillip Thornton standing outside RHQ on the grass.
Image © Drew Gardner 2019.
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Pte Derby XXXII
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