Page 91 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

Living History Events
Over the past year we have played host to a number of re- enactor groups at weekends. The groups cover a number of periods of military history and members of the public enjoy their displays. In April re-enactors covering the WW2 period descended on the museum with a small number of English Civil War re-enactors, on the day one young visitor arrived in
his own costume wishing to enlist! De-activated weapons from the collection of Mr T.Simpkins, ex Cheshire, were provided for public handling. Mr Simpkins has since donated 14 weapons from his collection to the Museum and we thank him for his generosity.
Plans for 2020
There are plans to have a dedicated education facility to cater for the increasing number of school visits. More temporary exhibitions are in the planning stage for 2020, one is to be based on soldiers’ letters home and another will be held to commemorate both V-E and V-J days 1945.
AMOT (Army Museums Ogilvy Trust) are to begin a nationwide project to have all WW1 Archive records held within Regimental Museums digitised. In January 2020 representatives from the Museum are to attend a presentation by the Ogilvy Trust outlining the proposed scheme, the event is to be held at Birmingham Town Hall January 2020. Details are to be given relating to the digitisation, how material will be stored and
the copyright of the said material. AMOT contacted the museum,
and after searching through what material is held in our archives, they provided a listing of what they wish to digitise. Alex Clark is currently going through the list and assembling the requirements - around fifty boxes
of material required for digitisation will be away from the museum for approximately three months.
Dan on his visit to the Museum, left to right: Lt-Colonel (Retired) Bill Temminck, Through Life Care Officer Mercian Regiment, Dan Oxley, Squadron Leader (Retired) Andy Manktelow Museum Director and Joe Murphy, Museum Attendant.
The Visit of Dan Oxley, 1 MERCIAN
On 1st August 2019 the museum was pleased to receive a visit from Dan Oxley, formerly
1 MERCIAN. Dan was unfortunately the victim of an I.E.D. whilst serving in Afghanistan. He was seriously injured and his injuries resulted in him losing his right arm, both legs and his sight in one eye.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
89