Page 115 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

Worcester Branch
Nigel Fish
Although branch meetings did not resume until September, the branch members have remained active and attending events.
On parade, on the 26 August 2021, to commemorate the service to this country of the Worcestershire Regiment and the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment, were 20 Association members and some members of their families. Citations were read of the 1St Bn the Worcestershire Regiment at Vernon, France in the spearhead of the Allies push to cross the River Seine in 1944. Also remembered were the 2nd and 7th Bn’s in Burma 1944
(with VJ day being commemorated this month, on the 15th, Association members were on parade in Evesham at the Burma Star memorial near the Almonry).
Part of the citation for the 1st Bn in Malaya in 1950-53 included details of an Iban tracker that won the George Cross medal, the first to do so by protecting a Worcester soldier who was wounded. The service of The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters ‘Woofers’ in Northern Ireland, BAOR, Belize, Cyprus, The Falkland Isles, Bosnia and Afghanistan, plus numerous other postings were also remembered. A wreath was laid for
the Worcesters at the Worcestershire Regimental Stone by Dudley Branch Chair Brian Lee and Worcester branch member,
Rob Atkinson laid a wreath at the WFR memorial bench.
In October, branch members alongside family and friends unveiled a bench in memory of Harold ‘Harry’ Massam, late Chair of the branch at St Peters Garden Centre, Norton. Harry, an ex-Worcestershire Regiment soldier, served at Norton Barracks and lived at the site of the bench when it was Pear Tree Farm. In October, members of the branch alongside other branches members and Standard Bearers, commemorated the 107th Anniversary of Gheluvelt. In attendance was Capt Richard Jones, 4 MERCIAN who read the Roll of Honour and laid a Mercian wreath.
Worksop Branch
Mark Butcher
Worksop branch, like all other branches, has had very few formal functions over the last 18 months due to the dreaded Covid pandemic. Our first meeting
back since the first lock down was in September this year. With some members medically vulnerable, it was felt to err
on the side of caution and return when
all members were fully vaccinated. We
have not all lived in total isolation though and some members have still met up as and when restrictions allowed. Some are keen cyclists and hill walkers. Some just like to share a pint in good company. In September, the Mayor of Worksop invited a limited number of veterans to a ‘Mayor’s Tea Party at the Town Hall, in recognition of their service.
Two of our members, Tony Jones and Stuart Jepson, (never know to turn down free tea and buns), represented the branch. We were pleased that this
year’s Remembrance Parade was back on, and branch members attended along with the Standard Bearer. Now that life seems to be returning to normal the branch members look forward to seeing each other again, both at meetings and social functions and we are all looking forward to our branch Christmas dinner / dance in December. Our thoughts go out to all those that have suffered in anyway during this terrible pandemic and we look forward to brighter skies ahead with optimism and a FIRM resolve.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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