Page 121 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

FOX
Sam Fox, North Stafford, died on 2nd March 2021.
FREEMAN
Pte Barry FREEMAN died on 4 January 2021 aged
96. Barry enlisted on 1 April 1943 and spent his first
few months training for the Allied Invasion of Europe. He was one of the few soldiers
ever to be allowed to shoot left-handed but this did not stop him from becoming an excellent shot and coming third in a National Shooting Competition. It even helped to save his life. He trained at Norton Barracks and joined 1st Bn The Worcestershire Regiment. When they became part of
the 43rd Wessex Light Infantry Division, Barry was given an American Half Track vehicle to drive. Despite delays, the 1st
Bn departed from England on 18 June 1945 but due to bad weather they did not arrive in Normandy until the 22nd, At Mont Fleury Juno Beach, Barry off loaded along with Canadian units, drove onto the beach even though being partly submerged and facing German fire. During the war, Barry was assigned duties as a water truck driver to soldiers and units on the front line and took part in Recce and River Patrols, all in contact with German fire. He took part in Operation Goodwood the Battle of Falaise Pocket. He was part of the River Seine Crossing where the ‘Worcesters’ were the first across the bridge to form a bridgehead for the other troops. He was twice injured and was part of the Canadian Unit when they and the ‘Worcester’s’ were the first
to cross the River Rhine into Germany.
At the end of the war in May 1945, Barry was shipped to Panzer Barracks in Hamm, Germany before being demobbed at Herford. In 2016 he was awarded the The Chevalier National Order of the Legion of Honour for recognition of his part in the Liberation of France and for his efforts and impact as a British soldier in the alleviation of France from German occupation. Barry was discharged from the Army in late 1945 and first joined the Regimental Association in 1946 and was a member of both the Worcester and Kidderminster branch WFRA.
GABB
Lt Col Alwynne Maudsley GABB OBE of Worcester died on 26 November 2021 aged 96. He followed his father, who joined the Regiment before WWI and commanded the 1st Bn
from 1935-39, and was commissioned into the Worcestershire Regiment in October 1944. Shortly after the war he joined the 1st Bn in BAOR, then Trieste, Pola and Berlin during the Airlift before commanding the Training Company at the Depot at Norton Barracks. He returned to the Bn
in Iserlohn and went with it to Jamaica
before being posted as an instructor at Sandhurst. He was a Coy Comd in the
1st Bn in Minden and was then appointed Chief Instructor at Mons Officer Cadet School. He was appointed CO of the 1st Bn and commanded them in Gibraltar and Bulford from 1966-1969 and then spent two years as SO1 APRE. When, in 1972, the Adjutant General expressed concern about ill-discipline at MCTC and demanded the appointment as Commandant of a good regimental officer, he was selected for the post. A post that saw him awarded the OBE. He then managed Devon and Cornwall Training Areas until retirement
in 1978 and was then Commandant of Okehampton Camp as an RO until 1987. He then served at RHQ as Regimental Secretary before retiring in 1990.
GALLAGHER
Major Paul Gallagher died on the 18th December 2020. He commissioned into the 5/6th Battalion, North STAFFORDS TA. He later commanded the Anti-Tank Platoon with the MERCIAN VOLUNTEERS, then was appointed 2IC C Company before later taking on the role of OC of C Company.
In 1981 he took over as OC A Coy
1 MERCIAN VOLUNTEERS.
GLEED-OWEN
Pte Richard GLEED- OWEN (used Owen) died in November 2021. As a RN veteran, he joined the HSF with 5 Pln, F Coy, 3 WFR
GLIDER
CSgt Darren ‘Daz’ L GILDER of Nottingham, died on 7 July 2021 aged 56. Daz, the son of WO2 (RQMS) Harry Gilder (SF & WFR), was enlisted into The Worcestershire and
Sherwood Foresters Regiment on 10 August 1981, prior to the commencement of basic training at the Infantry Junior Leaders Bn, Shorncliffe on 15 September 1981. He joined the 1st Bn in Hemer, Germany, in September 1982 and also served within Germany, Cyprus and the UK. He also served on numerous operational duties in NI and Bosnia, and was involved in major exercises in the USA, Canada, Jamaica and Jordan. He was awarded the LSGC, GSM (NI), UN Medal Cyprus, ACSM and the NATO Medal (former Yugoslavia clasp) and was awarded a Commendation for his outstanding work as an Int NCO, Omagh, 1989 - 1991. Daz was discharged on 16 November 2004 after a full career
GRAHAM
Pte Michael ‘Mick’ Stanley GRAHAM of Worcester died on 1 February 2021 aged 73. Mick enlisted into the Worcestershire Regiment
in October 1965. In A Coy,
Mick saw service in Gibraltar, Libya, Iran and Bulford, UK. During Mick`s service he was in the Regimental shooting team, which saw success at Bisley. Mick was discharged from the Worcestershire Regiment in March 1969.
GREAVES
Frank William Greaves, who served with the Cheshire Regiment, died on the 10th January 2021.
GUNTRIP
Ken Guntrip BEM, who served with the 1st Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment Corps of Drums and 4th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment, died on the 4th December 2020.
HAMILTON
Hugh Robert HAMILITON died on 2 May 2021 aged 83. Hugh started his National Service with the 1ST Bn
The Sherwood Foresters and was commissioned as 2LT on 7 July 1956 and
promoted to Lt with the 8th and 5/8th
from 1957 to 1963. Hugh also served as a Captain with London Scottish from 1963 to 1968.
HARRISON
Elaine HARRISION, wife of CSgt Ian ‘H’ Harrison died on 14 February 2021.
HARVEY
LCpl Patrick HARVEY died on 30 April
2021 aged 71. Patrick enlisted with the Sherwood Foresters on 4 August 1967 and served with C Coy. On 7 October 1970 he transferred to the Staffordshire Regiment and discharged from the army on 8 October 1973. He subsequently joined 3 WFR until his discharge on 12 April 1991.
HAWKE
Major Tony Hawke, ex North Stafford, died on Sunday 25th September 2021.
HUME
Peter Hume died on 19th November 2021. He served with the Staffordshire Regiment as an ex Mortars from 1958 onward.
HUTCHIN
John Hutchin died on 18th March 2021 at age 97. He was a WW2 Chindit veteran who served with the South Staffords.
HUTCHINS
Major Dennis Hutchings died on 18th October 2021.
IMMS
A/CSgt Barry Raymond IMMS died on 10 August 2021 aged 79. Barry enlisted into the 1st Bn The Worcestershire Regiment on 27 March 1961 and served in B Coy at Worcester,
Belize, Minden, Lydd, Gibraltar, Tobruk,
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