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Gheluvelt Memorial Renovation
Lt Col Keith Jeavons TD
We are extremely grateful to the Memorial Team of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, for their work on renovating and upgrading the Memorial in Gheluvelt. The memorial in the town of Ghuluvelt, scene of the First World War Battle, has been renovated by the Worcestershire Ambassadors in association with the City Council, the Mercian Regiment, and the Worcestershire World War 100 and included new side panels. These side panels list the men who fell on 31 October 1914, when the Germans broke through Allied line near Gheluvelt, Belgium, before a critical counter- attack by the Worcestershire Regiment restored the line. This was a crucial moment in the First Battle of Ypres, which saw more than 200,000 casualties on both sides.
The Battle of Gheluvelt, fought in the early stages of the First World War, saw 187 members of 2nd Battalion, the Worcestershire Regiment, killed out of 370 who began the operation to retake the town. Despite these losses, the town was saved and the line restored. As a result of the capture of Gheluvelt against overwhelming odds, the gap in the British lines was closed, Ypres remained in Allied hands and the Channel Ports were saved. The Worcestershire Regiment’s account of the battle said German forces made no further effort that day to retake Gheluvelt.
The reason for the enemy’s inaction is not clear, but it is possible that the boldness of the counter-attack may have given the impression The Worcestershires were the first wave of a stronger force.
The memorial also contains the battle honours of the Worcestershire Regiment, making it the only memorial of the whole First World War campaign fought by many battalions of the regiment.
The newly renovated Gheluvelt Memorial
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, all planned activities for this memorial, including the unveiling by the Lord Lieutenant of Worcestershire, had to be cancelled; however, a wreath was very kindly laid on 31st October by the Ypres RBL branch on behalf of all who had originally intended to be at Gheluvelt
Mercian Regimental Association
Stockport Branch
Steven Gregory
At Stockport, at the start of the year, there existed three regimental associations: Mercian, Cheshire and Mercian Volunteers, with many participants having two, or even three memberships. The culmination of debate spanning a couple of years (it felt longer!) was that all three associations should combine to become Stockport Branch CRA & MVRA The Mercian Regimental Association. It’s a bit of a tongue-twister, but conforms to the MRA naming convention and maintains a tangible link to the antecedent regiments and associations. Subscriptions were set at £10 per annum and all material assets were combined.
A formal set of rules has been created; these are evolving continually in the light of operation. The Branch Secretary, Peter
Marsh, has done some sterling work in cataloguing all the assets within the ARC at Stockport to help clarify providence and ownership. To commemorate ‘Tria Juncta In Uno’, the Chair, Mike Pilkington, has arranged for the free issue of an MRA polo shirt to all fully subscribed members.
The Coronavirus pandemic has obviously had a huge detrimental impact upon proceedings, limiting the number of face-to-face meetings (in fact at the time of writing, we had only managed two). However, the mantra ‘Adapt and Move Forward’ has been well adopted, with the Committee meeting regularly by ‘Zoom’. Full branch meetings have also been conducted over the internet.
The committee have also undertaken regular ‘ring-arounds’ to ensure the well-being and continued engagement of the members. The Branch Standard has been present to pay respects when required and particular thanks for this to Derek Sykes, who has also received
a Lord Lieutenant’s Certificate for his welfare work for the Cheshire Regiment Association over the years. Derek continues his sterling contribution under the MRA banner.
This year, 2020, the MRA Branch Committee plans were well underway for the 73rd occasion of the ECR, but due to the impact of COVID-19, a much-reduced event will continue the unbroken run in December.
The event, now entitled The East Cheshire Reunion has run every year since and plans are already underway to conduct the 74th occasion of the ECR, to be held in Stockport on 30th October 2021.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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