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and Mick Leeming from the Worcester Branch who joined us for lunch, prior to moving on to Crich. As per last year, the buffet was of excellent quality. Our “band of workers” (namely Roy Crump, Dennis Brown and Brian Smith) continues to help out at Crich on a weekly basis, no matter what the weather throws at them!
Our Standards and a party from the Branch attended the Remembrance Day Parade in Chaddesden Park, which is held for children from the Primary Schools in Chaddesden. On 11th November, we paraded at Soldiers’ Corner in Nottingham Road Cemetery for a service of Remembrance. To celebrate Alma Day,
Derby Branch at Chaddesden Park, Schools Remembrance Day Parade
we held a curry lunch at the “Mount Everest”, a Ghurkha Restaurant in Derby. The owner, Suresh, opened the restaurant on a Sunday lunchtime especially for us. As the meal was being served, a voice was heard to say “I thought we were having a starter”. The answer came back: “That IS your starter, the main course is to follow”. The afternoon can be summed up by “Good food, good company”. What more can one ask for?
To commemorate the Centenary of WW1, the village of Hilton held a parade and a short service of Remembrance. We were invited to attend and did so with our Standard and a party from the Branch. Five Standards were on parade accompanied by a drummer and bugler from 4 MERCIAN. It came as a bit of a shock to our Standard Bearer, Brian Smith, when, quite unexpectedly, he was asked to take control of the Standard Party. Two soldiers from 2 MERCIAN unveiled a plaque on which were engraved the names of all service personnel from Hilton who had given their lives. The service concluded with a fly past by a Tiger Moth aeroplane representing the bi-planes of WWI. Our Standard Bearers, Brian Smith and Ivan Gasgoigne, have attended a number of funerals and events during the past year. They endeavour to attend when asked and we thank them for their dedication.
Derby Branch WFRA Curry Lunch to celebrate Alma Day
Ron Mills (since deceased) and the Derby Branch Standards on Remembrance Day
THE MERCIAN EAGLE