Page 144 - Mercian Eagle 2014

Ilkeston Branch
by Ken Protheroe
The Branch is small in number but all eight members are strong
in spirit! During the summer, Branch members with the Standard attended most of the local Gala Days. The most memorable was our attendance at the Well Dressing in the village of West Hallam where a brief service was held to commemorate the beginning of World
War I. Appropriately, the Standard was carried by our Standard Bearer, Doug Hudson, who is a local lad.
Crich Pilgrimage is always an important day in our calendar and all of our members were able to attend in 2014. A Sherwood Foresters’ wreath was laid by a Branch member. We were present at the short service and parade on Remembrance Sunday at Ilkeston Cenotaph where we laid a wreath. We continue to hold our biannual lunches with guests to commemorate the battles of The Alma and Badajoz.
With age creeping up, our aim is to show local people that the Ilkeston Branch is alive and kicking!
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done, some from the TA where it was assumed that the HSF would be easier on the feet (it wasn’t) or a career opportunity (it wasn’t always) and some from the Cadet Adult Instructor staff (eager to join the TA) but a number of HSF Platoons throughout Great Britain were commanded throughout by a WO2.
The HSF were deployed to each county (or equivalent) and, in some cases, this was in the form of a Detachment of a Company HQ in the neighbouring county. The role also involved liaison with civil authorities and there was always a Police Officer about somewhere on Exercise. Deployment eventually found its own level and, despite a few rebadgings and disbandments, the HSF stood strong until its final disbandment in 1992. Some HSF troops had managed to re-engage just before that, however,
and served until 1994. Many sponsoring Battalions benefitted greatly from having HSF troops around. RSMs found the reassurance of having experienced and mature HSF troops made their jobs easier.
As we all know, if the RSM is happy, everyone is happy. The HSF made its mark. Many HSF Platoons had ex-WO1s serving amongst them.
events between the many HSF Veterans’ Groups (“Units”) throughout Great Britain. The HSF Grove exists at the National
Kidderminster Branch
by Peter Dunn
WFRA Kidderminster Branch and The Royal British Legion Kidderminster Branch made a combined visit to the National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) on Friday 15th August 2014 (the anniversary of VJ Day).
Having enquired before we went whether there were any commemorative events
on that day, I discovered that associates (relatives, friends etc) of the Malaya Defence Force Volunteers (Europeans, Eurasians
and Chinese who were imprisoned by the Japanese in Singapore: the Chinese were executed) always gathered in the Far East Section of the NMA where they have a memorial. I asked if we could join them
If you served at
any of the following
locations in the HSF,
TA or as a member of
Permanent Staff, please
contact Paul Hallett
through RHQ (or visit
www.hsfassociation.
com): Worcester,
Kidderminster, Walsall,
Tamworth, Stockport,
Ellesmere Port,
Runcorn, Derby, Chesterfield, Beeston (Nottingham), Mansfield or Worksop. If you wish to offer comment, please do so; all discussions, pictures and memories will be warmly welcomed.
The HSF Association, in its present form, is currently arranging disbandment. This is because it has been increasingly difficult to coordinate communications and
Memorial Arboretum and you can support its maintenance if you wish. We are currently making arrangements to increase the number of trees to the maximum allowed, to add commemorative plaques and, perhaps, a second bench. The Association also has
a collection of written, documentary and pictorial evidence and
you can contribute to that. Some of it will be displayed on our website while it is also hoped that a book can still be published explaining the role of the HSF.
The next time you are on a local Freedom March (or similar), have a close look at the lapel badges. You will definitely find a green or red HSF badge.
The HSF Grove exists at the National Memorial Arboretum and you can support its maintenance if you wish.
Last Post at National Memorial Arboretum
Laying Wreaths. RBL Kidderminster and Kidderminster Branch WFRA Standards in the background
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