Ward, our Chairman, was seriously ill and, sadly, he did not recover. Ken was the founding member of the Stockport Branch and had worked hard to develop such a thriving group. He led the team with such enthusiasm; his impact was just as crucial on the Association in general. The final design and production of the Association Standards owe much to the drive and endeavour of Ken aided by Lt Col Tony Angel. Ken was a long serving member of The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment and of The Mercian Volunteers, a natural leader and highly respected by his fellow Mercians. He will be sorely missed. A large contingent of the Association was present at his funeral held at St George’s Church, Stockport, on 9th June.
We intend to organise a similar visit in 2010. We keep in touch with members now living away from the area and overseas keeping them informed of events even exporting Polo Shirts and a Fleece to New Zealand. Christmas was celebrated in the usual style. Branch meetings are held on the third Friday in the month, alternating between the Armoury and The Armoury Pub where we discuss any urgent business before we start the curry!
Walsall The Association Standards at Ken Ward’s Funeral
The Branch has been very active attending numerous events. We attended the St George’s Day Service at Manchester Cathedral and the Mayor of Stockport’s Dedication at St Mary’s Church, Stockport. The month of May saw the Branch parading through Kidderminster with 4th Battalion The Mercian Regiment exercising their right to march through the Town with “Drums beating, Colours flying and bayonets fixed”. Then to a Cheshire Regiment event with the Mons Parade at Chester. The Branch joined the other Branches at the Dedication of the Standards at the National Memorial Arboretum, following on to the Mercian Pilgrimage at Crich. The Branch paraded with The Cheshire Regiment Association at the St Julien Parade with a service at the St George’s Church, Stockport, and afterwards at the Reception at The Armoury. The Branch attended the dedication in Bramall Park. It was an excellent evening at the Armoury with a large attendance of ex-Cheshires and a good number of ex-Mercians for the Annual East Cheshire Reunion. The gathering was entertained by the Bollington Brass before and during the meal. Members of the 4th Battalion back from Afghanistan joined the gathering. There were “old” Mercian faces there that we hadn’t seen for some time. It was good to see them but we must not forget the old stalwarts who are always present. The Branch took part in the Stockport Remembrance Day Parade. Continuing with the Branch’s Charity work, members helped with a Paint Ball Game which raised funds for Army Benevolent Fund and Branch Funds.
Three members of the Branch joined with the Tranmere Branch of the Cheshire Regiment Association to visit Belgium for the 2009 Remembrance. They attended ceremonies in Leper and made visits to places of significant interest, finding it a very moving experience.
150 October 2010
Since the last AGM in March 2009, the Branch has been most proactive in raising funds for “Troop Aid” at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham by various means under Philip Fairbrace and his team of fund raisers and we held a collection at The Shenstone Garden Centre. Local public houses were also targeted with collection tins and our hosts, Eddie and Emma Hillback, also organised a charity night at Rock steady Eddie’s in Walsall. Don Sharratt and friends from the Amery Scooter Club raised £1050 with a “ride out” and 150 Scooters descended on Rock Steady Eddie’s to make the presentation to the Walsall Branch one Sunday lunchtime in June. The local people were suitably impressed, and the event was covered by three of our local newspapers and BBC Television local news.
During September, the Branch invited Captain Al Sutton of the “Troop Aid” charity to give a talk on what the charity does for our injured service personnel at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. He brought along LCpl Jim Inkster from 3 MERCIAN, who had been injured very severely in Iraq and who related to the Branch how he had sustained his injuries and the support he had received. The evening ended with Philip Fairbrace, on behalf of the Walsall Branch, presenting a cheque for £2500 for the “Troop Aid” charity. Emma Hillback kindly prepared a buffet for the evening. The event was covered by the local press. Phillip Fairbrace and Paul Geddling, with the permission of Walsall Bescot Market, organised a collection on a Sunday morning and raised £1,392 and the proceeds were again sent to “Troop Aid”.
By kind permission of Lt Col Forgrave, CO of the 4th Battalion, Association members were invited to a de-brief on the work of Normandy Company 4 MERCIAN who had recently returned from deployment in Afghanistan. WO1 (RSM) Mick Whillock conducted the debrief which was supported by a display of weapons and equipment. Afterwards, members were entertained to a curry supper and drinks in the WOs’ & Sgts’ Mess. This was an excellent evening appreciated by everyone: we were made so welcome and we would like to thank members of 4 MERCIAN. Branch members, with their Standard and Standard bearer, Mac Powell, took their place in the 4 MERCIAN Freedom Parade in Kidderminster during the summer. The Branch was also prominent at the Annual Remembrance Parade at Walsall Cenotaph; Bill Goring carried the Standard on this occasion as Mac Powell was awaiting a hip operation. Bill Goring also carried the Standard
at the Derby and Nottingham Freedom parades in early December.
Our busy year concluded with a Christmas Disco on 12th December and numerous raffle prizes, far too many to remember! Again, Emma surpassed herself with a wonderful buffet. The Walsall Branch would like to thank all the members from other Branches for attending our Christmas Function. From what I can remember, a good time was had by all! On 20th December, our friends from the Amery Unionist Club held a grand raffle and raised £1,000 which was donated to the Branch for their various charities. One of the prizes in the raffle was a cake, made and decorated by Mrs Joan Kenn, mother of two of our members, one of whom is serving in Afghanistan. The Branch donated £500 to Troop Aid and £500 to Combat Stress. The Branch would like to thank all those who have been so generous in their support of the work of the Charities - particularly the Amery Club.
One sad note was that one of our members, Sgt Jon Fox, died earlier in the year form a brain Haemorrhage. His Funeral was well attended by the Branch together with the Standard.
The Branch has 75 paid up members and several non-paying members: two of our members are currently serving with 4 MERCIAN, one ex-Mercian is on an operational tour in Afghanistan with the RAF Regiment and another member resides in Germany working for the Civil Service and occasionally making it back to Walsall to keep in touch with fellow Branch members.
John Kirk, Chairman of the Walsall Branch and Don Sharratt, founder member of the Amery Scooter Club at the presentation of a cheque for Troop Aid. West Midland roads were taken over by150 scooter club members riding into Walsall to deliver the cheque at “Rock Steady Eddie’s”
The Walsall Standard carried by Bill Goring at Nottingham
The Mercian Eagle
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