Walsall members manning their stall at the Garden Centre
at the United Services Club, Humber Road, Wolverhampton, bi-monthly on the last Sunday. More details are available on the website. We are now the proud owners of a Branch Standard which was dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum in June. During the year, the Branch has been engaged in a variety of events. There have been informal meetings at a local hostelry in the city, car boat sales and a regular programme of walks around the surrounding countryside organised by the Chairman. It was a proud grandfather who attended his grandson’s final parade at Catterick before he joined the 3rd Battalion. Bill Steed was a Signals WO2 with 1st Battalion The Mercian Volunteers. His son is now serving in Afghanistan as a Lt Col. Bill Steed’s family has a long tradition of serving with The South Staffordshire Regiment and The Mercian Regiment.
Alison & Richard Bates and Bill Goring with the Walsall Standard outside Derby Cathedral]
Wolverhampton
Under the Chairmanship of Eddie Hyde, the Branch continues to grow and be involved with the wider work of the Association. We meet
The Branch Annual Charity Appeal Challenge took place in Snowdonia this year. Fourteen members with family and friends walked successfully to the top of the mountain. The whole exercise was a great team building event and raised approximately £600. Two ex-Mercians took on the 10 PARA P Company Challenge on Sunday 13th September: Paul Gamston (MVRA Wolverhampton) and Tom Fox (MVRA Walsall) did this event in memory of their mate and fellow ex-Mercian, Jon Fox, who passed away recently. They raised over £500 for Help for Heroes but Tommy and Gammy completed this ten mile tab in full kit and boots with 35 pounds on their backs over the Catterick tank driver training area within the time set by the PARAs on their selection course (1hour 50 mins) to simulate a tactical advance to battle,
so there was no time to hang about! They trained up for this “tab” for around twelve weeks over Cannock Chase, reliving their youth as Mercians. Not bad considering that, the day before, they went up Snowdon with other members of the Wolverhampton Branch. A group of Members returned to North Wales in early January and walked up Cader Idris. This was an eventful day in arctic weather conditions which, with the ground, got the better of the intrepid walking party and Eddie “The Eagle” Hyde chose to make his own quick way down the mountain when we decided to abandon our ascent just 70 metres from the summit in the ice and snow... Eddie, the human bob sleigh, did about 300 metres in less than 30 seconds to claim victory in this new event – so well done to him! Fortunately, all he suffered were black and blue buttocks, legs and arms but he was first back to the warm car. Other winter walks have been planned. We took part in the Wolverhampton Poppy Appeal again this year. Members manned positions throughout the city armed with the familiar red boxes and dishing out poppies to anyone who caught the eye of the eager sellers. Members again collected outside Wolves’ Football ground. The final count showed that the Branch collected over £15,000. We raised money, also, for The Compton Hospice in Wolverhampton.
A number of members have been ill and they have been visited by other Branch members. It was good to see Bill O’Mara fit and well again at the last meeting. The Branch joined other Branches at the de-brief on the Afghanistan deployment at Wolseley House. Christmas was celebrated with a Dinner at the Mermaid Inn
Wolverhampton Branch on their Charity Challenge on Snowdon
The Mercian Eagle
October 2010 151
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