Regimental News Colonel of The Regiment
Major General C G S Hughes CBE has relinquished the posts of Colonel The Mercian Regiment and Commandant The Prince of Wales's Division. He has been succeeded as Colonel The Mercian Regiment by Brigadier A R D Sharpe OBE, late CHESHIRE, and as Commandant The Prince of Wales's Division by Major General R J M Porter MBE late RRW.
Deputy Lieutenant
Congratulations to Brigadier J A J Thompson OBE QVRM TD, Honorary Colonel 4th Battalion, on his appointment as Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Cheshire.
Droppin’ Well Memorial
Relatives of those lost in the Droppin’ Well bombing in Ballykelly in 1983 gathered on 7th December 2008 to remember those killed and injured in the atrocity. Friends and family of the dead attended a service at Tamlaghfinlagan Church where a memorial stone marking the tragedy was relocated from Shackleton Barracks earlier this year in preparation for the closure of the Barracks and a memorial garden was dedicated. In all, seventeen people, including eleven soldiers, were slain in the INLA blast on 6th December 1982: all of the dead were under 26 years old. The bomb exploded as revellers sang “Happy Birthday” to Limavady girl, Ruth Dixon.
The Service was led by Reverend Harold Given and prayers were taken by
Droppin’ Well Memorial Re-dedication Plaque
Canon Samuel McVeigh. Bishop Ken Good preached a sermon and readings were given by the Lord Lieutenant, Sir Desmond Denis CBE, and Brigadier Andrew Sharpe OBE, late The Cheshire Regiment, the 1st Battalion of which suffered heavy losses in the bombing. Relatives of some of the soldiers killed in the tragedy and members of CRA travelled from England to attend the ceremony, during which a special garden surrounding the memorial stone was dedicated. Canon Sam McVeigh said that the Service was as moving as always: “The memorial stone was moved earlier this year and a section of land was given by the Ministry of Defence to the parish for a memorial garden to be included” he said. “The garden was dedicated at the ceremony and quite a few family members from England were able to come and attend the Service, which was very much appreciated”. Over £1,400 - raised by family members, businesses and the community - was donated to the Church of Ireland by the Droppin’ Well War Memorial Committee to maintain the memorial stone in the grounds of Tamlaghtfinlagan.
Apology
The Editor apologises to Lt Aaron Browne for spelling his Christian name incorrectly and for listing him as being an officer in The Rifles in this section of the first issue of The Mercian Eagle: he took this information in good faith from the MOD Op Herrick Honours and Awards list. Lt Browne was, in fact, commissioned into The Royal Irish Regiment (V): he transferred to The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment when he served with The West Midlands Regiment (V) and he is now in The Mercian Regiment serving with the 2nd Battalion.
Honours and Awards Droppin’ Well Memorial 8 October 2009
Congratulations to the following: to Colonel K T Haugh MBE, late The Staffordshire Regiment, on the award of the CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to Army Welfare; to Major P W Kimber on the award
The Mercian Eagle
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