Mercian Eagle Vol 1 No 2
The
The Mercian Regiment Incorporating:
The Oak Tree
Firm and Forester The Stafford Knot
All Enquiries:
Tel: 01905 354359 Fax: 01905 353871
Email:
rhq@wfr.army.mod.uk www.army.mod.uk/Mercian
Editorial
It was only when the finished product arrived on his desk that the Editor realised that none of the editorial or publishing staff names appeared anywhere in the first issue. Judging from the few adverse comments received, anonymity was probably no bad thing but, in fairness to all who put so much into producing that issue of The Mercian Eagle, the Editor wishes to make amends now and thank the many contributors and sub Editors for their hard work in producing the journal.
RHQ is a mystery to many in the Regiment but, without RHQ, many behind the scenes activities would not happen and our thanks go, particularly, to Andy McDougall, the office manager in Nottingham, who, without an Assistant Regimental Secretary, has kept the Nottingham office going so smoothly, ably helped by Angela Guthrie, for well over a year: he is to be congratulated on his hard work and devotion. We welcome Major Eddie Pickering to the post of Assistant Regimental Secretary in Chester: still finding his feet and wondering what he let himself in for… RHQ has said farewell to Janice Hyde and Heather Marriott who have given valuable service for two years and who have now left on promotion: we wish them well. Colonel Stephen Ashworth, who has been instrumental in setting up and guiding in its initial stages not just RHQ but the Regiment as a whole, is due to retire in January 2010. The Editor is due to retire at the end of March 2010 but Angela Arthur (who has served in RHQ Worcester for some 20 years) and Jenny Shenton (a mere 11 years!) will be able to soldier on for some months to come. Under present, recently-introduced rules, the recruitment/replacement of Civil Servants has ceased until further notice and those who are left in RHQ could find that the pressure of work will be high. It is likely that the new TA Centre in Worcester will be finished in late summer: the Worcestershire Regiment Archives and Museum Reserve Collection will then move into it and the present RHQ Worcester building will close. This will end some 140 years of regimental connection with Norton Barracks – a sad and regrettable milestone.
EDITORIAL Editor: Maj R S Prophet
Assistant Regimental Secretary The Mercian Regiment Norton Barracks Worcester WR5 2PA
PUBLISHER Maj C E J Mann Newton Mann Ltd
Newton Mann Ltd Fourteen Business Centre, 14 Town Street, Duffield DE56 4EH Tel: 01332 843107 Fax: 0845 009 8871 Email:
admin@newtonmann.co.uk www.newtonmann.co.uk
ADVERTISING Advertisement enquiries
should be addressed to Newton Mann Ltd
It is disappointing that we have had no news of many of our ACF or CCF detachments in this issue: perhaps they have gone to antecedent regiment newsletters and journals which, apparently, are still being produced. Remember that The Mercian Eagle is the only official record of the Regiment’s history in peacetime and will be referred to eagerly by historians in the future: if you do not write for the journal now, little will be known when someone wants to trace your history.
We should not lose sight of the help which many of our soldiers – young and old, serving and retired – need from the rest of us. Regimental Welfare funds have disbursed some £44,500 since March 2009 and that money has to come from somewhere. The Day’s Pay a Year (DPY) scheme covers much of it but the recent economic collapse has cut our income from investments by many thousands of pounds. Your help is needed if we are to continue to give this regiment the support which it deserves.
Finally, the Editor has received a number of comments (one letter has been printed) that much of the material in the Journal is out of date. This is inevitable in an annual journal (which was decreed by the Regimental Council) but, if you prefer to receive more issues per year, do not hesitate to write to the Editor. The journal is in a good financial state with funds coming from DPY and from subscribers but we need more subscribers. Compiling a regimental journal is a frustrating and often time-consuming business but it is very satisfying to see the finished product. The Editor can use only the material which he is given so he asks that all of you – of any rank – write in with your experiences, comments, ideas, questions and, above all, photographs of your time in the youngest and best Infantry Regiment in the Army.
STAND FIRM, STRIKE HARD!
6 October 2009
The Mercian Eagle
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