The Royal Anglian Regiment Association. Wisbech Branch, Cambridgeshire.

The Cambridgeshire Branch R.ANG Regt Assoc. wishes to support the Armed Forces Day in Ely on Saturday 22 June. Roger Herriot DL has offered to lead on this event. However, he will need some volunteers to assist. As Ely is the home of our Regimental Chapel our presence will be good publicity for our Association. Can you please consider assisting; with a good number we can spread the load and enjoy the day.

Will be thinking of my sister's family today as her father-in-law Bill Durrant has died.

The bells around town will be ringing out TODAY to mark the 80th anniversary of D-day.
9.30am Walpole St Peter
10.45am Wisbech St Mary
4.45pm Elm
5.30pm Walsoken
6.00pm Emneth
6.30pm Wisbech St Peter and St Paul
7.30pm Wisbech St Mary

Additionally, they will ring 2 Quarter Peals at Wisbech St Peter on Friday at 9.30am and 10.45am and another at Walpole St Andrew on Saturday at 10am.

The beacon lighting took place in Wisbech Park.
Sorry if anyone missed the lighting, as for some reason this took place more than 20 minutes before the official and advertised time. As a result the beacon was well alight by 21:15.
There was a good turnout by veterans and representatives.

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Happy Birthday to Us!!! 120 years ago today (18/04/1904), The Union Jack Club was legally constituted, to provide a vital London home-from-home for non-commissioned members of HM Armed Forces and their families, and also as a National Memorial to the Fallen. We opened our doors to servicemen in 1907 and since then, through two World Wars, international conflicts and in blessed peacetime, millions of those who Serve our country have stayed here, for rest, recovery and we know, recreation! We send our very best to you our Members and friends, we thank you for keeping our country safe and free, and for letting us look after you in this, your London base! (Pictured is an extract from our first minute book in 1904).

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The Band of The Royal Anglian Regiment Spring Concert - 18 May 24. Bury St Edmunds. Free entry so find out more here: https://www.royalanglianregiment.com/bandconcertmay24/

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Tribute Singer Concert with Gary Goodmaze as Freddie Mercury and Andrew Spall singing classics from Elvis, Lionel Richie, Tom Jones, Elton John, Frank Sinatra and many more epic artists on the 8th September 2023. Constitutional Club, Guildhall Street, Bury St Edmunds.

See the website for more information and to secure tickets. www.royalanglianregiment.com/news/tribute-singer-concert/

It was , the 30 April 1922 that the Ely Market Place War Memorial was unveiled and recorded the names of 165 men from the parishes of Ely St. Mary & Ely.

One hundred years ago, the impact of the First World War, which had ended in November 1918, could be seen across the population of Ely; From the vast number of former service personnel, some left disabled by their time in uniform, to the numerous grieving families of those who never came home, all now trying to get on with their new lives. While it was a population deeply affected by the collective strain of the War, most were now looking to move on as best they could. However, despite three years having passed since the Armistice, Ely and indeed the wider Isle of Ely and County of Cambridgeshire, did not have permanent war memorials that could form a focal point for personal and public reflection. Since 1917, the Almonry wall to the side of Ely's Market Square had been home to a temporary war shrine, but the complicated discussions about a more permanent and fitting memorial had been dragging on since well before the War had ended.

By 1920, numerous ideas had been put forward, however, as time passed these suggestions faltered and failed until the weight of public support was behind a central war memorial, with smaller congregation specific memorials located inside some of the local churches. The new main memorial was to be located on the site of the existing war shrine and, after much discussion and planning, it was finally unveiled by Major General Sir S.W. Hare on April 30, 1922. The day saw the Market Square and surrounding buildings overflowing with people, including many former soldiers, and finally the population of Ely paused to remember and reflect at their new memorial. Less than two weeks later, on May 11, a further well attended service took place at the Cathedral for the unveiling of the County War Memorial, in St George's Chapel.

Later this year, on October 1st, Ely Museum will be opening a new temporary exhibition, titled "A Pause to Reflect", which will look into the stories behind both the Ely War Memorial and the County War Memorial in the Cathedral. Consisting of numerous photographs, documents, objects and medals, all relating to the memorials and the days they were unveiled, the exhibition will be on display until early December.

Military Archaeology

Great opportunity to visit the Oxford Archaeology excavation at Waterbeach. Saturday and Sunday 3rd April 2022

A good turnout of veterans, families, cadets and reps of local groups at last night's Open Evening of the Singapore Exhibition at Wisbech Library and Wisbech & Fenland Museum last night. The exhibition runs until April.

Wheatsheaf Wisbech

Tomorrow evening we will be sharing on this page the commemoration of the anniversary of the Fall of Singapore live from Kranji War Cemetery.

The 8th to 15th of February marks eighty years since the fall of Singapore during World War Two, as Japanese forces took control of the British stronghold. Commonwealth forces suffered more than 138,000 casualties, of whom more than 130,000 were prisoners of war.

Today, CWGC’s Kranji War Cemetery contains the graves of more than 4,400 Commonwealth service personnel who fought during the Battle of Singapore and other battles during World War Two or who died as prisoners in the hands of their captors. The names of more than 24,000 servicemen and women who have no known grave are engraved on our Singapore Memorial.

Programme issued by the Borough Council for the community singing event to mark the 'Cessation of Hostilities in Europe'. There's a piece of Shakespeare for every occasion and the one quoted is part of a speech by John of Gaunt in Act 2 Scene 1 of Richard II.

Within Wisbech St. Peter's Church can be found the memorial dedicated by members of the Singapore Club to their comrades who were killed in action or died in captivity in the Far East, 1942-45.

Wisbech & Fenland Musuem are holding an exhibition, in connection with the Fall of Singapore, during February and March. At 7PM On Thursday 10th March, an evening opening will allow members of the branch, other branches and their guests to view the exhibition and the Cambridgeshire Regiment display. Contact secretary (or museum for further details ) and to book a place.
If you can't make the evening then visit during the days, however best to check with the museum beforehand as ongoing building work is limiting opening times. Thursday and Saturdays at present.

The Royal Anglian Big Breakfast at 10AM onwards on Saturday 26th February 2022 will be held simultaneously at venues across 10 counties. The nearest venue for our area is The Wheatsheaf, Church Terrace, Wisbech. All former Anglians welcome. See you there.

Singapore anniversary

The Battle of Bukit Batok 80 years ago, Singapore was invaded by Imperial Japan in World War Two on 8th Feb 1942. In an eight day push to conquer the city, several battles took place ...

https://www.cambridgeshirelieutenancy.org.uk/tim-seal/

It's easier to keep track of some former comrades.

Brigadier Tim Seal TD DL – The Lieutenancy of Cambridgeshire Tim was born in Essex and moved to Cambridgeshire in 1987 where he started his career in Sales and Business Development, at the same time as joining the Army Reserve as an infantry soldier at Coldham’s Lane in Cambridge.

Remembrance in Wisbech

Wisbech will be holding a “traditional” Remembrance Sunday event in the town on 14 November, a situation which had not been possible last year due to the Covid-19 regulations which had been in force.

The representatives of the Armed Forces, the cadet groups etc will form-up at the Market Place and then parade, followed by the Civic Party, to the War Memorial at 𝟏𝟎:𝟒𝟓 𝐚𝐦. The service at the War Memorial will commence at 𝟏𝟎:𝟓𝟎 𝐚𝐦. A two minutes’ silence will be observed at 𝟏𝟏:𝟎𝟎 𝐚𝐦, which will be followed by the laying of wreaths.

The various representatives of the Armed Forces, the cadet groups etc will march-off at the end of the Remembrance event at the War Memorial into the Market Place.

There will be the opportunity for members of the public to engage with the various representatives of the Armed Forces, the cadet groups etc in the Market Place. The Wisbech Branch of the Royal British Legion has arranged for certain cadets etc to receive certificates/awards. This will happen at 1.00 pm and the presentations will be undertaken by the Deputy Lieutenant for Cambridgeshire (the Queen’s representative) and the Town Mayor.

Wisbech Standard Fenland Citizen Fenland District Council Discovering Wisbech Magazine The Fens Magazine

Our local regiment.

On display at Ely Museum from today, Saturday 23 October 2021, through to Sunday 5 December 2021, is our latest temporary exhibition in the Marshall Fisher Gallery.

This new exhibition covers the story of the locally raised 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment during the Second World War, including their part in the fighting in Malaya and Singapore and their time spent as Far East Prisoners of War.

The wartime story of the Battalion is further told through a carefully curated range of objects and photographs connected to some of the men who served in the Battalion as well as specific information about these individuals.

Entry to this exhibition is included with your normal museum ticket or annual pass.

Last chance

This weekend is your last chance to see Urban & Civic's exhibition of archaeology: "Discovering Waterbeach Barracks' Past" in our Stone Barn.

Featuring highlights of the first round of archaeology from the development of the former Waterbeach Barracks and Airfield site, the exhibition will close on Thursday 21st October.

Visit us this weekend to find out more about the Iron Age and Roman history of our local area.

Can you help Ely Museum find photos of these local soldiers?

On display later this autumn at Ely Museum, our next temporary exhibition will cover the important and moving story of the local B Company, 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment during the Second World War.

This new display will also consist of numerous objects, photographs and stories relating to some of the local men who served in the 2nd Battalion during the War.

As part of this we are hoping to get in contact with any relatives who might have photographs of the following men:

5932957 Bertram Arthur Major - from Ely, born 1920, died in Norfolk in 2013

5932331 James Simeon Sells - from Littleport, born 1912, died while a Far East Prisoner of War, Thailand 3/2/45

5933171 Ralph William Spinks - from Ely, born 1913, Killed in Action 27/1/1942

5831128 Charles Samuel White - from Hadleigh in Suffolk, born 1916, Died of Wounds 16/2/1942

If you have photos of any of these men, please do email the photos to [email protected], contact the museum on 01353 666655 or message us here on Facebook

Please also share this post with anyone you think may be able to help, thank you!