The Volunteer - NWRFCA - Northwest Reserve Forces & Cadets ...

EDITORIAL
Once again, this edition of the
Volunteer in the North West reflects
the huge variety of activities,
achievements and ambitions of our reservists
and cadets in the North West. From the High
Atlas via a Cheshire stately home, on a bed
flying around Blackpool to capering cadets in
Stand
with
me!
Do your bit to support the
brave Service men and
women serving today and
those who fought for our
freedom.
If you can spare just a few
hours to collect, please
volunteer to help your local
Poppy Appeal this year.
We can organise times and
locations to suit you and
you’ll meet lots of other
interesting Poppy People!
Please call 0800 085 5924
or visit www.poppy.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 219279
For our
Armed Forces,
past and
present.
4 THE VOLUNTEER www.nwrfca.org.uk
Canada – what fun we all had this summer!!
And long may we continue to do so.
But it has not all been light-hearted as the
pictures taken on 4 MERCIAN’s recent tour in
Afghanistan so vividly remind us. They reflect
the essential support that our reserves provide
to the Country’s war effort and the professional
way in which they conduct themselves.
Unfortunately our lives are now being
affected by grim warnings over financial
restraint. Writing of the current round of costsaving
measures in the latest edition of TAQ,
Director Reserves (Army) notes: “I certainly do
not underestimate the impact that these cuts
have had on many of you”. And Brig Mike
Wharmby, Gen Sec of the ACFA, writing in the
current Army Cadet magazine, observes:
“...there may be challenging times ahead for
the Army’s cadets........in the face of this the
ACF must do as it always does when times are
hard – focus on the essentials.”
However, despite these gloomy forebodings,
OBITUARY
COLONEL (HONORARY) MARY CREAGH
OBE TD BA JP DL DAME COMMANDER
(with star) OF THE EQUESTRIAN ORDER OF
THE HOLY SEPULCHRE.
Colonel Mary Creagh, 89, of Formby,
Liverpool, died on 15 September 2009 at
Southport Hospital.
Colonel Creagh was born in 1919,
daughter of the late Harold and Ivy Creagh.
She was educated at Notre Dame Convent,
Birkdale, and the University of Liverpool,
graduating with a BA Diploma of Education.
She was Company Secretary to Peter Marsh
& Sons, Bootle, Merseyside, from 1947 to
1985.
Colonel Creagh served with the Territorial
Army from 1950 to 1965, attaining the rank
of Lieutenant Colonel, and received the OBE
for her services to the Territorial Army. She
was an important member of the then
North West TAVRA (now North West RFCA)
and a member of many Association
Committees, as well as being adviser for
the United Kingdom ACF and CCF
Association Committee. She was also the
Honorary Colonel for Greater Manchester
ACF from 1986-1991.
Amongst her many roles, she was a
former High Sheriff of Merseyside, a
the chains of command, ably supported by
North West RFCA, are doing all that they can to
ensure that essential training is maintained
and that our volunteers of every hue are
properly employed and retained until some
form of financial stability returns.
Whilst not wishing to continue in a
pessimistic vein, it was with great pride and
not a little sadness that we said farewell to 33
Signal Regiment at the recent Disbandment
Parade at Huyton. Compliments were prolific
at the ceremony which was generously laid on
by the Borough of Knowsley but a couple of
the points made by the Honorary Colonel in
his farewell speech caused just a little
discomfort to the MPs who were present!
Finally we record with sadness the death of
Colonel Mary Creagh in her 90th year. A
shortened obituary appears in this journal
which probably does not do justice to
describe the enormous impact she had on the
TA and Cadets on Merseyside and on society
in general. Will we ever see her like again?!
Deputy Lieutenant, a JP, the Lord
Lieutenant’s Representative for the Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award Scheme and Deputy
Chairman of the Merseyside Army
Benevolent Fund Committee. She was also
a prominent member of the Royal British
Legion and until recently President of the
Formby Branch.
Her interests were travel, gardening,
reading and above all PEOPLE.
She left behind a wealth of good works
and memories and will be very sadly
missed.