BRAVE soldiers from Worcestershire who fought and died will be remembered in a commemoration service to mark the 110th anniversary of a First World War battle.
The service will take place at Gheluvelt Park in Worcester to mark the 110th Anniversary of the Battle of Gheluvelt on October 31, 1914.
Held at the Gheluvelt Memorial (Formerly the Interpretative Feature) Gheluvelt Park, Worcester, this year's service will take place on Sunday, October 27 at 11.30am.
In attendance will be a small contingent from the village of Geluveld, Belgium, which includes the Mayor of Zonnebeke who`s area covers the village of Geluveld.
Also in attendance will be Lady Lucy French whose great grandfather, Lord French Earl of Ypres formerly opened the park in 1922.
The Vice Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Worcestershire along with other civil dignitaries and Regimental Associations will also be in attendance. The service is open to the public and they are welcome to attend.
In March 2023 the refurbished memorial in the village of Geluveld was unveiled and rededicated.
In attendance there was soldiers of the Mercian Regiment, Dr Cllr Adrian Gregson, then Mayor of Worcester, Worcester Ambassadors, Representatives of the Mercian Museum (Worcestershire) and members of the Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association.
The service will commemorate the achievements of men of the 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment. It was a counterattack which saved Ypres from capture and the British Army from defeat. At the end of the day 187 of all ranks had been killed or wounded.
The service will be conducted by Reverend Colin Butler MBE and has been organised by the Worcester Branch of The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regimental Association in partnership with Worcester City Council.
On October 31 in 1914, after 10 days of battle, nearly every unit had been drawn into the battle line and had been broken beyond recovery.
The 2nd Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment was the last available reserve of the British defence.
At 12.45pm A Company advanced to a railway embankment to prevent the enemy advancing up the Menin Road. At 1pm, Major Hankey was given orders to counter attack. At 2pm with bayonets fixed, the Battalion moved off in file. Everywhere there were signs of retreat. The Worcesters alone were moving towards the enemy.
Three Companies B, C and D moved down down into a valley, (the three Companies number 370 soldiers in total).
Nigel Fish, chair and association secretary, said: "The two leading Companies broke into a steady double and swept forward – the officers leading and, behind them, their men with fixed bayonets in one long irregular line.
"They scrambled across the light railway, through hedges and wire fences and then, in the grounds of Gheluvelt Chateau, they closed with the enemy.
"The South Wales Borderers had made a wonderful stand: all day, they held their ground at the Chateau. Their resistance had delayed and diverted the German advance and the success of the counter attack was largely due to their brave defence."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here