Branch Exhibition
From 2013 - 2019 the branch held an Exhibition in the Visitor Centre at Birkenhead Park.
The Exhibition involved information boards put together my members of the branch, giving information on the Great War. Either from a local point of view about men & women from the Merseyside area who served during the Great War or from a more wider point of view, events which happened in that year 100 years in the past. A display of Great War artifacts were on show and an excellent model of the Great War. In 2018 this involved showing the British Expedition Force advance in the final 100 days of the war. One of the most important aspects of the exhibition was inviting Children from local schools to attend. The Branch Chairman, Peter Threlfall and branch member Paul Knight would give a talk on the Great War, in an educating and entertaining way, so that future generations could learn what their ancestors did doing the war. The Exhibition ran for eight days, starting on the Saturday a week before Remembrance Sunday and finishing on the day before Remembrance Sunday. Members of the branch were on hand to answer questions from the public. The most successful year we had was 2018, the Centenary Year with over 1000 visitors attending over the eight days. To read a review and see pictures with our Exhibition in 2018 & 2019, click here. |
Branch Visits
United Kingdom
The branch goes on regular visits to places of interest. This can involve visiting a local area, where a member of the branch gives a talk about local people from that area who served in the Great War, walking around pointing out were they lived and any memorial they had in the local Churchyard.
The branch Deputy Chairman, Judith Beastall gave a talk & walk on her local area of Bromborough on the Wirral in 2017, entitled the "Great Bromborough War Walk". The branch Chairman, Peter Threlfall also gave a talk & walk on his local area of Oxton also on the Wirral in 2020. Most recently branch member, Bruce Hubbard in August 2021, did a talk & walk around his local area of Maghull in northern Liverpool on local places with a Great War Connection. The branch has also attended local events remembering people who served during the Great War. In November 2014 members of the branch were at Birkenhead Town hall when a plague was unveiled to remember the men who enlisted in the two battalions of the Birkenhead Bantams. The battalions were for men who wanted to enlisted but failed to meet the minimum height of 5 foot 3 heights, Any men between the heights of 5 foot and 5 foot 3 inches could enlisted in the battalion. In August 2018 a remembrance event was held at Anfield Cemetery in Liverpool, remembering members of the Chinese Labour Corps who served and died during the Great War and are buried in Anfield Cemetery. Members of the branch also attend local historical events to publicise the work of the Merseyside branch of the Western Front Association. To help educate people in the events of the Great War, so people won't forget the sacrifice of people who served during the war. On Saturday 6th April 2019 the Merseyside WFA Branch made an appearance along with other local organisations at the ‘Grand Opening Celebration’ event at Birkenhead Park to celebrate the opening of the park on 5th April 1847. As well as visiting local areas the branch has travelled further a field. With visits to Bodelwyddan Castle, North Wales in 2018, to visit the Trench Experience there. Also in the past visits have been carried out to Staffordshire Regimental Museum, Litchfield, Cannock Chase War Cemeteries, Caernarvon Castle RWF Museum and King's Shropshire LI Regimental Museum, and many more place throughout the North & Midlands of England. Every year the branch has the "Christmas Bash" on the first Thursday of the December. Originally they was carried out at the Albion Hotel, Chester, but in the last few years it has been held at the Refreshment Rooms on the river bank of the Mersey, at Rock Ferry. To read more about the branches local events click here. |
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International Visits
As well visiting Great War related sites in the United Kingdom. Individual members or a branch organised visit is carried out regularly to France & Belgium.
Four members of the Western Front Association Merseyside Branch, travelled to Ypres for the 100th Armistice Anniversary and took part as Marshalls for the Poppy Parade. In 2002, the Western Front Association Merseyside Branch began organising bi-annual battlefield tours, to the Western Front. Originally, there were six members on the tours, this has now risen to fourteen on the last two trips. To see pictures from the Western Front Association Merseyside Branch International Visits click here. |