I find this website quite fascinating as both my father (Roy Bender) and my grandfather (Harry Heath) served in the Worcestershire Regiment for much of the first half of the 20th century.
My dad began WW2 as an enlisted soldier in the Pioneer Corps but was commissioned an officer in 1944 with the Worcestershires, serving in various theatres - in particular on Lunenburg Heath during the final stages of the European campaign. Back on civvy street, we came to Canada in 1951 and he was the Honorary Representative for the Worcestershire Regiment over here for many years. He passed away in 1989 and is buried in the military section of York Cemetary in Toronto.
My grandfather (b. Worcester, 1881) attempted to sign up for the Boer War but was rejected as being too young. He served throughout WW1 and was awarded the MC as per the Awards section of the website in 1919 -
Heath, H., 240005 R.S.M. 03-06-1919 1/8th France 1918 (general)
After WW1, his association with the regiment continued for another 20 years or so and he was awarded the MBE in 1937 –
Captain (Quarter-Master) Harry Heath, M.C., T.D., 8th Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, Territorial Army.
He retired from the Army in late 1938 after serving over 40 years! Harry Heath died in 1958 and is buried in Worcester. Incidentally, his younger brother Leonard Heath also served in WW1 (with the Warwickshires) but unfortunately was killed on July 1st, 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. As a former choirboy, Leonard Heath’s memory is commemorated in a stained glass window within Worcester Cathedral.
Sincerely,
Eric Bender
Kirkland, Quebec, Canada