As a proud Fusilier town Bury is showing its support and commitment to veterans and serving armed forces personnel during Armed Forces Week (24-29 June).
In 2023 Bury Council was awarded a gold award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
The highest level achievable, the award is in recognition of the council signing up to the Armed Forces Covenant and demonstrating its commitment to supporting military veterans and reservists in society and in employment with the council.
This included recognising military veterans as a protected characteristic and giving this group the same attention and protections that we would for all protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010
The council provides a range of support and promotes support available elsewhere:
- Employment and skills support for the Armed Forces community - support available to assist the Armed Forces community with employment, and information about how to get adult education or training:
- Health and wellbeing support for armed forces personnel – the NHS, council and partners actively look at the health needs of veterans and serving members of the armed forces
- Housing for armed forces personnel – veterans, serving members of the armed forces and their families are given preference on the housing register
- Schools and education for armed forces families - for returning personnel, we will allocate a place in advance of the family arriving in the area
- Cost of living support at: Let's manage tough times - Bury Council
- Free membership of our leisure centres for serving military personnel and veterans https://buryleisure.bury.gov.uk/memberships/military-and-veteran-membership
Recognition and Remembrance of our proud military history
The past year has seen a number of anniversaries and events taking place with more to follow
The 80th Anniversary of D Day
This year marks the 80th anniversary of D-Day at the start of what would become known as the Battle of Normandy.
D Day was the first day of Operation Overlord was the successful plan of the allied forces to invade mainland Europe on 6 June 1944 which led to the eventual ending of World War Two in Europe the following year.
A number of events took place across the borough to mark the anniversary.
Lance Corporal Fred Greenhalgh
Lance Corporal Fred Greenhalgh from Bury is believed to have been the first person to have died on D Day when he was reportedly thrown from his glider as it landed and drowned in a nearby pond.
His story is just one part of the campaign and you can find out more him online and others of those who took part in D Day at an exhibition at the Fusilier Museum and in a special put together by Bury Libraries and the Bury Times.
Tribute to beloved armed forces campaigner ‘Colonel Eric’
A street in Hawkshaw has been renamed in honour of renowned armed forces campaigner Colonel Eric Davidson.
“Colonel Eric”, as he was affectionately known to all, carried out outstanding work for five decades on behalf of veterans, and organised Bury’s annual poppy appeal and Remembrance Sunday parades.
Tribute to Private Peachment VC
A park in Tottington is now named after one of Bury's First World War heroes Private Peachment VC.
Private Peachment VC Town Meadow Park, was renamed in his memory, after a public consultation and includes a mural about his life.
Gallipoli Day
Gallipoli Day (25 April) marks the day when a number of landings took place during the First World War.
Soldiers from the Lancashire Fusiliers took part in the landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula, in what is now modern-day Turkey, to try to force the Ottoman Empire out of the war.
The landings came at heavy loss of life and the eight month campaign was one of the costliest of the war.
The day was marked with a march, wreath laying and service at Bury Parish Church
For further information about the role of the Lancashire Fusiliers during the historic battle go to https://www.fusiliersconnect.com/regimental-days/gallipoli-day
Coming up
Minden Day is a regimental anniversary celebrated on 1 August by certain units of the British Army including the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
It commemorates the participation of the forerunners of the regiments in the Battle of Minden during the Seven Years' War on that date in 1759 including the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers as successors to the 20th Regiment of Foot.
There will be a Military Drum Head service at noon on Saturday the 3 August in Gallipoli Garden, Silver Street and wreath laying remembering those Fusiliers who fell at the battle on Minden.
- Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day November 2024
- Commemoratios next year to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the end of the Second World War in Europe