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THE BLACK COUNTRY MEMORIES CLUB

Union Flag Memories of our meeting and exhibition
5th - 12th June 2004 at Bilston Craft Gallery
Continued

D-DAY AND WORLD WAR 2

 Union Flag
Henry Metzger (one of our committee members as well as the Chairman of the Wolverhampton Video Society) wires the Deputy Mayor for sound, while the Mayoress and the City Mace Bearer (acting as chauffeur for the occasion) look on.   Our Secretary, Alma Darb The event was opened by the Deputy Mayor of Wolverhampton.  On arrival the ever active Henry Metzger (one of our committee members as well as the Chairman of the Wolverhampton Video Society) wires the Deputy Mayor for sound, while the Mayoress and the City Mace Bearer (acting as chauffeur for the occasion) look on.   Our Secretary, Alma Darby, presented the Deputy Mayoress with flowers, before she and our Chairman, Alan Bickley, lead the party into the gallery where ... the first thing was to sign our special ... the first thing was to sign our special distinguished visitors guest book, in which we have already been honoured by the present and previous mayors.
The Deputy Mayor and Mayoress were welcomed by the Chairman in a very full room.  On the platform party are our President, Trevor Genge; the Deputy Mayoress; the Mayor (seated in the Mayoral chair of the old Bilston Borough Council); the Chairman; Alma Darby (the Secretary); and Barbara Presland (the Treasurer). he Deputy Mayor and Mayoress were welcomed by the Chairman in a very full room The Deputy Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Councillor Alan Hart.  

In declaring the exhibition open the Deputy Mayor made the interesting point that in 1944 we had seen D-Day only as the big picture.  It is only more recently that we have become aware of the innumerable acts of individual bravery that had made up that day. 

 The Deputy Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton, Councillor Alan Hart.  
The Deputy Mayor presented to John Elwall two framed pictures of scenes at and near John's birthplace.  We took the opportunity of the occasion to ask the Deputy Mayor to present to John Elwall two framed pictures of scenes at and near John's birthplace.  Members of the Committee had subscribed to this gift in grateful acknowledgement of John's support of the Club. The Deputy Mayoral party then viewed the exhibition.  The Deputy Mayoral party then viewed the exhibition.  They spent a lot of time with us, for which we were grateful, especially when we learnt that, even ad Deputies, they had fulfilled over 100 commitments this year.  Next year, when they will be Mayor and Mayoress, they will need their charm and stamina even more! On the table are the many print outs provided by Reg Aston and which were available for visitors to take away.
Members mill about while the Deputy Mayoress and the Chairman instruct the youth of the day.  It was very good to see, throughout the day, a number of young people attending the exhibition with their parents. Members mill about while the Deputy Mayoress and the Chairman instruct the youth of the day.  In this picture we have not only the Chairman and the Deputy Mayoress, but Gerald Hanrahan (our committee member and a leading light in the Wolverhampton Photographic Society), Henry Metzger (our committee member and a leading light in the Wolverhampton Video Society) and Xxxxx Xxxxx (another local photographer); and Bill Pope DFM (our committee member); the Deputy Mayor, the Town Crier and John Elwall (our xxxxxx). The Chairman and the Deputy Mayoress, but Gerald Hanrahan, Henry Metzger and ; and Bill Pope DFM (our committee member); the Deputy Mayor, the Town Crier and John Elwall
Henry leapt into recording action As the Deputy Mayoral limousine swept out of the drive, Henry leapt into recording action. Our President Our President was then able to find somewhere to relax, which just happened to be the Bilston mayoral chair.  It seems to fit pretty well.  
There was plenty of material to look at.  Here Bill Pope studies one of the books included in the display and Derek Churm reads the story of Cliff Powell of Blakenhall, contributed by his daughter, Ang Johnson.   ill Pope studies one of the books included in the display and Derek Churm reads the story of Cliff Powell And another visitor looks at the pictures in one of Reg Aston's display books, several of which were also on the central table. another visitor looks at the pictures in one of Reg Aston's display books
everyone had tea And, of course, everyone had tea.  Tea had kept the country going during the war and it kept us going - together with a glass or two of wine.   BBC Radio reporter, Marvina Cole with Alma and Kath The display continued until Saturday 12th June.  On Tuesday the 8th BBC Radio turned up.  Reg gave them a conducted tour, Alma read the poem she had written, aged 13, on D-Day, and she and Kath Keily chatted about those times.  

Here the reporter, Marvina Cole, checks the sound quality before dashing back to Birmingham to edit the tape for that evening's broadcast.

We also, thank to Gerald Hanrahan, got a good mention on the Ed Doolan Show.  We had distributed lots of posters and flyers around a wide area, mainly thanks to Tom Larkin.  By the end of the week about 350 people had attended and, more importantly, they all seem to have been very impressed and very interested.

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