Military Police will be ‘on patrol’ in Ellesmere during the town’s Armed Forces Day activities on Saturday, June 28, which will commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of the 2nd World War.
Members of 245 Provost Company are a Midlands-based historical re-enactment group, who portray the British Corps of Military Police…the dreaded red caps, who were often feared by other soldiers for their ‘tough’ approach.
However, on this occasion, they’ll be out and about, meeting and greeting people in the town centre, as well as taking part in the commemoration of Nazi Germany’s surrender in May 1945, and the defeat of Japanese forces in the Far East three months later.
The day’s activities will begin at 10 a.m with a civic flag-raising ceremony and two minutes’ silence in front of Ellesmere Town Hall
From lunchtime, members of the Provost Company will be ‘on duty’ at the town hall, controlling the queues and checking the wartime ‘ration books’ that will give audience members admission to a 1940-style concert featuring the Shropshire-based close-harmony group ‘The Ronnies’. The-sell-out concert and themed afternoon tea will also feature a personalised tribute to the heroes of the Battle of Britain by Oswestry actor/playwright Shaun Higgins.
A quartet from the Duchess of Edinburgh’s string orchestra – the only group of its kind in the armed forces– will play music at various locations in the town centre during the morning. A number of military vehicles will be on show at the Wharf, near Tesco, and Ellesmere Library will feature memories from local people who lived through the war.
The Corps of Military Police became a 50,000-strong force within the British army during World War 2 and were known for enforcing strict order and discipline, often in challenging situations.
.The original 245 Provost Company served from 1939-45 and its members were among the first to land on Sword Beach during the Normandy invasion on D-Day, June 6th, 1944, as part of the 6th Airborne Division. They were also one of the first units to patrol the streets of Berlin following the end of the war in May 1945
As a ‘living history’ group, the re-enactment enthusiasts attend many 2nd World commemorative events throughout the year, across the Midlands and other parts of the UK.
The Ellesmere event has been organised by the Ellesmere and District branch of the Royal British Legion in partnership with the town council, local schools , the parish church and volunteers. Legion branch chairman, Bob McBride, said: “We’re delighted that the Provost 245 group members have accepted our invitation to take part in our events. They have a very proud history, but thankfully, our Armed Forces Day actitivies will be a lot different from some of the dangerous situations they faced during the war.”
