I RECENTLY had the privilege of organising a memorial plaque to the Bury and Cheltenham war hero Richard Willis, one of the Lancashire Fusiliers' legendary "Six VCs before breakfast" in the 1915 Gallipoli campaign in Turkey. It was jointly unveiled at Cheltenham Crematorium by the mayors of Bury and Cheltenham (reported in the Bury Times, Sept 24).

Then I also had the privilege of bringing Major Willis's daughter to Bury to attend the various "Freedom of Bury" celebrations connected with the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and would like to say what a memorable experience it was for both of us.

Everyone made us most welcome and we thoroughly enjoyed the exceptional band concert at the drill hall on the evening of September 18. The professional Normandy Band and the amateur local Fusilier Association band were just magnificent. An all too brief visit to the regimental museum the following morning was the prelude to a splendid march-past through the town, and an excellent gathering for lunch.

On the way home Major Willis's daughter commented on how she now understood why her father was so proud of his regiment and why he felt guilty that he was the only officer in his company to survive the Great War.

In addition to Mr Willis's gallantry on the beaches, when 70 per cent of his men were killed in the first 30 minutes, a few days later he found his remaining small force surrounded. He climbed out of his trench and ordered the Turks to surrender, in their own language, as a result of which more than 250 emerged with their hands up!

After surviving a near fatal wound to the heart, he was invalided home and awarded his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace before being sent to fight in three more major battles, the Somme, Messines and Passchendaele! He was indeed a remarkable man and Bury can be justifiably proud of his Regiment.

Thanks again to everyone concerned.

PETER WORSLEY,

assistant editor,

This England magazine,

Cheltenham.