PW_1_2019

IPA News

Tom Crozier headed across the Channel to commemorate the end of WW1.

Tom visited the National Arboretum en route to France: specifically to take in the Shot at Dawn memorial. This had particular significance to Tom, as one of the posts commemorates Rifleman James Crozier from Belfast who was executed at Auchanvillers in February 1916. Once in France, Tom met up with IPA colleagues to visit the site of the Xmas Truce of 1914, where the celebrated football match was held. They met with the grandsons of field commanders, who were on opposing sides in the match. Tom’s emotional tour of war memorials continued with a visit to Berks Memorial at ‘Plugstreet’, and then Messines to pay his respects at the New Zealand and Irish Memorials. Following on from his visit to the NMA, Tom visited the grave of James Crozier, who was “shot at dawn”. His tragic story is all the more poignant for the fact that the officer who recruited him in Belfast and who gave James’ mother an assurance that he would look after him oversaw his execution. Coincidentally, the officer was called Frank Crozier, although he was not a relative of James’. To end his journey of remembrance, Tom laid a wreath on behalf of IPA Section UK at the Menin Gate, You can read more about Tom’s journey in the next issue of Police World .

Blood Bikers fly the flag for the IPA Steve Bretherton , Section UK Vice President IPA members have many and varied careers and hobbies, and Graham McKie of Liverpool and Merseyside Branch is no exception. Graham is a volunteer rider and fundraiser with the Shropshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire Blood Bikes. Founded in 2008, The National Association of Blood Bikes (NABB) now has a network of over 3,700 volunteer riders and fundraisers in 31 regional groups, who provide a free out of hours transport service to the NHS, transporting blood, plasma, breast milk, surgical instruments, x-rays, MRI scans and patient notes between hospitals. In 2017, NABB members dealt with over 73,000 requests to rapidly transport items between hospitals in the UK. Each year a number of members from various groups gather to join the ‘Ride to the Wall’ or RTTW, bearing flags from a range of organisations with which they’re associated. As an IPA member, Graham thought that this year he would like to ride with the IPA flag.

The wall in question is the wall of the Armed Services Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The 43 metre diameter stone structure commemorates the sacrifice made by the 16,000+ service men and women whose names are engraved on the wall, all of whom lost their lives since the end of WWII. The site hosts many memorial areas for various groups which include a number of International Police memorials. RTTW is a registered charity and fundraising event, which includes a service of remembrance, allowing participants to pay their respects to those who have given their lives in the service of their country. Despite the day being rather soggy, Graham and the flag both survived to ride another day. Moreover, as the flag measures about 2m x 1m, Graham believes that he had the distinction of riding with the largest flag of the day. Pictured alongside Graham are fellow SSCBB riders Steve Hawkes and Phil Sutton. Phil was on the Pan European, which is his own bike, and Steve was on another of the group bikes. All Blood Bikes are named to support and remember individual patients or benefactors. The names of the bikes pictured were Imogen (Graham’s), Millie Bea (Steve’s) and Violet (Phil’s). For members wishing to know more and consider supporting their regional Blood Bike group, as a volunteer rider, controller or fundraiser please visit: bloodbikes.org.uk

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POLICE WORLD Vol 64 No. 1, 2019