by Sgt Andrew “Chester” Read ,GMP
On leaving the RAF I missed the disciplined, uniformed and structured life and saw becoming a
Special Constable at GMP as a way of having a little bit of that back in my life along with giving
something back to the community, so I joined Greater Manchester Police in 1995 as a Special
Constable rising to Special Inspector before coming a PCSO and then moving on to become a Police
Officer where I am now a Sergeant working in Custody.
I was approached by the Stockport Armed Forces Breakfast Club of whom I am a member and asked
if Greater Manchester Police were doing anything for Armed Forces Day, I spoke with my supervision
and arranged with the Neighbourhood Team to provide several officers to assist and I gained
permission to attend and march in uniform with the veterans.
I have a lot of interaction with various Ex Forces charities and organisations as part of GMP’s Armed
Forces Network. I refer any ex-forces people who come into custody to Project Nova to try and get
them any help and referrals to suitable organisations and regimental associations. Now as a Branch
Lead, I support our local Armed Forces Champions to deliver the best possible service to any
vulnerable veteran or member of the Armed Forces Community (AFC) whether they are a victim,
offender or simply a member of the public.
We were honoured to have the Lord Lieutenant of Manchester attend at Stockport Armed Forces
Parade and take the salute. We formed up and the Parade Marshall “voluntold” me I was to be the
right-hand marker. We had many veterans attend from all branches of Service and directly behind
me were a group of Ex-Rocks who I engaged in some light-hearted banter. I also met up with
another TSW veteran, Glenn Smith who was also taking part and is an active member of the
Stockport Breakfast Club.
We had the band from the Air Cadets leading followed by the standards of various Regimental
Associations, then the veterans and followed by the Army Cadet Force, Air Cadets and Sea Cadets.
We Marched along through the Town Centre where the Lord Lieutenant took the Salute and into the
Market Place where the Mayor of Stockport gave a welcome speech and declared the Armed Forces
Day Event open, and the Parade was dismissed.
Veterans were then invited to a reception in the Produce Hall where refreshments were provided,
and a glass of port handed out followed by a toast the King. After the reception I took a walk round
the exhibitions and stalls with my family, it was here that I met a WW2 Veteran Bernard Morgan
who was a radio operator in the RAF and landed on Gold Beach on 6 Th June 1944.
I spent a while speaking to Bernard who was very humble about his part on D Day, Bernard was a
local lad from Manchester who volunteered on his 18 th Birthday. Bernard was fascinating to listen to
and had a fantastic sense of humour. Bernard was aware of TSW and has met personnel from the
wing previously as I saw on getting home a tweet from TSW with Bernard meeting them and his
photo from when he served.
Armed Forces Week means we can celebrate and recognise the hard work and dedication all
members of His Majesties Armed Forces give in service of the country and the sacrifice they make
along with their families.”
All in all the Stockport’s first Armed Force Parade and event was a great success and was attended
by thousands of people. I hope this will continue in the future and get bigger and better as time goes
on,
Per Ardua Ad Astra.
Andrew Read.
