AN EX-SERVICEMAN is inviting fellow cyclists to join him on a 320-mile charity cycle ride from Worcester to Belgium in memory of his great-grandfather – one of the survivors of a key battle which helped turn the tide of the first world war.
Russ Walker is planning a summer cycle marathon between Gheluvelt Park in Worcester to Gheluvelt in Flanders to honour the memory of the men of the 2nd Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment, and to raise funds for Worcester’s St Richard’s Hospice, the Alzheimer’s Society and the Mercian Regiment Museum.
Former RAF man Russ already has a core team of volunteers helping to organise the Gheluvelt to Gheluvelt challenge between June 26 to June 30, and is now looking for cyclists of various abilities to join him on the road.
He told the Observer: “We are looking for passionate individuals to help make this charity event a success. We need cyclists ready to take on this adventure, support crew and vehicles, fundraisers, organisers and sponsors. Are you ready to make a difference and join an unforgettable journey?”
The route covers roughly 80 miles each day, taking in overnight stops at Premier Inns in Newbury, Berkshire, Crawey in Sussex, and Dover, before a two-hour crossing on day four to Dunkerque. At Gheluvelt there will be a visit to the local chateau, Ypres, and the Menin Gate, as well as a celebration meal, including Belgian beer and chocolates.
Gheluvelt Park in Ombersley Road, Barbourne, Worcester, is a permanent memorial to the sacrifices of the men of the Worcestershire regiment’s second battalion who, on October 31, 1914, staged a heroic fightback against overwhelming German forces which restored the British lines and inspired allied forces across the Flanders battlefield.
On inaugurating Gheluvelt Park as a living memorial after the ceasefire in 1918, field marshall John French declared that through that 1914 battle ‘the 2nd Worcester’s saved the British Empire.’
For more details on the cycle ride, or to sign up, call Russ on 01905 641881 or email [email protected]
