Mayor’s son makes music for Armed Forces Day

A group of military musicians with links to the royal family will be performing in Ellesmere on Saturday 28th June as part of a series of activities to mark Armed Forces Day and the 80^th anniversary of the end of World War 2.

It will be an especially proud moment for the town’s new mayor, Councillor Liz Woodbridge, when she welcomes a quartet, from the Duchess of Edinburgh’s string orchestra on Saturday, June 28, because the army group will include her 24-year-old son, Musician William Woodbridge, who plays the viola.

Named after the King’s sister-in-law, (formerly Sophie, Countess of Wessex), the orchestra was formed in 2014 and performs regularly at state ceremonial events, including concerts, banquets and national acts of commemoration.  Based at Woolwich Barracks in London, it is the only independent, full-time string band in the British armed forces.

William, who began learning to play a musical instrument at the age of three, joined the army in November 2020, after being forced to give up his studies at Leeds Conservatoire because of the lockdown restrictions imposed during the Covid pandemic.

Councillor Woodbridge said:  “As Mayor of Ellesmere and the Mum of a serving musician in the army, I’m thrilled that the Royal Household Division has given permission for a string quartet from the Duchess of Edinburgh’s Orchestra to support Ellesmere’s Armed Forces Day.  I’m particularly proud that a member of the quartet is my son,

“It is so special that William and his colleagues are taking part in our celebrations during my year as Mayor.  I hope residents of Ellesmere and visitors will enjoy the music that the group will share with us in various locations in the town” during the day.

William, who plays other instruments as well as the viola, has performed with the orchestra at recent V.E Day anniversary events. He ranks playing at the late Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee and King Charles’s Coronation concert among the highlights of his career.

“The quartet is really looking forward to visiting Ellesmere,” he said, “and I’m excited to be helping provide entertainment for  Armed Forces Day, especially with the 80th anniversary of V.E Day and  V.J Day this year  and my mother recently becoming  Mayor.”

Years Five and Six pupils from Ellesmere primary school will also be providing musical entertainment, singing wartime songs, in the town centre during the morning of the 28^th,  following a flag-raising ceremony and two minutes’ silence at 10 am outside Ellesmere Town Hall.

Other activities during the day will include military vehicles on display at the Wharf, (near Tesco) a military police re-eneactment group  on patrol around the town, and a visit to Ellesmere by Stefen Dicks, a Lincolnshire man who impersonates the towering figure of General De Gaulle, the French leader who stayed with his family at Criftins during the early years of World War 2. A display at Ellesmere Library will include memories from local people who lived through the war.

The main event during the afternoon will be a 1940s-style concert at the town featuring the Shropshire-based close harmony group The Ronnies, with a special tribute to the Battle of Britain heroes by actor/playwright Shaun Higgins.  Concert tickets are sold out.

Bob McBride, chairman of the Royal British Legion’s Ellesmere and District branch, which is co-ordinating the activities programme in partnership with the town council, said:  We’re very honoured that the army has given permission for some its most talented young musicians to take part in our programme of events. We’ll also have the Year 6 pupils from Ellesmere primary schools joining them to sing some wartime songs, so it will be a fitting musical combination.”

Photo:  The Mayor’s son, William Woodbridge, (left) with other members of the army quartet from the Duchess of Edinburgh string orchestra.