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War hero officially opens National Army Cadet Force (ACF) Museum in Wisbech




Wisbech’s most famous daughter has had another of her legacies marked this week with the opening of a new national museum.

Octavia Hill’s pioneering work in Southwark, London with youngsters in 1889 led the way to the modern day Army Cadet Force (ACF) as we know it today.

On Monday war hero and holder of the Victoria Cross WO2 Johnson Beharry was in Wisbech to officially open the National Army Cadet Force Museum in Octavia Hill’s Birthplace House on South Brink.

Wisbech Army Cadets were among the guests of honour at the official opening of the new museum.
Wisbech Army Cadets were among the guests of honour at the official opening of the new museum.

Octavia Hill, who was born in Wisbech in 1838, was a well known social reformer, one of the three founders of the National Trust and a campaigner for open spaces but is largely unknown for her work with the Army Cadets.

Guests at Monday’s opening included: Brigadier Tim Seal Vice, Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire; The High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire; Colonel Ashley Fulford, National Colonel Cadets at Regional Command; Brigadier Richard Lyne, Royal Anglian Regiment; the Mayor and Mayoress of Wisbech; Veterans from Wisbech Royal British Legion.

Brigadier Seal read out a letter received from Buckingham Place acknowledging the new National Army Cadet Force Museum and Octavia’s pio0neering work with the Cadets.

WO2 Johnson Beharry with a bust of Octavia Hill.
WO2 Johnson Beharry with a bust of Octavia Hill.

After the opening WO2 Beharry gave a truly amazing talk on “how he won the Victoria”.

Local Cadets from Wisbech Detachment and children from nearby Cambian Wisbech School had the opportunity to meet WO2 Johnson Beharry and help him plant a tree on Centenary Green to commemorate the occasion.

The ACF Museum displays a range of uniforms, traces the ACF time line from 1889 to the present day, manuals, and a “touch screen” for videos, photographs and You Tube links.

The Victoria Cross has pride of place on WO2 Johnson Beharry's chest.
The Victoria Cross has pride of place on WO2 Johnson Beharry's chest.
The Wisbech Army Cadets helped WO2 Johnson Beharry plant a commemorative tree.
The Wisbech Army Cadets helped WO2 Johnson Beharry plant a commemorative tree.
WO2 Johnson Beharry was the guest of honour pictured with Col (Rtd) Mark Knight (left) and Colour Sgt Tim Scargill (right).
WO2 Johnson Beharry was the guest of honour pictured with Col (Rtd) Mark Knight (left) and Colour Sgt Tim Scargill (right).
Wisbech Army Cadets were among the guests of honour at the official opening of the new museum.
Wisbech Army Cadets were among the guests of honour at the official opening of the new museum.
The museum opening was attended by a number dignitaries.
The museum opening was attended by a number dignitaries.
A letter sent by the King to Colonel (Rtd) Mark Knight.
A letter sent by the King to Colonel (Rtd) Mark Knight.

A virtual tour with information points has been created for Cadets unable to visit the museum in person via the Octavia Hill Birthplace House website.



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