A LUNCHEON was held at The Marlborough Hotel, Ipswich, in honour of Captain Maurice Usherwood OBE, DSC.The event given by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help – was to celebrate Captain Usherwood's 90th birthday.

A LUNCHEON was held at The Marlborough Hotel, Ipswich, in honour of Captain Maurice Usherwood OBE, DSC.

The event given by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association – Forces Help – was to celebrate Captain Usherwood's 90th birthday. It was also to show their appreciation for all that he had accomplished to help others in 60 years of service to the country and latterly the people of Ipswich.

His distinguished naval service saw him becoming an anti-submarine specialists. His war time service took him to Scapa Flow and then escorting Atlantic convoys and Russian convoys to Murmansk. His Distinguished Service Cross was awarded for his part as Naval Force Commander in the successful capture of Sarande on the Albanian coast, the medal being presented by King George VI at Buckingham Palace.

In 1964 Mr Usherwood turned his attention to the elderly of his home town by becoming the secretary of what was then known as The Ipswich Old People's Welfare Committee, the forerunner of Age Concern.

From here with this team of Visitors and Case workers he set about helping all those serving and ex-service men and women and their dependants from all ranks of all three Services.

In 1973 Mr Usherwood, realising that 19 Tower Street would become available as office accommodation for voluntary organisations, obtained permission from the Ipswich Borough Council for them to move in.

Many of the voluntary services such as Age Concern and CAB have him to thank for this. He was instrumental in getting more Local Authority sheltered accommodation built in Ipswich. Broke Hall House was completed during his tenure as Secretary.

By the late 1960s Mr Usherwood had taken over the position of Divisional Secretary for the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, to add to his involvement in the Town, his office being a hut in the TA Centre on Yarmouth Road.

Mr Usherwood retired in 1988, his services being recognised by the award of the OBE. He remains a much respected Vice President of the Association.