• November 4, 2019

Tribute ahead of Remembrance Sunday musical

Tribute ahead of Remembrance Sunday musical

Tribute ahead of Remembrance Sunday musical 150 150 mhamer
The musical will be performed on Remembrance SundayJimmy Cricket’s latest message about his Remembrance Day musical includes a poignant tribute.
Let’s hear it for the wee man will be performed at Rochdale Town Hall in aid of the Mayor of Rochdale’s charity appeal.
It is about Northern Ireland’s only recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Jimmy tweeted: “Next Sunday’s concert at the Rochdale Town hall, ‘ Let’s Hear it for the Wee Man’, is a tribute to the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice.

“And on a personal note to the late Margie Shaw from Preston whose unstinting support for the project will always be remembered.”

The musical tells the courageous story of submariner James Magennis who joined the Royal Navy aged 15.

He won the UK’s highest military honour for his bravery onboard a midget sub that attacked the Japanese cruiser Takao on 31 July 1945.

His job was to attach six mines to the enemy vessel in the risky covert operation in Singapore Harbour.

Jimmy and @RochdaleMayor Coun Billy Sheerin having a good old yarn about the James Magennis play

However, he ran into difficulties and faced grave danger.

But he persisted with the mission before returning to the sub exhausted.

King George VI recognised his heroics by awarding him the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry.

Magennis continued his service until 1949 when he returned home with his wife Edna Skidmore and their four sons.

In 1952, he lost his job and was forced to sell his VC medal.

However, an anonymous benefactor later returned it to him on the condition he did not sell it again.

Blue plaque

Magennis spent the rest of his life in Yorkshire working as an electrician before dying of cancer in 1986 aged 66.

His heroics were commemorated in 2018 with a special blue plaque in his honour.

Belfast-born Jimmy has written both the words and the music for the play.

It features actor Charles Lawson, actress and singer Sue Devaney, actor Nick Newbould and comedian Jimmy himself.

Tickets are available at Rochdale Town Hall from the reception or by contacting 01706 924773. Tickets cost £10.

Read more about the Mayor of Rochdale’s charity appeal here.

Jimmy and the mayor met up a while back to promote the play.

Rochdale Council tweeted: “Come here, come here!

“We were bowled over by the legendary Jimmy Cricket promoting his brilliant new concert, to be performed at Rochdale Town Hall on Sun 10 Nov, 4pm-5pm.

“And there’s more! Here’s Jimmy and@RochdaleMayor Coun Billy Sheerin having a good old yarn about the event.”

Find out where Jimmy is performing and his other forthcoming shows by viewing all his tour dates on this website.

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