Distinguished soldier from Telford who played key role in royal funeral and coronation set for council honour

Councillors are set to make a distinguished serviceman an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Telford and Wrekin at a special meeting next week.

Garrison Sergeant Major Andrew 'Vern' Stokes played a key role in the military ceremonial aspects of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

A special meeting of the full Telford & Wrekin Council will be held next week to admit GSM Stokes OBE MVO DL to be an Honorary Freeman of the Borough.

A statement from the borough council read that the council's honour is in recognition of having rendered eminent service to the people of Telford and Wrekin.

The council is allowed by law to pass a resolution to admit an honorary freeman providing that not less than two-thirds of members vote for it at a meeting of the council that has been specifically convened for this purpose.

The special council meeting will take place at 5.30pm on Thursday (May 21), to be followed by the council's annual meeting.

Born in Madeley, Mr Stokes joined the army in 1988 at the age of 16.

He went on to serve on operational tours across the globe, including Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

GSM Stokes, of the Coldstream Guards, joined the team in Horse Guards in 2014, taking over from Garrison Sergeant Major Billy Mott the following year.

In 2023, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his key role in the military ceremonial aspects of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral and the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.