Tributes have been paid to a well-loved fusilier veteran and fundraiser who has died aged 74.
Dennis Laverick, who was a proud third-generation veteran and contributor to the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum, Bury, has been remembered by friends, family, veterans and those whose lives he impacted.
Known for his wicked sense of humour that would "brighten anyone’s day", Dennis was a familiar face at the museum on Moss Street and often aided the team while helping other veterans to document their stories.
Staff, volunteers and the board of trustees have said that the museum will not be the same without him and he will be missed dearly.
A spokesperson at the museum said: “We will always be grateful for having him in our lives but most of all for his loyalty, encouragement, and wicked sense of humour which brightened up anyone's day.
“Dennis was a familiar face in the museum - you would often see him just popping into the museum to say hello or in the café catching up with fellow veterans.
“Over the years Dennis also became part of our team helping out with delivering events in the early days and responding to those late-night alarm calls even when they went off at 2am in the morning.
“Dennis was and always will be a Fusilier through and through. He was immensely proud of his Fusilier roots and was delighted when we included some items from his family which are still in the main exhibition today.”
Dennis was the third generation of Laverick’s to serve following Major John N Laverick D.C.M and WO2 Leslie J Laverick.
Dennis joined the junior soldiers as a drummer in 1964 at Sutton Coalfield and moved to Weeton Camping in 1966.
He later became a company driver to Major Ian Cartwright in Hong Kong and was on the athletics, swimming, and cross-country team.
When the Fusiliers disbanded he went to 2RRF for six months in Berlin before returning to Bury with the 72 Army Youth Team returning to 2RRF at Catterick.
Dennis did four tours of Ireland and after his first, moved to the signals plt leaving the army in 1972 and was the treasurer of the Lancashire Fusiliers Club for 12 years.
A spokesperson from the museum said: “He was incredibly loyal and committed to everything he did in particular the Fusilier Association.
“He along with a team of people ran the Fusilier Association website for many years and created a wealth of regimental information.
“He also organised regimental events for others to attend and was proud to take part in parades or ceremonies every year.
“He would always let us know if he came across any Fusilier Veterans that we didn’t know about and would help us to document their stories so they could be part of the collection for many years to come.”
Dennis started the Fusiliers Krypton Factor Competition and with his team, ran the competition for 14 years and raising a quarter of a million pounds mostly for the Army Benevolent Fund and Fusiliers Aid Society.
He received the Fusiliers Regimental Commendation and medal for his work for the Fusiliers Associations Aid Society, and for services to the Regiment.
Other tributes praising his character have been shared along with condolences to his family and close friends.
Dennis, whose portrait is on display inside the Fusiliers Museum, previously spoke about his time in Northern Ireland, which has been quoted below his image.
In this, he said: "It was 1971 when I first went to northern Ireland.
"We were living in the centre of Belfast in the derelict Brown Street Police Station in three-storey bunks.
"It was right in the centre of Belfast where all the troubles were, opposite a place called Unitary Flats which was a Catholic area.
"It was very weird out there, you didn't know what to expect, you didn't know whether people were Catholic or Protestant.
"We were told the Protestants would look after you and to watch the Catholics, but it was fifty-fifty really.
"We used to go out on street patrols and the Protestants would come out with cups of tea for us.
"I did a second tour there and the same people would again bring out cups of tea but laced with glass."
Mike McDonald, the regimental secretary for the North West, said that Dennis "certainly did his bit" and the love he had for his regiment just "kept on going".
He said: “He was a webmaster of sorts and knocked up his own website, which he ran for decades and the regiment embraced it as he published the history of other veterans and soldiers on there.
“He was behind every big parade we put on in Bury, working in the background to make things run smoothly and would always go the extra mile and he knew everyone and everyone knew him.
“I don’t know how long ago it happened, but Dennis lost part of his leg and although he could walk, it caused him a bit of pain, so he had a wheelchair.
“Even that never stopped him, I remember we went up to Scotland for the funeral of a man who was in the SAS and Dennis used to be his driver.
“The weather was awful, cold and raining, but it didn’t stop Dannis from paying his respects in his blazer and tie.
“He is going to be sorely missed by everyone who knew him, he was an impressive man.”
A book of condolences will soon be put inside the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum at the reception desk for tributes and wishes to be signed in.
Funeral details are yet to follow and can be found via the Sillets Funeral Memorial Page here: https://sillettsfunerals.co.uk/funeral-notices.
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