Bro Shahab Mossavat writes…

In December, Mandate Lodge No 4258 marked a truly momentous occasion by convening an Emergency Lodge to celebrate the 100th birthday of W Bro Mervyn Kersh MBE, a decorated veteran of the Normandy Landings, Arnhem, and the Liberation of Bergen-Belsen. In a beautiful act of symmetry, the Lodge combined this extraordinary milestone with the Initiation of Bro Mehmet Efe Zengin, aged 21—creating a remarkable historical arc (potentially) spanning nearly two centuries of living memory and Masonic tradition.

In a touching scene that symbolised the continuum of service and brotherhood, the centenarian war hero and the young Initiate sat side-by-side at the High Table next to the Worshipful Master at the Festive Board. Their presence embodied the enduring values of courage, resilience, and fraternity that transcend generations.

Born in East London to a Jewish family, Mervyn was just 14 when war broke out. Moved by news of Nazi persecutions, he enlisted at 18½, training in Scotland with the Black Watch before joining the 17th Advance Vehicle Company, Royal Army Ordnance Corps.

Three days after D-Day, he crossed the Channel, tasked with getting vehicles and ammunition onto the beaches. The war soon lost its sense of adventure. “The adventure ceased to be an adventure and I became frightened,” Mervyn later recalled.

Nonetheless, he fought through France, Belgium and the Netherlands before entering Germany. Just days after the liberation of Bergen-Belsen, Mervyn witnessed the haunting scenes of emaciated survivors in striped clothing. He offered his chocolate ration to one man – unaware, until later, that it could have been fatal to those who had not eaten for weeks.

After the war, Mervyn pursued a career in journalism but never forgot his comrades. Awarded France’s highest decoration, the Légion d’Honneur, he became a tireless ambassador for remembrance, faithfully returning to Normandy each year, including for the 80th anniversary last year.

The evening at Mandate Lodge was more than a celebration – it was a profound testament to the living link between the past and the future. The sight of a veteran whose courage helped shape the world we know today, welcoming a young Brother into the Craft, was a powerful reminder that the values of Freemasonry—integrity, friendship, and charity—are timeless.

In a Lodge room filled with reverence and hope, Mervyn Kersh MBE and Bro Mehmet Efe Zengin forged a bond that spans generations—an unbroken chain of honour and fraternity.

This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 57 Spring 2025 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.

Read more articles in the Arena Issue 57 here.