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Retired Officer’s post at the Light Division Depot Winchester before final retirement in 1999.
Tony and his wife, Sandra, were regular attendees at Regimental events. They were on their way to the Officers’ Lunch in London when Tony suffered a brain aneurysm and did not recover. He will
be remembered as very sociable and a thorough gentleman. His skill throughout his life was his ability to handle members of the ‘awkward squad’, however senior.
HITCHCOCK JARVIS
Capt Robin HITCHCOCK
of Ipswich died on 8 April 2022 aged 83. After leaving school, Robin joined the Hampshire Regiment and then was selected for officer training at the RMAS. He
was commissioned into The Sherwood Foresters in August 1958, joining the 1st Bn in Malaya as a Plt Comd in the last years of the Malay Emergency. He stayed with the Bn on its return to Crookham as an Anti-Tank Plt Comd Commander and then moved
with the Bn on its posting to Holywood, Belfast. During this tour Robin transferred
to the Sultan’s Armed Forces (SAF) in Muscat, Oman serving as a temporary Maj in Suwayhan, a desert outpost between
Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. He returned to the
1st Bn in Colchester in 1965 as a Coy 2IC, then, when the 1st Bn moved to Munster
in Germany in their role as a Mechanised Infantry Bn, he became Adt. The Bn re- equipped with new AFV432 Mk II’s as part
of 6 Mechanised Brigade. He left the Army on 10 June 1986 and held the GSM clasp Malaya and the Pingat Jasa Medal.
HOWLETT
Kenneth “Kenny” Howlett, ex 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, died on 26th February 2022.
INGHAM
Andrew Ingham, ex 4 MERCIAN, died on 27th June 2022.
INKSTER
Lance Corporal Jim Inkster was born on the 2nd September 1981. He enlisted into 1st Battalion, The Staffordshire Regiment and served with them in Tidworth and deployed with them to Basra in the 2006 – 07 tour. Whilst there, he was wounded in a mortar attack on the Shatt Al Arab Hotel Base.
His recovery to UK was protracted, but
he eventually arrived in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Thereafter he attended various injury clinics and with their help, gradually worked his way back.
Despite his injuries, he worked hard during his rehabilitation and came across as stoic and cheerful and determined to cope with life. He left the Army, to concentrate on his recovery and devoted a great deal of time to helping the charity ‘Troop Aid’. He eventually moved to North Devon and had a son.
His funeral took place at the Robin Hood Crematorium in Solihull on 1st April 2022.
JAMES
William “Billy” James, ex 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, died on 2nd March 2022.
Ian JARVIS died in 2022. Ian served with 1 MERCIAN (V).
JEAVON
Branch.
HAWKINS
Cpl Edward HAWKINS died on 3 April 2022. Edward served with 1st Bn The Sherwood Foresters in Malaya and Northern Ireland. Edward was a long standing member of WFRA Derby
HILL (Leslie)
WO2 Leslie HILL died on 28 November 2022 aged 94. Les was conscripted into the General Service Corps on 4 July 1946 and served as a Pte with 1st Bn Black Watch and the KOSB before
Ken JEAVONS died in 2022. He Served in the HSF, in G Coy 1 MERCIAN Volunteers, F Company 2 MERCIAN Volunteers and 4 WFR.
JENKINSON
Roy Jenkinson, ex Staffordshire Regiment, died on 29th September 2022.
JOHNSON
Pte Mark Anthony JOHNSON died on 28 March 2022. Mark enlisted in 1989 and served with B Company 3 WFR at Sutton in Ashfield and HQ Company Chilwell with the Signals Plt. He discharged in 1999.
JONES
Pte Arthur JONES died 24 July 2022. Arthur enlisted into The Worcestershire Regiment on the 19 July 1956 and served in the 1st Bn at Honduras. He was discharged on 18 July 1958.
KELLY
Ian Kelly, ex 1 MERCIAN Volunteers and 3rd (Volunteer) Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, died on 11th March 2022.
KITCHING
Hugh Kitching, ex 1st Battalion The Cheshire Regiment, died on 29th December 2021.
LAMING
John “Curly” LAMING, died on 5 July 2022 aged 85. John completed his basic training in Derby in 1957 before joining the 1st Bn The Worcestershire Regiment at Norton Barracks, joining the Signal Plt and after completing his training he was deployed to Malaya on the troopship MS Dilwara. John was demobbed in 1959.
LEES
Pte Frank William LEES of Martley, Worcestershire died on 5 January 2022. Frank enlisted into The Worcestershire Regiment as a National Serviceman. He was a member of Worcester Branch WFRA.
LEMAN
Mrs Margaret Leman, widow of Col RGA Leman the first CO of 1 WFR, died on 8 April 2022.
transferring to the Foresters Depot in 1953, serving with the 1st Bn in BAOR, Malaya, Singapore, NI and mainland UK. He was discharged on 28 May 1983.
HILL (Michael)
Major Michael Edward Hill died on 16 November 2022 at the age of 87. He was commissioned from Sandhurst in the South Staffords and joined the 1st Battalion in Cyprus in 1955 at the height of the EOKA terrorist campaign. After two years at the Mercian Brigade Depot Lichfield he went
to 1 Staffords in Colchester in 1959 as Mortar Officer. The Battalion served two tours in Kenya after which Mike went to HQ Singapore District as ADC and Staff Captain. This was followed by company command with 1 Staffords in Dover before attendance at the Army Staff College in 1968.
Mike completed a Grade 2 staff tour in London before returning to 1 Staffords to command .. Company in Dover, Bahrain and Sharjah. He went back to the MOD in 1972 and took early retirement the following year. Mike and Veda settled in Esher and Mike had a second career as a personnel director for 25 years as well as roles as a school governor, pension scheme trustee and with a mental health tribunal. His sense of humour was always with him, even through the gruelling effects of dementia in the most recent years.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE