Page 118 - Light Dragoons 2023 CREST

Mr A Corney
Died: 19 Feb 22 Served: 1952-55.
Died: 1 Mar 22 Served: 1946-78.
Alan joined the Regiment and ini- tially served in Malaya. He was a member of C Squadron for the duration of his time in the army. After Malaya the next post was to Wolfenbuttel in Germany as part
John enlisted in Aug 44 as a private sol- dier and was selected for officer training at Sandhurst. He was commissioned in Feb 46 into the 13th/18th Royal Hussars joining them in Wolfenbuttel as a troop leader. He
The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Mr H S R Snudden
Died: 14 Jan 22 Served: 1947-49
Herbert arrived at the Regiment as a National Serviceman and became a member of B Squadron. As the Squadron departed Aldershot he saw service in Misurata in Tripoli and the Squadron then moved to Barce before his discharge in 1949.
Mr R Roffe
Died: 20 Jan 22 Served: 1981-88
Raymond joined the Regiment in April 1981 whilst at Wimbish, Essex as a mem- ber of 4th Troop, A Squadron on the FOX Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV). The Regiment then moved from Wimbish to Harewood Barracks in Herford, Germany and he then worked on the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) known as CVR(T) in September 1983. In January 1984 he moved to the newly established D Squadron as part of the SHQ Troop. Then in 1986 the Regiment returned to UK and in particular Tidworth, now he was a mem- ber of the Motor Transport Troop in HQ Squadron, here he remained until his dis- charge on the 9th November 1988.
OBITUARIES 13/18H
moved to Libya with the Regiment in 1949 as the Signals Officer. With the Regiment spread between Tobruk, Benghazi and Barce, the need for good communications could not have been greater.
In 1950 he was posted as Adjutant of the Oxford OUTC. Becoming an officer from university in 1950 was not considered a worthwhile use of one’s talents and the OUTC boasted just 6 cadets on John’s arrival. One year later, it had over 100 cadets as John persuaded the undergradu- ates that the quickest way to learn to drive and therefore get up to London was to join the OUTC. In late 1951 John re-joined the Regiment in Malaya as a troop leader in Paddy Jolley’s squadron. As a qualified small arms training officer he was soon in the thick of it in the jungle. He devised and built a very realistic and terrifying live firing jungle CQB range which all mem- bers of the Regiment had to attend. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his out- standing contribution to the success of the Regiment on this operational tour. In1953 John became Adjutant under Sir Delaval Cotter and was back in Wolfenbuttel again. During this period, he became part of the defence team for Sgt Emmett-Dunne, REME attached, who was accused of mur- dering another sergeant in the REME after a triangular affair involving the wife of one of them. At the subsequent court mar- tial Emmett-Dunne was found guilty and sentenced to hang. Only the intervention of the new Federal Government of West Germany, who banned capital punish- ment, saved Emmett-Dunne from the big drop. John arrived at the Staff College in 1958. Here he played hockey enthusiasti- cally and co wrote and produced the pan- tomime. His amazing cartoon skill became well known across a large spectrum of the Army. His SO2 appointment was in SD2 in the MOD. He returned to the Regiment to command C Squadron in Fallingbostel. The Regiment were now equipped with Centurion tanks and the learning curve for everyone was steep. The Guidon was pre- sented by HRH The Duke of Gloucester and John, with his artistic eye, was heavily involved in the planning. There followed a six month tour of the US Armed Forces Staff College in Virginia. With Vietnam colouring everything that the US did, John’s experience in the jungles of Malaya was much appreciated. He returned to the MOD as MA to the Adjutant General, General Sir James Cassells. This saw him heavily involved in the planning of the funeral of Winston Churchill. It was then back to the Regiment again as second in command first to Phil Tillard and then Roger Beresford before being promoted to
Lt Colonel in 1967 and another stint in the MOD. In 1968 he returned to the Regiment as Commanding Officer. He had a difficult start to his tenure of command when the 10th Hussars invited many of the officers to dinner to welcome them to Munster. Sadly their chef was carrying jaundice and hospitalised many of those present, John included. From the outset John was deter- mined to have a slightly lighter touch on the tiller and for his officers and soldiers to enjoy themselves. However, the camp was in a deplorable state. The heating did not work and often the hot water also failed. The sight of officers and soldiers making their way through the snow to the mobile bath unit which was set up on the drill square may of been amusing at first but the novelty soon wore off in the long German winter. John fought the Regiment’s corner ferociously making quite clear to anyone who would listen, that such conditions were totally unacceptable. He unilaterally declared Field Conditions [meaning that no one paid for their accommodation]. In doing so he trod on the toes of many people who wanted a quiet life. However slowly the necessary funds were found for new systems to be installed. Chieftain arrived during his command and the suc- cess of the Regiment’s conversion to the Army’s new tank owes much to John’s planning and preparation. He would hand over command in 1970 of a thoroughly well trained and confident armoured regi- ment. After a period as military assistant to the Chief of Personnel and Logistics, he was promoted to colonel and took up the key appointment of Officers’ Career Policy. He was responsible for two major changes in Army policy, that has had a direct influence on the Army ever since. The removal of University Cadetships, which was hugely expensive and benefited very few and using the money to fund University Bursaries which attracted many more graduates into the Army. At the same time, it was decided that the principle of having regular and short services offices would be phased out and a single com- mission would be granted. This involved closing Mons OCS and amalgamating it with RMA Sandhurst. As both establish- ments thought that they alone knew how to train young officers, and neither was prepared to compromise, John had to steer both organisations kicking and scream- ing to the eventual Standard Military Course. He also wrote the Army’s redun- dancy programme and took advantage of it himself and left the Army in 1978. After a few civilian jobs, John became the City Marshal. It suited him wonderfully. He was directly involved in planning all The Lord Mayor’s pageantry when he rode a
of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), Here he remained until his discharge.
Colonel J R L Howard
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