Page 133 - The Light Dragoon 2024

in the 13th/18th Hussars, the successful outcome of their joint effort has been widely envied throughout the Army. Together they laid the firm foundations of the Light Dragoons Association, which has continued to flourish so strongly after Jim’s retirement in 1998.
After retirement Jim was a regular attender at Association functions in Newcastle, Kirkcaldy and Liverpool and always led the singing of the Blaydon Races and the Sahagun song on 21st December, until ill health stopped his attendance. He was an avid reader and listened to his beloved Newcastle United matches on the radio and also followed the England cricket team. But Jim sadly lost his final battle with illness and his last words to his beloved wife Gloria who had supported him for over 60 years, whilst holding her hand, were “my bonnie lassie”.
It goes without saying that Jim will be greatly missed by all who knew him. His wonderful sense of fun, his energy, integrity and devotion to the Regiment have influenced the lives of so many of us. It was testament to the respect in which he was held that there was only standing room at his funeral service.
CNB/CAGW Mr E T Elliott
Served: 1962-77 Died: 19 Jul 23.
Terry as he was known sadly died aged 79. After completing his basic training Terry joined the Regiment in Munster. He went
on to see service in Libya, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Canada and Northern Ireland. As a Corporal he decided to transfer to the Royal Horse Artillery after serving with 15/19H for 15 years. Whilst with the RHA he served with D Battery and for his last 2 years of service he was employed as a recruiting sergeant in Bedfordshire. He was awarded the UN Medal for service in Cyprus, The General Service Medal with clasp for Northern Ireland and the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. After completing 22 years and achieving the rank of Sergeant Terry and his family settled in Dinnington, Newcastle. He then went onto be a bus driver and would get into trouble for letting passengers on the bus for free. He was a regular attender at Sahagun celebrations in Newcastle and leaves behind his wife Sylvia and other family members.
Col J R L Orde
Served: 1963-65 Died: 16 Sep 23.
Commissioned into the 15/19H in 1962, Jim attended No 180 pilots course in 1966.
He then served in 8 Flt AAC on operations in Aden where he was recommended for a Green Endorsement after a successful forced landing of a Scout after technical failure. Remaining with 8 Flt until 1968, Jim then undertook QHI training before being assigned as a QHI at the Army aviation Centre until 1971 where he then moved to Hong Kong and 656 Sqn AAC flying the Sioux. After promotion to Maj in 1974 Jim completed staff training at Shrivenham and Camberley, before commanding 662 Sqn AAC until 1980. He transferred to the AAC in 1981, was promoted to Lt Col in 1982 and commanded 3 Regt AAC 1985-87, serving in staff appointments thereafter in HQ DAAC and the MOD. He was promoted to Col in 1989 and retired from the army in 1992.
Mr I Scott
Served: 1974-85 Died: 3 Nov 23.
We were informed by Scotty’s son Christopher that his father had sadly died after a battle with cancer aged 66. Scotty transferred to
the Regiment after serving initially with The Light Infantry to join his brother Kevin who was in 15/19H. In 1985 he decided to leave the army after completing 11 years service and settled in South Shields where he was employed at a printers. He kept his trademark moustache which was rather “raggy” until the time of his death and he was a regular attender at association functions and attended many association members funerals in the local area. He leaves behind his son and daughter and their families.
Maj A Bulman
Served: 1955-91 Died: 26 Nov 23.
Alan Bulman was a Geordie, born in Newcastle in 1937, and brought up in Byker until he was called up for National Service
in August 1955. Basic training was at Hadrian’s Camp in Carlisle. He and his fellow adventurers were selected to join the Regiment, and soon afterwards found themselves on their way to Ipoh in Malaya. By the time he arrived in Malaya, Alan was a Lance Corporal, his first job man the Regimental telephone exchange! It was not long before he was moved to RHQ, his evident talent to the fore, and beginning to set him apart from some of his peers. Alan spoke fondly of his time in Malaya. The experience was he said an exciting adventure. He never mentioned the gritty side of the Malayan Emergency, but there
were a few stories involving Chinese girls and being chased through the streets of Ipoh by the Regimental Police!
The Regiment returned in 1957 and Alan became a regular soldier, thereafter, hitting the mark for each rank at the first opportunity. He had a notably strong technical head, being a first-class Gunnery Instructor, and an outstanding TQMS. It was therefore no surprise to any of his contemporises that he was commissioned on returning to the Regiment, after an ERE tour in HQ 1 British Corps, to become second in command of HQ Squadron, and then QM(T).
Alan was an outstanding QM(T), as he was in his subsequent appointment, Quartermaster, an appointment he filled for 5 years which included moving the Regiment from Paderborn to Bovington, where the Regiment performed as the RAC Centre Regiment for two years. After the handover in Bovington Alan was immedi- ately faced by the subsequent take over and settling in of the Regiment at Detmold; as well as re-rolling the Regiment from recon- naissance to armour. He was in his element throughout. Even-tempered, unflappable, good at listening, forgiving, phenomenal attention to detail; and nothing was ever too difficult.
In the late 1980s Alan left the Regiment he loved so much and headed to Newcastle where he and his beloved wife, Marita, set up home in Whitely Bay. When Alan was not at St. James’ Park, he served as Quartermaster of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry where, as before, he soon became a leading light, and drew in the trust and respect of everyone. Alan’s regular service to the Colours ended in 1991; but not to be beaten into becoming a ‘civvy’ he soldiered on, in ‘mufti’, as he put it, as the Adjutant of the Northumbrian Universities Officers Training Corps. There could be no more suitable conclusion to Alan Buman’s working life than serving young people. Alan was himself always youthful in spirit and there is no doubt that he held a natural empathy with junior officers.
Out of uniform Alan played football for the Regimental side, a striker. He loved squash too. And of course, as so many of us know, he loved golf. He played the game until he could no more. And he was a champion of the Sennelager Golf Club, a member there for a little over four decades. In truth Alan absolutely loved sport, in retirement he watched it all; but more than any other sport it was football, and of course Newcastle United, that he watched the most.
In the late 1990s Alan and Marita returned to Germany, to Sommerau in Marienloh. They enjoyed a wonderful retirement together, travelling all over Europe until 2020, when very sadly Marita died. They had married in 1967, and Alan, devastated,
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