Page 105 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 105
Back in UK and then BAOR first as Adjutant and then B Squadron leader Willie had become the very best type of reg- imental officer. As adjutant although a stickler for good behav- iour and discipline he handled all of us unruly subalterns with skill and avuncular good humour and he was a much respected and well-liked squadron leader. His only weakness was formal drill and he found himself the butt of the Guard’s sergeant major whose tricky task was to prepare the Regiment for the Guidon Parade in front of the Queen Mother at Hohne. To everyone’s surprise, including Willie’s, it went extremely well on the day.
Staying with B Squadron Willie had to take part in a further parade at Perham Down to lead them into amalgamation with the 10th Hussars. Although steeped in 11H tradition and sad at the need for amalgamation Willie adopted an extremely positive attitude and participated in committees to plan the best future for the Royal Hussars. This attitude was especially praiseworthy in that the downsizing of the Army and conse- quent amalgamation had robbed him of his long-held ambition to command the Regiment. During his subsequent posting to the gunnery wing at Lulworth and throughout his retirement he remained in close touch with generations of members of the
RH and later the KRH. His advice on a wide range of matters including regimental dress and traditions has been of enormous help to serving officers and especially to Home Headquarters. During his time serving in England, he also became an excel- lent commentator at horse trials and developed a commenta- tor’s system which although modified by technology is still in use today. He even commentated at Badminton.
After leaving the Army Willie returned to the family farm in Staindrop Co Durham with Ginnie and their 4 children and immersed himself in local affairs including years of work for, and area chairman of, the Conservative Party. In 1990 he was awarded the CBE in acknowledgment of his wide range of benevolent and political work. He loved his sport and kept up his hunting and shooting and was chairman of the Zetland Hunt. He was also a supporter of Sunderland Football Club and a member of Durham Cricket Club.
Willie was a much-loved officer and friend and mentor to many in the Regiment He was a devoted family man and a fantastic participator in a wide variety of activities both in the regiment and during his long and active retirement.
EMW
David went onto to have an interesting career. He attended Staff College, and his first staff appointment was Brigade Major to Lord Cathcart. He commanded ‘A’ Squadron one year before amalgamation and one year as a Royal Hussar as the Demonstration Squadron at the School of Infantry at Warminster. He then attended the National Defence College at Latimer and was subsequently posted as Second in Command of the Junior Leaders Regiment at Bovington. Whilst at Bovington he met and married Jane McDougald.
Soon after their marriage, they were posted to Iran to advise the Shah’s army about tank warfare. They decided to drive out to Iran in David’s much loved Mercedes. Shortly after their arrival, tensions heightened in the country due to the Islamic revolution and it became apparent that a swift departure was imminent. They were warned their house was to be burned down so they were advised to leave immediately. Under cover of darkness David secured a safe flight for his wife out of the country and he himself flying out on the last flight before the revolutionists took control of the airports.
David’s next appointment was British Liaison Officer at Fort Knox in Kentucky. On completion of his tour at Fort Knox, he retired from the army and took up employment with Alvis Car and Engineering Company working between California and England on the manufacture of armoured cars and fighting vehicles. After a time, he decided to take a retired officer’s job with the Ministry of Defence.
Following his retirement in 1988, David and Jane moved up to Scotland where they enjoyed a long and active retirement, renovating a house from scratch, creating a wonderful garden and he worked for a time as operations manager at the Services Sound and Vision Corporation which was set up to “entertain and inform Britain’s armed forces around the world”. David was a man with a creative mind, and immense technical ability. At times, great sadness affected his life, but this was countered by great joy and success in the latter part of his career and in retirement.
PDBdeM
Lieutenant Colonel DJW Anstice
10th​Royal​Hussars​(PWO)​1953​–​1969 The​Royal​Hussars​(PWO)​1969​–​1982
David was born in 1932 into a naval family and he was edu- cated at Wellington College. Whilst never claiming to be an academic, he excelled at art and set his sights on becoming an art- ist. After leaving school, he went on to spend a year at Edinburgh Art College but then his father said his art college fees would only be forthcoming if he went into the army for a time to gain
the benefits and experience of being a soldier.
David was accepted for officer training at Sandhurst after which he was commissioned into the 10th Hussars in 1953. He joined the regiment in Iserlohn, Germany after which the regi- ment shortly returned to Tidworth. It has to be said that David was not a typical cavalry officer which in those days was a breath of fresh air. To go into his room, you were not greeted with hunting boots and polo sticks but a half-finished painting sitting on an easel. To the rear of the officers’ mess, he was often to be found lying under a vintage motorcar such as an Alvis or Mercedes.
In November 1956, the regiment was posted to Aqaba in Jordan and David completed most of the tour there before attending the long course at the School of Tank Technology at Bovington where he met Rosemary Moncrieff. At that time, army rules did not allow officers to marry under the age of 25, however they were married with the blessing of the Commanding Officer in April 1957. At the conclusion of the course, David and Rosemary rejoined the regiment and accompanied it to Munster in Germany. Rosemary died tragically in childbirth in 1960 and shortly afterwards David decided to leave the army. David then went to work for Sotheby’s to pursue his love of art. After two years, he decided to rejoin the army and during this time he married Sarah Ramsay and had three sons before parting company. Interestingly, all three sons have inherited David’s creative talents.