Page 48 - RADC Bulletin 2018

OBITUARY
Colonel Antony Stephen Mumford L/RADC
By Major General Peter Bonnet
Colonel Tony Mumford died in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield on 21st February 2018 after a long illness borne with great courage and resilience. Tony was born in the Isles of Scilly in May 1937, the second son of a farming family. From the age of eight, he boarded at Truro Preparatory School and then Truro School. He excelled academically and in sport, and left school at eighteen well equipped with A-levels.
Tony read dentistry at Bristol University and qualified BDS in 1960. In the same year, he married Pamela, and Andrew was born in 1962 and Laura in 1965. He went into general dental practice for five years with his elder brother and then, in July 1966, took a Short Service Commission in the RADC. He served initially in Detmold for three months as a Captain and then promoted as a Major. He very much enjoyed dental work in the Army and so, when his contract ended, he took a Regular Commission. He subsequently served
28 years in the Army with tours of service
in BAOR and the UK. One of his most interesting postings was as the Senior
Dental Officer at the British Medical Hospital in Berlin. Berlin was an exciting city in which to live but on one memorable occasion it
fell to Tony to treat Rudolf Hess. Hess was a long term prisoner in Spandau Prison
and had been admitted to the BMH with various health and dental problems. Hess was under permanent and strong security custody and, in spite of the menacing presence of a number of armed guards in Tony’s surgery, Tony managed to keep Hess in his chair and treat him successfully while having a long and interesting conversation with him.
Tony retired from the Army in 1993 with the rank of full Colonel and settled in Bath. He did several years in locum dentistry
in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for the Cornwall Health Authority, and also in Bath.
Tony was a very accomplished all round sportsman throughout his life. At school in 1952 he was the Junior Tennis Champion of Cornwall. He also played rugby at school and, as a dental student, played for United Bristol Hospitals. Cricket was a life-long passion and, again, he played at a very
high standard. Golf subsequently became
his main sport and he played for the Dental Corps and the Army. He kept up his golf in retirement, played three days a week and greatly enjoyed his tenure as captain of the Senior Section of his club in Bath. In 2014, Pam and Tony moved to Sheffield to be near their daughter and son-in-law, a consultant neurosurgeon at the local hospital.
Soon after the move, Tony progressively developed Dementia and Parkinson’s disease. He accepted all this as part of life without complaint, bravely and without any trace of selfishness.
Tony was a loving family man – Pam, Andrew and Laura, his seven grandchildren and great granddaughter were central
to his life. He was a gentle, tolerant and considerate person, and a generous father and adored grandfather, with a clear sense of what is right and honourable. He was well loved in return and unfailingly supported in his career and lovingly cared for during his illness by Pam and the family. He was highly and widely respected in his professional work, for his skills, for his sense of duty,
and for his values as a man. He is greatly missed by Pam, his family and many friends.
CORPS MATTERS
100th Birthday Celebration – John Horace Brown ADC Brian Sims – Honorary Secretary RADC Reunion Group
Some months ago the RADC Association was contacted by the staff of Briar Close Residential Home in Derby. One of their residents was about to celebrate his 100th birthday and, as he was often recalling
his service with the Army Dental Corps, they thought it would be a nice gesture to invite members from the Corps and the Association to join him on this unique occasion. Arrangements were then made by John Sharp for someone to attend.
On Friday 14th September 2018
Colonel Quentin Anderson, the RADC Representative Colonel, accompanied by Brian Sims, the Honorary Secretary of the RADC Reunion Group, enjoyed a buffet tea
and conversation with the 100th birthday celebrant, John Horace Brown. Horace,
as he is more commonly known, joined the Army Dental Corps in 1938 just before the outbreak of the Second World War and, after training as a Dental Operating Room Attendant (Dental Nurse), he was posted first to No 8 Company RAMC at Tidworth Military Hospital, followed shortly afterwards to the Dental Centre at Bulford. As the
war progressed he was posted to North Africa, and later on to North West Europe and to Germany where, in 1946, he was demobilised.
Horace was so pleased to welcome Colonel Anderson who presented him with a
Tankard with the RADC Crest and a birthday card signed by members of the Corps. A small framed insignia plaque showing the ADC shoulder title and the ADC cap and collar badges was presented by Brian Sims on behalf of the RADC Reunion group.
This was a most enjoyable occasion when Horace was joined by his family and also the Mayor and Mayoress of the City of Derby.
46 RADC BULLETIN 2018