Page 276 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

HAZARD – Tommy QGM, C/Sgt died on 4th HECKS - Mr John Edgar died on 4th May
February 2017 at Winchester Hospital, aged 76. Tommy joined the Parachute Regiment in 1959 and served with 3 PARA in the Radfan under Colonel Tony Farrar-Hockley. Later, circumstances led to a transfer to the Gloucestershire Regiment. He initially served with the Glosters, at Chester, in 1966. Subsequently he led a ful lling military career with the Glosters serving in Aden, Bahrain, Berlin, Minden, Munster, Belize, Australia and various UK postings including a tour at the Prince of Wales’s
Depot in Crickhowell.
Deployments to Northern Ireland characterised
much of his regimental soldiering and there, in 1974, was awarded the Queens Gallantry Medal. On completion of his Service Tommy, and Mary, moved back to North London. There they lived for fourteen years before moving to Andover in 1995. He is survived by Mary, his three daughters, seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. A full obituary will appear in the Chronicle.
2017 aged 82. Called up for National Service into the SOM LI in 1953, he served with 1 SOM LI in Malaya in the Intelligence Section, HQ Company. On leaving the Army in 1955, he returned to his home in Street where he ran the family business of Hecks Farmhouse Cider for many years until his retirement. A member of the Taunton Branch, our condolences go to his wife Mary and family.
JONES – Martin Hudson, Colonel was commissioned in to the Royal Warwicks with whom he served between 1949 to 1962. After the Battle of the Imjin River he was attached to 1 GLOSTERS in Korea between 1951-52. Thereafter much of his service was spent with the Parachute Regiment and was awarded the MBE for his work in the Radfan. Having left the Army he became the ACF County Commandant in Gloucestershire, a DL for the County and the Commander of St John Ambulance, Gloucestershire. He remained in the County until the last few years of his life.
MITFORD-SLADE – Anthony Cecil Wyndham, Major died suddenly on 26th May 2017 aged 85.
Tony Mitford-Slade, personally known to many, was the son of a former Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset. In 1952 he was commissioned in to The Somerset Light Infantry initially serving with 1 SOM LI in Malaya where, as a platoon commander, he was Mentioned in Dispatches. A subsequent move to the Training Depot at Taunton was followed by a period at Mons, Aldershot as the Demonstration Platoon Commander. On formation of 1 SCLI he served as a Company Second in Command and Of cer Commanding of A Company at Osnabruck, before returning to England and Bodmin as Adjutant at the Depot. A tour as a Staff Captain at HQ 53 (Welsh) Division followed. A return to 1 SCLI, as OC Support Company from 1964 to 1966 preceded a tour with
the Guyana Defence Force. Thereafter from 1968 to 1977 he held a succession of staff appointments at HQ BAOR, HQ East Midlands District, MOD and HQ West Midlands District.
Tony Mitford-Slade left the Army in late 1983 having ful lled further appointments with 7 LI (V) and the MOD including PS2 and ASD. Thereafter employment followed in the south while he and Dawn, together with their family (Rosemary, Chris- topher, Richard and Timothy) lived near Shaft- esbury. Subsequently they moved to their home, Montys Court at Norton Fitzwarren. There the family generously hosted several events including those in support of the Army Benevolent Fund. Tony also became involved with certain county based charities. Our condolences go to his wife, Dawn, their family and his brother.
KELLERMAN - Mr Bernard Victor died on service he was employed in MT. Leaving the Regular
20th May 2016 aged 98. He joined the Middlesex Regiment (TA) in 1935 transferring to 2 Middx Regt. as a Regular soldier in 1938. Following the outbreak of WW2 in December 1939 he transferred to the SOM LI serving at the Regimental Depot. Thereafter until his demobilisation in June 1945 he had a number of postings. April 1940 as a Cpl to 7 SOM LI engaged on Home Service duty. January 1943 to 7 (LI) Parachute Battalion as a CQMS. June 1943 to 4 SOM LI as a CQMS. Finally in June 1944 as a CQMS in a DLI Battalion engaged in the European Theatre of Operations. A resident of Maidenhead he had a number of occupations until retirement, including Publican, Underground Train Driver and Security. A member of the Taunton Branch, Our condolences go to his family.
OXFORD – Mr Michael John died on the 10th February 2017 aged 83. Called up for National Service in1951, he trained at LIBTC Bordon and was posted to 1 SOM LI in Germany, rst Munster and later Wuppertal. He completed his service at the Regimental Depot in Taunton. For most of his
Army in 1953 he continued his obligatory reserve service with 4 SOM LI (TA). Serving beyond the required time he nally left the Army in 1965 with the rank of Sjt. His civilian occupation was with Westlands, Yeovil as a driver, transport co-ordinator, and security. A member of the Taunton Branch, our condolences go to his wife Rose and family.
RIDGE – Rupert Pattle, Lieutenant died on 28th February 2017. He initially served, in the mid- sixties, as a Private Soldier within the TA. He subsequently gained a regular commission with the Light Infantry initially serving with the Regiment’s rst Emergency tour of Northern Ireland and Malaysia. Further service with 2LI in UK and Malaysia followed before going to the Depot, Shrewsbury from 1972 to 73. He left the Army in 1973. Later he became Chairman of St Michael’s Cheshire Home, Axbridge and a Governor of St Mary’s School, Chippenham. He married Mary in 1971, to whom we send our condolences, and lived at Brockley, near Bristol.
274 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES