Page 173 - RSDG Year of 2023

Association in 2014. During his presidency he organised two excellent woodland conferences at Highgrove to highlight the need to protect and manage the woodlands. In 2021 an article about him in the magazine entitled ‘Woodland Heritage’ attributed his success to “Ethos, Education and Ethics”, qualities he lived his life by. Nothing was too much for him; if he could see a need and it was within his ability to do something about it, he just did it. In the last year of his life he had his paddocks at the end of the village planted with a new woodland, thinking
WYNDHAM KNIGHT
Wyndham was born in London in 1937 and spent his early days in modern day Pakistan when, in 1939, his father, Austen Knight 2nd Royal Lancers, returned to India to serve with the Maharaja of Jaipur’s private army. They returned to their family home in Pamber when Wyndham was 11 years old. He was educated at St Andrews Prep school, Eastbourne and
Wellington College. He then went to Sandhurst and joined the 3rd Carabiners in 1957 serving in Catterick and Aden.
In 1963 he married Virginia and they had two daughters, Harriet and Claudia and a son, James and later eight grand- children. They initially lived in Lulworth before moving to Detmold in 1965. From there he did tours in Libya and Cyprus. On one occasion in Libya, in his Mark 1 Ferret, he drove over and detonated a World War 2 landmine that almost blew the wheel and suspension of the hull. He and his driver were shaken but unhurt. Minefields were marked by endless rows of stones but it was never marked which side of the stones he mines were laid. Being of a technical mind he assessed that to avoid being violently shaken when travelling over the desert at lower speed, he found that a steady 60mph evened out the resonance and vibrations thus leading to a much smoother ride.
They moved to Hereford and then back to the Gunnery school in 1969. Wyndham was appointed the Squadron Leader of B Squadron 3rd Carabiners, a post he held when
MICHAEL HEYER-LYFORD
After cutting short undergraduate studies at Downing College, Cambridge, Michael Heyer-Lyford was commis- sioned from Sandhurst into the 3rd Carabiniers (3DG) in December 1960. He transferred to the 14th/20th King’s Hussars when 3DG amalgamated with the Royal Scots Greys to form the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in 1971. Unusually for young officers at the time he sported the
EAGLE AND CARBINE 171 of the future and future generations. A fitting and lasting
legacy.
Richard passed away suddenly at home on 26 January 2023 and is survived by his wife Carole, with whom he enjoyed over 60 years of a very happy marriage, his son Alexander and daughters Nicolette and Lulu and 5 grand- children. He will be remembered with great affection and pride by all who knew him.
the Regiment amalgamated with the Royal Scots Greys in 1971. On that parade he commanded No2 Guard and then took command of B Squadron of the new Regiment in Herford. He then moved to the Procurement Executive in the MOD after which he went to the Armour School in Bovington.
He returned to his family home in Pamber, Hampshire to manage the Home Farm on his father’s death in 1978. From there he worked in Defence Intelligence in the MOD from 1979-1983 before becoming the Project Manager for Challenger. He then worked as an SO2 in the Ordnance Board in Empress State Building from 1985 until he retired in 1992.
Wyndham’s knowledge and love of machinery was well known, a passion around which he had built his career, and for which he was known round the world. While he had helped in the development of the Chieftain and Challenger tanks, he also deployed his talents at home, building family cars by himself out of write-offs and body parts, and keeping ancient tractors and agricultural machinery going, most notably his beloved grey fergy tractor, known as the Grey Mare. While not overtly social, Wyndham was a generous welcoming and terrific family man who hosted many parties and shoots. He loved the shoots and delighted in giving a firm word to the useless shots with a great sense of fun.
Wyndham died on 13 October 2023.
1953 Coronation medal awarded to choirboys who sang at the Queen’s Coronation.
As a young officer in Germany fellow officers remember Mike’s uncanny ability to come to the attention of very senior officers. On one occasion Mike and his tank troop were despatched to practice crossing the River Weser.