Page 120 - Light Dragoons 2022 CREST

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
The Regiments Armoured Cars en route to Port Sudan in 1949
Ted (As a Polish Cadet) and Stepmother
Ted had experienced a very eventful life before he was twenty-two. Nobody today can truly envisage what he and his family went through in the first 20 years of his life. His survival was down to three main factors: luck; care of his stepmother and; his determination and love of life. Needless to say, he and the other 20 Poles in the Regiment drank much vodka and sang loudly. Sadly, all of these friends have now passed away all raisings their glasses to the toast ‘Na Zdrowie! (Nah zdrov-e-yay)!!
In early 1950 the Regiment was posted to Lubeck as part of the BOAR where he met his wife. He was married in 1953 a rare event for a Pole to marry a German. By this time, he had been promoted to Sergeant and served in the Officers’ Mess, before the Regiment went to Wesendorf. In 1955 the Regiment was posted to Malaya where Ted was an armoured car troop leader and MT Sergeant. He frequently commanded escort patrols through a countryside infil- trated by terrorists. Ambushes were com- mon. During this time, he was offered a place at an officer’s training course but much to the disgust of the CO turned it down stating ‘he preferred to stay in the Sergeants Mess’. In 1958 the Regiment was posted to Northern Ireland as a Tech Sergeant, and then Barnard Castle at the
Cairo 1946 Victory Parade 5th Polish Company
training Regiment. In 1960 he was posted to Munster as QM Staff Sergeant where the Regiment remained until 1965.
After Germany, Ted went to Bovington and the DM School as SQMS until 1968. One of his passions was fishing and smoking the fish he caught. Safety was not a consid- eration, he used to row out to sea several miles in all weathers and fight with very large and dangerous conger eels and skate.
Promoted Ted was posted back to the Regiment in Tidworth for the last time as WO2 in the Officers’ Mess. This posting was welcomed by all Officers and a variety of dogs, who took to the immaculate way he ran the Officers’ Mess.
He charmed many wives and girlfriends during this time and made them feel at ease in a male dominated world. His experi- ences throughout an amazingly varied life gave him the respect of all and he brought so much fun not only for the Officers, but also all the Staff – it was a very inclusive family feeling. Nothing was too much trouble. Princess Margaret commented to the Mess secretary after the Guidon Lunch that he might be leaving the Regiment next year, and there would always be a job at the Palace. Mr Gorski as he was known is still talked about by the many who served dur- ing this short but very happy era.
On leaving the Regiment Ted and Roly Ellis, his Mess Secretary, nearly bought the Trout pub together on the River Thames, but a last-minute well-paid job as distri- bution Manager for a meat company in Swindon was the sensible way to go. After eight years he took a job in his homeland of Poland as a materials manager. Forever
the traveller he had a year in Saudi Arabia as a purchasing manager before executive general manager of Primm-Brando Sacsa Group before retiring in 1988. In 1969 and moved from Swindon to Abergele, North Wales where his garden was as immacu- late as the Officers’ Mess. Those of us lucky enough to visit him were treated to a feast of Polish delicacies, vodka and a tour around his Regimental Museum and gar- den. The Regimental flag flew proudly in his garden until he died.
To summarise Ted’s life, he was a rare blend of a man melded into his character by his experience of life .... And death. He was intelligent speaking 4 languages flu- ently and had a wicked sense of humour. He was not ambitious and preferred to live for the day and the people around him. He also had this ability to relate to everyone, no matter their background and upbring- ing. It did not matter whether the person was a princess or a trooper. To him it was the person not his or her background that was important. His stories of his life in the regiment and the loyalty to everyone in the regiment remained at the forefront of his mind to the end. Merebimur.
The last days – Tidworth 1968 – Officers Mess Staff
Early days
Visit of Princess Margaret Colonel in Chief Ted is the short one on the right!
118