Page 90 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

‘He never told me me about a a a a a a a a problem without also telling me me that that it it it was either already sorted or or that that he he he had the the solution in in hand’ Peter said But per- haps Dick’s greatest talent was was his his understated approach humility was was his his gift Always firm but fair former Guardsman Adam Rewcroft spoke of of of the great effort Dick took to to rescue him from an an an an interminable vortex of of trouble mishap and and misdemeanour and and the dream posting to Kenya which followed as a a a a a a a a a a result Arriving in in in Germany that summer of 1993 former Coldstreamer Dar- ren Smith recalls Dick addressing the Sergeants’ Mess ‘Your loyalty I I demand Your Your respect I I will earn’ A year later in in 1994 it it was little surprise that Dick should be appointed to to take over as as ‘top dog’ the Academy Sergeant Major at Sand- hurst General Sir Jack Deverell Commandant at at the the the time remembers him as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a soldier who was as as as as as at at home in in the the the field as as as as as on the the the drill square with a a a a a a a a a a a a shared enthusiasm for mischief During a a a a a a a a a a a a final exercise fin in Germany he and life-long love of cooking although much to to his chagrin he he never quite managed to to to master the perfect roast potato In 1971 Dick enlisted into the the Coldstream Guards and after training joined the the 1st Battal- ion in in in in in in in Berlin Paul Horniblow who has sadly died since flew out in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a later draft from the Guards Depot and reminisced that joining a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Battalion as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a fresh-faced Guardsman was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a galling experi- ence fifty years ago ‘Dick took me me me under his wing from the the moment I arrived” he he he he told me me me “he was a a a a a very good friend one of the the the the best’ By Paul’s own admission they did not fit the the the the norm as Guardsmen eschewing the the the the more traditional drinking haunts favoured by their comrades for music venues like Chelsea’s Drug Store and the the pioneering Troubadour developing an an an an enduring passion for the the the bands of of the the the time and and attend- ing gigs by the the the likes of of Deep Purple The Sen- sational Alex Harvey Band Band and and and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band Dick went to to to visit to to to that dream of retail utopia the ‘PX’ on a a a a a a a nearby
US Air Force base Greeted by by a a a a a a a sea of denim there was much wailing gnashing and grinding
of of Sergeant Majorly teeth at the the vision of of of ‘devil’s cloth’ As the the the pair
came across yet another aisle of of interminable blue so Dick turned
to General Jack and said ‘it’s no good sir we must do something
about this’ He made as if to to set
light to to a a a a a a pair
of the cursed trou-
sers only for two large security men to to appear at either end of the the the aisle and in in a a a a a a a a little known incident not recorded elsewhere the the the the the hapless duo in in the the the shape of a a a a a a a senior general and the the the British Army’s number one Warrant Officer were escorted off the premises like like naughty school children laughing like like teenagers and and and breathing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sigh of relief that ‘Commandant and and and Academy Sergeant Major arrested for attempted arson’ never made the headlines Richard Hedley McCormack was born on on the Isle of of Man on on 10th February 1954 One of of nine children with his father serving in in in the the Royal Air Force travel and adventure were a a a a a a a a a feature of family life from the outset growing up in in places as as far afield as as Aden Germany and Aldershot Dick spent his teenage years in Weston-Super- Mare where he he he he he helped run donkey rides on on on the beach He trained as a a a a a a a a chef and so began a a a a a a a a It was not long before promotion beckoned as as Dick’s talent ability and leadership qualities were recog- nised After a a a a a a a a a posting to to the the Guards Depot as a a a a a a a a platoon sergeant in in the the Junior Guardsmen’s Company he he he returned to to the the 1st Battalion for a a a a a a tour of of South Armagh in in the the winter of of 1982 Clive Forestier-Walker com- manding 2 2 (Patrols) Company at at the time wrote of of of Dick’s outstanding level of of of professionalism on on on demand- ing close observation tasks that were nuanced and highly sensitive in in in in in nature Dick was Mentioned in in in in in in Despatches gaining experience during the tour that stood him in in in in in in good stead when appointed as Operations Warrant Officer in in in in in Bessbrook Mill for the 2nd Battalion’s subse- quent tour in in in in in 1991 His quick-thinking upbeat and calm manner were a a a a a a a a a a great asset during a a a a a a a a a a tense tour complicated by Operation BRONSKI a a a a a a brigade-level operation to to to refurbish the the Golf towers along the border Leaving Sandhurst Dick accepted a a a a a a a a commis- sion and and was deservedly awarded the the MBE in in the the the Queen’s Birthday Honours List of 1998 Four years later as as as Quartermaster when the the the 1st Bat- talion was was stationed in in in Londonderry the the NAAFI bar was was failing as as as as all ranks were becoming increasingly frustrated at at the the lack of opportunity to to let their hair down in in in in a a a a a a a a safe safe environment it it still being unsafe to to do do so outside Greville Bibby Former Coldstreamer Darren Smith recalls Dick addressing the Sergeants’ Mess ‘Your loyalty I demand Your Your respect I will earn’ 88 HISTORICAL