Page 95 - KRH Year of 2021 CREST

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 93
as a second lieutenant, the RACs historic Bristol pilot cutter, Theodora, round the Baltic. Followed by many trips to France in chartered boats, several long distance passages on Dyarchy, to Sweden, Portugal and Spain, twice across the Atlantic - the last time on Swaraj via Senegal and the Cape Verde Islands to Venezuela - and in later years annual cruises through the islands of the Aegean and Adriatic on Ringhaddy. He enjoyed skiing in the winter with his family and once undertook the Haute Route across the Alps from Chamonix to Zermatt. At home he assisted his wife, Margaret, with her horse breeding enterprise and they and their four children hunted whenever possible.
He took up sculpture and had some success with animal and por- trait sculpture in terracotta, bronze and bronze resin. Commissions included one for racehorse trainer Nicky Henderson, and he pro- duced a bronze of a Taliban fighter for the Light Dragoons.
His eldest son, Noll, served as a short service officer and his son- in-law, Duff Burrell, held a regular commission in the Regiment.
He is survived by his wife, their four children and eight grandchildren.
R A Dundas Esq
10th Royal Hussars (PWO) 1958-59
Anthony Dundas joined the 10th Hussars at Tidworth from Mons OCS toward the end of 1958. He was troop leader of 2nd Troop A Squadron and he proved to be an efficient and popular officer. John Carey was his squadron leader. He enjoyed his national service although he was perhaps unfortu- nate not to have had a more excit- ing place in which to serve. However he made his mark as a hurdler and regimental tennis player.
Anthony’s father was a diplomat
and he spent his early years largely in the Middle East and North Africa. That is why, as a 7-year- old, Anthony was fluent in English, French, Spanish and Arabic. He went to school at Glenalmond, where he played in the 1st and 2nd Rugby 15s and excelled at gymnastics. On completing his service in 1959 he declined to take up a place at Magdelene College, Oxford opting instead for a career in the commercial world: in Lever Brothers, Grays Advertising, Geigy and finally as
Managing Director for Rothmans Careras.
His three siblings included a sister, Jane who married Francis Cornish then adjutant of the 14th/20th Hussars who subsequently joined the Foreign Office and was British High Commissioner in Brunei and HBM Ambassador to Israel.
Anthony is survived by his wife, Sue, son Robert, daughter Alice
Major DF Covill MBE DCM
10th Royal Hussars (PWO) 1937-69 The Royal Hussars (PWO) 1969-70
Douglas (Dougie) Covill died on 15th November 2021, one day after his 101st birthday. He was the last pre-war 10th Hussar, the last who fought in Normandy in 1940 and one of the last veterans of the Battle of El Alamein. He was the last Quartermaster of the Tenth Hussars and subsequently the 990th Mayor of the City of Winchester. Above all Dougie was a regimental character, a fine sol- dier and a true and generous friend.
Douglas Frederick Covill was
born in Croydon, the middle of three brothers. His father was a bus driver who played football for Crystal Palace before being wounded in the First World War. Both brothers fought in Normandy in 1944 and were wounded. One of Dougie’s grandfathers was a member of the Dunn family who owned a chain of gentlemen’s outfitters. His other grandfa- ther had served in the East Kent Regiment (The Buffs) in both the South African War and the First World War and he encour- aged Dougie to join the Army. When he was 16 he went to the recruiting office to enlist. The sergeant told him he was too young but he should walk round the block, have a birthday and come back again. Dougie joined the 10th Royal Hussars, officially 17 still only 16, at Tidworth in 1937. The regiment had recently returned from India to be mechanized but all ranks were still taught to ride. Dougie was given the nickname ‘Chota’ (Hindi for ‘small’) on account of his 5ft 3in stature. He boxed and played
football.
The 10th Hussars were one of three regiments of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, part of a depleted 1st Armoured Division that was sent to Normandy to support the French Army in the mid- dle of May 1940. Dougie was a lance corporal gunner in a light tank mounted with a 2-pounder gun. The regiment’s first major engagement was the Battle of Abbeville on 27th May where it was outmatched by German tanks equipped with 75mm guns. During an attack on Huppy Ridge Covill’s tank commander was killed by a sniper and Dougie replaced him for the remainder of the short campaign.
After some confused fighting in the area of the River Seine further support for the withdrawing French Army was no longer possi- ble and the 10th Hussars were ordered to move to Brest where the regiment embarked in the Manx Maid, an Isle of Man ferry. The ship was dangerously overloaded with some 3,000 troops and for some hours was stationary with engine trouble in danger of being attacked by the German Navy but she eventually reached Plymouth unharmed on 17th June.
After a year in southern England the 10th Hussars embarked in the City of Paris in October 1941for a voyage round the Cape of Good Hope, calling in at Durban and Aden before disembarking at Suez. The regiment remained in the 2nd Armoured Brigade for the rest of the War and it was involved in many of the 8th Army’s battles. Dougie was now a troop sergeant but, still outgunned by German tanks, the regiment fought fierce actions at Saunnu, near Benghazi and at Knightsbridge, near Tobruk before the delay- ing action at Alam Halfa. Covill’s tank was knocked out and he was wounded but after evacuation to the Field Dressing Station he was soon returned to the regiment. The 10th Hussars played
and five grandchildren.
JPWF