Page 238 - Bugle Autumn 2014

BEARE – Mr Geoffrey Herbert Hayman died on 4th May aged 90. Geoff Beare was called up in June 1942 and trained at 16 ITC Gloucester before being posted to D Coy, 4 SOM LI, near Dover. Pte Beare became the OC’s driver and then served in that post throughout the campaign in NW Europe. His first OC was Maj Tim Baithwaite. When de-mobilisation began he moved to HQ Coy as the technical storeman with the MT Pl. As 4 SOM LI reduced in strength he was posted to the Light Aid Detachment of 6th Guards Brigade at Hamburg. Accompanying him on his move were all of the battalion’s motor spares. Geoff Beare left the Army in January 1947. In civil life he worked as a manufacturers representative and salesman as well as being self-employed. Our condolences go to his widow, Marjorie.
BEVIS – Major John (Jack) Eames died in the summer of 2013 aged 92 years old. Jack joined the Army in 1944 initially serving as
a Regimental Medical Officer in Kent and Northern Ireland. Post
war he served with the RAMC in India and Malaya before becoming RMO to 4 SOM LI and 6 LI at Bath. He was their RMO for more than 15 years. A highly respected general practitioner in Bath, he was a proud Freeman of the City of London and remembered fondly by many within the Regiment.
CARYLON – Mr Brian (Chuck) Roy died on 4th June 2014 aged 77. In 1954 he joined 1 DCLI in Jamaica. Following 4 years with the Regular Army Reserve he rejoined in 1961 and was posted
to 1 SCLI. During the Battalion’s tour of Aden he was a Section Commander. Subsequently with The Light Infantry he served in NI, Lemgo, Shrewsbury, Hong Kong, Tidworth, Cyprus and Munster. Latter appointments as a SNCO included the provost staff and families office. Having left the Army he worked with security duties in the tin mining industry. Later he was self-employed and a strong supporter of the Association. Our condolences go to his widow, Edna.
CORNOCK – Mr Anthony Richard died in the Autumn of 2013 aged 95. Having joined the Somerset Light Infantry in January 1940 he served mostly as a driver and storeman in Kent, Colchester and Northern Ireland. He also gained clerical, anti-tank and mechanical skills. From 1944 he served with 1 SOM LI in India. He left the Army in 1946 and became a bus and coach driver. Our condolences go to his family.
DAVIS – Lieutenant Martin Murles died on 11th June 2014
aged 77. Having conducted National Service in the RAOC, Martin joined the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers as a Territorial. On moving to Somerset in 1963 he remained in Territorial service with the Somerset Light Infantry for four years. He spent much of his working life in retail management. He ran his own menswear shop in Bristol during the 1970s and 80s. For a period he also worked in the textile trade in West Africa.
DAVIS – Mr Gerald John died on Tuesday 31st December 2013 aged 82. After spending the war years both as an Army and Air Cadet in 1949 he carried out training at Bordon as a member of the Somerset Light Infantry. Thereafter he was posted to 1 KSLI serving in Hong Kong, Malaya and Shrewsbury. From August 1951 he served as a Territorial with 4 SOM LI and left in 1955. As a civilian he worked as a plumber and welder/fitter. In 1969 he invented a device for trimming sheet metal and gained appropriate patents. Subsequently he started his own general building and plumbing company and retired in 1996. A great supporter of the Association, or condolences go to his wife, Velma.
ELLIS – Captain Gerald Edgar died on 1st August 2013 aged 87 years old. Gerald Edgar Ellis joined the Army in March 1944 initially training with KRRC. Further infantry training in Northern Ireland followed before completing, in September 1945, a commissioning course at Barmouth, Gwynedd, Wales. Having been commissioned in to the East Surrey Regiment he served in the 2nd Battalion, initially in UK, and then with Middle East Land Forces (MELF). He remained there until released from the Regular Army in 1948. His appointments included Platoon Commander, Staff Duties and Adjutant within the Headquarters of the Suez Canal North.
In 1959 he joined 4/5th SOM LI serving in Support Company at Bath with Mortars and Anti-Tanks. After also serving in Glastonbury, with B Company, he retired from the Territorial Army when the battalion was disbanded. He later joined 1 WESSEX from 1971-2. Thereafter he worked as an infantry advisor with the Gunners at Bristol until completely retiring from the TA in 1980. His principal business interests were marketing and oil. Gerald subsequently became a strong supporter of the Association and most notably as messing member for Bristol Branch where he is fondly remembered. Our condolences go his widow, Doreen.
FOLLON- Mr Francis John died in February 2014 aged 83. Having trained in Bordon in 1949 he served with 1 DLI in Dortmund and 1 DCLI in Somalia and Egypt. Following National Service he joined 4 SOM LI at Bath and served until 1976. He reached the rank of C/Sgt. For much of this time he worked for C&J Clark and was a strong supporter of the Bath Branch of the Association. Our condolences go to his widow, Muriel.
GILLARD – Mr George died on 28th January 2014 aged 80. George joined 1 SOM LI in October 1949 and subsequently became a bandsman serving with the Battalion in BAOR, Malaya, Plymouth and Warminster. He left the Army in the late 1950s but re-enlisted and served until 1973 having completed a total of 22 years service. This latter period was spent with the KSLI and DLI in the rank of Cpl. Near the end of his service he was employed as a storeman
at Hereford. George was a Bristolian and a staunch member of the Association. Having left the Army he worked for Sun Alliance and was pre-deceased by his wife.
OBITUARIES
HANNA – Major William Walter died on Friday 11th April 2014, aged 81. Military service for Bill Hanna began at Bordon in September 1951. He subsequently joined 1 SOM LI in Munster. Within a year he became an Officer Cadet and trained
at Eaton Hall. He was commissioned in to The Somerset Light Infantry and by October 1953 was a Platoon Commander, in Malaya, with 1 SOM LI.
Territorial Army service began with 4 SOM LI,
at Bath, in the Autumn of 1953. In 1954 the Battalion changed to 4/5th Battalion and later to The Somerset Light Infantry. From 1967 he served with The Somerset Yeomanry and Light Infantry, before assuming command of A Company 6th Battalion, The Light Infantry at Bath. He left the Territorial Army in 1973 and was awarded the Territorial Decoration in the same year.
Personnel Management was the focus for much
of his work on behalf of names such as ICI, Beechams, Unigate
and the Civil Aviation Authority. In addition to sport, especially cricket, he took a great interest
in walking, history, military biographies and campaign medals. Many will remember Bill as Chairman of the Bath Branch of the Regimental Association, a post he held for 21 years. From 2007 to 2013 he was Chairman of the Association in Somerset and Bristol, providing far-sighted leadership following the formation of The Rifles. He is also widely remembered for other voluntary work including: the ABF in Somerset; the National Inventory of War Memorials; the War Memorial Trust; School Governor of Beechen Cliff School, Bath; and, Meetings Secretary of the History
of Bath Research Group. Bill was an extremely influential voice in Association matters and will be missed by many. Our condolences go to Pauline, his widow. Together they formed a highly effective
team in much of their voluntary work within Somerset.
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THE RIFLES