Page 239 - Bugle Autumn 2014

MAJENDIE – Major John Dering died on
28th May 2014 aged 94. At the age of 91 John
Majendie received The Times Sternberg Active
Life Award, created in 2008 by Sir Sigmund
Sternberg to celebrate contributions to society
by older people. The award recognised his
remarkable work over 25 years in organising
pilgrimages for veterans of the Normandy
campaign. John took more than 2,000
servicemen and their families to the battlefields of
1944, leading the tours himself. He used part of
his £10,000 prize money to pay for veteran friends
to make the journey. He established links with
French and German survivors of the campaign,
many of whom would never have returned to the
beaches and fields where the fighting occurred
but for his encouragement. Nor would they have
met erstwhile allies and foes again. He was made an honorary citizen of Mouen, in Normandy, where he made many friends, over a glass of cider.
It was as a company second-in-command with 4 SOM LI that he took part in Operation Epsom in Normandy at the end of June 1944 after the D-Day landings. The aim to seize crossings
over the River Odon and get on to the high ground met with only limited success. He was slightly wounded. Ten days later, 4 SOM LI were involved in the 43rd (Wessex) Division’s attack on Hill 112 southwest of Caen, near the village of Maltot, and bitterly defended by Germans. The battalion suffered severe casualties and Majendie took command of A Company when its OC was wounded. Subsequently, in the course of the 43rd Division’s assault on Bricquessard, John Majendie was injured by a blast and evacuated.
The war in Europe was over before he was fit for service and he joined the 1 SOM LI in India
taking on internal security duties in the run up to partition. 1 SOM LI was the last battalion to leave India, marching through
Bombay’s Gateway to India for embarkation and home. John left the Army shortly after the war to try farming, spent a couple of years with the Metropolitan Police and then the Kent County Force before settling down to work as a lighting engineer with General Electric.
His first wife Rosalind, with whom he had a son, Michael, and three daughters, Sally, Charlotte and Elizabeth, died in 2001. He is
survived by his second wife, Christine, whom he married in 2004. The visits to the Normandy became his abiding interest from the mid-1980s. He led his final tour in 2013 and his wife, Christine, to whom we send our condolences, led a 70th anniversary pilgrimage this summer.
John was the son of the Rev Lionel
Majendie. After Winchester College and
Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the
Somerset Light Infantry before volunteering
for the newly-formed Commando forces,
joining No 8 Commando on the isle of Arran.
On transfer to No 12 Commando, Majendie
was appointed a troop commander ahead
of operations in German-occupied Norway.
He took part in the second, morale boosting raid on the Lofoten Islands, Operation Anklet, in December 1941 to draw attention away from a larger action at Vaasgo to the south. A further raid was to have been on the lock gates at St Valery-sur-Somme, on the coast near Amiens, but arrival of German E-boats forced its abandonment.
He was made an honorary citizen of Mouen, in Normandy, where he made many friends, over a glass of cider
HARRIS – Mr Gerald George died on 2nd October aged 80. Gerald a member of the Taunton Branch was called up for National Service in 1951 and initially served with 1 DCLI in Germany. Later he was transferred to 1 SOM LI in Germany but soon deployed
to Malaya where he was employed as a rifleman. On leaving the Army he worked, until his retirement, for British Rail and its regional predecessor. He began as a locomotive fireman before becoming an engine driver. Pre-deceased by his wife our condolences go to his son Geoffrey.
KNOTT – Mr Lionel Geoffrey served in Italy, Greece with 2 SOM LI. His funeral took place in near Castleford, Yorkshire on 13th January 2014.
LANGSHAW – Lieutenant Francis Colin died on 25th September 2013 aged 86. Francis a member of the Taunton Branch was called up for wartime service in 1943 serving as a rifleman in 10 KRRC. The following year he gained a commission and became Regimental Signals Officer with 1 KRRC. Leaving the Army in 1947 he worked for Shell International. This involved postings to many countries throughout the world including a year seconded to the United Nations. Our condolences go to his son.
RENDELL – Mr Kenneth died on 22 July 2014 aged 82. Ken, a member of the Taunton Branch, was called up for National Service into the DCLI in 1953. He subsequently served as a driver with 1 DCLI in Germany, Plymouth and Jamaica. On leaving the Army he returned to his home in Crewkerne where he worked as an engineer until his retirement. Our condolences go to his wife Norma.
ROWDEN – Mr Clive died on 19th September 2013 aged 81. Clive a member of the Taunton Branch was called up for National Service initially with the OX & BUCKS LI in 1952. Later transferring to 1 SOM LI he served with the Battalion in Malaya. Signals became his specialty. On leaving the Army he returned to his home in
Abingdon and employment with Austin/Morris Motor Company. He later moved to Unipart Automotive, a part of British Leyland. He continued in this employment until his retirement. Pre-deceased by his wife our condolences go to his son and daughter.
THOMAS – Mr Sidney Edward died on 19th September 2013 aged 68. Sidney a member of the Taunton Branch enlisted into 1 SCLI in 1964 and served as a rifleman in the UK, Berlin, Canada, Norway and Aden. On leaving the Army in 1968, having attained the rank of L/Cpl, he returned to his home in Marazion where he held
a number of occupations: hotelier; hotel manager; college lecturer; community centre manager; and, finally college refectory manager. Our condolences go to his wife Clair and Family.
TURNER – Mr Charles died on the 10th May 2014 aged 69. Charles a member of the Taunton Branch enlisted as a regular
with SCLI in 1963 serving with 1 SCLI and 1LI. Service included Gibraltar, Berlin, Canada, Aden, Northern Ireland (Ballykinler) and several UK postings. He was employed as a rifleman, and then on promotion to L/Cpl/Cpl as a Section Commander. On leaving the Army in 1971 he returned to his home in Pontefract where he set up and ran several businesses. His last, in which he was still engaged shortly before his death, involved selling remote controls for various electrical devices via the internet. Our condolences go to his wife Denise and family.
WALTON – Mr Roy Henry John died on 18th October 2013 aged 77. Roy a member of the Taunton Branch was called up for National Service in 1954 initially into the Ox & BUCKS LI. Following training he was transferred to 1 SOM LI in Malaya, and subsequently Malta, where he served as a rifleman and later as a MT driver. Following de-mobilization he joined Ox & BUCKS TA serving for a short time at Oxford with the Regimental Police. His civilian occupation until retirement was as a delivery driver with a newspaper company in Oxford. Our condolences go to his wife Sylvia and family.
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION NEWS 237