Page 133 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
Capt Brian Fanshawe
Brian Fanshawe was one of the most re- nown Masters of Foxhounds and ama- teur huntsmen of the 20th Century
Brian Edward Fanshawe was born on September 13 1936, the younger son of keen foxhunting and riding parents, Ma- jor Richard Fanshawe and his wife Ruth, who both hunted the South Oxfordshire hounds. Ruth Fanshawe hunted them solely during the war; her brother was the distinguished Master and huntsman
of the Portman, Sir Peter Farquhar.
After leaving Stowe school, Brian Fanshawe gained experience of riding and training horses in Newmarket racing yards, before going to Sandhurst and was commissioned on 21st December 1956 from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst into the 12L. He served in Germany, Cyprus and Northern Ireland, and kept up his horsemanship. In 1960 he married Elizabeth (Libby) Pugh of Temple Guiting, Gloucestershire, a fine horsewoman who shared all her husband’s sporting interests.
Fanshawe was a top-class point-to-point and hunter ’chase rider, reaching his peak in 1967, when he won Cheltenham’s National Hunt ’Chase on Master Tammy. His brother-in-law, the leading trainer David Nicholson, advised him not to resort to the whip after the last fence, but only to use hands and heels. Fanshawe achieved victory by a neck in a thrilling finish.
After leaving the Army in 1962 with the rank of Capt he helped to run the Warwickshire country, acting as Field Master then joining the Mastership, and hunting the hounds from 1965. In 1969 Fanshawe took the Mastership of the famous Galway Blaz- ers in Ireland. He and Libby thoroughly enjoyed riding thor- oughbreds over Galway’s old turf and myriad stone walls. In 1972 they returned to farm in Devon, but could not resist the opportunity of taking the North Cotswold Mastership in 1975, with Libby serving as Joint Master with her husband.
The Shires beckoned in 1981 when Fanshawe was appointed Master and huntsman of the Cottesmore, one of the finest coun- tries remaining in England, well fenced and ideal for hunting hounds over a broad terrain. He rose to the challenge immedi- ately, swiftly overcoming initial opposition in the Hunt from some who wanted a professional huntsman. Potential critics be- came fervent supporters
When Fanshawe was about to take over the Cottesmore Hunt in 1981, the late Lord Kimball asked: “Will he be able to ride our country?” He was told firmly: “The only problem will be to keep anywhere near him.” When the Leicestershire hunting personality, Urkie Newton, telephoned Fanshawe to ask if his next meet was “good”, he replied: “We do not have bad days in the Cottesmore country.”
A day following his hounds was unforgettable: proceedings were entirely dominated by the tall figure with a distinctive nose who commanded the mounted field to “get involved”, but not to in- terfere with his hounds. Fanshawe was comparatively rare in excelling as an exceptional horseman, as well as being a gifted hound man in widely differing hunting countries. Fortunately, his imprecations in the hunting field were seldom coherent enough to cause offence, but they did provide a discipline which helped him to achieve remarkable sport, with a high tally of fox- es caught. Off a horse, Fanshawe was mild-mannered and widely popular, with a keen sense of humour. On being congratulated at the end of a long, thrilling hunt with the Cottesmore hounds, he replied: “It wasn’t much good; we didn’t catch the fox.”
As well as supervising the Hunt Kennels he ran the stables and managed the hunting country, making many friends among farmers and landowners. As a hound breeder he was highly in- novative, using outcrosses from Ireland, France, America, and some Welsh lines from his cousin Ian Farquhar’s pack at the Bicester. From all these sources, Fanshawe produced a formi- dable working pack tuned into his own drive and energy in the hunting field. He was an excellent judge of hounds and horses.
In 1992, at the age of 55, Fanshawe gave up the hunting field completely. He said it was a case of “all or nothing; much bet- ter to go out at the top.” Returning to Gloucestershire, he de- voted himself with great energy and persistence to the cause of preserving hunting in the face of growing political threats. He served as Director of the Council of Hunting Associations, and helped produce new disciplinary rules for the hound sports.
A countryman in every sense, he argued firmly for registered fox-hunting as the best form of conservation of the quarry. He gave evidence to the Burns Committee inquiry which presaged Labour’s Hunting Act of 2004 intended to ban hunting with hounds. Fanshawe continued to argue that to repeal the Hunt- ing Act it is essential to make the case to politicians and the public that hunting with hounds under strict codes of conduct is the most humane form of wildlife control, and the best way to achieve balanced conservation of the quarry species. He strongly supported the Veterinary Association for Wildlife Management, and the Middle Way group, in pointing out that rural foxes have suffered far more from indiscriminate slaughter throughout the years since the Hunting Act came into force. Fanshawe persisted in the campaign to repeal the Hunting Act, despite failing health in recent years.
As well as his wife Libby, Brian Fanshawe is survived by his son James, the Newmarket trainer, a younger son, Antony, who was an international polo player and is currently Polo Manager of the Guards Polo Club, Windsor, and by a daughter, Rose, who is a prize-winning orchid grower in Sussex.
Brian Fanshawe, born September 13 1936, died May 30 2019
MAC
WO2 Ken ‘Flick’ Fletcher
Ken Fletcher joined the 17/21L in Omagh in 1970. He was posted into B Squadron and actually spent most of his early career in that Squadron but very quickly became a well known, popular and liked man across the whole Regiment. He hadn’t served for too long before he met and married Miss Valerie Christian and what a formidable, enthu- siastic and loyal team that turned out to be for the Regiment! It wasn’t long either before Ken Fletcher was identi-
fied as an “adventurous” soldier and both his skiing and moun- taineering talents and skill were put to great use on Exercise SNOW QUEEN and many varied Adventure Training exercises. I think it is fair to say that Ken Fletcher displayed a considerable amount of “Derring-do” no matter what he turned his hand to.
Ken was also a first-class soldier and tank crewman who quickly passed through the Cpls’ Mess and on promotion to Sgt departed on his first ERE posting to the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment where he proved his professionalism and social skills to be exem- plary. He returned to regimental duty and proved to be a great member and asset to the WOs’ and Sgts’ Mess where he and Val enjoyed, along with their many friends and comrades, some of the best years that Munster and the Regiment had to offer.
131