Page 129 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2017

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN) 127
In-Pensioner E Jackson
Eddie was born in Cardiff on 3rd July 1926. He enlisted in the Army in December 1944 and was placed in the Royal Armoured Corps, having been trained as a Fitter and Turner. He was based in England during the war with 61st Training Regi- ment Royal Armoured Corps where he was employed on home defence duties.
After the war, he was moved overseas in early April 1946 to join the Central Mediterranean Force and subsequently rebadged to the 4th Royal Hussars. In January 1947, he was rebadged again to the 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers. Two months later he moved with his new Regiment to join the Middle Eastern Land Force in Palestine, where he remained un- til December of that year. He returned to the United Kingdom and was subsequently discharged in April 1948 in the rank of Trooper having served for three and a quarter years. During his Military Service Eddie was awarded the following medals: The Defence Medal; the 1939-45 War Medal and the General Service
Medal with Clasp for Operations in Palestine.
On leaving the Army in 1948 he undertook a variety of different jobs before enlisting into the Merchant Navy in October 1950 as a Junior Engineering Officer, where he remained for twelve years when he resigned. In 1964 he joined the Civil Service and was with them for the next 23 years; with his last six years being in the Mechanical and Engineering Team supporting the Houses of Parliament.
Eddie joined the Royal Hospital in October 2012. He was post- ed to Long Ward Two as part of Number 1 Company. He very quickly made a number of good friends and settled into life in his Ward. He told me that he had expected the regime at the Royal Hospital to be much stricter and was most pleasantly sur- prised when he found that we were much more relaxed than he had imagined! On arrival, he still had outside interests: he was a member of a choir which met weekly and also regularly at- tended drama school. He had not been with us very long when we noticed that he was becoming more forgetful. In April 2013, he was admitted into the Infirmary and enjoyed taking part in the annual Boat Trip on the River Thames in June of that year.
Eddie took part in many of the Infirmary activities and attended lots of the musical performances and concerts. He loved the regular sing-a-long sessions in his Ward and Emily’s pottery classes in the Activities’ Room. He was always very polite and a gentleman on every occasion; especially with the ladies. He was a person who took great pride in his dress and always looked extremely smart. He spoke a lot about caring for his wife when she was ill and this came through with his behaviour and atten- tiveness to other In-Pensioners.
Very sadly Eddie died in the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on 27th October 2017, aged 91. Our prayers and thoughts are
Corporal D Challen
Like many boys of his age, when war broke out Don as a 12-year-old boy was excited by the prospect of the WW2, and hoped the war would last long enough for him to join in. He had to wait five years until he was 17 and volunteered a few days after his birthday. Wanting to be a glider pilot, he applied to the RAF, but his legs were half an inch too short. So, he went to the local recruitment of-
fice in Walthamstow and signed up, joining the 16/5L. He rose to become a corporal, and served time in Austria, Italy and the bulk of what is now known as the former Yugoslavia. However, he never really spoke in too much detail about his time in the army but did recount, to his children, his love of the Sherman tank.
After completing his military service Don returned to his former civilian life and to the job he left, as a sales apprentice to Whole- salers J Lyons in Covent Garden Market, selling fresh produce, where he spent the bulk of his career. The market life was a tough one and Don retired early. As a young man the war had prevented Don from going to university. However, unbeknownst to each other his four children all encouraged him to take up this dream. As result Don went to college in London, where he went on to achieve a BA (Hons) in historical research and then on to an MA. A very proud moment for him and his family.
The autumn and winter years of Don’s life were spend buried in books, where he spent many, many, hours as a genealogist, tracing the Challen family roots, going back as far as 1456. Don and his wife ‘Trish’ were the extremely proud parents, grandpar- ents and great grandparents to four children, eight grandsons and one granddaughter. Don passed away five days after his and ‘Trish’s’ 63rd wedding anniversary and our thoughts are with ‘Trish’ and family.
DB
with him, his family and his friends.
RHCL
DGA Jarrett
Damon joined the 9/12th Lancers in Wolfenbuttel after commis- sioning on SMC 862. The Troop Leader’s course followed, dur- ing which he broke his leg and spent time recovering at Headley Court. He re-joined the Regiment at Wimbish just in time for the Officers’ Mess ‘Pink and Preposterous Party’ where his fan- cy dress costume was considered excessive. His appointment as D&M Officer, ironically, came soon after he blew up his Citroen car – unaware that apparently engines need oil.
For the most part Damon served with B Squadron (Guided Weapons) but was attached to D Squadron in 1988 for a peace- keeping tour in Cyprus. Subsequently sent out to BATUS as Officer Commanding Recce Range Safety, he returned briefly