Page 152 - The Chapka 2016

150 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
WO2 (BSM) William Graham ‘Tank’ Gunion
After passing out from the Junior Lead- ers Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps, Graham joined the Regiment in 1974 and apart from attending the year-long Pu- pil’s Course at the Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall in 1975; he served his entire military career performing with
the Regimental Band under the direction of four different Band- masters. Graham was awarded the rank of Warrant Officer 2nd Class - Band Sergeant Major and on Amalgamation in 1993 held the unique position of being the first and only Band Sergeant Major of The Queen’s Royal Lancers.
After the Band performed their medical duties in the Gulf as part of 1 Armoured Field Ambulance (1AFA) during Operation Granby, Graham was presented with the Commander Royal Ar- tillery’s Commendation for his work there.
Graham enjoyed a great reputation for his sporting prowess both in cricket and football but his proudest achievements were on the rugby field where he played at Regimental level. By his own admission he was not built for skiing, so when the Band went on Operation Snow Queen, Graham provided the entertainment. Great fun!
After serving his time in the British Army, Graham was offered a teaching position in the Royal Army of Oman at the rank of Warrant Officer 1st Class, but as his excellent administration skills became obvious a new position was created for him – As- sistant to the Director of Music.
Leaving the Sultanate of Oman Graham went to live in the Phil- ippines with his new wife Fay, before returning to live in Eng- land in 2012.
At the age of 62, Graham suffered a sudden stroke and died in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead on 8th March 2016. He leaves behind his wife Fay and two sons Richard and David. Graham was a man of honour who always remained loyal to the Regiment both as a serving member and supporter of the Regi- mental Association.
TG
Captain D Kelly
One of the outstanding amateur huntsmen and hound breed- ers of the postwar years, Dermot Kelly, died aged 81 on January 19th.
He achieved remarkable sport, and bred a fine pack of hounds as sole Master and then joint master of the Meynell from 1962, continuing in office with the amalgamated Meynell and South Staffs Hunt until 1975.
Dermot was the younger son of Lieutenant Colonel LPG Kelly MC, 9th Queen’s Royal Lancers who served in both world wars, and in 1942 was killed in action in the North African campaign . A keen hunting man, Col Kelly had moved his family from the Blackmore Vale hunting country to Leicestershire where they lived at Leesthorpe Hall in the Cottesmore country.
Following his father into the 9th Lancers, Dermot’s military service included a spell as ADC to Major General Lord Thur- low, GOC of the 50th Northumberland Infantry Division. This enabled Dermot to hunt in the spacious Zetland country where he gained further experience by whipping-in to Captain. the Hon. Colin MacAndrew, an excellent huntsman who produced fine sport.
Leaving the Army, he took on the considerable challenge of hunting the Meynell as Master from 1962. Already engaged to Karen Player, from one of the foremost hunting families in the Meynell country, they married, and made their home at Som- ersal Herbert near the Meynell kennels, the start of a happy marriage of 54 years. Karen was always towards the front of the Meynell field throughout Dermot’s Mastership.
It was a marvellous opportunity to hunt one of the finest grass countries in Britain, with a formidably fenced vale country soar- ing up to Derbyshire’s stonewall hill country.
Dermot, a man of meteoric wit, had a great gift for communica- tion, and his feelings about the progress of the day’s hunting were sometimes made abundantly clear to his followers. There were many fine hunts and a large number of foxes accounted for, his philosophy being ‘ the more you catch the more you have ‘. As Karen Kelly recalls humorously: “There was never a dull moment.”
After his remarkable 13 years at the Meynell Dermot Kelly de- cided on a change of direction, and forged a career in the City. He and Karen settled with their family in Gloucestershire and made many friends.
Dermot is survived by Karen, their son Patrick and daughters Anna and Doone, and by five grandchildren. A private burial
took place at Sherborne, Glos. on January 27th.
Captain C Mordaunt
MC
Having a father who was Secretary to the Duke of Beaufort’s Hunt, Christopher Mordaunt was destined to a life which would involve horses.
Christopher Mordaunt was commis- sioned in to the 9th Queen’s Royal Lanc- ers on 5th December 1953 on a National Service Commission and was posted to
B Squadron in Detmold. After 18 months he asked to transfer to a Regular Commission and attended RCB at Westbury and was granted a Regular Commission in December 1955. Dur- ing 1957 and 1958 he was a Troop Leader with the East African Armoured Car Squadron in Kenya during the Mau Mau Emer- gency. He returned to the Regiment as RSO and married Belinda Gouldsmith the following year when he was appointed Assistant Adjutant.
He was the first Adjutant of the 9th/12th Royal Lancers on amal- gamation then a staff officer at 22nd Armoured Brigade. He was part of the directing staff at Mons Officer Cadet School in 1965 and 1966 before retiring from the Army in 1967.
Christopher was introduced to the Jockey Club by a brother of- ficer and was appointed as a National Hunt handicapper based in Yorkshire; which he and Belinda greatly enjoyed. Later they moved to Lambourn where he finished his 32 year career as the NH senior handicapper. His professionalism, charm, coolness of temper and his reputation as a proper gentleman gained him huge respect in the racing world which was evident by the ex- tent of those who attended his Service of Thanksgiving in Lam- bourn. One of the highlights of his distinguished career came in 1984 when Special Cargo won the Whitbread Gold Cup in a three way photo finish and he and Belinda were invited to Clar- ence House to help the Colonel in Chief celebrate.
MDAP