Page 249 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019

ADC to the Governor of the North West Province before joining the British Army. Commissioned in to The Gloucestershire Regiment he joined 1st Glosters in Korea in 1951 just after the epic battle of the Imjin river. He had chosen the Glosters as they recruited from a good hunting county. One young officer recalled Tony from 1953 soon after returning from K2. ‘His uniforms were hanging on him like sacking, having lost a great deal of weight. After dinner he would regale us with stories of the Afghan border, the hairiest being of his having to take the ponies down to water at night – an ambush was always likely’.
Tony remained with the Glosters until 1955 when he became an instructor at RMAS re-joining his regiment four years later to command a company and become Adjutant. Subsequently he became Chief Instructor at the Army Outward Bound School, North Wales introducing Boy Soldiers to climbing and canoeing. In 1963 he returned to the Glosters in Cyprus, commanding a company in the inter-communal crisis, and was awarded the MBE. After a period as second in Command he was posted to Malaya and then Hong Kong where he was attached to 1/6th Queen Elizabeth’s Own Gurkha Rifles, seeing six months active service in Borneo. Having assumed command of 1 GLOSTERS in 1967 he took
75th D Day Events – 4 SOM LI Re-enactors in Normandy
As soldiers from Somerset we were honoured to be invited to provide a guard of Honour at Hill 112 as a part of the 75th Anniversary events. The invitation initially came from the daughter of Albert Figg, Albert being the inspiration behind the memorial at Hill 112. Re-en- actors from 2nd Glosters also joined us, wreaths were laid and old comrades remembered. Mr Kevin Drake 2 LI led our wreath laying.
Away from the formality of remembrance we participated within a documentary and showed some of the uniform and equipment from 4 SOM LI when fighting in July 1944. Clive Best 1 LI, Josh Cottrell 6 RIFLES and David Harris formed our team
Subsequently at Pegasus Bridge we were approached by a group of about 50 Canadians who accompanied veterans from Juno beach. Despite torrential rain they asked us to join their ceremony which we gladly did. The shoulder titles of Tina Best, in ATS period dress, caught the eye of one veteran looking who exclaimed ‘I remember them!’ and promptly gave her a hug.
Finally, on 6th June we had the privilege of providing a guard at the Normandy Veterans garden overlooking Gold Beach.
them to Berlin for two years and thereafter Honiton, Devon. Almost immediately the Glosters were sent to Londonderry for six months at the start of the Troubles. Returning to Devon he handed over command and continued in a succession of posts at the School of Infantry, Singapore (where he commanded the Jungle Warfare School), Sennelager Training Area (as Deputy Commander) and finally to RMAS where he became Sports and Estate Manager until his retirement. Tony was pre-deceased by his wife Sue who died in 2005. They are survived by their four children, and seven grand- children. Soldier and mountaineer, a full obituary will appear in The Chronicle.
THOMAS Mr Eric George has died in Spring 2019 aged 85. Eric enlisted in to the Army in Apr 52 and joined the SOM LI where he served with B Coy. He was a National Serviceman in both Malaya and BAOR and a part his employment was as a cook within the Officers Mess. After leaving the army he became a machine operator and charge hand. Eric was a regular supporter of the Malaya reunion and a postal member of the Taunton Branch. Our condolences go to his family.
Pegasus Bridge and Re- enactors