Page 198 - The Bugle 2018

HE WAS MAYOR OF DEVIZES 1977/78 DURING HER MAJESTY’S JUBILEE YEAR
Obituaries Major Arthur Clarke -
Wiltshire Regiment. Arthur
Clarke, known to many as
Nobby, enlisted into the
Wiltshire Regiment in 1932
serving with 1st Battalion and
then with the 4th Battalion
covering the Normandy
landings and up to the end of
the war. Commissioned from
the ranks he continued to
serve until 1955 and settled
in Devizes entering local
politics. He was Mayor of Devizes 1977/78 during Her Majesty’s Jubilee Year. In 2017 in his 102nd year he was made a Chevalier of the Legion D’Honneur. He passed away on 01 February 2018 aged 103.
Major R T Welsh - Wiltshire
Regiment. “Donald” R T
Welsh was commissioned
into the Wiltshire Regiment,
serving with that Regiment
and it successor Regiment,
DERR, until his retirement.
Within the Wiltshire Regiment
Donald was best noted for
his love of cricket. He also
founded and became one
of the two leading lights of
the English Playing Cards
Society. Donald Welsh passed on 22 June 2017
Major Alan Pickford TD
– Wiltshire Regiment, Alan
Pickford was granted a War
Commission in the Wiltshire
regiment towards the end of
the Second World War and
was posted to Sierra Leone
where he remained until the
war ended. On demobili-
sation Alan returned to his
farm in Wiltshire and devoted
his spare time to unstinting
service with the TA, 4th
Wiltshire, where he ended his TA service as Second in Command of the 4th Battalion. For many years he was the Chairman to the Warminster Branch to the Regimental Association.
Captain James Macmillan Commissioned into DERR in 1960? James carried out the usual Platoon Commanders appointment before taking up and instructors appointment at ERE duties. He retired from the Army in 1970 min the rank of Captain settling in East Anglian. He passed away on 26 March 2018
Captain Eric Millard DERR Eric Millard enlisted into DERR, rising through the ranks and to become the first DERR raised RSM of the 1st Battalion in 1978- 980, when they were stationed in Osnabruck. Eric was commissioned becoming the MTO, then taking early retirement to settle in the Canterbury/Folkestone area. He passed away in November 2017
Lt Col (Director of Music)
N A Borlase Nigel Borlase
was a Cornishman who on
passing out from Kneller Hall
from the Bandmaster Course
was faced with the challenge
of understanding “Wurzel”
speak as the Bandmaster
of the Duke of Edinburgh’s
Royal Regiment. He was
an extrovert character with
a great sense of humour.
During his tenure of holding
the baton (1973-1979) the band where either performing in high profile stations such as Berlin or Cyprus, on a two-year tour of N.I or whilst we were Demonstration Battalion undertaking plenty if Category 1 engagements as well as making a record. He went on to become commissioned on leaving DERR rising to the rank of Lt Col before retiring. He passed away on 27 January 2018.
DEVOTED HIS SPARE TIME TO UNSTINTING SERVICE WITH THE TA
Major Rodney Hicks MBE – DERR Rod Hicks enlisted into DERR and soon made his mark as a very professional soldier as well as being a very competent Nordic skier. He was a member of the Regimental team the won the Infantry Skiing Cup whilst serving in Minden. Rising through the ranks he became RSM of the 1st Battalion for the 1983 -1985 tour of Canterbury, the highlight of which was the Presentation of new Colours in 1984. In recognition of his outstanding work in this period he was awarded the MBE.
Rod Hicks was commissioned in 1985, becoming the Battalion’s Technical Quartermaster and then Quartermaster of the Army School of Music at Kneller Hall, where indulging in his passion for golf he designed and created a nine-hole golf course.
204 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS THE RIFLES