Page 216 - The Bugle 2018

Obituaries
ALEXANDER, Thomas Anthony Died on the 18 May 2018 aged COYLE, Patrick, Pat Died on 26 May
91. Tom served with the 2nd Battalion Durham Light Infantry.
BELL, John Born in 1945 and passed away 30 March d2018 aged 73. John served with 1DLI/4LI and 3LI. He was a long time member of South Shields Branch.
BURKMAR, John Glen was born on 11 December 1922 in Chingford Essex and was educated at The Forest School. John married on 12 December 1953. He served in the ranks for 255 days, he received an EC up to 08 November 1946, being 2Lt in the DLI 23 August 1941, War Substantive Lt 1 October 1942, Acting Capt 22 ;May 1944 to 21 August 1944, Temp Capt 17 January 1945 to 22 February 1945, 12 March 1946 to 1 November 1947. From EC Lt 11 June1945 to 9 November 1946, Temp Capt 29 Janaury1948 to 14 September 1948, Capt 11 December 1949, Maj 11 December 1956. Retired with Gratuity 1 May 1959. Served: 199/45 War. Served in India and Burma with 2DLI 1942-44. Served with 1DLI in Korea 1952-53.
From the David Rissik book The DLI At War 1939-1945: Soon, however, everyone was on the move once more, as the Battalion joined 6 Brigade in the long, hard grind up the Ardura Spur, the last real bastion of the Kohima defences. The spur was covered with thick jungle and the Battalion formed a series of Company defensive “boxes”. The main opposition was from sniping, and vigorous patrolling was employed to deal with it. A party under Lt Jack Burkmar found a number of Japs just behind a located sniper position in the act of cooking a meal. They attacked them with grenades and automatics and put an end to their destructiveness at the cost of only one man slightly wounded. The advance continued by a series of leap frogging movements; opposition was slight though there was a steady drain of casualties from snipers. The weather was appalling. It rained almost continuously and the jungle tracks consisted for most part of a mixture of mud and water.
CARMODY, Edward Edward died on 4 August 2017 at the age of 86. He served in the DLI and attended Branch Meetings in past years.
CARR, Arthur Died on the 11thFebruary 2018 aged 96. Arthur enlisted into the DLI on the 25th January1939 aged 15 (having given incorrect age). He served with BEF in 1939 and evacuated at Dunkirk and also served in other theatres subsequently and also at the Infantry Training Centre. Arthur had been a member of the DLI Association since May 1940.
COOMBE, Tommy died on the 11th November 2017. Tommy served with the TA at Jarrow, Royal Artillery. He was a strong supportive member of the South Shields Branch.
COYNE, Tommy Tommy was born on 3 May 1920 and died on 25 May 2018 aged 98. He served with 5Bn DLI, then 54 Search- light Regt Royal Artillery. Full War Service, mostly on home stations. He was Army Boxing Champion 1943-44. Also a member of the Stockton Branch of the DLI Association since 1975.
2018 aged 85. Pat served as a National Serviceman with the Royal Scots after Basic Training with KOSB. He served in Berlin and the UK. Pat was a Branch Member of Stockton Branch and former Standard Bearer for the Royal British Legion. Pat Coyle was a well known figure in Stockton and Billingham as a standard bearer of the Standard of the Royal British Legion.
He served as a National servicemen having
done his training with the KOSB. He asked
to do his National Service with the Black
Watch, but instead he was posted to the Royal Scots. It was with 1 Bn Royal Scots that he served in Korea. After the cease fire in 1953 he continued with the Royal Scots until his posting back to UK came through. He sailed for home on the Empire Windrush, one of the ships the British had taken from the Germans at the end of WW2 as a prize of war. At around 6:15am on Sunday 28 March 1954 in the western Mediterranean, there was a sudden explosion and fierce fire in the Windrush’s engine-room that killed the Third Engineer and soon the ship was ablaze, with little chance of the crew effectively tackling the fire as the ship had no power. After the order to abandon ship many passengers jumped over the side or swarmed down scaling ladders but they were all picked up by the rescue vessels. Despite efforts to take the ship under tow in worsening weather and stormy seas Windrush sank on Tuesday 30 March but not before all the remaining passengers had been taken off.
Pat always said that on his death his body would be donated for medical research and that is what has happened. So there was no funeral. But at 9.30am om Monday 4th June the members of the Stockton Branch DLI Association and the members and officers of the Billingham Royal British Legion and a number of other ex-service veterans held a memorial short service at the Cenotaph in Station Road Billingham, where there was a great turn-out by many of his friends. A DLI wreath was laid by his friend Stockton Association Vice President John Gilder.
CURRY, Sammy Died on 21 October 2017 at the age of 104. Sammy served with the DLI in Normandy.
EALES, P L, Peter Died in January 2018 aged 84. Peter served with the DLI in Korea, Army No 22634825.
EBDALE, George Died May 2018.
ELLIOTT, George “Sid” died 21 June.
George joined the DLI in 1940 at Brancepeth
Camp. He was posted with 1DLI to Egypt
in1940 and took part in the Siege of Tobruk in
1941, then to Malta as part of the defence of
the island in January 1942. George went to
Cos in September 1943 where the Battalion
was mauled by German Paratroopers.
Those who escaped made their way to
Kargliou, some to Cyprus. Only 9 officers
and 120 men survived. George was made
POW on the Greek Island of Leros and spent
18 months in Stalag 11A Altengrabow just
outside of Berlin until liberated by the Americans in 1945.
George leaves two daughters, two grandchildren and five great grandchildren. He had only recently celebrated his 100th Birthday.
FORRESTER, Tom (Skeetsy) Died August 2017.Tom served with 1DLI in Berlin, Hong Kong, Borneo, Cyprus and Colchester, then Germany and Northern Ireland with 2LI.
GALONE, Michael Died 13 September 2017. Michael served with the DLI in Hong Kong, Borneo and Cyprus, then later served with 2LI.
CHILTON, Alan Died on Friday 19 January 2018. Alan was in 4 Platoon, B Company (John Lightley’s platoon) 1st Battalion Durham Light Infantry in Korea.
222 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
THE RIFLES