Page 227 - The Bugle 2018

Pte Vernon Jones (5392932). Enlisted on 29 January 1942 into the Oxf & Bucks Lt Infantry and was transferred into the 2nd Bn Beds & Herts on 11 June 1942. An Anti Tank Gunner he landed on D Day as part of No 9 Beach Group. He transferred back into the 1st Bn Oxf & Bucks Lt Infantry in August 1944 fighting with them through Northern France, the Low Countries and Germany. Wounded during the Battle of the Bulge on recovery he saw further service with the KSLI, Oxf & Bucks and DLI in the lead up to demob. Died 1 April 2018 aged 94.
Pte Cyril W Lawson (5387085). Served from 15 July 1939 to 15 July 1946. On conscription initially placed in the new Vimiera Pl of the 1st Oxfordshire Militia then transferred into the 4th Bn Oxford- shire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. As part of the BEF serving in D Coy of the 4th Bn he was part of the rear guard force on the Dunkirk perimeter in the hilltop town of Cassel. Like many others he was captured by the surrounding German forces while trying to escape from there on 30 May 1940. He was subsequently a POW at Stalag XXA Marienburg (BPOW No 4124). Died 20 November 2017.
Eddie “Geordie” Morris. AAC Chef who served with 4 & 5 RGJ mainly with D Coy in Aylesbury. Died 8 May 2018.
T/Capt J D H (James) Neill MBE Emergency Wartime Commission into the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry then transfer into the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. Promoted Lieutenant 22 April 1943 and T/Capt 5 November 1944. Served in the UK until posted to India in early 1945. October 1945 enlisted in the British Military Administration in Singapore and then Malayan Civil Service for whom he worked until 1957. An able linguist he was awarded the MBE for secret negotiations with the communists there. A successful business career in the Far East followed. Died 27 May 2017 aged 93.
Gordon J Newbold Served in the Signal Pl with 1st Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry & 1GJ (43rd & 52nd|) in the late 1950’s as a National Serviceman. Died 8 December 2017.
Pte F A (Fred) Pudwell (5383669). Saw brief service with a regular unit which ended 8 October 1938. Re-enlisted into the 4th Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. As part of the BEF with A Coy 4th Bn he was part of the rear guard force on the Dunkirk perimeter in the hilltop town of Cassel. Like many others he was captured by the surrounding German forces while trying to escape from there on 30 May 1940. He was subsequently a POW in B.A.B.20 at Heydebreck (BPOW No 19992). To Class Z Reserve 17 October 1945. Died 24 February 2018 aged 97.
W H (William) Rhymes (5385381). Joined 5th Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 11 July 1939. Transferred to the Royal Signal Regiment on 29 December 1942. Died 23 March 2018.
A/Maj Nigel Merriam Viney (197238). Enlisted into the Royal Berkshire Regiment on 28 September 1940 and served with them until commissioned into the 1st Buckinghamshire Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 12 July 1941. Promoted to Lieutenant on 1 October 1942 and posted to the Somaliland Scouts with whom he served until April 1944. Made A/ Captain on 31 July 1943 and A/Major on 17 April 1945 his remaining service in Africa was with the British Somaliland Military Adminis- tration (Civil Affairs). Studied at Cambridge post-war and pursued a career in publishing which was the family business, editing the well known Shell Guides in the late 1950’s and finishing his career as Managing Director of Heinemanns. Died 9 Jan 2018 aged 95.
Pte Stan Watson (6854400). Transferred from the King’s Royal Rifle Corps to the 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (52nd) on 25 June 1942. As a member of No 25 Platoon, D Company he took part in the famous Coup de Main raid on Pegasus Bridge flying in Glider No 1 with Major Howard. He remained with the 52nd throughout the subsequent fighting and post war duties in Germany and Palestine until demob on 7 December 1946. Died 24 September 2017 aged 95.
Pte George H Whitby (14183606). Enlisted into the 1st Bn Oxford- shire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on 20 June 1946. After the establishment of No 43 Primary Training Centre at Cowley Bks in November 1946 George worked there as a storeman until demob on 30 June 1948. He then worked as a telephone engineer until retirement. Died 16 February 2018 aged 90.
Pte H S (Sam) Langford (5349395).
Born in Wantage in December 1922
Sam Langford, like his father, joined the
Royal Berkshire Regiment at the age
of 18. He later transferred to the 5th
Bn (the Hackney Ghurkas) and landed
with them on D-Day on Juno Beach as
part of a beach group. As the Bn was
being broken up, in August 1944 Sam
volunteered to transfer into the 2nd Bn
Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light
Infantry. With them he took part in the
glider borne Rhine Crossing “Op Varsity” and saw post-war service with the 52nd in Palestine witnessing the blowing up of the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. After demob Sam joined the Berkshire Constabulary and spent over 28 years as a policeman, retiring as a sergeant. Married in 1947 he had two daughters. A regular attender at Oxford Branch functions he was presented with the Order of the Legion D’Honneur at Oxford Town Hall in March 2016. Died 16 June 2016 aged 95
Our thoughts are with their friends and families.
Pte Pat Turner (6029403). Served with the 2nd Bn Oxfordshire & Buckingham- shire Light Infantry (52nd) during WW2. As a member of No 14 Platoon, B Company he took part in the famous Coup de Main raid on Pegasus Bridge flying in Glider No 3.. He remained with the 52nd throughout the subsequent fighting and post war duties in Germany and Palestine until demob. Died 8 November 2017 aged 95.
Sgt Desmond P B Milligan (14722702). Born in Rangoon, Burma in December 1925 Desmond came from a family of Irish gunners in the British Army and was brother to the well known comedian Spike. In early 1944 he enlisted in the Royal Ulster Rifles transferring to the 1st Bn Oxfordshire & Bucking- hamshire Light Infantry (43rd) on 21 Jan 1945. He served with B Coy as a Bren Gunner and Driver being part of the first group to cross into Germany at the start of the Reichswald Battle in February 1945. The 43rd pushed on past Osnabruck reaching Hamburg on 4 May the day before VE Day. Desmond was transferred to the KSLI on 18 August 1945 destined for operations against Japan which thankfully were never needed and subsequently reaching the rank of Sgt with them.
A capable artist he emigrated to Australia in 1952 working first as a designer in the glass industry and then for the Sun newspaper. In retirement he continued to practice as an artist. He also produced illustrations of some of his wartime experi- ences with the Oxf & Bucks and a book of memoirs “View from a forgotten hedgerow”.
Died May 2017 aged 91.
THE RIFLES
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS 233