Page 252 - The Bugle 2018

Draper - Mr Norman Richard William (Dick) died on the 13th February 2018, aged 73. He enlisted into the SCLI in 1963 and served with 1 SCLI mostly as a Signaller in Gibraltar, Berlin, the UK and Aden. Later he was with 1 LI in BAOR, Northern Ireland and other postings. On leaving the Army in 1985, having attained the rank of Cpl, he returned to his home in Batly. He worked in various appointments until retirement, his last being with Fox’s Biscuits. A supporter of the Taunton Branch, our condolences go to his wife Adrienne and family.
Dunn – Mr Harold died in December 2017 aged 88. Harold joined the Gloucestershire Regiment in 1947 before transferring to the RASC some months later. He left the Army in May 1948 but subse- quently joined the TA. For a part of that time he served with HQ Coy, 1 WESSEX at Devizes. In 1984 he also joined Wiltshire Army Cadet Force mainly serving at Devizes before retiring in January 1990. His civilian employment included work with Dowty fuel systems and Horstmann, Bath.
Griffiths – Mr Charles James died in February 2018 aged 83. Charlie served as a National Serviceman with 1 SOM LI in Malaya. Subsequently Ledbury became his home and a focus for family life. His wife pre-deceased Charles and our condolences go to the family.
Hamblin – Mr Kevin died on 30th June 2018 following a fight with cancer. Kevin served in 1 GLOSTERS. He is well remembered amongst his comrades within the MT Platoon and also amongst the Battalion Boxing Team. He represented 1 GLOSTERS on several occasions before leaving the Army in the mid to late 1970s.
Haggerty – Maj Jack Alfred died on
26th June 2018 aged 88, in South Africa.
Jack is listed within the Imjin Roll having
served with 1 GLOSTERS in Korea. He
was a 2nd Lt and platoon commander
with C Coy and was wounded in action
on 23rd April 1951. He was subsequently
numbered amongst the 22 Officers and
545 Other Ranks reported as missing.
Later he was found to be amongst
those that had been taken in to captivity.
Following repatriation he later transferred
to the RAOC and served with them from 1954 until 1976. Postings included Bicester, Donnington, Gibraltar, Nairobi, Benghazi and BAOR. Having retired from the Army the family moved to Port Elizabeth, South Africa the home town of his wife, Peggy. There, until retirement, he worked in logistics. Concurrently he became involved in the Scout movement and rose to Assistant Area Commissioner. He also found time to serve with the South African Reserve. Jack is survived by Peggy and three children.
Jones – Maj Andrew Hague, died 16th
March 2018 aged 62 after a fight with
cancer. Born in Cirencester, Andy was
commissioned in to the Gloucestershire
Regiment in 1974. After completing the
Regular Careers Course he joined D Coy,
1 GLOSTERS at Minden, West Germany in
the Armoured Infantry role equipped with
AFV 432. In late January 1975 he partic-
ipated in the final mechanized infantry
exercise by 1 GLOSTERS. Thereafter the
battalion, under the command of Lt Col
John Waters, moved to Weeton, Blackpool
and trained for the Airportable Role. A challenging time in Belize soon followed not least because of the threat from invasion by Guatemalan forces. The deployment of substantial reinforce- ments from UK including Puma Support Helicopters, Harriers, a Royal Naval Guard Ship, Air Defence assets and elements of 1 D&D helped to assuage tension before a catastrophic earthquake damaged much of Guatemala City. Having previously completed a Jungle Warfare course, Andy was a key part of the team and in time was a natural choice to lead 25 Army Youth Team at Gloucester. Adventure Training with Cadets and civilian Youth Clubs proved a great success and a role he enjoyed immensely. A Battalion two-year tour of Northern Ireland followed where Andy was mainly employed as second in command of D Coy. The company enjoyed an excellent record in finding weapons, explosives and ammunition. Thereafter it was a return to BAOR and Munster in the role of Nuclear Convoy Escort Battalion. This task was unique and peculiar to the Cold War, involving the protection of tactical nuclear missiles as they moved around specific parts of West Germany; though not hugely exciting it was an extraordinarily important task. Later Tactical Nuclear Missiles (TNM) became highly politicised with the deployment of CRUISE
missiles, from USA, to RAF Greenham Common. Andy Jones with 1 GLOSTERS, along with many other units, spent many weeks preventing protestors from disrupting operations. A few years later issues surrounding TNM became a significant influence in ending the Cold War.
In amongst his Battalion service Andy enjoyed overseas tours in Oman and BAAT Nigeria. Meanwhile his speciality was Anti-Tanks, first WOMBAT and then MILAN. Andy frequently worked at Battle Group and Brigade levels, so when appointed Bn Ops Offr in the mid 1980s, within the United Kingdom Mobile Force (UKMF), he was hugely experienced. OC Support Company in Northern Ireland was a further testing environment. Frequent deployments from Ballykelly to County Londonderry and County Tyrone were the norm. Thereafter harnessing the energy and enthusiasm of students at Liverpool University Officers Training Corps as Training Major was a role he particularly enjoyed. The period also included a spell of watchkeeping, at MOD, during the First Gulf War. After Liverpool he went on East Midlands UOTC to do a similar task and from there left the Army in October 1993. As a civilian he kept in touch while living and working in the Salisbury area. Andrew Jones is survived by his two sons.
A CHALLENGING TIME IN BELIZE SOON FOLLOWED NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE THREAT FROM INVASION BY GUATEMALAN FORCES
258 REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS THE RIFLES