THE
COLDSTREAM
GUARDS
1946-1970
Richard Crichton

SE2525
XESTS/4223377194IMEEST
afts:/F1LT
THE
COLDSTREAM
GUARDS
1946-1970
THE
COLDSTREAM
GUARDS
1946-1970
BY
RICHARD CRICHTON
Copyright © 1972 by The Coldstream Guards
First published 1972
Printed in Great Britain by
Richard Clay (The Chaucer Press) Ltd,
Bungay, Suffolk
Dedicated, by permission, to
Her Majesty the Queen
Colonel-in-Chief, Coldstream Guards,
with the humble duty of the author, 1972
CONTENTS
DEDICATION
page V
FOREWORD
ix
LIST OF MAPS
xi
PREFACE
xiii
I. PALESTINE
Part I. The Third Battalion
Part II. The First Battalion
1
1
16
20
20
42
55
II. MALAYA
The Second Battalion
III. The Third Battalion (1948-1959)
IV. The First Battalion (1948-1965)
V. The Second Battalion (1950-1964)
VI. ADEN AND MAURITIUS
Part I. The Second Battalion-Aden
Part II. The Second Battalion-Mauritius
Part III. The First Battalion-Aden
72
86
86
96
98
104
VII. The Second Battalion (1965–1970)
VIII. The First Battalion (1966-1971)
112
121
IX. CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
EPILOGUE
131
APPENDIXES
I. ROLL OF HONOUR
134
II. The COLDSTREAM ROLL
137
III. THE ROLL OF WAR EMERGENCY, NATIONAL SERVICE
AND SHORT SERVICE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
155
IV. HONOURS AND AWARDS
172
V. STATIONS OF BATTALIONS
176
VI. ORDERS OF BATTLE
178
190
VII. REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
VIII. PRIVILEGE IN CONNECTION WITH THE CITY OF LONDON
196
INDEX
199
FOREWORD
By MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. A. G. BURNS, K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O.,
O.B.E., M.C.
A
NOTHER chapter in the Regiment's history has been written,
and it shows that those who served in the Regiment in the
many diverse roles that it had to play over these years, fully
upheld its great and honourable reputation, which had been built up
over the centuries by their forbears.
The Regiment could not have been more fortunate in its author,
because during most of this period he was serving actively with the
Regiment and knew it intimately.
I am very grateful to Richard Crichton, and indeed his wife,
Yvonne, who helped him in the production of this book, which will
mean so much, not only to the Regiment, but also to all who were
serving at the time. It will, surely, bring back to them many memories.
On behalf of all Coldstreamers and myself I convey to the author
and his wife our sincerest thanks and appreciation.
W. A. G. BURNS
26th Colonel, Coldstream Guards
1972
LIST OF MAPS
1. Palestine
page
2
23
2. Malaya
3. Canal Zone of Egypt
48
4. British Guiana
66
5. The Persian Gulf
80
6. The Radfan
88
7. Aden
100
8. Belfast
107
Illustrations appear between pages 96 and 97
PREFACE
T
THIS book continues the story of the Coldstream Guards from
where the last History—The Coldstream Guards 1920–1946,
written by Michael Howard and John Sparrow-ended. The
First and Second Battalions had returned home towards the end of
1946 and in the autumn of the previous year the Third Battalion had
sailed for Palestine. So despite the title, The Coldstream Guards 1946–
1970, it is necessary to start the story a little earlier so as to record the
whole of the Third Battalion's time in Palestine. Similarly, at the end
of 1970 the First Battalion was in Northern Ireland and remained
there until April 1971: it seemed to me sensible to stretch the time
limit once again and to include the whole of that particular tour of
duty in the Province.
This is the first History of the Regiment to be written which does
not include a major war. I have tried—and I hope that I have suc-
ceeded-in keeping events in their true perspective and have not
written up a skirmish in Palestine, Malaya or Aden as if it were a
major battle in a world war. Inevitably, with Battalions in peace
time, there are long periods when nothing much of historical interest
took place: this particularly applies to Germany where life was—and
still is in general—a round of exercises, and exercises are not history.
The layout of the book has been largely dictated by the three cam-
paigns just mentioned, two of which, Palestine and Aden, involved
more than one Battalion, and each of these campaigns has been given
a chapter to itself: for the period in between, and after Aden up to the
present, the history of each Battalion is recorded separately which
does, I think, make easier reading than any attempt to give a history
of the Regiment, as a whole, chronologically: I have also added a
chapter on the numerous changes that have occurred over the last
twenty-five years, both in the Army and in the Regiment, as much for
the interest of those who served in 1946 as for those who serve today
and who will serve in years to come. As far as possible I have avoided
abbreviations which to the layman are generally a source of irritation:
where they have been included the full name is given first, followed
by the abbreviation in brackets. Sketch maps have been included,
where necessary, and the emphasis is on 'sketch': only such detail is
included as is necessary to make the text more easy to read and I am
most grateful to Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Paget for allowing me to
xiv
PREFACE
a
copy a map of Aden from his book Last Post. There are also a
number of photographs which are designed to show some of the
uniforms worn and vehicles and weapons used and a little of the
countries in which Battalions served.
The material for this book came, largely, from Regimental records,
where they exist. The War Diary was kept going until the end of
June 1946. Thereafter, for three and a half years, a Quarterly His-
torical Report was sent in by the Battalions, though, unfortunately,
I have not been able to trace that of the First Battalion. On 1 January
1950, the present-day system of a Digest of Service was instituted:
each Battalion keeps a book in which events of note are recorded and
a typescript copy is sent to Regimental Headquarters each month.
It is unfortunate that the Second Battalion did not start this system
until they arrived home from Malaya and in consequence there is no
official report, that I can find, of their last eight months (January to
August 1950) in that country. In addition the amount of material that
goes into the Digest of Service, depends, obviously, on whoever is
given the task to write it and usually it is the Adjutant: some Adju-
tants enjoyed compiling the historical record, others obviously did
not, and as a result some periods are covered very sparsely. Maybe,
some Adjutants were not given proper encouragement and for
myself, I must admit that, when commanding a Battalion, I cannot
remember giving a thought to the Digest of Service: in the past few
months I have learnt to regret that attitude!
There have, of course, been other sources, the Household Brigade
or Division Magazine with its articles and Battalion notes, and I am
most grateful to the Chairman for his permission for me to quote
from it. The Coldstream Gazette has been a great help and so have the
various newspapers which Battalions have produced: copies of most
of these are kept in the library of the Imperial War Museum whose
officials have been most kind and helpful to me. But lastly, and by no
means least, is the help given me by people of all ranks who took part
in the events recorded in this book and who wrote to me or came to
talk to me and told me all that they knew. I am most grateful to them
and they provide the human background and, I hope, a little humour.
There are many uninitiated people who imagine that Guardsmen
serve only in England and probably mostly in London. In fact, this
is by no means the case and, since the end of the Second World War,
Battalions, or detachments of Battalions, of the Coldstream Guards
have served overseas in Western Germany, including Berlin, Trieste
PREFACE
XV
(at a time when it did not, officially, form part of Italy), Palestine,
Transjordania, Tripolitania, Singapore, Malaya, Egypt, Cyprus,
Kenya, Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat and Oman, Trucial States, Zanzibar,
Tanganyika, British Guiana, Aden, Mauritius, Canada, France,
British Honduras, Norway, Denmark, U.S.A. and finally one section
in Turkey. The order may seem to be somewhat haphazard but it is
in fact the order in which each country was first visited and the names
are the ones in use at the time: similarly throughout this book the
ranks, names and decorations of people mentioned are as they were
at the time of the incident that is being recorded. The list does not
include Northern Ireland, as being part of the United Kingdom it can
hardly be called 'overseas': both the existing two Battalions have in
fact served there during the recent troubled times in the Province.
This is, in essence, a history of the Regiment and cannot include
the stories of the large numbers of Officers and Other Ranks who,
when detached from the Regiment, have served in many countries,
often under active service conditions. This especially applies to
Coldstreamers of all ranks who have volunteered to serve in the
Guards Parachute Company and 'G' Squadron 22nd Special Air
Service Regiment, the former being the only unit of Household
Troops to land at Port Said during the Suez Crisis of 1956. These
countries include, in addition to those mentioned above as having
been visited by the Regiment:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, Greece, Malta, Sweden,
Botswana, Cameroons, Congo, Gold Coast, Libya, Nigeria,
Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, Afghanistan,
Borneo, Burma, Hong Kong, India, Indo-China (including Viet
Nam and Laos), Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Pakistan, Australia,
New Zealand, Trinidad, Jamaica.
Captain Nigel Nicholson, M.B.E., formerly Grenadier Guards, in
an article in the Household Brigade Magazine in 1946 entitled 'On
Writing Regimental History' said:
' “The space which might be politely devoted to a catalogue of the arrival
and departure of junior Officers could be better used in describing what
the men ate and wore and what weapons they carried in their hands. These
things will have been forgotten in twenty years and one should surely write
as much for the intelligent young soldier of 1966 as for his father who has
little to learn from an account of what he himself endured.'
The same of course applies to a History written in 1971: it will
include many details obvious to the soldier of 1946 and, I hope, just
хуі
PREFACE
a
as many obvious to the soldier of 1971: I hope that each will learn a
little from the other's way of life, and that the soldier of 1990 will
learn a little from both.
Lastly, when the Regimental-Lieutenant-Colonel asked me to
write this History, I pointed out that I had no experience as a writer
and that my only previous publications were Standing Orders of
various kinds—not exactly best-sellers! As the months passed, I
became more and more conscious of the need for someone to check
the English and the punctuation, and I am most grateful to my
neighbour Mrs W. I. Curnow for all the trouble that she has taken to
check the text and for the tact with which she has suggested many
much required corrections.
I
PALESTINE
PART I: THE THIRD BATTALION
>
HE Third Battalion arrived back in the United Kingdom a
few weeks before the end of the Second World War, having
I served in the Middle East, North Africa and Italy since
November 1937. They were not, however, to be left in peace for long,
and a few months later, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
R. E. J. C. Coates, D.S.O., they sailed again for the Middle East,
leaving Liverpool on 7 October 1945 on board S.S. Volendam, a ship
which they shared with Headquarters First Guards Brigade and
First Battalion Welsh Guards. Ten days later they arrived at Haifa in
Palestine.
Theoretically the Battalion was no newcomer to Palestine and its
problems, as it had served there both in 1936 and in 1938 when Arab
rebels were doing all they could to resist the flow of Jewish immigrants
coming from the Nazi and Fascist dominated parts of Europe. In
actual fact there were few in the Battalion other than the Com-
manding Officer—who had served before the war for a time in the
Transjordanian Frontier Force—who had ever been near the country.
This book is no place in which to discuss the pros and cons of the
Palestine problem, except in so far as it affected the Battalion on its
arrival in the country in the late autumn of 1945. Just before the war
an agreement was signed whereby the immigration of Jews to Pales-
tine would be restricted to 75,000 over the following five years. By
the end of the war that quota had just about been filled, and the
British Government decided to restrict immigration rather than to
break faith with the Arabs. This resulted in widespread attempts,
often successful, at illegal immigration, which the Royal Navy and
the Army had to do their best to resist. By this time the Jews had
formed an underground National Army, the Hagana, which though
well armed, was moderate in its action and behaviour. The terrorism
and thuggery came from the right wing of that force, the Irgun Zvai
Leumi (I.Z.L.) and its more extreme element, the Stern Gang.
Eventually a United Nations Special Committee was appointed to
look into the Palestine question, and on 1 September 1947 its report
B
2
(1945
PALESTINE
Acre
Haifa
SEA OF
GALILEE
.Nesher Yagur
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
• Nazareth
Mt Carmel
Mizra
N
Megiddo
E
.Caesarea
• Pardes Hanna
Beisan
S
Jenin
Hogla
Givat Haiyim
Nathanya
•Tulkarm
Qualansuwa
River Jordan
TRANS-
JORDANIA
• Nablus
Zerqa.
Ramat
Tel Aviv Gan .Petah Tiqva
Jaffa Saron
del Litwinsky
Sarafand.
Lydda
Ramleh.
Amman.
PALESTINE
Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Solomons Pools.
DEAD SEA
0
10
20
30 miles
Palestine
was issued, which recommended after the withdrawal of British
forces in May 1948 the partition of Palestine into two separate states,
one Jewish and one Arab: the Jews were delighted but the Arabs
were astounded that such large areas containing purely Arab popu-
lation should, by this plan, be included in the Jewish State: there-
after the British forces' role tended more and more towards keeping
the rival factions apart—a thankless task whatever the nationalities
are and which has been imposed on the British soldier in many parts
of the world in the past and is still being imposed on him today.
1945)
PALESTINE
3
а.
The Battalion landed at Haifa on 17 October and the next day
moved to Camp 87 at Pardes Hanna, which is about twenty-five miles
south of Haifa and a few miles inland from Caesarea. Soon after
arrival a Battalion newspaper named Sharper Yet was published and
thereafter came out weekly, giving world and local news and com-
ment, and Battalion news, sport, entertainment and gossip. Of first
impressions, the paper said:
'The first day in Haifa gave an idea of the bewildering contrasts of the
country. Side by side with vast modern buildings are Arab dwellings which
look as if they have just been blitzed with bombs and landmines: in the
streets are the newest American cars and beside them, donkeys. Haifa is
typical of the towns of the East, in which ancient and modern civilisations
come together.'
Of the political situation and the Battalion's role, the paper's
comment was:
‘Both Jewish settlements and Arab villages near this camp gave a
friendly welcome to those wishing to look around. The Jews claim to
Palestine is based on their traditional association with the Holy Land, the
need for bringing their suffering and persecuted peoples into a place of
refuge and their ability to turn the country into a land flowing with milk
and honey. The Arabs on the other hand have lived here for many cen-
turies and for that reason the country belongs to them. Our primary duty
is to keep order--for that end our attitude must be impartial.'
They soon started taking their share of internal security duties.
There were road-blocks, which involved the searching of men and
vehicles for arms, ammunition and explosives and the checking of
documents: the block usually consisted of a coil or two of dannaert
barbed-wire which was strung across the road: it was surprising how
many Jews had faulty or no brakes to their bicycles so that if the
block was on a slope a large proportion of the passing bicyclists
ended up ignominiously in the wire. There were patrols to be found
to check roads and railways for mines and generally to show the flag
and maintain law and order. Some, especially the mine-searching
one, were made on foot: some were mounted in carriers: these were
light-armoured tracked vehicles originally known as Bren-gun
carriers but later used to carry Vickers machine guns and three-inch
mortars and to tow anti-tank guns: in fact they became general-
purpose vehicles though their light armour would only keep out small
arms fire but not anything much heavier. There is even a record of
one mounted patrol—that is properly mounted on horses! Colonel
Coates had trained a number of Officers and Other Ranks to ride and
a
4
[1945
PALESTINE
the patrol nearly ended in disaster when, following a railway line,
the horses were startled by the hoot of an approaching train and
scattered in all directions, with Officers and Guardsmen hanging on
for dear life. Lastly there were cordons and searches of villages and
settlements to find arms and wanted terrorists.
It is easy to write ‘cordon and search' but they were in fact com-
plicated operations involving troops and Palestine Police, the latter
consisting of British, Jewish and Arab personnel, for a variety of
duties. Firstly there were the cordon troops who surrounded the area
to be searched to prevent anyone inside from getting out. Then there
were parties of outer cordon troops placed at strategic points some
distance from the area to prevent people from neighbouring villages
or settlements from interfering with the operation. There were cage
troops, who erected and guarded the barbed-wire cages to which the
inhabitants were brought for questioning, and escort troops to take
away 'wanted' persons found as the result of the questioning. On
roads leading to the search area, road-blocks were sometimes
required to divert traffic. There were search parties consisting of a
mixture of troops and police to move the inhabitants to the cages
and to look for arms, and there were screening teams, usually
Palestinian policemen, to do the questioning in the cages. Finally
there had to be reserves for all the different parties to deal with the
unexpected. The Jewish villages and settlements varied in type and
Sharper Yet described the various types as follows:
>
"The social organisation of these agricultural communities varies con-
siderably, but there are broadly three main types; the ordinary villages; the
“Moshav” in which land is individually owned and its produce collectively
marketed; and thirdly the “Kibbutz", a wholly communal settlement.
'What is a Kibbutz and how exactly does it operate? The members are
literally "men without money”. Except for those rare occasions when they
go to town, they never hear the jingle of coins in their pockets. Each man
works according to his ability and receives according to his needs. No
wages are paid. Every one is on an equal footing, whether he is a picker of
fruit whose labour yields 20 piastres a day, or an engineer whose labour
yields a pound a day. All share the same food in the communal dining hall;
clothes are received from the communal wardrobe; small necessities such
as toothpaste, shaving soap, razor blades, and writing paper are distributed
at the communal store. There is a library, a music room and a committee
which cares for entertainment and cultural facilities. Medical care is pro-
vided. The members have annual holidays, their allowances depending
upon the state of the common purse. There are good years and bad years;
ups and downs. But all share alike; there is sugar for all or sugar for none.
.
1945]
PALESTINE
5
‘Women are on an equal basis with men in responsibility and work.
Their children are taken away from them at the earliest possible oppor-
tunity and are put into “Children's houses” where they are under the care
of expert nurses and teachers. In the evenings, when the parents return
from work and on the Sabbath the families can be together.
'In government, the Kibbutz is a miniature democracy directed by an
elected committee. Weekly meetings are held in which all questions
economic, cultural and social are discussed and decided by popular
vote.'
a
On 25 November the Battalion took part in the cordon and search
of Hogia, a settlement close to Givat Haiyim, which lies about five
miles south of Pardes Hanna and about the same distance inland
from the coast. The object, as usual, was to find wanted terrorists and
their arms and in this the operation was largely successful. There was,
however, one awkward moment: the word had gone round neigh-
bouring villages and settlements and a crowd of some hundreds con-
verged on the settlement, some arriving by bus, at a point where the
cordon was held by a platoon of Number 1 Company. The Platoon
Commander, Lieutenant C. H. D'Ambrumenil, carried out the
proper Internal Security Drill: he gave the required warning that he
would open fire if the crowd did not disperse, and he repeated the
warning twice: it was, however, ignored and as the crowd continued
to advance he ordered his Platoon Sergeant to shoot one of the ring-
leaders; unfortunately in the excitement of the moment all the
Guardsmen—who were mostly young and inexperienced-opened
fire with rifles, Bren guns and Sten guns at a range of less than a
hundred yards and to the platoon Commander's horror-and
incidentally the horror of the Commanding Officer and Brigade
Commander who had chosen that unfortunate moment to arrive upon
the scene—the whole crowd fell to the ground. However, visions of a
massacre quickly evaporated as, after a moment or so, the whole
crowd except one man who had been slightly wounded, rose to their
feet and beat a rapid retreat. Fortunate as it was that the damage
caused was so slight, it was unfortunate that the platoon's fire
discipline and marksmanship proved to be so poor. The wounded
man is reported to have had his revenge and there are two stories as
to how he achieved this: in one he is supposed to have bitten the
Medical Officer who attended to him: in the other, a stretcher-
bearer, when binding up the wound, got his own thumb entangled in
the bandage and, in trying to get it out, dislocated it! Perhaps both
are true. The local newspaper the Palestine Post made the best of the
>
6
(1946
PALESTINE
story, ignored the lightness of the casualties and demanded the trial
of the ‘Beast of Hogla’.
At the end of the year the Battalion moved to Megiddo Camp at
Afule with one Company at Beisan; the move did not receive full
approval, as the following remarks from Sharper Yet will show:
*The Battalion's move from Pardes Hanna to a new site in the plain of
Armageddon is a blessing in disguise, so disguised some people say as to
be unrecognisable as a blessing. On the credit side we are nearer Haifa, we
are nearer Nazareth and more men are under permanent cover, with
electric light. On the debit side, the mud here compares in staying power
and consistency with that at Medjez el Bab or the Maas or the Garigliano.'
Patrolling and searching continued with varied results. One par-
ticularly successful search was at a settlement called Nesher Yagur
which is quite close to Haifa: by chance a Corporal of the Royal
Engineers who was helping the Battalion noticed something odd
about a piece of machinery in a barn: on investigation it was found
to conceal a trap-door under which were steps leading to a large cellar
full of mortars and other arms and ammunition: the settlement was
then torn apart and many other hiding-places were found—under
floors, in a sewer, in the dining-room and in the children's nursery:
even the metal supports for the swings in the children's playground
were found to be ventilation shafts for arms caches. One not so
successful patrol ended with the Officer and his men being arrested by
the Palestine Police and spending the night in Nablus jail!
After six months at Megiddo Camp the Battalion moved on
25 June to Camp 253 at Acre where it became Demonstration
Battalion for the Middle East School of Infantry, though it still had
some Internal Security duties to perform. One of these was the search
of Mizra, on 29 June, where a Terrorist Headquarters with a large
number of incriminating documents was found. At another place the
settlers made it quite clear that they were all—men, women and
children-going to physically resist entry by the troops; this was,
of course, the last thing that was wanted, so a plan was made to avoid
it. The Settlement was surrounded by a six-foot high wire fence with
double main gates. One Company and the Carriers paraded outside
the main gates; whereupon all the settlers made for the gates, some
lying or sitting down in the road behind them. Meanwhile, another
Company quietly cut their way through the wire on the opposite side.
of the Settlement and, moving through the Settlement, arrived
behind the settlers as the Carriers drove into the gate; realizing that
they were surrounded the settlers gave in without resistance.
а
1947)
PALESTINE
7
In January 1947 the Battalion, by now under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel W. L. Steele, who had previously commanded
the Battalion in Italy in the winter of 1944/45, moved to Tel Aviv,
where Battalion Headquarters and Numbers 1 and 2 Companies
occupied Citrus House and near-by buildings, and Support Company
was at Sarona, a residential Settlement just outside Tel Aviv and
nearly a mile from Citrus House. Both areas were shared with
detachments of the Palestine Police and both had a barbed-wire
perimeter fence. The remaining two Companies were at Petah Tiqva,
a few miles away, and joined Support Company at Sarona at the
beginning of February.
The Battalion was kept very busy; guard duties were heavy, at one
period amounting to twenty NCOs and ninety-one Guardsmen each
night. In addition there was always one mobile Company available
with two Platoons, each twenty-four strong, at immediate notice to
move, and a third at one hour's notice. Patrols, road-blocks and
search parties were found, frequently in conjunction with the Palestine
Police; the results of searches varied, but some were surprising and
included one batch of six Italian Army deserters. On the whole the
ordinary civilians were anxious to be friendly and co-operate with
the troops, but were doubtful as to how they would be received. The
answer is given in the following Field Security Report which was
published in Sharper Yet:
*Troops of 3rd Battalion Coldstream have done much to restore
amicable relations with the citizens of Tel Aviv. Their good behaviour,
exemplary manners, courtesy and high standard of discipline has created a
favourable impression of the Brigade of Guards and has helped to remove
some of the worst fears of the citizens of Tel Aviv.'
A similar answer is given in a letter received at the time by the
Battalion from one of the citizens:
>
a
‘May I relate a little incident about the friendly manner in which some
English soldiers perform their duty.
*Travelling in a rural bus last night we were stopped. A British Corporal
stepped in with a friendly smile and said “Curfew passes, please" and
"Thank you very much"
‘After checking all the identity cards, he stopped by a little boy, fumbled
in his pocket, took out a box of sweets and offered it to him. The mother,
in spite of her amazement, managed to blurt out a gay “thanks”.
‘Everyone was smiling at the Corporal. He smiled too. I hope he felt the
warmth.
It was seldom that the situation was quiet enough for Officers and
8
(1947
PALESTINE
Other Ranks to walk out normally in Tel Aviv; generally they had to
be armed and in parties of four; having to look after a rifle, or having
a pocket of one's suit of plain clothes weighed down by a pistol, does
not add to the enjoyment of an evening out. For a good deal of the
time everyone was confined to Barracks and vehicles outside Citrus
House area and Sarona had to move in at least pairs, and each
vehicle had to carry four armed men. There were, however, com-
pensations, and an occasional sightseeing party went up to Jerusalem
and toured the Holy Places; soldiers with rifles and Sten guns slung
over their shoulders did however look somewhat incongruous in the
Holy Sepulchre! Leave could be taken in Transjordania, as it was
then, and several parties went there to visit the famous Petra, with its
temples carved from the solid rose-red rock. The Lebanon, Syria and
Cyprus could also be visited. Leave to England created quite a
problem, with over one hundred of the Battalion's strength of about
eight hundred away at any one time: this high proportion was mainly
caused by the length of time taken by the journey—train to Port
Said, boat to Marseilles, train across France, and finally boat across
the English Channel, with probably delays at the various transit
camps en route.
Jewish terrorism continued to increase and, to deal with the
situation, the Government of Palestine decided to isolate the Tel
Aviv, Petah Tiqva, Ramat Gan area and to impose martial law and a
curfew, so that the police could find the terrorist groups known to be
in the area. This very considerable task was allotted to First Guards
Brigade which for the operation, known as 'Elephant', was given
eight extra regiments and battalions: the area cordoned was ten miles
long by five miles broad and contained about 300,000 people. The
operation started on the night of 1/2 March and lasted for fifteen
days. The actual house curfew was lifted after forty-eight hours but
all businesses and communications with the world outside were
brought to a halt for the whole period. As the Battalion was stationed
right in the middle of the area, it was obviously very much involved.
The person most concerned was the Second-in-Command, Major
J. H. Bowman, who was appointed Military Liaison Officer and as
such, had to see that the Civil Authorities carried out properly the
provisions of martial law: this task was complicated by the fact that
the cordon was established at a weekend, with literally thousands of
people outside wanting to get in and thousands inside wanting to get
out: a system of passes was instituted and 8,000 people were escorted
1947)
PALESTINE
9
one way or the other through the cordon. On the whole the Civil
Authorities were co-operative, though there were one or two tense
moments when it was necessary for Major Bowman to insist that they
continued to run a limited bus service, and also to bury their dead. I
hasten to add—those who had died of the natural causes usual in any
community.
Of the visits that Major Bowman had to pay to Dr Chaim Weiz-
mann, he said:
'The Grand Old Man of Israel ... always greeted us cordially and with a
display of some emotion, thanking God that we were safe, but I always had
the feeling that although he was genuinely relieved that we were safe, he
was not sorry to hear about Jewish terrorists being active against others.'
a
>
The Battalion, as was to be expected, became a target for terrorists.
One night Lieutenant P. Kelly, while visiting sentries, was fired on by
a man with a rifle at fifty yards range: he returned the fire and the
man withdrew: neither was hurt. A Jewish cyclist who ignored a
challenge given three times by one of our sentries was not so fortunate
and he was shot dead.
On the night of 8 March, terrorists attacked both Sarona and
Citrus House. The night's events opened at about 8.45 p.m. when
four hand-grenades were thrown at the sentry on gate duty at
Sarona: Guardsman Stocker, the sentry, was badly wounded and
died about half an hour later: in addition one British and one Arab
constable of the Palestine Police were wounded. All the troops in
the Sarona area, quickly turned out. They included a company of
the Third Battalion Grenadier Guards as well as a company of the
First Battalion Welsh Guards who had been sent there to help, as a
shipload of illegal immigrants was expected. Fire was opened on the
camp from the direction of the near-by German War Cemetery and
adjacent buildings, but, by the time a platoon could get there, the
terrorists had gone. Meanwhile Major M. W. Stilwell, M.C., who
commanded Support Company, took a carrier patrol to the assistance
of the Anti-Tank Platoon, which was doing guard duty in a building
between Sarona and Citrus House and which was under attack. An
attempt was made to mine Major Stilwell's carrier, but the mine,
which was electrically detonated, was fired too soon and blew up
fifteen yards in front of the vehicle.
Fire was opened on Citrus House soon after 9 p.m. from the
surrounding houses. Because of the events at Sarona the guard had
already been strengthened, and very quickly the remainder of the
10
PALESTINE
(1947
а
a
Battalion turned out and returned the fire: a civilian lorry loaded with
Butagas cylinders, parked near by, was hit and set on fire: it burned
for an hour and the noise of the exploding cylinders sounded like
mortar fire: jagged pieces of metal flew in all directions and it was
fortunate that the Battalion's Colours had been removed from the
wall of the Officers' Mess, as a large piece of metal came through the
wall immediately behind where the Regimental Colour had been
hanging only a few minutes before.
When the firing died down searches were made of the buildings
around and three Jews and one Jewess were found dead: it was later
learnt that fourteen wounded Jews were treated in civilian hospitals:
a number of suspects were brought in and handed over to the Police.
In Citrus House there was a so-called Press Room, but it was
rarely, if ever, used: it was perhaps something more than a coinci-
dence that on this night a British Press Agency Correspondent
happened to arrive shortly before the action opened at Sarona, and a
sensational account of the incident appeared in the British Daily Press.
With the end of Martial Law in Tel-Aviv, life became a bit more
normal for the Battalion: a new feature to the outline of Citrus
House was a six-pounder anti-tank gun which was mounted on the
roof of the building and covered the houses from which attacks had
been made: it was never, in fact, fired, and so it was never proved
which would suffer most from a shot being fired, the target, or
Citrus House
In mid-April three Jewish terrorists, including a particularly well
known one, Dov Groner, were executed: a curfew was imposed for a
short time and large-scale reprisals were expected, but nothing
happened until the 25th of the month, when a Post Office Telephone
van drove up to the gates of Sarona and the occupants asked for
admission to repair some wires inside. Their passes were in order and
the back of the van contained only two coils of wire: the Corporal of
the Guard refused to let them in, probably because of a warning
which had been circulated that morning to the effect that a similar
vehicle had been stolen, and more particularly because orders had
been issued that no civilian vehicles would be allowed inside Citrus
House or Sarona areas: but he was overruled by the Sergeant of the
Guard and the vehicle was let in: half an hour later the two men
returned to the camp gate carrying a ladder and saying that they had
some wires to repair just outside the wire perimeter fence: they were
never seen again and ten minutes later the van blew up, demolishing
two buildings, including the camp telephone exchange, and killing
a
a
>
1947)
PALESTINE
11
four and wounding sixteen members of the Palestine Police. It was a
most unfortunate and discreditable incident.
The month of May passed reasonably quietly, though there was the
occasional 'Flap' with resultant restrictions in the soldiers freedom
to walk out', though it was generally possible for parties to go down
to bathe at Jaffa, Arab co-city to Tel-Aviv. One Officer was given the
unusual task of running a Military Court set up in Tel-Aviv to try
civilians for minor offences, as the civilian courts were so overworked
that accused persons had to wait months for trial. The Officer's
training for this task consisted of a course lasting two hours: he was
told to make up his own procedure, which should be based on
military law: he was permitted to award punishments of up to two
years' imprisonment or a fine of up to £200, and he was told that if
the evidence did not fit the charge he could alter the charge to fit the
evidence! This sounds somewhat rough and ready justice, but in
practice it worked well: the vast majority of the offenders were
curfew breakers who were awarded fines according to their means,
and the terms of imprisonment were seldom imposed—sometimes to
the disappointment of some Arab offenders, to whom imprisonment
meant a higher standard of living and food. It did, however, speed
up things, and those accused of minor offences were generally dealt
with within twenty-four hours or less.
In mid-June, an explosion was heard in a house across the main
road from the gate of Citrus House. On investigation, the dead body
of a man was found beside a large hole in the floor of the basement.
The hole proved to be the entrance to a tunnel leading forty-five feet
in the direction of Citrus House and ending under the centre of the
main road, and the body was that of a Hagana Officer. What had
happened was that one of the terrorist organizations, the I.Z.L. or
Stern Gang, had decided to blow up Citrus House: the Hagana, the
Jewish National Army, though in no way pro-British, objected to
bloodshed: they heard of the tunnel a few days before, visited the
cellar and left a chalked message 'The Hagana has been here, we
warn you not to continue with your evil intention. They then heard
that the terrorists intended to carry on with the project, so they turned
up at the building with a lorry, loaded with bags of cement, with the
intention of sealing off the tunnel: the lorry was not noticed by our
sentries as a large building was going up next door. The Hagana
Officer suspected that there might be a 'booby-trap', entered the
basement alone and died as the result: all those Coldstreamers who
lived in Citrus House at the time owe a debt of gratitude to the
12
(1947
PALESTINE
a
Hagana. There were two other odd aspects to the affair: the question
of terrorists tunnelling under Citrus House had been discussed a
number of times but the technical advice was that owing to the
sandy nature of the soil, such a feat was impossible! Secondly, on the
day that the tunnel was found, a report from an Intelligence Unit
living in Citrus House was received at Brigade Headquarters which
read 'Among entertaining rumours is one that a tunnel is being dug
under Citrus House.' No copy had been sent to the Commanding
Officer of the Battalion in Citrus House. As an epilogue to the affair,
two days later, a party searching houses near the tunnel entrance
found a small factory manufacturing Sten gun parts, several thousand
magazines, hand grips and other parts being found—literally within
fifty yards of Citrus House.
a
The Battalion's stay in Tel-Aviv was now coming to an end and,
together with the rest of First Guards Brigade they moved, on 1 July,
some fifteen miles northward to a Brigade Camp area near Nathanya:
but before they left a farewell party was given by the Officers at the
Oasis Restaurant at Ramat Gan, to which both military and civilian
notabilities and friends, British, Jewish and Arab were invited: there
was, of course, a strong military guard around the restaurant, but
later it was discovered that there was a second and outer guard
supplied, voluntarily by the Hagana to ensure that no trouble was
caused by the I.Z.L. or Stern Gang.
The Battalion occupied Camp 22c and it was not a very pre-
possessing place—a large area of sand with Messes, Stores and
Offices in huts and everyone sleeping in tents: the lucky ones had
concrete bases to their tents: there was, of course, the usual barbed-
wire perimeter fence. The weather was getting hot and from the
Camp the Judaean Hills could be seen in the distance: there were
some, then, who could understand more clearly the opening words of
the 121st Psalm 'I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence
cometh my help': one longed to be up in the comparative cool of the
hills. On 12 July, a Saturday, the Battalion was turned out, together
with the rest of the Brigade and a number of other Battalions,
assisted incidentally by the Hagana, to cordon and search Nathanya
for two Field Security Police Sergeants who had been kidnapped.
Over the following fortnight the town was thoroughly combed:
floors were torn up and tunnels dug under houses but no trace
could be found of the two Sergeants: however, Nathanya was a
centre for the processing of industrial diamonds and in case of theft,
1947)
PALESTINE
13
as the troops were informed, no search was allowed in premises
involved in this trade: it was the old, old game of trying to do some-
thing with one hand tied behind your back. In the end the cordon and
search of Nathanya ended on 27 July, the only success being the
arrest of a few wanted terrorists. On 29 July three Jewish terrorists
a
were hanged in Acre Jail and on 31 July the bodies of the two Ser-
geants, whom the I.Z.L. had announced they were holding hostage
for the lives of the convicted terrorists, were found hanged in an
orange grove near Nathanya: as a 'nice' gesture the ground beneath
the bodies had been mined.
One other sad event occurred during this time, and that was the
death of Lieutenant P. D. F. Kelly, who, after a very short illness of
less than two days, died of polio: the death of this capable and
popular young Officer, who had been out on operations only a few
days earlier, was a very great loss to the Battalion.
During the next two months the Battalion was left in comparative
peace, and, for a change, a little training was carried out: but at the
end of September they were on the move again, this time to the
Sarafand Cantonment, near Lydda: there, for a short month they
had the luxury of living in huts and enjoyed the amenities of a
swimming-pool, a shopping centre, clubs and a cinema: there was,
however, a heavy programme of internal security duties, road-blocks,
patrols and mine-clearance patrols on roads and railway. At the end
of October they moved to Transjordania for a month's training,
based on a camp in the desert near Zerqa. In addition to training
there were a number of places of interest to visit, including the capital
Amman. A number of officers also took advantage of excellent duck
shooting at the lakes at Azrak. The main problem was pilfering from
the camp by the local Bedouin, and early in the Battalion's stay there
an effort was made to come to terms with them: the Sheikh a fine old
man reputed to be 137 years old, was visited, and he, his son and the
elders of the tribe paid a return visit to the camp and were entertained
to tea in the Officers' Mess: the conversation ran somewhat as follows:
Sheikh
We are more honoured than we can say at your wonderful hospitality
to us humble Bedouins, and we are very content and happy to be here
with you and to have you in our country.
Commanding Officer
We are very grateful to you for coming and for welcoming us to your
country. May your sheep multiply and your tribes prosper,
14
PALESTINE
(1947
Sheikh
We do not know how long we shall live, but however long may that
be, we shall remember this happy day. We are happy to be in your
company. Hurrah for your King and his Bodyguard.
Commanding Officer
May the rains come soon and may your crops spring up and pros-
perity return to you, Inshallah.
The visit was evidently a success as nothing was stolen from the
camp during the Battalion's stay, which was over by the end of
November when they moved back to the old camp at Nathanya.
Early in December the Battalion was placed under the command of
Third Infantry Brigade and was sent down to Lydda area to picquet
the Jerusalem to Tel-Aviv road and to protect Jewish traffic from
Arab gangs. On the night of 13 December there were two road-
blocks out when an Arab gang raided the Police Station at Ramleh.
A party of Arabs returning from the raid in a truck ran into a block
a
manned by Number 8 Platoon of Number 3 Company commanded
by Lieutenant R. Leventhorpe, who was slightly wounded in the gun
battle that followed.
The vehicle was captured, as were a car and another truck which
approached the road-block during the next hour. In all one Arab
was killed, seven were captured and a large quantity of arms and
ammunition recovered. In the early hours of the following morning a
Carrier Patrol under the command of Lieutenant D. H. Watts who
had been sent up to support the block, found a truck abandoned with
the radiator still warm: they back-tracked it to a farm where more
arms were discovered: the patrol lay in wait and when an armed
Arab approached, he was laid out by Lieutenant Watts and made
prisoner: another Arab was shot at and wounded but escaped. The
total count of arms recovered during the night was four Bren guns,
fifteen Sten guns and one hundred and sixty rifles, plus nearly 70,000
rounds of ammunition. There was also one shotgun which a sergeant
acquired for himself, but later he was told to hand it in: it belonged
to the Ramleh Police Inspector!
The following day marked the beginning of the end of the Bat-
talion's time in Palestine. It had been allowed to run down in
strength: there were 881 Other Ranks on 1 October and only 454 on
31 December, and the decrease was to continue. To make up for this
the First Battalion was to be sent out, a Company at a time, and
eventually take over completely from the Third Battalion. On 13
1947/1948]
PALESTINE
15
December Number 2 Company and the Anti-Tank Platoon of the
First Battalion, both under the command of Major W. L. Baxendale,
arrived and came under command of the Third Battalion. Number 3
Company and the Mortar Platoon were to arrive on 26 January and
Battalion Headquarters and most of Headquarter Company on
23 February: soon after that the First Battalion was to assume
operational command.
But to go back to December, Number 2 Company of the First
Battalion quickly settled down and started operating as part of the
Third Battalion which spent Christmas Day manning road-blocks and
patrolling. The Battalion moved back to Nathanya on 28 December,
but on New Year's Day had to send a platoon and a section of
carriers to keep the peace between an Arab village, a few miles to the
east, named Qualansuwa, and the neighbouring Jewish settlement to
Kefar Y'Avets: the Arabs had attacked the Jews and now feared
reprisals: after four days this detachment was withdrawn but that
night—and a very wet night it was too a carrier section had to
be sent back hurriedly as firing was heard from the direction of
Qualansuwa: however the Officer in charge, Captain W. Birkbeck,
found that it was only the Arabs firing at a stray donkey which, not
surprisingly, had failed to answer their challenge!
During the following weeks road checks had to be imposed in the
area to control the movement of Arab hooligans who were trying to
loot trains. The Battalion also took part in several flag marches—or
rather drives—as everyone was carried in vehicles—to impress both
sides on the might of the British Army: one of those marches, which
was organized by Brigade Headquarters, was not an unqualified
success as the route had not been reconnoitred and it was found to be
impassable for several miles, until the leading troops had done a great
deal of roadwork. On another march, ten minutes after the column
had passed by, some Arabs shot at a party of Jews who were working
on electric pylons: a section of carriers was sent back and this was
heavily fired on and eventually a second section of carriers and a
platoon of infantry, all under the command of Major M. W. Stilwell,
M.C., had to clear the hill above the pylons before the Jews could be
evacuated: one Guardsman was wounded. One Jew was killed and
another was wounded.
Just over a fortnight later, the First Battalion took over and what
was left of the Third Battalion, eighteen Officers and 230 Other Ranks,
packed up. On 16 March they embarked on H.M.T. Dunnotar Castle
and sailed for home, landing in England on Easter Day, 28 March 1948,
16
(1947
PALESTINE
PART II: THE FIRST BATTALION
Towards the end of 1946 the First Battalion arrived back
in England from Germany and was stationed at Caterham with
Support Company at the Tower of London. As for any Battalion
in England, their duties were various and January 1947 found them
providing transport and working parties at Smithfield Market and
cold-storage depots to help maintain meat supplies threatened by
a transport strike. In March they moved to Pirbright, where they felt
the effect of the coal shortage and large parties had to be sent into the
woods every day to collect sufficient fuel for dinners to be cooked.
From there they provided two Guards for the first King's Birthday
Parade to be held on the Horse Guards Parade since 1939 and
the only one ever held when battledress (as opposed to the 1920
Parade in Service Dress) was worn, and the Officers on parade
carried revolvers instead of swords.
As has already been related, the Battalion, under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel J. Chandos-Pole, moved out to Palestine, a
Company at a time, starting in December 1947, and took over
operationally from the Third Battalion on 1 March 1948, though
Number 1 Company had not yet left England, nor incidentally had
the Second-in-Command, the Adjutant, the Regimental Quarter-
master Sergeant and Support Company Headquarters, and the
Battalion had to operate for two months in a somewhat difficult
Internal Security situation without these very important people.
Travel out from England was not luxurious, as the following descrip-
tion of Number 3 Company's arrival in Egypt and move to Palestine
may show:
*The Company, commanded by Major R. E. Philips, M.C., landed at
Adibaya on the West Bank of the Canal just North of Suez and had a night-
mare journey from there to join the 3rd Battalion.
‘After three and a half hours on the quayside at Adibaya a very over-
crowded, unlit and windowless train appeared which, after eight hours
deposited the Company at El Kantara. All stores had to be manhandled
200 yards onto the ferry which took four return trips to get it all over to the
East Bank of the Canal. The stores then had to be humped a further 200
yards to another train which, when it eventually left, took 12 hours to
reach Haifa. No meals worth mentioning were provided throughout this
period and it was thanks largely to the great example set by CSM. N. Reid
that the Company remained as cheerful and philosophical as it did.'
Numbers 2 and 3 Companies and the Anti-Tank and Mortar
1948]
PALESTINE
17
a
Platoons that had travelled out from England with them had taken
part in Third Battalion operations, but there were two episodes
which concerned Number 2 Company only and not the Third
Battalion. On 4 February a party of about thirty from Number 2
Company, under the command of Lieutenant R. R. Cooper, escorted
the Band of the Irish Guards, who were on a visit to Palestine, on a
sightseeing tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem: from Bethlehem they
decided to return to Nathanya via Solomon's Pools, having obtained
clearance from the Palestine Police. Unfortunately a mistake had
been made and the road had not, in fact, been checked that day by the
police: the convoy soon ran into a stone barricade: when they
attempted to move it, they were fired on from the surrounding hills,
so Lieutenant Cooper made the musicians, who were only armed with
revolvers, debus and get into the ditches on either side of the road,
while he lead his Coldstreamers, who had rifles and bayonets only,
in a charge at the attackers, who promptly fled. They got back into
their buses and moved on, but were stopped half a mile farther on by
machine-gun fire: again they debused, but as the light was beginning
to go they decided to wait till darkness and then withdraw the way
they had come. Before they could do so a platoon of the Royal
Sussex Regiment arrived on the scene and assisted in their with-
drawal.
Unfortunately one musician was killed and three were wounded
and one guardsman was wounded. The ambush was, in fact, a mis-
take in that the attacking Arabs thought that they had caught a
Hagana convoy.
On 17 February, the same Company with a section of Carriers was
sent to Tel Litwinsky Camp, some three miles east of Tel Aviv, and
spent a week imposing a night curfew on the area, which was the
no-man's-land between Jewish Tel-Aviv and Arab Jaffa: this was
done successfully, but not without considerable opposition from
snipers and a grenade being thrown at one of the Carriers.
March was a comparatively peaceful month with the Battalion
remaining at Nathanya, though plenty of guards had to be found.
Illegal Jewish immigrants continued to be a problem, and the
Government continued to honour its undertakings to restrict the
number of immigrants entering the country: illegal ones, when
caught were deported to camps in Cyprus. On one occasion Captain
E. I. Windsor Clive, with Lieutenant F. J. Matheson and a party of
guardsmen, was given the task of escorting a shipment: they were to
travel on a frigate which they found in Haifa docks, tied up alongside
C
18
PALESTINE
(1948
the cruiser H.M.S. Newcastle: on the other side of the cruiser was
the illegal immigration ship. The system was for the immigrants to be
brought out of their own ship, over the cruiser--where they were
disinfected—and then down into cages erected both above and below
decks on the frigate. Captain Windsor Clive's description is as
follows:
'They were a most unhappy looking crowd, in an advanced state of
misery after a ghastly voyage across the Mediterranean in their over-
crowded, unseaworthy ship: the journey in store for them was to be no
better either for them or for us. Our frigate was even smaller and more over-
crowded and they were crammed behind bars. Many of the women were
pregnant so that two immigrants could get into Palestine for the price of
one, and one or two gave birth during our journey. To crown it all there
was a gale and the sea was very rough. I shall never forget the horror of that
voyage.
On 6 April the Battalion moved to Haifa where the situation was a
difficult one as tension between the Jews and the Arabs was mounting.
The Battalion relieved the Second/Third Battalion the Parachute
Regiment, and the two rifle companies with sections of carriers under
command took over positions in dominating houses all over the
town. Battalion Headquarters was on the outskirts of the town but
a Tactical Headquarters was inside the town with under command
two Sextons (self-propelled guns) and a Comet tank of the Royal
House Artillery and a troop of Staghounds (Armoured Cars) of the
Third Hussars. The Battalion's task was to maintain law and order in
Haifa, to keep open all the main routes through the town and to
ensure that Arab and Jewish labour could reach the docks which
were guarded by Royal Marine Commandos: by this means they were
covering the evacuation of troops and stores from the country.
Constant carrier and armoured-car patrols were maintained: if the
Jews or Arabs set up a road-block the Comet was sent to knock it
down, while the companies intervened in any fighting between
Arabs and Jews and imposed a curfew on the town each night.
In general the Jews, who were the more numerous and much the
most cunning, lived on the upper slopes of Mount Carmel, while the
Arabs lived lower down in the old town: the Battalion and Com-
panies did all they could to liaise with both sides and needless to say
both sides always complained that the others started shooting first.
But gradually liaison became less and less effective and it was decided
that no further attempt would be made to prevent fighting in the
main town: the Battalion was to concentrate on keeping the roads to
1948)
PALESTINE
19
the docks open and to maintain law and order only in the zones in
the East and the West of the town around the main British military
camps. Companies therefore withdrew to suitable positions on 21
April: it was fortunate that these positions included Pross's, the best
restaurant in Haifa! Fierce fighting soon broke out between the
Arabs and the Jews in the main town and it was not long before the
Arabs realized that they were beaten and asked for a truce.
The Battalion did what it could to evacuate the wounded Arabs
and the Commanding Officer was wounded in the arm by a Jewish
sniper while leading a convoy of ambulances into the town. The
Arabs started leaving the town by boat or by any other transport they
could find with a resultant shortage of dock labour at a time when it
was very much in demand for the British evacuation.
On 23 April Number 1 Company arrived from England and they
were made very welcome, not least because of the help that they
would give in the various operational commitments. With the
Company arrived the Second-in-Command, Major B. E. Luard,
M.C., who was somewhat surprised to be told that he was a
Lieutenant-Colonel and in command of the Battalion. Two further
casualties were sustained: Guardsman B. Porter was shot by an Arab
roof-top sniper and Guardsmar Bissex was drowned while bathing.
The Battalion was by now in reserve in Peninsular Barracks, and
companies did duty in the town in turns. The Jewish success in the
main town seemed to go to their heads and they appeared to think
that they controlled the town. It was up to our Companies to keep
them in order even after the mandate ended on 15 May.
At the end of the month an advance party left for Tripoli: gradu-
ally the Battalion's operational commitments were reduced and stores
packed and sent to the docks.
The British plan for the evacuation of Palestine provided for a
number of phases, the last of which was the evacuation of Haifa,
and it was the role of First Guards Brigade with a number of troops
under command, including two Royal Marine Commandos, to
cover this withdrawal. On the morning of 30 June 1948, entirely
according to plan and without any incident, the Battalion together
with other covering troops embarked, and at 12.38 p.m. the Union
Jack flying over Haifa docks was lowered. The small fleet of war-
ships, transports and landing ships sailed, and so ended thirty years
of British occupation of Palestine.
II
MALAYA
THE SECOND BATTALION
T
9
HE end of 1946 found the Second Battalion at Wellington
Barracks, having returned to England after four years' service
overseas in North Africa and Italy. For the next eighteen
months the Battalion was almost entirely employed on ceremonial
duties which, until the middle of 1948, were all carried out in battle-
dress: the most important event was the King's Birthday Parade in
1947 when the Battalion found the Escort and Number 2 Guard: the
following year Home Service Clothing was issued in time for the
Birthday Parade, for which the Battalion was to find two Guards:
the Parade was, however, cancelled because of the forecast of bad
weather; actually it turned out to be quite a nice day. For a year and
more, correspondence continued in the Household Brigade magazine
on the reasons for the cancellation of the Parade, and it eventually
resolved itself into an argument as to whether or not the possible
rain might have ruined the tunics of those on parade, and the stan-
dards of perfection required in tunics. One former Coldstreamer
wrote: “Nowadays we have more important things to think about
than keeping up appearances’-to which another former Cold-
streamer replied: “This self-same practice of “keeping up appear-
ances”, in spite of every difficulty, has brought the Brigade through
many an adversity to ultimate success: I have no doubt that it will
do so again both now and in the future.' Most Guardsmen will agree
with the latter's point of view.
There was, however, the occasional interlude in the round of
ceremonial: the first occurred early in 1947 when there was a transport
workers' strike and the Battalion with the First Battalion assisted in
the loading and delivery of meat supplies. The following year there
was a dock strike and once again the Battalion was called upon to
assist the Civil Authorities by helping to unload ships.
Then in mid-1948 rumours began to circulate that the Battalion
would move to the West Indies the following spring: they did, how-
ever, prove to be only rumours, and on Friday, 13 August, the
Battalion, which was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
1948]
MALAYA
21
2
R. F. S. Gooch, D.S.O., M.C., was ordered to be ready to sail for
Malaya on 1 September. So Home Service Clothing was exchanged
for Jungle Green, and the Battalion departed hurriedly on embar-
kation leave.
a
The origins of the terrorist campaign in Malaya dated back to the
days of the Second World War, or even before that. The Malayan
Communist Party was formed in 1927 and consisted almost entirely
of Chinese, as the peaceful Malays were not interested in violence and
rebellion and were content under British Rule.
When Japan invaded and conquered the country in 1942 it was
the Chinese Communists who undertook, in agreement with the
British Government, to form a guerrilla force to continue the
struggle in Malaya, and it was with this well-organized force that
Officers of Force 136 linked up when they landed behind the Japanese
lines in 1943.
As the end of the war came in sight, the guerrillas increasingly
turned their attention from military to political affairs, and planned
to set up a Communist Government in the country. The British
Military Administration was, however, set up sufficiently quickly to
thwart that plan, but although the guerrilla force was officially dis-
banded, several thousands in fact never emerged from the jungle.
Many did emerge and a number came to England and took part in the
Victory Parade in uniform.
The Malayan Communist Party was, however, still an official
political party, and during the next two or three years began to show
its hand by the organization of strikes, attacks on Planters, and
general intimidation of labour and Officials. Finally, in June 1948,
the Party was banned, but was quickly reorganized deep in the jungle
where many of its wartime members still were. Murders and acts of
terrorism continued and increased in number, and a state of emerg-
ency was declared: to defeat the bandits and to restore and maintain
law and order required extra troops, and the extra troops included
Second Guards Brigade, which consisted of Third Battalion Grena-
dier Guards, Second Battalion Coldstream Guards and Second
Battalion Scots Guards.
The latter two Battalions sailed from Southampton on H.M.T.
Empire Trooper on 5 September 1948, with a Coldstream Flag at the
masthead and, on the quayside the Band of the Scots Guards, the
Pipes and Drums of the First Battalion Scots Guards, and many
distinguished personages including the Secretary of State for War,
a
22
(1948
MALAYA
the Rt. Hon. Emmanuel Shinwell. It was the second time that the
Battalion had left England for service in the Far East: the first time
was to Shanghai in 1927 and of those that went in that year only one
accompanied the Battalion in 1948: he was the Master Cook,
Sergeant W. Larbey.
It was a comparatively peaceful voyage, with the first stop at Port
Said, where the ship was quickly invaded by hordes of Port Officials,
Police and very plausible merchants, who carried on a brisk trade
with the more credulous passengers: the more inexperienced even
bought tarboushes, instead of acquiring them in the traditional way
by removing them from the heads of the local population. The Red
Sea was hot-very hot-120°F on the bottom troop deck, but all
ranks were able to get ashore at Aden and at Colombo. Of the
former one Officer said "This brief visit showed us that Aden was no
place to stay in too long'-a remark no doubt echoed by his suc-
cessors in 1964 and 1965 when the Second Battalion was stationed
there.
They arrived at Singapore on 4 October and were to stay just over
a fortnight in Nee Soon Transit Camp: they had to get acclimatized
to the heat fairly quickly and 16 October found them taking part in a
'flag' march through Singapore-four and a half miles with the
temperature at about 90°F. There was active training too and the
first of the Platoon Commanders and Sergeants went on courses at
the Jungle Warfare School in Johore; many more were to follow
during the next few months.
The first Companies to move up-country were Numbers 1 and 2,
the former to prepare Temoh Hill Camp at Tapah for the Battalion,
and the latter to take over the Cameron Highlands, a hill station
some thirty-eight miles from Tapah, where their main task, to start
with, was to protect the Tanglin School, a boarding-school for
European children, and to assist in escorting the children to and
from school at the beginning and end of each term. The main body of
the Battalion moved north to Tapah, leaving Singapore on 21
October, a twelve-hour journey to Kuala Lumpur, where they
changed trains, and twelve hours more on to Tapah. Temoh Hill
Camp consisted of a stretch of open terraced ground covered by
scrubby grass: on one side of the Camp was the main road and some
bungalows: on the other three sides were rubber estates. Everybody
lived in tents, though early in 1949 concrete floors and electric light
had been provided for most tents: attap huts, huts with wooden walls
1948]
23
MALAYA
Blue Valley
-Ipoh
S.Telom
PERAK
Cameron
Highlands
S. Bertam
S. Lemoi
Malim Nawar
• Kampar
N
•Tapah
Tapah Road
W
E
•Bidor
S
Telok
Anson
Sungkai
SELANGOR
Kuala Kubu
Bahru
STRAITS OF
MALACCA
Rawang
0
10
20
30
40 miles
Kuala Lumpur
Malaya
and roofs made of leaves, were provided for messes and canteens and
some Nissen huts were built for stores. By the end of 1949 attap huts
had replaced all the tents. The Company at the Cameron Highlands
was better off and moved into Nissen huts at the start.
Although the main part of the Battalion was at Tapah, there were
numerous detachments: the police were still very thin on the ground
and the Battalion had to look after a number of vulnerable points:
Number 3 Company had a platoon at Telok Anson: Number 4
24
[1948
MALAYA
a
Company had a platoon at Bidor and in mid-November Number 1
Company moved to Kampar with a platoon at the Power Station at
Malim Nawar. Bandits were very active in the tin-mining areas,
attacking mine-posts and blowing down electric pylons, and in the
rubber plantations where they slashed the rubber trees: actually it
would be fairer to say that they organized the slashing as few bandits
did the work themselves: instead they employed squatters and a few
could supervise a number of women and children: it was always a
worry for a patrol commander as to how, if he met one of these
parties in the dark, he could avoid shooting these innocent victims of
forced labour: however, no one in the Battalion was, in fact, put to
the test but all the same the bandits' activities kept the Battalion fully
employed both in guarding vulnerable points and in active patrolling
to drive them away.
On 8 December the Battalion had its first experience of being
ambushed. Second Lieutenant M. I. B. Straker was on his way up
from Tapah to the Cameron Highlands, travelling in a jeep with a
15-cwt. truck as escort close behind. At a sharp bend in the road he
was shot at from both sides by bandits using rifles and automatic
weapons: the bandits were lying on ledges above the road and
although they fired twelve shots into the jeep the only casualty was
Second Lieutenant Straker who had a slight graze in the forearm.
During the first few months of 1949 it became evident that some
success was being achieved: bandit activity in the more civilized
areas became very much restricted and the gangs were forced back
into the hills and jungle, which meant for them not only difficulties in
obtaining supplies but also long difficult marches to reach worth-
while targets for their activities, and the very good chance of running
into one of our patrols on the way. This change was caused by a
combination of two things, the increase in strength of the Malayan
Police Force, which enabled them to take over the guarding of some
of the vulnerable points and which allowed the Battalion to con-
centrate to a greater degree, and also to the Battalion's active
patrolling. For the remainder of the Battalion's tour of duty in
Malaya their task fell roughly into two phases: in the first by screen-
ing operations in villages and by patrols deep into the jungle, the
object was to eradicate the bandits by military action: in the second,
an attempt was made--and it was a very successful attempt—to
achieve the same object by resettling the squatters, on whom to a very
large extent the bandits lived. But who are the squatters? The
population of Malaya, apart from the Malayans and a comparatively
1949)
MALAYA
25
small number of Europeans, is largely Indian (Tamils from Southern
India) and Chinese, though deep in the jungle there are the aborigines,
the Sakai: as has already been said, it was the Chinese who were the
basis of the Communist rebellion in the country, and it was the
Chinese who provided the squatters: to describe them, there can be
no better method than to quote from an article written at the time by
the Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel R. G. V. Fitz-George-
Balfour, C.B.E., M.C., who took over command of the Battalion in
January 1949:
‘The Chinese live partly in villages, but also as squatters on illegally
cleared forest land and in small groups of isolated cottages on any reason-
ably productive ground. Generally they have no right to the land whatever,
there is no access to these areas except a rough track and one can only say
that they have in the past been completely ignored by the Government; as a
result these areas were in fact quite unadministered, the Government got
nothing from the squatter, and the squatter got nothing from the Govern-
ment-not even law and order. In these circumstances it is not unnatural
that the squatter felt no allegiance to those who ignored him and felt no
inclination to obey the rules: he was consequently an easy prey to anyone
who promised him any of the advantages a Government normally provides
---the bandits were not slow to make such promises. Apart from looking
after their little patches of cultivation, most squatters in the plain eke out
their living by tapping rubber on contract, working in tin mines and by
taking other employment in the villages. The squatter is hardworking,
frugal and tough-he has in fact many admirable qualities (though to some
minds not very attractive ones). He is a potentially excellent citizen but
equally has all the qualities to make a very good bandit, and it is from these
people that the long-suffering rank and file of the banditry is mainly
recruited. Not only does the squatter provide for the bandits but, even more
important, he feeds, clothes and generally cherishes them; this is partly
by giving food which he grows and partly by acting as a collector of food,
money and clothing from the towns and villages which he then takes back
to his remote house where the bandits can normally collect without risk of
coming into contact with troops or police.
'In general, it is a safe axiom that the number of bandits in an area is in
direct proportion to the number of Chinese and in particular to the
number of squatters; in fact when surveying an area for the first time one
can say "no squatters--no bandits".
a
Of the bandits themselves, he wrote:
*The great majority are Chinese; the total strength of the permanent
full-time bandit forces probably does not exceed 5,000—a small enough
figure in all conscience—but one which is convenient when you have lots of
room and the firm intention of playing the needle in the haystack game.
26
MALAYA
[1949
This permanent force is quite well armed with Brens, Machine-Carbines of
various types, rifles and grenades; they generally wear uniform and live
under more or less military discipline in camps which they build in the
jungle; they seldom live together in groups of more than thirty though they
will come together to do some special job. As long as these gangs exist they
are a serious potential danger, but very wisely they have clearly decided
that it is more useful to the bandit cause that they should remain in
existence as a permanent threat than that they should be too aggressive and
so risk a serious set-back. From time to time, however, they do carry out a
fairly major operation-usually in the form of an ambush—and often meet
with a degree of success; this is inevitable as they can and do choose the
time, place and target which offers the best and safest return.
'In addition to this full time force, there is a very large number of men
who are called up from time to time for a special job but who normally live
what appears to be a perfectly respectable life: no reasonable estimate of
their numbers can be given.
*These “soldiers" are naturally those with whom the Army is par-
ticularly concerned, but they are in fact of very much less importance than
the civil and political side of the bandit organisation. Without the latter,
who arrange for the payment, feeding and equipment of the "soldiers”,
the "soldiers" would not be able to exist. From this side too comes all the
policy and general directions on which the “soldiers” work. Those who
undertake this task are the most politically reliable Communists, as they,
unlike the “soldiers" live in constant contact with the outside world and
its "contamination" influence. They also run on the whole far greater
risks. The nature of their work means that they must live in the squatter
areas or on the very edge of them so that they are in constant danger of
being given away. It is these people who collect information, money and
food and who carry out isolated murders and abductions to enforce their
demands. As they usually work in twos and threes, they can usually only be
caught on information received and this is not very freely forthcoming as
they have no qualms about liquidating even a suspected informer and his
family which is probably in no way concerned.
And so started for the Battalion a campaign of operations and patrols
deep into the jungle. The Battalion was to stay in Malaya for nearly
two years: there were many other Battalions and Regiments there,
British, Gurkha and Malayan: for every patrol carried out by the
Battalion, at least a dozen were carried out by other units and by
the police: for every incident in which the Battalion was involved,
there were a dozen or more in the immediate area or elsewhere in the
country in which the Battalion was not involved. Europeans and
Asians were murdered, trains mined, engine-sheds blown up, civilian
and military vehicles ambushed, grenades thrown at crowds and
rubber trees slashed—to quote a few of the crimes committed: in fact
1949]
MALAYA
27
the bandits would do anything, however horrible and bloody, to
intimidate the native population, to ensure their food supplies and to
cause casualties to the security forces. But this book is the history of a
Regiment and does not, and cannot, attempt to be the history of the
campaign against the bandits in Malaya. Consequently the events and
incidents recorded are only those that involved the Second Battalion
Coldstream Guards. The fact that everyone in the Battalion fully
realized how much other units were doing is amply brought out by the
Battalion newspaper Bamboo Shoots, the front page of which was
nearly always devoted to local incidents and events, in most of which
the Battalion was not involved.
This newspaper was published weekly-six, sometimes eight and,
for the last issue, ten pages of foolscap. It contained items of local
and world news, comment, stories, cartoons, crossword puzzles,
poems and lastly, but by no means least, Battalion gossip. It was first
published on Sunday, 3 April 1949, and there were seventy editions,
the last being on 30 July 1950.
The Battalion's equipment came largely from dumps left after the
Second World War: the Transport Officer had to go to Singapore and
pick his vehicles; having done that, he had to tow those that would
not work the 300 miles or so to Tapah. Wireless sets had also been in
dumps too long and were no longer as efficient as they should have
been. For patrols into the jungle a man wore jungle green trousers,
shirt and hat: he wore jungle, patrol or ordinary parade boots, and
the merits of each for jungle warfare varied from authority to
authority and from time to time: in fact the official Battalion record
for one-quarter describes jungle boots as useless, while in the follow-
ing quarter they are described as being preferable to other boots!
In addition to his arms—a Sten gun which was not always all that
a
reliable, a Bren gun or a Lee-Enfield Mark V Rifle (a good deal
smaller than the usual rifle and perhaps more like a carbine) and his
ammunition and equipment, which included a parang-a weapon
rather like a machet and used for clearing a path through the jungle
-each man carried a mosquito net, a poncho cape, a ground-sheet, a
pair of gym shoes, a complete change of clothing, and up to five days'
rations: in fact no one carried less than 60 lbs, and many con-
siderably more. Razor-blades were stuck into jungle hats, ready for
immediate use in the case of snake bite: on one occasion a native
guide complained that he had been bitten in the arm by a poisonous
snake: Captain J. R. C. Riley, who was there, promptly dealt with the
situation: to quote his own words---'I placed a tourniquet round his
a
28
MALAYA
(1949
arm and made a neat incision over the puncture, when no blood came
I made several further incisions of increasing depth until a Guardsman
who had been watching with interest, suggested that I loosened the
tourniquet.'
a
The first successful operation took place in January 1949 when an
attack was made on a bandit camp and three bandits were killed. It
might well have been a much greater success, as the camp had
housed the Headquarters of the bandits in Perak South, but, through
an unfortunate leakage of information in police circles, the bandits
got information of our intentions and most escaped from the area
just before the troops arrived on the scene. However, it was a small
success, and successes were difficult to come by in this sort of war-
fare when patrols could march miles and miles for days and days—
or even weeks—and never see a sign of a bandit.
The Battalion's first big operation started on 11 February and was
given the codename of ‘Warspite': its main object was to investigate
various jungle tracks in the Battalion's area which it was thought that
the bandits might be using and to ambush and kill any bandits met;
as a secondary object it was to give the Battalion experience in having
large numbers of troops out in the jungle at one time and for a
longer period than they had tried so far, and also to practise air
supply and wireless communication. In the end no contact was made
with the bandits but valuable experience was gained, which made the
operation well worth while. A similar operation was carried out in
March, this time in conjunction with a neighbouring Battalion of
Gurkhas, but once again no contact was made, though the experience
gained was invaluable.
-
a
In addition to the big operations there were innumerable small
patrols: one that was meant to be routine turned out very differently.
On 2 April an NCO and four Guardsmen of Number 4 Company
started on a patrol which was intended to last two or three hours, and
which in the end lasted seven and a half days. It was described by the
Malay Tribune as 'Unquestionably the most staggering feat of human
endurance seen in Malaya during the emergency' and the men who
took part were Lance-Sergeant E. Gulston and Guardsmen A. Crisp,
J. Knowles, K. Ingles and F. Thorpe. They left their main base in
thick and mountainous jungle to investigate a small track; they were
only wearing light jungle clothing and carried one Sten gun, four
rifles, a few grenades, a very local map and a compass. They were
1949)
MALAYA
29
soon involved in a shooting affray with a group of bandits, and, in
attempting to manoeuvre round this group to find out its size and
disposition, they found the route back to base barred to them. And so
they moved East instead of West and for seven days and nights they
travelled through thick jungle, down streams and over ridges, with no
food at all and very little sleep, and constantly on the watch for
bandits, who were closely following them.
Twice they came face to face with the bandits and both times they
gave a good account of themselves. The first time was on the morning
of 3 April: they were having a short rest when a bandit, presumably a
scout, appeared round the corner of a track: Lance-Sergeant Gulston
promptly shot him dead with his Sten gun; the patrol moved off about
100 yards and laid an ambush, but, although much bamboo tapping
could be heard, nothing further happened and they moved further
East again.
The second encounter occurred next day when, once again after
four hours on the march, they were resting: Guardsman Knowles was
on sentry when he saw six bandits approaching in line abreast: he
killed one and Lance-Sergeant Gulston wounded a second: the rest
fled. Lance-Sergeant Gulston searched the dead man and found
among other things a Japanese revolver and a grenade which he
promptly threw after the retreating bandits.
They moved on northwards, now well off their local map, hoping
to cross the watershed and then move westwards up the next valley
and back to base. They spent the night by a stream but sleep was
difficult as they were soaking wet, hungry, and, being at nearly 5,000
feet very cold.
Next day they were again fired on, but this time they saw no
enemy, though they did meet a large cobra. They spent the night in
what was probably a deserted bandit camp. They had now been on
the move for five days without food and with very little sleep, and
they plodded on westwards rather more slowly: they found a small
area cultivated with tapioca and each ate a root. Then, on the seventh
day, they realized that they were nearing civilization again: they saw
signs of friendly patrols, a 'brew up' fire with ashes still warm, and,
what was far more important, four army biscuits, which they quickly
ate.
Finally at 4.30 p.m. on 9 April they met a searching patrol: they
were hungry and exhausted but they were still together as a patrol and
they were still in high spirits. For his part in this very fine achievement
Lance-Sergeant Gulston received the immediate award of the
30
MALAYA
(1949
Military Medal, and Guardsman Knowles was Mentioned in
Despatches.
>
The next big operation, codenamed 'Ramillies', started on 12 April
and was to last for over three weeks. Taking part were three columns
made up from Numbers 2 and 4 Companies and a fourth column
consisting of the Commanding Officer and an escort of twenty-five
men. Working in conjunction with the Battalion was the Second
Battalion of the Malay Regiment and the 2/2 Battalion Gurkha
Rifles. The Battalion was operating in the triangle formed by the
Cameron Highlands Road, the Telom River and the Lemoi River,
with the object of finding out if there were any bandits in the area, of
destroying or at least dispersing any found, and of establishing
friendly relations with any Sakai in the area.
On 15 April occurred an incident which nearly proved to be a
tragedy: a party from Number 2 Company were out on the banks of
the Telom River collecting parachutes which had been used for air
supply. While crossing the river, the Company Commander, Major
Sir Ralph Anstruther, Bt., M.C., slipped on a stone and was carried
away by the river, which was running very fast: at this point it was
very deep as it ran between rocks, and was, anyway, in flood. With-
out hesitation or thought for his own safety Guardsman Pratt
plunged into the water and succeeded in catching hold of Sir Ralph
with one hand: it was only after they had been carried down the river
some distance that he was able to catch hold of a projecting rock with
the other hand and hold on until help came. For his gallantry
Guardsman (later Lance-Corporal) Pratt was awarded the Bronze
Medal of the Royal Humane Society and it is perhaps worth record-
ing, as a measure of his lack of thought for his own safety, that the
man he rescued was one of the best-if not the best-swimmers in the
Battalion.
During the operation a number of empty bandit camps were found
and destroyed, but only one occupied. This was discovered by the
column provided by two platoons of Number 4 Company and under
the command of Captain the Hon. A. P. Harbord-Hamond: this
column had much the worst route and in fact took a fortnight to
cover twenty miles: they did, however, have the luck to find some
Sakai who helped to carry their kit and who helped them find the
camp, at which they arrived while the bandits were having luncheon,
on 26 April. Unfortunately, the bandit sentry was able to give the
alarm, shot our leading scout, Guardsman J. Thorpe, in the chest and
1949]
MALAYA
31
all the bandits were able to make a hurried escape, leaving behind all
their belongings, even their shoes. Luckily, the Medical Officer,
Captain M. F. H. Coigley, R.A.M.C., was with the column: a
stretcher, blood plasma and other extra medical supplies were
dropped: a start was made on carrying Guardsman Thorpe out of the
jungle: where the track became too narrow for four men to carry the
stretcher, it had to be carried by two wearing shoulder slings: a man
would carry one end of the stretcher for four minutes and then the
other end for four minutes: after that there was a change of bearers.
However Guardsman Thorpe recovered strength rapidly: after two
days he was able to walk at the narrow places and finally dispensed
with the stretcher altogether and emerged from the jungle walking.
For a time Number 2 Company's main column moved with a
company of Gurkhas: the Guardsmen enjoyed their time with them
but found it rather exhausting as the Gurkha riflemen marched much
faster than they did, and being smaller could get under fallen timber
and through bamboo thickets more easily: on the other hand the
Gurkhas admired the Guardsmen for the heavy loads that they
carried. The columns, other than the one that was evacuating the
casualty, eventually all met at Kuala Bertam, quite an attractive spot
where the rivers met, and there several days were spent in cleaning up
and clothes washing. Of life in the jungle Major Sir Ralph Anstruther
wrote shortly afterwards:
“There are various points of view about the jungle ranging from “Green
Hell” to the "jungle is your friend”. It is certainly not my friend because
I don't like being bitten by leeches, crossing deep rivers on narrow logs or
scrambling up and down exceedingly steep hills through thick undergrowth
with a pack on my back. There is also a special hat-removing plant-a long
and prickly creeper which, as you walk under it, neatly hooks your hat and
sweeps it from your head. On the other hand, it is by no means a green hell,
and once you have formed a base, probably in a clearing beside a river and
have got well dug in with the rations arriving regularly by air, it has its
pleasant moments. The answer really is that soldiering in the jungle has its
ups and downs like in any other campaign. There is no dark secret about it
which is known only to the instructors at the Jungle Warfare School, and at
its worst it is no more unpleasant than the cold and mud of Europe, while
at its best it is perhaps not enjoyable but certainly tolerable.'
Throughout the operation all food and supplies, including even
beer and whisky, were dropped from the air, and it says much for the
skill and daring of the pilots that they were able so accurately and
regularly to make deliveries to clearings about the size of a tennis
court, which the troops had cut out of the jungle, with tall trees and
32
(1949
MALAYA
hills on every side: there were the odd mistakes, but they were not the
fault of the pilots: the Commanding Officer asked for another pair of
trousers and got the pair belonging to his best suit: on another
occasion one of our columns got Malay rations-rice, coconut oil and
tinned fish—while a column of Malays got our rations including our
rum—which was not much use to them, as being Mohammedans,
they were not allowed to touch it.
On 28 April the columns began to withdraw from the jungle and
by 5 May all were back in civilization except for Number 18 Platoon
of Number 4 Company, which, commanded by Second Lieutenant
L. H. W. Barrington, stayed behind to look after some Sakai who
had asked for protection from the bandits. The platoon eventually
returned, having spent in all thirty-five days in the jungle. Operation
'Ramillies' did not produce any spectacular result, but it did keep the
bandits on the move and it did improve relations with the Sakai, who
became more friendly and brought in useful information.
During this time Numbers 1 and 3 Companies had not been sitting
idly in camp: patrols had been carried out-one from Number 1
Company found a small dump of ammunition, probably a relic from
the 1942 retreat. Number 3 Company found several camps which had
clearly been abandoned in a hurry and a platoon of Number 1
Company raided a village where nine members of bandit killer squads
were identified and arrested.
.
During all this time a Company was kept at the Cameron High-
lands, though every three months or so the Company on detachment
there was changed. In mid-May there started a scheme whereby each
Company was sent down to Penang on the coast for a fortnight's
training and relaxation; they were put up in Glugor Barracks by the
First Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, who looked
after each Company most admirably. Otherwise there were not many
opportunities for leave: a few men could be sent down each week to
Singapore, and the Fourth Hussars, who were stationed in a camp
on the outskirts of Ipoh, used to put up a dozen men a week on
leave. Travel to and from Singapore could have its hazards as
Captain J. R. C. Riley discovered: he was travelling northwards by
train from Singapore when, as he was sitting in the restaurant car,
bandits opened fire: several bullets went through the restaurant car
and one hit the Chinese cook, who fell dead across the oven. Captain
Riley helped the Malayan waiter remove the body to somewhere
more suitable and said how sorry he was: the waiter replied 'Very
1949]
MALAYA
33
sad for him, Tuan, but not so bad because he no very good cook.'
Another eventful leave was taken by Captain P. N. R. Stewart-
Richardson, who made his way to Indo-China (as it was then) and
succeeded in getting himself attached to a Regiment of the French
Army which was fighting Communist rebels: he took a very full and
gallant part in the operation--so much so that he was wounded, and,
on his hospital bed, kissed on both cheeks by a French General and
decorated with the Croix de Guerre. It is, however, sad that he has
never been permitted to wear this decoration: it appears that the
reason is that, to do so would be a breach of Foreign Orders Regu-
lations. Captain Stewart-Richardson's nickname was (and still - is)
'Scrubber and also in the Battalion there was Lieutenant J. F. H.
Dagger: it was perhaps quite a coincidence that one Brigade In-
telligence Report on the finding of a bandit camp by the Battalion
referred to the recovery of one dry scrubber and one dagger!
In mid-May it was the turn of Platoons of Numbers 1 and 3
Companies to take part in operations which involved long sustained
periods in the jungle: the object of these operations was once again to
find and destroy or disperse bandits and to make friends with the
Sakai. In fact no bandits were met but plenty of Sakai were be-
friended. Number 3 Company's journey, which covered 150 miles and
lasted for nearly three weeks, involved the crossing of the country's
main mountain range and ended with the troops floating down a
river on home-made rafts until they met motorboats which had been
sent to collect them. June was spent mainly on short-range patrols
and screening operations: on one of these five bandit agents were
identified and arrested: on another Number 1 Company, operating
near the Cameron Highlands road, came across a bandit camp
capable of holding twenty-five—though it is believed that there were
only ten there at the time. The bandits opened fire and then made
good their escape, leaving behind a large number of documents and
over two hundred rounds of ammunition.
On 5 July some bandits threw a bomb into a crowded circus at
Kampar, killing five Chinese and wounding forty-five: as there were
no soldiers or police present, it was clear that this was a deliberate
attempt to intimidate their own people. Next day a platoon of
Number 2 Company commanded by Second Lieutenant J. D. F. M.
Thornton and assisted by the police surprised the bandits in their
camp in the hills near by. In the ensuing fight Sergeant Howells
killed one and wounded another bandit with fire from the Bren gun,
D
34
MALAYA
(1949
a
and then it jammed: the wounded man started firing again with his
Sten gun and Sergeant Howells ran forward and killed him with a
blow on the head with a parang. One other bandit was killed and a
fourth got away. For his part in this and other operations Sergeant
Howells was awarded the Military Medal and Second Lieutenant
Thornton was Mentioned in Despatches.
A few days later a surrendered bandit led a patrol from Number 1
Company to a camp where they found twenty weapons, some
grenades and mortar bombs and 5,000 rounds of small arms am-
munition. Ex-bandits were not always all that enthusiastic about
moving with our men: one was heard to exclaim that he would rather
be back with the bandits as they did not walk so fast or so hard as the
Guardsmen. The bandits may not have walked so fast but they had
some nasty habits: a patrol from Number 1 Company found a
shallow grave containing the bodies of thirty-four Sakai, men, women
and children, who had been strangled for co-operating with the
British.
On 26 July the Battalion suffered its first fatal casualty from bandit
action. A platoon from Number 4 Company under command of
Captain the Hon. A. P. Harbord-Hamond was ambushed while
crossing a river at Kuala Kas. Numbers were about equal—twenty
on each side--but the bandits had the great advantage of very strong
positions. Nevertheless the platoon fought back so well that they
killed four of the bandits and put the remainder to flight, their
leader-by name Yong Hoi-and some others being wounded. A
Bren-gunner, Guardsman Bridges, played a conspicuous part and
wounded one bandit; the gun's magazine and butt were damaged by
bullets and it was probably the buttplate that saved him from being
wounded in the chest. Unfortunately, Guardsmen Brookes and
Parkin were seriously wounded and Guardsmen Garnett and Blanch
received slight wounds, but were able to remain on duty. The Com-
pany Commander, Major J. W. B. Cole, accompanied by the Medical
Officer, the Padre and the remainder of the Company at once set out
to join the ambushed platoon, and by great efforts they made the
journey—which would normally have taken nearly two days—in
twenty-four hours. Despite every effort, including an emergency
operation carried out by the Medical Officer in the jungle, Guardsman
Parkin's life could not be saved; he died at the site of the ambush and
because of the time it would have taken to carry him back to base, he
was buried, in the padre's presence, on the bank of the river.
1949]
MALAYA
35
The evacuation of the badly wounded Guardsman Brookes
presented a considerable problem: it was not possible for an ordinary
stretcher to be carried in the jungle. In this instance a special type of
stretcher, called a Neil-Robertson, was obtained from the Royal
Navy in Singapore and air-dropped to the Company: Guardsman
Brookes was eventually carried out of the jungle after a further relief
party, which included some Royal Engineers, had constructed a rope
bridge across the river. This incident again highlights the very great
problem, in the days before helicopters became available, of evacuat-
ing casualties from the jungle—whether it was wounds caused by
bandit action, or just a broken leg, which in the very rough country it
was only too easy to incur: by some miracle no member of the
Battalion ever did suffer one.
For his courage and leadership Captain the Hon. A. P. Harbord-
Hamond was awarded the Military Cross. The bandits' version of the
incident presented a rather different picture, as will be seen from the
following translation of their leaflet Humanity News, No. 28, dated
21 August.
"LIBERATION ARMY AMBUSHED 'RED HAIR MONKEYS' AT
SUNGEI RAS"
'Enemy sustained 25 deaths and 2 injured.
* Four of our combatants gallantly sacrificed.'
* Recently in Bidor, Sungkai and other places the “Red Haired Mon-
keys" so called jungle ferret forces swaggered about in the squatter areas.
They forced their way into the squatter houses and robbed the occupants
of their properties, beat them up and interfered with the womenfolk. This
created great hatred among the people. .
'On 26th July, the Liberation Army, having received information that
over thirty Red Haired Monkeys led by a few reactionary Sakai and
Running Dogs would come to disturb the squatters, laid an ambush at the
Sungei Ras. The following day (27th) at about 12 noon we noticed the
enemy advancing from the opposite bank. While they were crossing the
river our directing comrade immediately ordered fire to be concentrated on
the enemy. A bitter engagement ensued which lasted for approximately
thirty minutes. After enquiring it was learnt that we had killed twenty-five
enemies, among which eighteen were Red Haired Monkeys. In this
engagement four of our combatants gallantly sacrificed their lives. Only
after two days after this defeat did the Red Haired Monkeys dare to
mobilise a hundred bestial soldiers to remove away, by a big sampan, their
casualties. Later, as usual, the Red Haired Monkeys again blew their own
trumpet saying that during the engagement on the 27th, only one Sakai
killed, two Guardsmen seriously wounded and two slightly injured to
cover their shameless defeat. It is really pitiful and amusing.'
"
36
(1949
MALAYA
It had been a difficult but necessary decision to make, to bury
Guardsman Parkin in the jungle, but some nine months later a patrol
returned to the site: his remains were exhumed and reburied in a
military cemetery.
During July Number 3 Company had moved to Kuala Kubu
Bharu-for obvious reasons known as K.K.B.-which was in the
Second Battalion Scots Guards' area and under whose command
they came for operations: this move was necessary because the Third
Battalion Grenadier Guards had returned to England and the Scots
Guards had the Grenadier area as well as their own to look after
temporarily. From K.K.B. the Company had to find train guards and
guards for the Kuala Lumpur Ammunition dump in addition to the
usual jungle patrols; everyone was kept busy and there was even a
patrol of cooks and messmen out in the jungle after a gang of bandits
for four days, but without success. On another patrol, a camp
capable of holding 150 bandits was found: Lance-Sergeant P.
Brennan was in command of the leading group of the patrol: fresh
tracks were found and for a mile he followed them in complete
silence: he managed to get his group to within five yards of one of the
huts before the alarm was given: though he had no idea how many
bandits were in the camp, he ran straight in and engaged the fleeing
enemy: unfortunately they all escaped but his dash, determination
and example both on this occasion and on a number of previous
occasions earned him a Military Medal. The Company rejoined the
Battalion at the end of August.
On 19 and 20 August took place operation ‘Trout': this involved
the deportation from the Bertam valley, which is a few miles to the
south-east of the Cameron Highlands, of all the squatters, as they
were suspected of helping the bandits and supplying them with food
and also of being implicated in the massacre of Sakai in the previous
month. Two rifle companies and part of Headquarter Company were
involved, together with police screening parties and a hundred special
constables. In all 457 squatters, together with their belongings and
livestock, were removed and sent to a detention camp en route for
China, the livestock including 227 pigs and 90 ducks and chickens: it
was quite a task!
In the following month a similar sized force took part in a screening
operation in squatter areas along the Blue Valley road and succeeded
in identifying and arresting thirty-three suspects. Tracks from the
squatter areas were followed and ambushed and as a result three
bandits were killed. Screening operations made life difficult for the
1949]
MALAYA
37
a
bandits: a village or settlement to be screened would be suddenly
surrounded by our troops and all the inhabitants would be rounded
up and made to pass before a closed truck in which would be seated
one or more ex-bandits: they could see out through slits in the side of
the vehicle but people could not see them; when they recognized a
bandit or agent they called out and he was quickly marched off and
locked up. It therefore made the bandits wary of visiting villages to
buy food and they had to rely on agents to buy for them and deliver
it. The agents in their turn became worried that the ex-bandits would
pick them out as they might also pick out the extortionists who
travelled round collecting money for the bandits.
In mid-September surrender terms were offered by the Government
to the bandits: it was in fact a partial amnesty aimed at the minor
‘cogs' in the gangs and at their agents, food suppliers and extor-
tionists: it was not a pardon but it lifted the mandatory death penalty,
the lot up till then of captured bandits and their associates: the
'small fry' would get light sentences, the killer would still receive the
death penalty. High hopes were set on the success of this offer in
persuading the 'small fry' to give up the fight and thereby starve the
killers out, but by the end of the month only a dozen bandits had
surrendered throughout the whole country. The answer probably
was that those living in the gangs in the jungle, who were sick and
tired of it all and would have liked to surrender, either never heard
of the offer or were too frightened of their tougher friends and of what
might happen to them if they were caught trying to desert.
October was spent in large-scale patrolling and screening oper-
ations: several bandit camps were found but in every case they had
been abandoned-sometimes only shortly before the arrival of the
troops, though one bandit was shot dead near Kampar. On one
operation 3,252 people were screened, out of which twenty were
arrested: on another operation a Sakai saw the trail of eight men and
a patrol from Number 4 Company gave chase: later in the day they
caught up with their quarry--another Coldstream patrol!
At the end of the month Number 2 Company moved down to Kuala
Kubu Bahru where they were joined early in November by Battalion
Tactical Headquarters and Numbers 1 and 4 Companies. The
Battalion now had two and a half Companies of the First Battalion
the Suffolk Regiment under command and was responsible for an
area of 7,500 square miles, mostly consisting of thick jungle, which
works out at about one and a half men to every ten square miles of
jungle! They were, in fact, controlling both their own area and the
a
a
38
MALAYA
[1950
Second Battalion Scots Guards area, as the latter had moved down to
Singapore for two months. It imposed a considerable strain on the
Battalion but there were some successes, notably one when a party
of bandits walked into an ambush laid by Number 2 Company:
Lance-Sergeant Walker killed four with his Bren gun and for this and
for distinguished behaviour both before and afterwards on operations
he was awarded the Military Medal. One sad event was the death of
Lance-Sergeant M. Tate, who was killed in a car crash while on his
way to take part in a patrol.
By Christmas time the Battalion had returned to Tapah, except for
the usual Company at the Cameron Highlands, this time Number 3
Company. This was their second Christmas in the country and they
knew it would be their last, as in October they had been told that the
Battalion was to return to England in August 1950.
The New Year started with part of Headquarter Company begin-
ning the programme of Company visits to Penang for rest and
refitting. Soon afterwards Number 1 Company moved down to
Kuala Kubu Bahru again, and towards the end of the month had a
success when they contacted a party of thirty-five bandits, of whom
they killed two and probably wounded two more. Back at Tapah the
remainder of the Battalion, with under command 'C' Company
First Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and 'B'
Company First Battalion the Green Howards, spent from 7 to 18
February in the jungle on extensive operations but without much
success. They then had to move down to join Number 1 Company at
Kuala Kubu Bahru, leaving the Tapah area to what remained of
Headquarter Company and 'C' Company First Battalion King's
Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
By the end of March the Battalion was back at Tapah and the
Cameron Highlands and for the next four months patrolling and
screening continued with the occasional success. There was a spirited
fight on 28 May in the Sungkai area about twenty miles south of
Tapah. A platoon of Number 3 Company, commanded by Second
Lieutenant J. A. McGougan, spotted a party of eight bandits moving
down a track ahead of them. They promptly opened fire, killed two
and the remainder dispersed. Second Lieutenant McGougan then
organized a systematic search of the area and after a little time
Sergeant I. Lawson, who was the Platoon Sergeant, was shot dead at
point-blank range by a bandit who had remained unnoticed among
the roots of a large tree stump: two others, Lance-Sergeant Baxter and
Guardsman Palfrey, were wounded and fell close by. Second Lieu-
1950]
39
MALAYA
tenant McGougan and Lance-Sergeant Butler set about the task of
rescuing the wounded and disposing of the bandit; as they were doing
this Lance-Sergeant Butler spotted another bandit and killed him:
then, covered by fire from Second Lieutenant McGougan, he dashed
across an open space, and having climbed on top of the tree stump,
killed the bandit. For their gallantry and determination Second
Lieutenant McGougan was awarded the Military Cross and Lance-
Sergeant Butler the Military Medal. Sadly, despite their efforts,
Guardsman Palfrey died of his wounds.
The Battalion also suffered some casualties in other engagements,
Second Lieutenants C. G. C. Spencer and D. H. A. Lewey and
Guardsman W. Light being wounded.
But the emphasis was now on the second phase of the Battalion's
tour of duty in Malaya, that is the resettlement of the squatters.
Although the Battalion had had a number of successes against the
bandits, it was evident at the beginning of 1950 that the 'incident'
rate had not decreased and so the Battalion-and in particular
Lieutenant-Colonel R. G. V. Fitz-George-Balfour, C.B.E., M.C.,-
initiated a scheme which was to be copied throughout the country.
To quote an article written by him and Captain J. R. C. Riley:
'It was now clear that a more constructive policy would have to be
pursued in the Battalion area, and after consultation with the District
Officers and Police it was agreed that, whilst direct pressure should once
more be brought to bear on the bandits, all efforts would be made to
prepare a plan for dealing with the squatters in the area. The object which
we set ourselves was to bring the squatters under effective Government
control and by so doing give them the benefits of proper administration
and police protection. Only then would it be possible to curtail both the
voluntary supplying of the bandits and also the extortion of food and
money from the hitherto unprotected squatter and his family.
'Whilst the Rifle Companies continued intensive jungle operations
during April and May, Battalion Headquarters, together with Police and
District Officers, worked together to produce a sound agreed plan. By the
end of May the plan was ready, estimates had been made, a census taken,
and the squatter areas mapped.
“The plan, as it was forwarded to the Government for approval, in-
volved the concentration of some 7,000 squatter families (between 30,000
and 40,000 people) into about thirty new villages, each with an average
population of 1,200 and an extent of approximately twenty-five acres. The
density of houses was to be between ten and twelve to the acre: each
village was to have a Police Post, a well, and a village hall, and was to be
surrounded by an eight-foot perimeter fence which involved the use of
40
MALAYA
[1950
some 350 miles of barbed wire. Each squatter family were to dismantle
their own house and reassemble it on their allotted site in the new village,
free transport being provided by the Army. As far as possible squatters
were to be left in possession of their existing plots of land and only be
made to move their houses into the village, from which they would go out
daily to work.
*The process was called regrouping.
'Certain squatter areas were, however, too remote, too exposed to bandit
influence, or too small to warrant the setting up of a new village. In these
cases the squatters would be moved right away into one of the other new
villages and would be given new land in the surrounding area.'
The Government of Malaya readily provided the large sums of
money needed to provide all the stores required for the scheme. Each
Company was allotted areas and in June and July set about the task
of moving the squatters into guarded villages. The troops entered
into the task with enthusiasm because it was constructive work as
opposed to the unconstructive task of plodding round the jungle,
and it was the Junior Officers on whom the success or otherwise of
the plan depended: to quote again from the article:
'Once the village had actually been started the real responsibility for
carrying the plan through fell almost entirely on the Platoon Commander
concerned. He was probably visited each day by his Company Commander,
but only for a short time, since the latter was, by that time, thoroughly
involved in the planning of the next village.
‘The District Officer, or more usually a junior representative, probably
spent several hours of each day at the village, but was not permanently
there. If health was unsatisfactory it was up to the Platoon Commander
to arrange for a travelling dispensary to visit the village; if he became
worried that the sanitation was inadequate and it was beyond his means to
rectify it, he would have to obtain help from the health authorities; if a
squabble arose between two families it frequently fell to his lot to settle
it; should communal work such as clearing the village square or fields of
fire be required, the Platoon Commander would have to arrange it, even if
it entailed hiring labour from some way off. Thus, whilst in no way
detracting from the help of the civil authorities, which, within the limi-
tations of their extreme shortage of staff, deserved the highest praise, there
is no doubt that the success or failure in getting the village going depended
on the energy, common sense and personality of the Platoon Com-
manders,
Undoubtedly the scheme was a success, and, as has been said, was
copied elsewhere in the country. By the time that the Battalion
handed over to Number 45 Royal Marine Commando at the end of
July, seven new villages had been established and were well on their
1950]
MALAYA
41
way to becoming orderly communities, and two more were ready for
the squatters to move in. Two of these villages were named after the
Battalion-Kampong Lang Shui Ho Chuen and Kampong Pui Fah
Chuen which, being translated, mean Kampong Coldstream and
Kampong Balfour. In 1970 the former was visited by a Coldstream
Officer and was found to be still a thriving community.
On 1 August the Advance Party left and on the 3rd the main body
left Tapah by train, and after a short stay in Singapore sailed on
H.M.T. Orbita on 11 August for England. Left behind were a number
of attached personnel from other corps and in particular Lieutenant
N. E. McLeod of the New Zealand Regiment: he joined the Battalion
in September 1949 and at once made himself very popular with all
ranks. He showed that he could turn his hand to anything though he
was a trifle shaken when told to take over as Quartermaster of part of
the Battalion which was at Kuala Kubu Bahru for a time. "What me
take over QM', he said, 'why this is total war.' Before leaving he
wrote to the Editor of Bamboo Shoots:
‘Before I sneak quietly back to the saloons and the wide open spaces of
New Zealand I would like to say that I have appreciated being with the
Coldstream Guards very much. It has been a great experience for me and
apart from the fact that I am now almost speaking English, I have learnt a
great deal from you all.
‘You've been most tolerant, and for this and for the fact that I have
been allowed to take part in the life of the Battalion, I would like to thank
you all.'
It was a great disappointment to all ranks that he was not allowed
to accompany the Battalion back to England.
Finally, it should perhaps be recorded that not everyone appreci-
ated the Battalion's contribution towards the defeat of the bandits.
While the Battalion was plodding round the jungle, a soldier of the
First Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry applied to his
Commanding Officer for a transfer to the Coldstream Guards: the
application was duly forwarded to G.H.Q. (Field Records) at
Singapore, who replied that the transfer could not be approved as no
unit of the Coldstream was stationed in Malaya! So perhaps the whole
of this chapter is pure imagination ...
III
THE THIRD BATTALION 1948-1959
T
>
HE Third Battalion landed at Southampton on Easter Day
1948, and within twenty-four hours all ranks were away on
disembarkation leave. They reassembled at Pirbright on
3 May and at once got busy preparing to take part in the King's
Birthday Parade. They were to provide a party of six Officers and
150 Other Ranks for street-lining in the Mall, but at the last moment
the parade was cancelled a great disappointment, as it would have
been the Battalion's first appearance in London since 1936. For the
next month or so, they were kept very busy running the Bisley Rifle
Meeting, and in July they moved to Badajoz Barracks, Aldershot:
this barracks has since been demolished, but it was sited near to the
Wellington Monument, and the Royal Pavilion, which was close by,
was used as the Officers' Mess.
By now it was a very under-strength Battalion, with Numbers 1, 2
and 3 Companies consisting of a full complement of Officers, Warrant
Officers, Sergeants and Lance-Sergeants, but no Lance-Corporals and
only a few Guardsmen, while Number 4 Company provided a
demonstration platoon, and the enemy, for exercises. Like the
Second Battalion Grenadier Guards at Sennelager in Germany, the
Battalion was to run Junior Leader Courses, which meant that they
were to train private soldiers, or the equivalent, of all Regiments and
Corps to be Lance-Corporals. About a hundred trainees arrived
every fortnight: the courses, which included Drill, Weapon Training,
Regimental Duties and Minor Tactics, lasted for six weeks, and
each of the three training companies took it in turns to run a
course.
The first course started at the end of August, and the School-as
the Battalion really was-was soon going at full steam, but in mid-
,
December the newly appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff,
General Sir William Slim-as he then was-visited the Battalion. Not
surprisingly, he failed to see why Regiments and Corps should not
train their own men to be Lance-Corporals, as they always had done
in the past, and in due course it was decided that the Battalion should
cease to run Junior Leader Courses.
1949)
THE THIRD BATTALION
43
Christmas 1948 was the first Christmas that the Battalion had
spent in England since 1935, and needless to say the vast majority of
all ranks went off on leave: to mark the occasion a special issue of the
Battalion's weekly newspaper of Palestine days came out—Sharper
Yet. One really has to be in a Battalion to understand the humour of
its newspaper, but some items might appeal to everyone, such as the
Drill Sergeant who was heard to shout ‘Stand still, and move much
faster', or the doggerel of two Officers who had recently left the
Battalion to go to the Second Battalion in Malaya:
When Mr Stewart-Richardson's near
The Bandits quake with fear
But when Captain Riley arrives
It's their wives!
It was not until the spring of 1949 that the Battalion ceased to run
the Junior Leader Courses, and by then about 1,100 trainees, in
sixteen courses, had passed through the Battalion's hands. Its short
tour of duty running the courses did, however, have one very im-
portant result: it saved the very existence of the Battalion-at any
rate for a further eleven years. In the summer of 1948 the War Office
was threatening to disband a battalion each of the Grenadiers and
Coldstream: the Major-General, Sir John Marriott, by offering two
battalions for Junior Leader Training, saved their existence, and by
the time that they reverted to their normal role, the Malayan crisis
had started and there was no more pressure to reduce the number of
Battalions.
a
In May 1949 the Battalion moved to Victoria Barracks, Windsor and
became once again a duty Battalion, finding Windsor Castle Guard:
they found Number 8 Guard for the King's Birthday Parade and
after the previous year's disappointment, at long last, made their first
ceremonial appearance in London since 1936. There was the oppor-
tunity for a little training, a platoon at a time going over to Pirbright
for three weeks, though this programme was interrupted when a
party of 150 had to be found to unload ships in the Royal Docks
Group for three weeks during a dock strike.
Towards the end of the following April the Battalion moved to
London, to Wellington Barracks—or at least some of it did: an
advance party had gone ahead, together with a party of 120 men to
help in yet another dock strike, while a rear party and sufficient men
to find Windsor Castle Guard had to be left behind and did not
44
(1950
THE THIRD BATTALION
rejoin the Battalion till 10 May. On the day of the move the main
body consisted of just sixty!
The year 1950 was, of course, a most important one in the history
of the Regiment, as it marked the Tercentenary of its formation, and
all the ceremonial to mark the occasion fell to the lot of the Third
Battalion, which was the only Battalion of the Regiment in England.
The first occasion was the Annual Memorial Service, which, in that
year was held in Westminster Abbey: it was a fitting day for the
service, as it was the anniversary of the burial in the Abbey of the
first Colonel of the Regiment, and during the service wreaths were
laid on his tomb and on his Memorial. After the service, members of
the Old Coldstreamers' Association formed up in Tothill Street and,
led by the Band of the Regiment, marched to the Horse Guards
Parade, where, as in other years, a wreath was laid by the Colonel of
the Regiment on the Guards Division Memorial. The next occasion
was the King's Birthday Parade, when the King's Colour of the
Third Battalion was trooped and the Battalion found the Escort and
Number 2 Guard: the Field Officer-in-Brigade-Waiting was the
Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel E. R. Hill, D.S.O.
On 5 July His Majesty the King presented new colours to the
Battalion on Horse Guards Parade. The Battalion was drawn up in
four Guards facing the Horse Guards and dressed in Home Service
Clothing: behind them, in battledress, were detachments of Number
13 Company from the Guards Depot, Number 16 Company from
Pirbright and Coldstreamers of Number 1 (Guards) Independent
Parachute Company, while on the Battalion's right, facing inwards,
were the Band of the Regiment and the Corps of Drums of the
Battalion, and on its left, also facing inwards, many hundreds of
members of the Old Coldstreamers' Association from numerous
branches, all, of course, dressed in plain clothes. The whole parade
was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel W. A. G. Burns, D.S.O.,
M.C., the Commanding Officer.
On a dais in front of the Horse Guards Arch were Their Majesties
the King and the Queen and other Members of the Royal Family:
there were also two Commoners on the dais--the Speaker of the
House of Commons and Mrs D. Clifton Brown who had been
invited with the King's knowledge and approval to show that the
Regiment's link with Parliament was even older than its link with the
Crown.
In his address to the parade, His Majesty included the following
words:
1950)
THE THIRD BATTALION
45
‘Many years ago the Coldstream took up arms, on Tower Hill, in the
name of King Charles the Second. I know that since then neither he nor
any other forebear of mine has ever regretted his decision to embody this
Regiment of the New Model Army in his establishment.
'Your long service to our country has been faithfully performed and I
am proud to remember that more than one member of my family has
served with you. My Great-Grandfather, the first Duke of Cambridge
was for many years your Colonel and my first Cousin, Lord Frederick
Cambridge, gave his life in this last War while commanding a Coldstream
Company.'
The Parade ended with all those on parade, including the members
of the Old Coldstreamers' Association, marching past their Colonel-
in-Chief.
It had been a very fine parade, but behind the scenes there had
been moments of stress. When the Inspector of Regimental Colours
first sent to Regimental Headquarters the design for the new Colours,
it was noticed that the Company Badge on the Regimental Colour
did not strictly conform to what was regarded as the sealed pattern of
the badge as shown in the Regimental Colour Book. Objections were
raised and the Badge was produced on the Regimental Colour to
conform with the pattern in the Colour Book. It was, alas, not
realized that heraldry is not an exact science; the drawing of any
heraldic device does not necessarily follow an exact pattern, but is the
result of the Herald's interpretation of the blazon (or description of
the Badge). The completed Colours arrived, but the Inspector of
Colours refused to approve them and without his approval the
Colours could not be presented: it was not until the afternoon before
the Presentation that the approval was extracted.
On that same afternoon the Battalion cricket team was playing
Harrow, and the Commanding Officer, the wicket-keeper, was hit on
his Adam's apple by a ball: next morning he could hardly speak--to
the horror of his Second-in-Command, who had failed to learn
the words of command and had just two hours to become word
perfect. However, the doctor worked wonders and Colonel Burns
found that by intoning the words of command he could be heard
effectively.
There were two more events to mark this tercentenary year-one
in the North and one in the West Country. In 1650 Monck's Regiment
of Foot was formed by five Companies being taken from Sir Arthur
Hazelrigg's Regiment, which was stationed at Newcastle, and five
Companies from Colonel Fenwick's Regiment, stationed at Berwick-
46
(1950/51
THE THIRD BATTALION
upon-Tweed. From 11 to 13 August a Detachment of the Regiment,
in all twelve Officers and two hundred Other Ranks strong and
including the Colonel of the Regiment, the Band of the Regiment and
a detachment of the Third Battalion, paid a visit to these two places.
Parades were held in both, the Regiment entertaining, and being
entertained.
The last event was the laying up, on 2 September, of the old Colours
of the Third Battalion in the Cathedral Church of St Peter in Exeter,
a city of which the first Colonel, George Monck, had once been Lord
High Steward: he was in fact born only thirty-five miles away at the
village of Merton.
It had been a very eventful year and it continued to be eventful till
the end as the Battalion was now due for service overseas once again.
By now under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel I. W. Gore-
Langton, M.B.E., it embarked on H.M.T. Empire Test at Liverpool
on 15 November, and sailed for Tripoli.
The Battalion landed in Tripoli on 23 November 1950 and took
over Gialo Barracks from the First Battalion who were returning
home: they became once again, as in 'Palestine' days, part of First
Guards Brigade, which was commanded by Brigadier W. L. Steele,
O.B.E., who had commanded the Battalion both in Italy and in
Palestine. Some of the older members of the Battalion were no
strangers to Tripoli, having passed through there with the Eighth
Army in 1943, and Gialo Barracks was known to at least two: one
Sergeant had been held there by the Germans as a prisoner of war:
later the British Army turned it into a hospital: and the Commanding
Officer recognized the Officers' Mess, as the building in which he had
had his arm amputated.
On 8 March 1951, exactly eight years after the 8th Army had entered
Tripoli, the British administration of the country came to an end
and the administration was taken over by the newly formed Govern-
ment of Tripolitania. In fact it made little difference to the Battalion's
role or activities, as during the transitional stage Great Britain
remained responsible for the defence of the country and the mainten-
ance of law and order. Life continued very much in the same way as it
had done for the First Battalion: Companies took it in turns to go to
Zavia for classification, the Battalion went to Tarhuna for field-
firing and Company Training and Battalion, Brigade and Divisional
Exercises were held. The King's Birthday Parade was held in Tripoli,
for which the Battalion provided three Guards, and later a summer
camp was established at Sabratha, which was visited by Companies
>
1951/52]
THE THIRD BATTALION
47
in turn and where the greatest kindness was shown to everyone by the
Fourth/Seventh Royal Dragoon Guards.
For much of the time the Battalion was standing by to be flown to
the Persian Gulf, where trouble loomed at Abadan: a good pro-
portion of the vehicles and stores were loaded on to S.S. Oakmore
which disappeared eastwards, and the lack of these vehicles and
stores did not make training any easier. In the end the trouble came
in Egypt and on 2 November 1951 the Battalion emplaned at Castel
Benito Airfield in Hastings aircraft of the R.A.F. and was flown to
Fayid in the Suez Canal Zone, thereby becoming the first complete
Battalion of the Brigade of Guards to be moved by air.
The Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936 empowered Great Britain to
maintain a Garrison in the Canal Zone, a right that we wished to
hold on to for a variety of reasons, including ensuring that the Canal
was kept open and that the lives of British citizens in Egypt were
protected. The Treaty was due to be reviewed in 1956 but the rise of
nationalism in Egypt made the Egyptians feel that they could not
tolerate foreign troops being stationed on their soil, and as a result
they abrogated the Treaty. From then on the British troops in Egypt
had to live in a state of operational readiness and reinforcements
were brought in to protect our interests.
From Fayid, the Battalion moved to the huge Ordnance Depot at
Tel-el-Kebir, where they took over guard duties on the perimeter
wire and searchlight posts: from there, at times, they sent parties to
Port Said to act as dock labourers. Early in January 1952 the local
thugs, reinforced by a number of Cairo students, became very
troublesome and eventually, on 11 January, attacked a train in Tel-
el-Kebir village station. The Battalion's stand-by Platoon, which
happened to be the Corps of Drums, was sent to the scene and at
once came under considerable fire; they were followed by Numbers
3 and 4 Companies who occupied this village and the neighbouring
one El Hamada: in the fight several armed thugs were killed and over
thirty were arrested: we had one casualty, Sergeant Copson, who was
killed by a sniper's bullet. The Battalion remained in occupation of
the area for several weeks-an area which included some of the
best duck shooting in Egypt, and needless to say, full advantage was
taken of it
February was spent mostly in the desert watching the roads from
Cairo to the Canal Zone, until the 22nd of that month when they
moved into the Old Basuto Camp (later known as Berwick Camp) at
a
48
(1952
THE THIRD BATTALION
MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Port Said
Port Fuads
Suez Canal
Israel
El Kantara
EL Ballah
SINAI
Ismailia
Moascar
Tel-El-Kebir
Abu Sultan
Great Bitter
Lake
Fayid
Fanara
Little Bitter
Lake
Cairo
Suez
N
W
E
S
GULFE
OFE
SUEZ
Sementara
Mount
Sinai
0
10
20
30
40 miles
le
Canal Zone of Egypt
1952–56]
THE THIRD BATTALION
49
2
Fanara, where they were to remain until they left the country at the
end of 1953: as was usual for camps in the area, sleeping accom-
modation was in tents with permanent buildings for Messes, Cook-
houses, Offices and Stores. It was not an exciting life, especially for
the married man who had had to leave his family in Tripoli. There
were guard duties at various Headquarters, an occasional tour of
duty at the Ammunition Depot at Abu Sultan, exercises at all
levels from Platoon to Division, and twice a Company was sent to
Aqaba.
The first Company to go to Aqaba was Number 3, commanded by
Major S. F. B. Codrington, where they became part of what was
known as 'O' force. They went there in mid-October 1952 and
returned at the beginning of January 1953. Number 4 Company,
commanded by Major M. W. Stilwell, M.C., went there in March and
returned in August. 'O' force consisted basically of a Company of
infantry, a battery of Light Anti-Aircraft Artillery and a Royal Air
Force Ground Detachment: they looked after the airfield there and
acted as a buffer between the Arabs in Aqaba and the Jews in near-by
Eilat: living conditions were good, the Jordanians were friendly and
there was plenty of scope for training, recreation and visits to other
parts of the country: it was, in fact, a most welcome change from the
boredom of the Canal Zone.
There was one other detachment and that was, like the First
Battalion, one of a hundred All Ranks who were flown to England
to take part in the Coronation Parade.
It was not until Christmas Eve, 1953, that the Battalion left the
Canal Zone, travelling home on board H.M.T. Lancashire and dis-
embarking at Liverpool on 5 January 1954.
The years 1954 to mid-1956 were comparatively peaceful with the
Battalion finding public duties and the usual round of other duties
which fall to the lot of a Battalion of the Brigade stationed in London
district. The word 'peaceful' is probably wrong, as life for most is
remarkably busy.
In June 1956 the Battalion moved to Shorncliffe and joined First
Guards Brigade, which was part of Third Infantry Division. Six
weeks later the Egyptians decided to nationalize the Suez Canal and
the Suez crisis had started. On 4 August orders to mobilize were
received and Section A and B Reservists joined the Battalion over the
period 9 to 11 August. The time and events are best described by
Captain D. H. A. Lewey, who had assumed the appointment of
Adjutant of the Battalion just a month before:
E
So
THE THIRD BATTALION
(1956
a
“The mobilization ordered was only partial and a large proportion of
those recalled were specialists. By every train there arrived at Shorncliffe
from Pirbright a party of Reservists under their own NCOs, properly
dressed in uniform, substantive rank sewn on, inoculated, documents
complete. I believe Captain W. J. M. Greener at Pirbright was largely
responsible for this efficient organization, which made a very favourable
impression on our reservists. RSM D. Glisson and I set up a receiving
office and together saw and posted each man individually as he arrived.
Some of the Class B Specialist Reservists had been out for six or seven
years but every single man, and I think there were some 300 of them, came
into that little office as though he had never left the Colours, “pulling the
feet in" and giving his name, service dates and qualifications. Of all the
3rd Battalion Reservists only two failed to appear at Pirbright within the
specified 24 hours; one was in Canada and the other seriously ill in
hospital. I have seldom seen anything more heartening than these men's
reactions to their sudden recall. They were splendid.
'The officer side was less successful. Perhaps because the only Regi-
mental plans were for a general mobilization of officers, the partial recall
at this time seemed to cause a nonsense. We received some ten captains
and subalterns who had been "asked" to return. Apparently they were
the wrong ones for most of them disappeared within a few days and others
took their place. I am still uncertain on what basis these officers returned to
us but I believe that in the first instance they all did so voluntarily, in many
cases at the cost of great disruption of their private and business lives.
‘This disruption was of course common to all ranks and many reservists'
families had to move into cheaper accommodation, hand back articles
being hire-purchased, and generally accept a lower standard of living.
This the men cheerfully accepted so long as they believed they were to be
used on active service. Only when this belief was sapped by false alarms
and weeks of routine training did they become impatient. Even then there
was only one occasion when a group of them let it be known, in a quiet
and perfectly respectful manner, that their country was making life un-
reasonably difficult for them.
‘From the first they were treated in every respect as regular soldiers and
were required to turn themselves out like any other guardsman. In a
matter of days they became indistinguishable as Reservists except that,
being a few years older, they tended to behave more sensibly and steadily
than the younger regular guardsmen. The specialists were absorbed into
H.Q. and Support Companies, and the remaining 150 were formed into
No. 2 Company, all reservists except for the Company Commander Major
J. B. B. Pollard, and his Company Headquarters.
*The strength of the 3rd Battalion at this stage was about 880. Moores
Barracks, Shorncliffe, was not designed for anything like this number. We
therefore had recourse to double-tier bunks and two sittings for each meal.
When we drilled, the Battalion could barely fit on the square, even with
H.Q. Company formed in sixes.
1956)
51
THE THIRD BATTALION
'We were mostly at 48 hours' notice. The first operation orders and
loading plans lasted us some time. The fighting echelon of vehicles, loaded
to breaking point with ammunition, was in a Landing Ship in Barry
Docks, Glamorgan. We had painted these vehicles yellow with large white
“H's” for recognition. Without vehicles we marched everywhere and
became very fit. Unfortunately it was not only our vehicles but most of our
radio equipment and support weapons which were embarked and training
began to become wearisome and unproductive without them. The auth-
orities therefore issued us with a duplicate set, mostly produced from
Territorial Army sources.
“Realistic information on what was happening was hard to come by and
I used occasionally to take a boat out from the Household Brigade Yacht
Club at Hamble to see if our Landing Ship was still there. Cowes Roads
were always full of hired transports loaded with 3rd Division vehicles.
One day I sailed round to find our Landing Ship full of most unmilitary
looking people; of our vital "fighting echelon vehicles” there was no sign.
It transpired that the plans had been changed, our vehicles sent back to us,
and the War Correspondents embarked in “our” Landing Ship.
'One now knows that this marked the end of the plan to land on the
beaches of Alexandria, a plan in which 1st Guards Brigade, to which we
belonged, was to have been an assault brigade. With the change of plan to
a Port Said landing we entered a prolonged period of chaos, passing
through a dozen variations of orders and periods of notice including two
recalls to immediate notice and a day when the Commanding Officer told
the Battalion, in orders, "this time it really is firm; we sail tomorrow"
The morale of the Battalion soared to dizzy heights and I fingered the
sealed orders in the safe. Two days later we returned the orders unopened
and reverted to seven days' notice.
'Once again, in mid-November, our transport went off, this time all to
Welsh ports and we were brought to short notice once more. By now we
were becoming veterans of false alarms and I was woken at one o'clock in
the morning with a signal telling us to produce fresh loading plans for an
amphibious exercise at Stranraer. "I don't believe a word of it," I re-
member saying, “Do nothing." The exercise was cancelled at noon next
day.
'While we came down to 48 hours' notice once again, our transport and
equipment actually set sail in two ships for the Mediterranean. Captain
R. A. Q. Shuldham, the Transport Officer, and about 120 NCOs and men,
mostly drivers, were aboard. As far as we were concerned they sailed into
limbo: we had no idea where they were.
*The Parachute landings took place in Egypt. We followed the news
anxiously, daily expecting orders to move ourselves. Suddenly in the early
hours of a Monday morning we heard that the Anglo-French forces had
halted. In due course the whole depressing truth became clear and the
Reservists began to enquire about their future. A sudden order arrived to
release them all of them, wherever they were. A lot of ours were on the
a
52
THE THIRD BATTALION
[1956-58
two transports, which we discovered had arrived: one at Malta and one at
Gibraltar, and between them these Reservists had about a quarter of the
Battalion's vehicles and equipment on their temporary charge. Released
they were. We never even saw them. A Court of Inquiry on the inevitable
losses was ordered, despite our objections, with Major R. J. D. E. Buck-
land, M.B.E., the Second in Command, as President. Half way through his
labours when he was still totalling the thousands of pounds worth of
missing items, this crowning folly was cancelled; all losses were to be
written off.
'It had been an instructive few weeks for a new adjutant but it is hard to
find any other kind words for the experience.
"Only one member of the Battalion actually landed in Egypt-Captain
M. G. Willasey-Wilsey, attached as a Liaison Officer to Headquarters 3rd
Division.
‘The Battalion returned to peacetime activities, was told to learn Greek
and a few weeks later was posted to Germany.'
It was in February 1957 that the Battalion moved to Germany,
travelling by what was then the usual route, train to Harwich, boat to
the Hook of Holland and train on to Dusseldorf. On arrival they took
over Llanelly Barracks at Hubbelrath as part of the Fourth Guards
Brigade, the other two Battalions being the First Battalion and the
First Battalion Grenadier Guards. The Battalion had last been
stationed in Germany in March 1919.
For the next two years the Battalion played its part in the usual
arduous training and sporting programme of the British Army of the
Rhine, returning to England and Wellington Barracks in February
1959. But, alas, the Battalion had little time to live. Once again the
Army was to be reduced in strength, and once again the life of the
Third Battalion was threatened: this time the threat was carried out
and later in the year the Battalion was placed in suspended animation,
which is really a polite word for disbandment.
The last few months were filled with ceremonial, with the Bat-
talion taking its share of Public Duties. The Queen's Colour was
trooped on the Queen's Birthday Parade, when the Battalion found
the Escort and Number 2 Guard, the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting,
who as is usual was in command of the parade, being the Com-
manding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel R. C. Windsor Clive. On 24
July the Battalion paraded on Tower Hill, where in 1661 the Regiment
took up its arms as the Lord General's Regiment of Foot Guards:
they then exercised the Regiment's right of marching through the
City with drums beating, Colours flying and bayonets fixed. At the
1959]
THE THIRD BATTALION
53
Mansion House the Lord Mayor took the Salute and at the Guildhall
the Colours were handed over to the Lord Mayor for safe keeping:
they were to be lodged in the City church of St Lawrence Jewry.
The Battalion did, however, have to continue to find Public
Duties for a further six weeks, and the Colours had to be borrowed
for this time. They found Queen's Guard for the last time on 31
August.
The following morning came the final parade, which was held at
Wellington Barracks. The Battalion was formed up in sixes with a
space left in the centre for the Old Guard: present also on parade was
a party from the First Battalion and a party from Thirteenth and
Sixteenth Companies, representing the Second Battalion, which was
in Kenya, and there were many Old Comrades watching. The Old
Guard was received by the parade at the present. After an address by
the Colonel of the Regiment and an advance in review order, the
Colours were marched off parade: it was perhaps fitting that they
were 'decked with laurel', 1 September being the anniversary of the
Battle of Villers-Cotterets 1914, one of the first battles in which the
Battalion was engaged and one of the Regiment's ‘Laurel Anni-
versaries'. All that remained was for the Battalion to be marched off
parade and to be given the final order by the Commanding Officer
“Third Battalion-dismiss'.
And so after sixty-two years, ended the life-at any rate for the
forseeable future-of a very fine Battalion. The Commanding Officer
had sent a message to Her Majesty the Queen and received the
following reply:
'I sincerely thank you for the message which you have sent to me from
the final parade of the 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards.
‘Those who are on parade and the former members of the Battalion who
are watching them know as I do what a distinguished record of service both
in war and peace is drawing to a close today,
'I send my warm thanks and good wishes to all connected with the
Battalion and I rejoice that their well established traditions will live on in
the Coldstream.'
ELIZABETH R.
Colonel-in-Chief.
Finally, Colonel Windsor Clive received the following letter from
General Sir Torquil Matheson, Bt., K.C.B., C.M.G., who, aged over
eighty-eight, was the oldest living Coldstream Officer and who
commanded the Battalion in the First World War in 1915.
54
THE THIRD BATTALION
(1959
a
a
'It is with very great regret that I have to write to say I am quite unable
to come to the Last Parade of the 3rd Battalion on 1st September.
'It has always been a wonderful Battalion ever since its formation.
*It has always had a very distinctive spirit, and its retirement to a state of
“Suspended Animation" will be a terrible loss to the whole Regiment, and
indeed to the Brigade of Guards.
'As Second-in-Command of the 3rd Battalion, I had the honour to
Command the firing line on outpost duty, in the Battalion's first engage-
ment with the Germans, at Landrecies. Two Companies were employed,
and nothing could have been finer than the way in which All Ranks
acquitted themselves on that occasion.
‘That was only the 1st chapter of a magnificent record in war.
'I can't tell you how much I mind not being able to attend this mag-
nificent Battalion's Last Parade on 1st September, particularly as I am the
Battalion's oldest existing Commanding Officer, and I hope you may be
able to express my feelings in some way to the Battalion on this occasion.'
>
IV
THE FIRST BATTALION 1948-1965
T
HE First Battalion sailed from Haifa on 30 June 1948, on
S.S. Eastern Prince, a ship that they shared with the First
Battalion Grenadier Guards. Together with the rest of First
Guards Brigade they landed at Tripoli, where they were to be
stationed for the best part of two and a half years. To start with the
Battalion was scattered in three different barracks and camps and it
was not until 23 July that their permanent base, Prinn Barracks, was
sufficiently ready to take all except one Company, which remained
with the First Battalion Grenadier Guards in Gialo Barracks.
Tripoli had once been one of the showpieces of Mussolini's
African Empire: the war had passed through it in 1943, but by 1948
there was little sign of war damage. Situated on the Mediterranean,
the modern Italian town had wide oleander-lined streets, while the
Arab quarter had the usual twisted lanes. The countryside around
was remarkably green, a tribute to the irrigation work of Italian
engineers and settlers. The Arab populace were, on the whole, quiet
and peaceful and the Battalion was only once called out on Internal
Security duties: that was in May 1949, when the B.B.C. announced
that Great Britain and Italy had agreed that Tripolitania should be
handed back to Italy in 1951: however, within a week news was
received that the United Nations had turned down the proposal and
peace returned to Tripoli. About ten Arabs had been hurt and the
police had fired a few shots and used a little tear-gas: however, not
one soldier had to fire a shot.
For the Battalion there was plenty of training with Battalion,
Brigade and Divisional Exercises. There was a training camp at
Tarhuna, sixty miles south-east of Tripoli in the hinterland, where
the Battalion would go for two or three weeks at a time and in the
summer months a summer camp was set up about fifty miles west of
Tripoli on the seashore at Sabratha: each Company went there for a
fortnight, with some training in the morning and relaxation in the
afternoon: their stay was always made more pleasant and enjoyable
because of the hospitality of the Fourth/Seventh Royal Dragoon
Guards who were stationed near by.
At the end of 1948 married families started arriving and were
a
56
THE FIRST BATTALION
[1949
>
scattered throughout Tripoli in rented houses and flats. For the
unmarried or those whose families had not been able to join them,
leave could be taken in England, charter flights being arranged for
those who could afford the £50 return fare. For those wanting a
cheaper holiday a leave centre was opened, largely through the
initiative and energy of the Second-in-Command, Major C. P. M.
Worrall, in Tunis, where the French authorities were most co-
operative. Small parties also were able to get over to Malta for
leave. Nearer at hand there were places of interest to visit such as the
ruins of Leptis Magna on the coast some sixty miles east of Tripoli.
Of sport there was nearly every kind-cricket, football, swimming
and riding: race meetings were held and for the more mechanically-
minded there was a speedway track.
In July 1949 the Battalion changed over with First Battalion
Grenadier Guards and moved into Gialo Barracks, a change wel-
comed by everyone, except perhaps the Grenadiers, as the Barracks
was on the outskirts of Tripoli and close to the sea, a great advantage
in the hot weather. They had by now taken over from First Battalion
Irish Guards, who had returned to England, the task of finding the
air/desert rescue patrol: this patrol was permanently at six hours'
notice to move off out into the desert to recover the survivors of any
crashed aircraft in or near Tripolitania. There were few in the
Battalion who had any real experience of the problems of living and
working in the desert for any length of time: a considerable amount of
training was required to give the drivers experience of the various
types of 'going' that could be expected and to train the Officers in the
use of sun compasses and azimuth tables for dead-reckoning. They
continued to find this duty until their stay in Tripoli came to an end:
in November 1950 the Third Battalion arrived and on 1 December the
First Battalion embarked for home on H.M.T. Empire Trooper,
taking with them the families-forty wives and forty-five children.
The Battalion arrived at Southampton on the evening of 10
December: they disembarked the following morning, moved by
train to Windsor and were sent on disembarkation leave. They
reassembled at Victoria Barracks on 8 January 1951 and started
finding Windsor Castle Guard: by 2 February they were finding
Public Duties in London as well and did so until 31 March.
On 3 April there was a parade of special importance to the Regi-
ment: His Majesty King George VI presented new Colours to both
the First and Second Battalions. The two Battalions and the Band of
1951)
THE FIRST BATTALION
57
the Regiment were formed up on the lawns beyond the East Terrace
of Windsor Castle, the whole parade being under the command of
Colonel E. R. Hill, D.S.O., the Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel. It
was a perfect spring day and to quote the Household Brigade magazine
(in an article which was not written by a Coldstreamer, or even a
Guardsman) 'The highest praise is simply to narrate the truth, how
everything went off as it should have done: if there was a hitch no one
noticed it and in that audience there was many a critical observer.'
In his speech His Majesty said “Thirty years ago my father pre-
sented the Regiment with new Colours. Then, as now, our country
had endured the trial of a great war, and faced a stormy and un-
certain future. He referred to you in the words used by Oliver
Cromwell of his Ironsides: "Men who make some conscience of what
they do--men who know what they are fighting for and love what
they know.” That is how you were addressed by one who knew you
well, and that is the reputation which you have maintained through-
out my reign. In giving you these Colours, I am confident that you
will honour and guard them in the future, as you have done so faith-
fully in the past.'.
The old Colours were later laid up in the King's Chapel, Gibraltar.
The summer was spent in the usual round of Public Duties, partly
in London and partly at Windsor and sometimes in both, and two
Guards were found for the King's Birthday Parade, though in the
autumn there was some training at Pirbright and on Salisbury Plain.
By the middle of October the Battalion was back at Windsor and
preparations were starting for the Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel's
annual inspection when they were put at twenty-eight days' notice to
move to the Middle East as part of Thirty-second Guards Brigade.
Ten days embarkation leave was granted and on 22 November, rather
under a year after arrival back from Tripoli, the Battalion was on the
move overseas again, following the Third Battalion, who had already
flown from Tripoli to Egypt, towards the Eastern Mediterranean. At
Portsmouth, they embarked on the Aircraft Carrier H.M.S.
Illustrious: while waiting to go aboard they were formed up facing
Nelson's flagship Victory and the remarks of one Guardsman, who
thought that they were going to sail on that ship, were unprintable....
The Aircraft Carrier had been stripped of its aircraft and crews and
the main hangar had been fitted up to accommodate 1,500 men in
hammocks: also on board were the Forty-ninth Field Regiment
Royal Artillery, the First Battalion the Bedfordshire and Hertford-
shire Regiment and some divisional Troops of the Third Infantry
58
(1952
THE FIRST BATTALION
Division. The transport was all on the flight deck, though part of this
deck had been kept clear for use as a 'square' and for recreation.
The ship sailed early on 23 November and by that evening was moving
at high speed through rough water: the forward aircraft lift from the
flight deck to the hangar had been left open for ventilation; the
rough seas started coming over the bow and down the liftshaft,
drenching those in hammocks near the bottom of the shaft: the lift
was therefore shut and the consequent lack of ventilation caused a
lot of sickness. However, the problem was solved by the sea moderat-
ing the following morning. Apart from a brief call at Gibraltar, where
a Guardsman who had been operated on for appendicitis was landed,
it was an uneventful voyage to Cyprus with the Navy doing every-
thing it could to make the soldiers as comfortable as possible.
The port of Famagusta in Cyprus was reached on 29 November
and during the morning the troops were landed in lighters and taken
in a remarkable array of locally hired vehicles to Polemidhia Camp
on a hill-side just above Limassol, a small port in the south-west of the
island: the transport was brought ashore later. Polemidhia was
basically a tented camp, though there were huts for offices and
messes, and the tents had electric light and concrete bases. The
Battalion was to stay there for two months-and two very wet
months they were until in mid-January 1952 the situation in Egypt
worsened and there were serious riots which involved the murder of a
number of Europeans. There were various plans for the move of the
Brigade and Battalion to Egypt, including one which envisaged a
landing at Alexandria to restore law and order and to protect the
lives of British subjects. In the end, towards the end of January and
early in February, the Battalion crossed over a Company at a time to
Port Said, taking with them their tents and accommodation stores,
including wardrobes, beds, tables and the Commanding Officer's
bath, and concentrated at Tel-el-Kebir where they found the Third
Battalion: the bath was a most valuable asset but its removal from
Cyprus led to lengthy correspondence and in the end it had to be
paid for!
At Tel-el-Kebir, the Battalion occupied a tented and hutted camp
called 'Port Louis': it had previously been occupied by Mauritian
Pioneer Companies and was within the perimeter of the vast Ordnance
Depot: needless to say every opportunity was taken to make up
deficiencies of stores and equipment from the various Ordnance
Stores. On 8 February the Battalion took over the perimeter defence
of the area which involved Guards at the two main gates and at the
1952)
59
THE FIRST BATTALION
a
water supply, the manning of fifteen searchlight towers covering the
perimeter wire and the provision of mobile patrols along the wire:
despite all these precautions the Egyptians still succeeded in getting
in and stealing stores. There was also an independent Garrison
Defence Company, composed of men from a variety of Regiments
and Corps who opened fire at the slightest provocation, sometimes
without challenging, as Second Lieutenant A. Bedford-Russell
learned one night when visiting searchlight posts: it very nearly cost
him and his Orderly, Guardsman Baxter, their lives.
On 17 and 18 February the Battalion moved to Wolseley Camp,
El Ballah on which they were to be based for the rest of their time in
the Canal Zone, that is for the following eighteen months. El Ballah
is a signal station a few miles south of El Kantara on the Suez Canal:
there were three camps there lying between the Canal and the Sweet-
water Canal two miles inland, the main camp housing the Parachute
Regiment Royal Artillery, and such garrison establishments as there
were, which did, however, include a cinema, a camp housing Head-
quarters Thirty-second Guards Brigade and the First Battalion
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment and Wolseley Camp, which
could house the whole of the First Battalion, though to start with
Number 2 Company was at Port Fuad-on the east bank of the
Canal opposite Port Said, and Number 3 Company was at El
Kantara: in addition the Medium Machine Gun Platoon covered a
track leading into El Kantara and El Ballah from the desert. El
Kantara was a most important place as the main ferry across the
northern half of the Canal was situated there and also the pumping-
station from which all fresh-water supplies for the Egyptian garrison
in northern Sinai were supplied. The Third Battalion of the Brigade,
the First Battalion Scots Guards, was at Port Said. Wolseley Camp
was of the usual Middle East type: the ground was sand at its
sandiest, though as time went by parts of the camp were converted
into gardens by the removal of soil and grass from the banks of the
Sweetwater Canal and by constant watering: most evenings a
fatigue party of Officers could be seen at work, and they eventually
created quite a colourful garden round their mess.
For most, the eighteen months at El Ballah was a most boring and
frustrating time: it was not very comfortable, it was hot, and there
were-despite all possible precautions—far too many flies! The
married man, particularly, felt that he had been sent overseas on a
short-term emergency and found himself, together with literally tens
of thousands of other soldiers, spending endless months doing little
60
THE FIRST BATTALION
[1952
except stop the Egyptians stealing his belongings. Recreation was
limited to swimming in the Suez Canal, football or cricket on the
sand and the occasional visit to Port Said or Ismailia when the
political situation permitted and men were not likely to be attacked.
There were leave camps in the Canal Zone, but a leave camp can lose
its attraction if the man cannot leave it and meet a little female
company in the nearest town. A certain number of men were able to
go to Cyprus for leave and several parties travelled south through the
Sinai Desert to visit St Catherine's Monastery, built on the site of the
Burning Bush seen by Moses; the Bush can still be seen within the
walls of the Monastery, which is built in the form of a Crusader
Castle. Leave to England was more difficult and was restricted to
those who had compassionate reasons or were urgently required for
courses or postings at home: for most of the Battalion's stay in the
Zone, the position of the serviceman who wished to leave was an
odd one: the Egyptians did not, officially, recognize his presence in
the country so he could only leave on a naval or military ship or air-
craft: most passages home were by aircraft, supposedly Royal Air
Force, but in fact Charter Company Aircraft, whose crews were no
doubt members of the R.A.F. Volunteer Reserve, the uniform of
which they wore and whose aircraft were painted in R.A.F. Colours.
Civilian shipping lines could not afford to accept British service-
men as passengers as, if they did so, the Egyptians were liable to ban
the line concerned from using the Canal in the future. The result of
the shortage of transport home was that men due for release from the
service could not be got home by the proper date and had to be kept
serving in Egypt for an extra month or more: there were three
hundred men due for release in 1952 in the Battalion, so this was
quite a problem: to overcome it, the Battalion and the First Battalion
Scots Guards organized a 'private enterprise' system for any man
who was willing to pay towards his fare home. They were shipped
free by the Royal Navy to Malta from where they flew home at their
own expense, their tickets having been booked and paid for in
advance under Battalion arrangements: while in Malta they could
live free in a transit camp. This system was approved by Head-
quarters British Troops in Egypt but eventually stopped by the War
Office as a result of a question in Parliament: it was apparently
thought unfair or improper that men who were willing to pay
towards getting home, should do so more quickly than those who
were not willing to pay.
As the Battalion had been sent out for an emergency, which was
1952]
THE FIRST BATTALION
61
not expected to last for more than a few months, no families were
allowed out, but, as the months passed and there seemed to be no
prospect of a return to England in the near future, the question of
bringing out families was considered: there were, however, no
quarters in the El Ballah area: tented quarters were thought of but
the scheme never came to anything and no family ever joined the
Battalion in the Canal Zone.
Outlying Companies and Platoons were gradually withdrawn and
by mid-April the whole Battalion was concentrated in Wolseley
Camp, except for one Platoon watching the ferry at El Kantara and
daily patrols to stop the Egyptians from stealing telephone cable. The
Battalion's operational role continued to be the occupation of
Alexandria and movement of the Battalion by air was practised from
one airfield to another, within the Zone: on one occasion the Adjutant
and four of the Company Commanders were somewhat shaken when
their aircraft, on landing, missed the runway, but bounced safely to
rest in the sand—watched-no doubt to the Pilot's dismay-by the
Divisional Commander and Air Officer Commanding.
The 10 August was a sad day as it was the day on which the
Quartermaster, Lieutenant-Colonel S. B. R. Cooper, M.B.E., left.
Before the war he had had a distinguished career in the ranks, rising
to be Superintending Clerk at Regimental Headquarters. He was
commissioned as Quartermaster to the Guards Depot in October
1937 and, from October 1941, served successively as Quartermaster
to the Sixth Battalion, Fifth Battalion and First Battalion. He was the
first, and so far the only, Coldstream Quartermaster to reach the rank
of Lieutenant-Colonel while still serving with a Battalion, a rank to
which he was promoted in June 1951. The Battalion turned out for
his departure: he was presented with a side-drum and, standing in the
Commanding Officer's car, he was drawn to the Camp gate by his
staff and the cooks.
RSM J. C. Cowley, D.C.M., who in a recent letter referred to him
as being known as 'Uncle Sidney', wrote soon afterwards:
a
‘As the Quartermaster stood bare headed acknowledging the waves and
cheers, the thought struck us that our guide and mentor, who had seen the
Battalion through many changes, was this time changing quarters on his
own. An empty feeling pervaded the camp for the rest of the day.'
Lieutenant-Colonel Cooper went back to the Guards Depot for a
year before retirement: two years later he died and his former war-
time Commanding Officer, Colonel E. R. Hill, D.S.O., wrote of him:
62
THE FIRST BATTALION
(1953
'Sidney Cooper was indeed a great character as well as a great Quarter-
master, being very efficient and yet beloved by all. It was a pleasure to him
to help all who needed help, and the result was that all ranks did their best
to help him and enjoyed doing so.'
In October and November there were Brigade and Divisional
Exercises in the southern half of the Canal Zone. On one occasion, to
save track-wear, the Carriers were moved south down the Canal in
landing-craft: unfortunately one of the craft went aground in the
Great Bitter Lake and stayed there for twenty-four hours: the only
food available to the Lance-Corporal and men on board were the
survival rations which were carried in a box on every vehicle, but
when they got ashore these were untouched, because written on the
boxes were the words to be opened only on the authority of an
Officer'. They were well disciplined but very hungry men!
The month of December was spent guarding the Base Ammunition
Depot at Abu Sultan from theft by Egyptians. The perimeter was over
ten miles in length: by day it could be covered by seven observation
posts, but by night a hundred men were required for guard and patrol
duty—the latter duty had its hazards as the perimeter was fully
mined but not fully fenced, and where there was no fence the line of the
minefields was not at all clear. One Officer took a patrol through an
unmarked minefield but luck was on their side. At the end of the
month the Battalion returned to El Ballah; no one had been hurt and
no ammunition had been stolen. The only thing that had been missed
was Christmas Day, and that had to be celebrated on New Year's
Day.
In May 1953 the Battalion sent a party of five Officers and one
hundred Other Ranks to take part in the Coronation procession in
London: this left the Battalion very weak in numbers-only 350
at a time when political tension in Egypt was mounting and the
return of the detachment in mid-June was most welcome: what was
even more welcome was the news which arrived towards the end of
July that the Battalion would be relieved by the First Battalion
Welsh Guards in early September, and on 22 August the Advance
Party left by air for England.
On 11 September, the main body of the Battalion embarked in
H.M.T. Empire Halladale at Port Said, leaving a Rear Party of five
Officers and eighty Other Ranks at Wolseley Camp, El Ballah, to
await the arrival of First Battalion Welsh Guards. After a somewhat
rough passage through the Bay of Biscay, the Battalion disembarked
at Liverpool on 23 September, and most went straight on leave from
1953)
63
THE FIRST BATTALION
the port, having handed in their arms, been paid and given a railway
warrant: a few, not many, were delayed while they explained to the
Customs Officers why they had not declared cigarettes and other
dutiable goods! The arms and baggage were loaded on to a train and
taken to Windsor, where the Battalion was to take over Victoria
Barracks—the baggage party consisting largely of those who had
quarters at Windsor. The ship was due to sail for Glasgow in the
afternoon and there were a few awkward moments when it was
discovered that the Colours were locked in a cabin, the key of which
was held by a member of the ship's company who had gone on leave:
however, the Colours were extracted before the ship sailed and the
baggage train left. The Baggage Party were well looked after on their
journey south, as despite every warning that the main body were
going on leave direct from Liverpool, food and drink for a whole
Battalion was produced at several stops.
There was only one thing to mar the day and that was the receipt
of the news of the death of Captain G. A. G. Smith. He and two
brother Officers were driving home across Europe, and on the evening
of 18 September they arrived at Dubrovnik on the coast of Yugo-
slavia. As all the hotels were full, they had dinner and then drove a
short distance along the coast. Finding what appeared in the dark to
be a suitable camping site, they started to put up their tent. Captain
a
Smith, having hammered in a peg, stepped back, and without a
sound, disappeared: it was found that he had stepped back into a
previously unnoticed tunnel, and had fallen over 200 feet on to the
shore below. He was buried at Dubrovnik and the Yugoslav Army
provided a Bearer Party of Officers and a Firing Party.
a
On 8 October sufficient Officers and Other Ranks returned from
leave to provide Windsor Castle Guard, which they took over on
20 October, and a week later the remainder of the Battalion re-
assembled. They were at once plunged into London District life and
within the following four weeks, in addition to finding Windsor
Castle Guard, found street-liners for the Opening of Parliament and a
Detachment to march in the Lord Mayor's Show and were inspected
by both the Regimental-Lieutenant-Colonel and the Major General
in each case the full Annual Inspection.
The pattern continued the same for the first half of 1954, with the
Battalion having for a good deal of the time a Detachment in London
so that they were finding Public Duties there as well as at Windsor.
At the Queen's Birthday Parade the Queen's Colour was trooped and
64
(1955
THE FIRST BATTALION
they found the Escort and Number 2 Guard, the Field Officer-in-
Brigade-Waiting being the Commanding Officer.
It was a pleasant relief for most when they moved in August to the
Stanford Training Area in Norfolk for about two months, to train
Reservist Officers and Other Ranks of all Regiments of the Brigade of
Guards: they came in three batches, for a fortnight each, and over
1,000 passed through the Battalion's hands.
Then followed a year of Public Duties with the Battalion moving
to Chelsea Barracks on 1 March 1955. At the end of the year, they
became due for service abroad again, and on 29 November they
moved to Germany, travelling by train and boat to Krefeld: there
they took over Bradbury Barracks from the Second Battalion, whom
they replaced in Fourth Guards Brigade which was commanded by
Brigadier W. A. G. Burns, D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C. The families had
been moving overseas for some weeks and many were there, installed
in their new quarters or hirings, ready to welcome their husbands.
Even in 1955, moving a Battalion overseas was not made easy: no
cranes were available at Harwich or the Hook of Holland, and all
baggage and crates had to be manhandled by the Guardsmen on to
and off the ship.
>
The Battalion was to remain in Germany for very nearly three
years, and life followed the usual pattern for an Infantry Battalion in
British Army of the Rhine, visits to training areas at Sennelager,
Haltern and Putlos, Company, Battalion, Brigade and Divisional
Exercises, the Queen's Birthday Parade at Dusseldorf, and Annual
Inspections. There was, of course, leave, and from Krefeld it was easy
to get by air, rail or road to most parts of Europe. In January 1958
the Battalion moved twenty miles to Gort Barracks at Hubbelrath
when they joined the remainder of Fourth Guards Brigade; they were
not replaced by a Battalion of the Brigade of Guards and this move
severed a nine-year link between the Brigade and Krefeld, in general,
and Bradbury Barracks in particular—the Second Battalion Grena-
dier Guards 1949–52, the Second Battalion Coldstream Guards
1952-5 and the First Battalion 1955-8. In November of the same year
the Battalion returned to England.
On arrival they went back to Chelsea Barracks which they had
left just under three years before: it had not changed much, if at all,
though plans were in hand to rebuild it in the near future. For most
of 1959 the Battalion remained at Chelsea, finding Public Duties: they
1960]
THE FIRST BATTALION
65
found Numbers 3 and 4 Guards for the Birthday Parade, the Escort
and Number 2 Guard being found by the Third Battalion. In July and
August they went off to Salisbury Plain for four weeks' training, but
were back in London in time to take part in the Third Battalion's
farewell Parade. At the end of October they moved to Lydd, leaving
a Company behind to close down Chelsea Barracks, which was to be
rebuilt: for once there were no barrack damages: the place had to be
stripped and stores distributed around England from the south coast
to Yorkshire: there were remarkably few finds, other than two rifles in
a water tank in a loft and some chamber pots and wash-basins bearing
Queen Victoria's crest, which were thrown away–a pity as nowadays
they might have fetched quite a price.
For most of 1960 the Battalion was based on Lydd, though for
long periods at a time a Detachment was kept in Wellington Barracks
for Public Duties. There were two particularly noteworthy events in
which they took part: in April the President of France, General de
Gaulle, paid a State Visit to this country and during the visit he
reviewed the Household Troops on Horse Guards. In July a Detach-
ment of the Battalion and the Band of the Regiment paid a visit to
Coldstream to mark the 300th anniversary of the departure of the
Regiment from the Burgh.
In November the Battalion moved to Windsor, where they re-
mained for nearly two years; for part of that time, August 1961 to
February 1962, they were very under strength, as Number 1 Company,
made up to a strength of 130 Officers and Other Ranks had been sent
to Kenya to be attached to the Second Battalion, themselves under
strength because of a Detachment of two Companies in Bahrain and
later Zanzibar.
In October 1962 it was time for the Battalion to be on the move
again and during the first fortnight of that month, they were flown
in six lifts in Britannia aircraft belonging to civilian charter firms to
British Guiana, now Guyana. There they relieved the First Battalion
the East Anglian Regiment and became the first battalion of Foot
Guards ever to have served in South America. British Guiana was the
only British Colony on the mainland of South America and is on the
north-east coast of the continent. It is bordered by Venezuela, Brazil
and Surinam (formerly Dutch Guiana) and is about 450 miles from
north to south: 95 per cent of the population, which at the time
numbered about 560,000, lived on the narrow coastal strip: the
interior of the country is largely uninhabited and partially unexplored:
F
66
THE FIRST BATTALION
(1962
it is a land of mountains, of great rivers and waterfalls and of forests.
The people are of a great mixture of races, indigenous Indians, the
African descendants of Negro slaves, the descendants of East
Indians, Portuguese and Chinese brought in as labourers after the
abolition of slavery, and Europeans, mostly British: in addition there
ATLANTIC OCEAN
VENEZUELA
Leonoras
Georgetown
BRITISH
.Atkinson Field
New Amsterdam-
GUIANA
Mackenzie
Mt. Roraima
Takama
14 Kaieteur
Falls
-
R.Demerara
SURINAM
R. Essequibo
R.Berbice
N
W
E
ܝܐܢ
BRAZIL
50
100 miles
British Guiana
is, of course, every possible cross-breeding of these peoples: however,
the two main groups were the East Indians, who accounted for about
half the population, and the Africans who were about 200,000 strong.
In April 1953, the colony was granted internal self-government and
Dr Jagan, an East Indian, was elected Prime Minister, but later in the
year the constitution was suspended by the British Government in
1962]
THE FIRST BATTALION
67
a
order to prevent Communist subversion of the Government of the
Colony. During the next eight years the Colony gradually progressed
back to internal self-government, which was finally re-granted in
1961, with Dr Jagan as Prime Minister once again. In 1962, he
attempted to bring in a harsh budget to which the African and
European communities reacted strongly: there were riots in the
capital, Georgetown, in which several people were killed and a large
amount of damage caused. The garrison had consisted of one Com-
pany detached from a Battalion in the West Indies: this was now
brought up to Battalion strength, the First Battalion the East
Anglian Regiment being flown out on a nine months' unaccompanied
tour, and it was to relieve this Battalion that the First Battalion was
sent out on a six to nine months' tour, accompanied by a Company
of the Second Battalion. For tactical and administrative reasons the
Battalion had to be split into four. About half were based on Atkinson
Field, an American lease-lend airfield, where they lived in buildings
lent to them by the Americans and where Adjutant's drill parades
were carried out in the shadow of United States Air Force Bombers
somewhat to the surprise of G.I.s working on the aircraft, who
always stopped work to watch the form up: they were even more
surprised, later on, when the Battalion was preparing to go home, to
see part of their airfield being used to represent the Forecourt of
Buckingham Palace, in rehearsals for Guard Mounting. The Com-
manding Officer with a Tactical Headquarters and two Rifle Com-
panies were stationed in Georgetown, some twenty-seven miles away
where they lived in requisitioned houses. Georgetown lies on the east
bank of the Demerara River with the Berbice River some thirty miles
to its east: in case civil disturbances should cut ferry communications
across those two rivers, a Platoon was stationed at the Leonora estate
to the west of the Demerara River and another at New Amsterdam
on the east bank of the Berbice River: these Platoons were detached
from the Companies in Georgetown and were accommodated in
requisitioned houses and clubs.
Basically the tour can be divided into two parts: the first six
months when all was, on the surface, quiet, and the last three months
when there was a general strike which led to disturbances in early
July 1963 and reinforcements being flown in. But even during those
last three months there was still time and opportunity for the Queen's
Birthday Parade, Corporals classes and spring drills. The main prob-
lem was, until the troubles really started, to keep everyone occupied
and happy. It was a very hot climate and life at Atkinson Field could
68
THE FIRST BATTALION
(1963
a
а
9
be very dull: to counteract this, Companies were changed round and
Headquarter Company men were, when possible, moved from
Atkinson Field to Georgetown and vice versa: those whose jobs did
not permit them to be moved around were given priority on trips
into the interior: there were a number of places to which expeditions
could be made and nearly everyone in the Battalion visited the
Kaieteur Falls—741 feet high on the Potaro River. There were other
more ambitious and hazardous expeditions including one that did
not come off to climb the 7,000-foot high Mount Roraima; this
mountain, with precipitous sides and flat top, stands at the junction
of the boundaries of Brazil, Venezuela and British Guiana and its
strange shape is reputed to have inspired Arthur Conan Doyle to
write the Lost World: unfortunately the only possible approach is
through Venezuela and, because of a border dispute, the Venezuelan
Government refused permission for British soldiers to enter their
territory. Another party of five Officers and NCOs spent ten days
with a civilian firm, 150 miles into the interior, prospecting for oil and
travelling mostly by river in heavy punts, propelled by paddles and
hard work.
Nearer to base the obvious sport should have been swimming but
this was not possible in the sea, because of the high mud content in
the water, or in the rivers because of the alligators, Piranha fish and
poisonous snakes: swimming was therefore restricted to pools and
certain ponds known to be free of danger. Leave to other South
American countries outside the Colony was difficult as there were no
roads or railways connecting the Colony to its neighbours and air
travel was expensive: however, once the General Strike started the
rations were flown in by the Royal Air Force from Barbados and a
large proportion of the Battalion managed to go there for leave and
to other West Indian islands: several NCOs even got as far as the
United States, mostly to Florida. There was one lasting result of the
Battalion's time in the Colony: the Corps of Drums formed a Steel
Band: it gave the Drummers a great deal of amusement and eventu-
ally earned them some money. It is still going strong today though not
one of the original members is still playing in it.
As far as training was concerned a good deal of time was spent in
perfecting Internal Security Riot Drills; it was as well that this was
so, as the drills were put to good use during the General Strike later
on. There was a very antiquated rifle range near Atkinson Field and
there was a training area at Takama, some fifty miles inland where
the country was reasonably open and where each company went for
a
1963)
THE FIRST BATTALION
69
a
a few weeks. Lastly there was a certain amount of 'flag-marching' to
show who and what they were, though it was later discovered that
they had caused great disappointment throughout the Colony
because they did not step off the aircraft wearing bearskin caps and
tunics!
The quiet first six months came to an end on 19 April 1963, when a
General Strike started, called by the Colony's Trade Union Council,
in protest against the Government's new Labour Relations Bill. The
strike became fully effective by 22 April and on 7 May the Governor
declared a State of Emergency. The strike affected the troops in
numerous ways: there were power-cuts; there was a shortage of food
and petrol: laundry services, very necessary in a hot climate, broke
down and, most important of all, for the first three weeks there was
no mail. There were daily demonstrations in Georgetown: for the
most part these were passive, but occasionally some Government
Offices were ransacked. On one occasion demonstrators broke into the
Public Works Department Offices which lay just behind the Officers'
Mess: some of the smoke shells fired to eject the demonstrators
landed in the Officers' Mess garden, and the very unpleasant smoke
drifted into the anteroom, waking up an Officer who was enjoying an
after luncheon sleep. He called desperately for something to drink
and a waiter appeared, wearing a gas-mask with a glass of champagne
on a silver tray! The disturbances did not, however, interfere with the
Queen's Birthday Parade, in which the Battalion played a major role.
The Battalion's tour of duty was now coming to an end and in the
middle of June the Advance Party of the Second Battalion Grenadier
Guards arrived; but the last month was to be the most troublesome.
The situation deteriorated considerably and by the first week in July
inter-racial strife had spread to country districts up and down the
coast. One particularly unpleasant incident took place during the
night of 6/7 July at Rosehall, a small village about twenty miles from
New Amsterdam: a patrol, consisting of Second Lieutenant D. N.
Thornewill, one Lance-Sergeant and four Guardsmen, who happened
to be passing by, were asked by the Police to supervise the crowd
leaving the cinema: trouble soon started between the Indians and the
Africans and the patrol had to try to keep them apart: Second
Lieutenant Thornewill was bowled over by an African and then an
Indian aimed a blow at him with a cutlass but, fortunately, missed.
He got up and, after giving two warnings, fired one shot: the bullet
went through three Indians and ended up in a fourth, killing three and
wounding one. Meanwhile Guardsman D. S. Barker started dealing
a
70
(1963
THE FIRST BATTALION
with the Africans who were armed with cutlasses and cudgels: using
his bayonet and the butt of his rifle, he succeeded in arresting about
fifteen, of whom five were wounded: for his brave conduct he was
awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry. Later the remainder
of the Platoon and some Police arrived and order was restored.
The deterioration of the situation was considered so serious that
reinforcements were asked for and, on 5 July, a Company of the
Second Green Jackets arrived in the colony, followed on 7 July by the
remainder of the Battalion and Headquarters Second Infantry
Brigade Group: in addition, on that day the Second Battalion
Grenadier Guards started to arrive. But in fact the trouble was over
and on 8 July the General Strike ended. The Battalion was therefore
able to stick to the relief programme and started to move back to
England, the last flight leaving on 19 July.
By mid-August the Battalion had reassembled from disembar-
kation leave and had begun to find Windsor Castle Guard. In
January 1964 they moved to Chelsea Barracks from where they
found the Escort and Number 2 Guard for the Queen's Birthday
Parade, the Field Officer-in-Brigade-Waiting being the Commanding
Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel A. B. Pemberton, M.B.E. Ten days later
Her Majesty the Queen presented new Colours to both Battalions on
the lawns beyond the East Terrace of Windsor Castle—in fact on the
same spot as the old Colours had been presented to the Battalions
just over thirteen years before by His Majesty King George VI: of the
forty-five Coldstream Officers on parade in 1951 only four were on
parade in 1964, and of these one was the Colonel of the Regiment and
another was Her Majesty's Private Secretary, Lieutenant-Colonel the
Right Hon. Sir Michael Adeane, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., P.C.
The next day the Battalion went on embarkation leave and towards
the end of July was flown to Germany, where Aldershot Barracks at
Iserlohn was taken over and where they became once again part of the
Fourth Guards Brigade Group: they soon became immersed in the
B.A.O.R. cycle of training, though this time there were differences:
in the first place they were officially an Armoured Personnel Carrier
Battalion: to start with the vehicles were Armoured Humber 1 ton
trucks, commonly known as Pigs, and, with these vehicles, they did
not have adequate wireless communications: later on in the summer
of 1965 they were given Sarcens, six-wheeled armoured vehicles, and
with these there were adequate communications. Being an A.P.C.
Battalion meant owning about seventy-five extra vehicles and, of
1965]
THE FIRST BATTALION
71
course, having to train the drivers for them: in addition, as the
communications improved, large numbers of extra wireless operators
had to be trained. The second difference was that the training and the
duties were more varied: for instance in February and March 1965
they were flown to Libya for three weeks' training and in the early
autumn they were finding border patrols on the Iron Curtain between
West and East Germany. There was another and even bigger differ-
ence and that was a six months' tour in Aden, to where they moved by
air towards the end of October.
V
THE SECOND BATTALION 1950-1964
N 13 September 1950 H.M.T. Orbita docked at Liverpool
where the Battalion was greeted by the Colonel of the
I Regiment, the Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel and other
senior Officers. After the usual disembarkation leave the Battalion
reassembled at Pirbright on 15 October: Home Service Clothing was
issued and frequent drill parades became the order of the day: there
was not much time to spare before their first ceremonial duty and on
31 October 273 Officers and Other Ranks were lining the streets of
London for the State Opening of Parliament. In mid-November the
Battalion moved to Wellington Barracks and the following day found
Public Duties for the first time since August 1948. Thereafter followed
the normal round of duties, including Tower Guard and at times-
including Christmas Day-Windsor Castle Guard.
A parade of particular importance to the Battalion was held on
3 April 1951 when His Majesty King George VI presented new
Colours to First and Second Battalions on the lawns beyond the
East Terrace of Windsor Castle. Later in the year, on 30 September,
the old Colours of the Battalion were laid up in York Minister, a
parade which was attended by H.R.H. the Princess Royal, who took
the salute when the detachment of the Battalion marched past at the
end of the ceremony.
In February 1952 His Majesty King George VI died and the
Battalion paid its full part in the ceremonies marking the King's
death and the accession of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Forty-
nine Officers of the Regiment, from the Regimental Lieutenant-
Colonel down to newly joined Ensigns carried out vigil duty at the
Lying-in-State of the late King in Westminster Hall—a sizeable
number considering that the other two Battalions were serving
overseas.
Thereafter 1952 was a year of routine, Public Duties, an occasional
Guard of Honour, Number 5 Guard and Ground Keepers for the
Birthday Parade, shooting at Purfleet and Support Company training
at Netheravon and Lulworth--until November, when the Battalion
moved to Germany, leaving Wellington Barracks on the late after-
noon of 24 November; at the City boundary the Battalion was met by
1952–55]
THE SECOND BATTALION
73
the City Marshal, and after the usual challenge was led by him
through the City, with Drums beating, Colours flying and Bayonets
fixed, the first time that a Battalion of the Regiment had exercised
this privilege since it was granted eight months earlier.
At the Mansion House the Lord Mayor, accompanied by the
Colonel of the Regiment and the Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel,
took the salute; the Battalion proceeded on its way to Fenchurch
Street Station, where it entrained for Tilbury; it embarked there on
S.S. Charlton Star, landing at the Hook of Holland early next after-
noon.
The Battalion moved by train to Krefeld where it took over
Bradbury Barracks from Second Battalion Grenadier Guards:
it was the first time that the Battalion had been stationed in Germany
since February 1919. Krefeld is an industrial town on the west bank
of the Rhine about fifteen miles north-west of Dusseldorf: as well as
the Battalion it housed a number of small army units such as R.A.S.C.,
Military Police and Field Security, and also the Rhine Squadron of
the Royal Navy. The Commanding Officer had to act as Garrison
Commander. The remainder of Fourth Guards Brigade, of which the
Battalion was a part, was stationed at Hubbelrath, close to the auto-
bahn north-east of Dusseldorf and about twenty miles away from
Krefeld.
The Battalion soon became involved in the seemingly endless cycle
of training, winter and summer, of life in the British Army of the
Rhine-Sennelager, Haltern, Putlos, Signal exercises at all levels,
Battalion exercises, Brigade exercises, and so on, up to Army
Manoeuvres.
There was one small break, in the early summer of 1953, when,
like the other two Battalions in the Canal Zone of Egypt, a detach-
ment, one hundred strong, was sent to London to take part in Her
Majesty's Coronation Parade. Otherwise it was an uneventful
though strenuous tour of duty and after almost exactly three years,
on 30 November 1955, the Battalion was relieved by the First
Battalion and moved back to Chelsea Barracks. The two Battalions
met for just five minutes, the train carrying the First Battalion arriv-
ing in Krefeld Station just before the departure of the one carrying
the Second Battalion.
Back in London, after Christmas 1955 and the New Year on dis-
embarkation leave, the Battalion started finding Public Duties and
all the other duties and fatigues associated with life in a London
74
THE SECOND BATTALION
(1956
Public Duties Battalion. Numbers 5 and 6 Guards were found for the
Queen's Birthday Parade: the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-
Colonel H. G. L. Green, also played a part—he was the television
commentator. In mid-July the Battalion moved to the Thetford
training area and ten days later 148 men of the Army Emergency
Reserve arrived for training: these were former National Servicemen,
but their stay was short as the Suez Canal crisis was looming. The
Reservists were sent home, the Battalion returned to London, and
Officers and Men from the Regular Army Reserve started arriving on
9 August. Twelve days later the Battalion moved to Pirbright,
became part of the First Guards Brigade, and was warned for service
in the Middle East. Khaki drill was issued, vehicles were painted sand
colour and the Anti-tank Platoon, who were the proud possessors of
modern guns called BATS, had to hand them in as there was appar-
ently insufficient ammunition, and received, instead, the old-
fashioned seventeen-pounder—which, of course, meant that the
crews had to be retrained in their use.
Three vehicle parties, under Captain S. W. Batt, Lieutenant
G. M. C. Wall and Second Lieutenant R. W. St. V. Bucknall, left for
various ports where they were loaded on to freighters: later they were
unloaded and rejoined the Battalion for a few weeks before returning
to the ports in mid-November, when they were loaded and sailed,
getting as far as Gibraltar and Malta: they did not arrive home until
the second week in December, well after the release of other Reserv-
ists. A fourth vehicle party, under Captain D. Powell, and containing
the Battalion's fighting vehicles, left for Liverpool, where the vehicles
were loaded on to a L.S.T. (Landing Ship Tank). The men stayed
in a near-by barracks and when half had been sent on leave the ship
sailed: it was, however, only to Southampton Water, where the
vehicles were unloaded and rejoined the Battalion. Later in November
these vehicles went to Barry in South Wales where they were loaded
on to a freighter. They sailed, but only the few miles to Cardiff, where
they had to go to for unloading-why, has never been explained.
The rest of the Battalion was kept at various states of readiness to
move, the shortest notice being in mid-November when they were at
seventy-two hours' notice to move to Cyprus; however, the landings
in Egypt took place without their help being required and, on 23
November, all Reservists other than those who had sailed with their
vehicles, were released from service.
The first half of 1957 was spent training at Pirbright and in Norfolk,
with one Company earmarked for duty in Bermuda-a duty which all
a
а.
>
1957-59]
THE SECOND BATTALION
75
looked forward to but which, unfortunately, never came off. They
returned from Norfolk to Pirbright on 25 May, hastily sorted out
Home Service Clothing, and on 3 June were finding groundkeepers
and street-liners for the first rehearsal of the Queen's Birthday
Parade. Then towards the end of July the Battalion moved to Welling-
ton Barracks where they were to remain for just over eighteen months.
For the Birthday Parade in 1958, they found Numbers 7 and 8
Guards and there was a break in Public Duties from mid-August to
mid-September when the Battalion went to the Otterburn Training
Area in Northumberland. The opportunity of visiting the Burgh of
Coldstream was not missed: Number 1 Company camped there and
everyone was made most welcome: this was followed by a visit by a
representative party of ten Officers and forty Other Ranks. A plaque
in the Burgh Church, where they attended Morning Service, com-
memorates this visit.
In February 1959 the Battalion moved to Lee Metford Camp at
Lydd, in Kent-in winter not a very cheerful spot and they had been
there for two weeks before the sea mist had thinned sufficiently for
the Officers' Mess to be seen from the Orderly Room--a distance of
just two hundred yards. Rumours were rife as to the Battalion's future:
Cyprus had been a favourite for some months and a few enthusiasts
had started learning that particular form of Greek: in February they
were warned for service in Malaya and, in March they heard it was to
be Kenya.
a
a
On 11 June the Battalion embarked on H.M.T. Dunera, and after
passing through the Suez Canal, landed at Mombasa in Kenya on
4 July. From there they moved by train to Gilgil, which is about
seventy miles north of Nairobi, where they became part of the
Twenty-fourth Infantry Brigade commanded by Brigadier R. C. H.
Miers, D.S.O., O.B.E. Alanbrooke Camp consisted of a few buildings
for messes and stores, etc., but otherwise was entirely tented, and
rain quickly turned the ground into mud of a particularly tenacious
quality. In time a few baths were provided, but it took some publicity
in the Daily Express to get these connected to the water supply.
To start with there were no married quarters available; hirings
were found and by the spring of 1960 there were nearly one hundred
families in the area. When it was announced that the Battalion would
probably be in the country for three years, a programme was quickly
started for the building of 120 quarters for the Gilgil Garrison.
For the enterprising it was a wonderful country to be in and many
76
(1960
THE SECOND BATTALION
2
Officers and Other Ranks took full advantage of it: perhaps the most
popular of pastimes were visits to the game parks, where game of a
large number of varieties could be seen in their natural environment
and photographed: these parks ranged from the comparatively near-
by ones, at Nairobi and Treetops, to the more distant ones in
Southern Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda. For the most part the
game, if treated with reasonable respect and caution, are quite tame
and harmless, but it is unwise to take liberties, as Second Lieutenant
R. A. Novis learned: he tried to take too 'close-up'a photograph of
an elephant, which rounded on him and chased him: after a very quick
hundred yards he tripped and fell and if it had not been for the very
gallant behaviour of Second Lieutenant P. R. M. Bond, who managed
to distract the elephant, he would certainly have been killed.
Expeditions were made to Mount Kenya and to Mount Kiliman-
jaro, to Lake Rudolph in the Northern Territories and to the sea at
Malindi or Mombasa where swimming, water-skiing and big game
fishing could be had. One party of six Guardsmen travelled by car
and Arab Dhow to Zanzibar and back: two Guardsmen made their
way down to Capetown, which included a journey on foot across
Basutoland (they covered about 10,000 miles in sixty-five days).
Another Guardsman, on his own, travelled to Southern Rhodesia-
to quote a few examples of enterprise.
The journey out from England provided a challenge for two
Officers—Captain K. Teulon-Sellars and Lieutenant M. W. A. Panter
---who drove out in a Land Rover: they left London at 6 a.m. on
2 October and travelled across France and Spain to Gibraltar: after
a sea journey to Tangier, they drove on across the Sahara and
Northern Congo to Uganda and Kenya, reaching Gilgil at 6 p.m. on
12 November
Later on when Captain E. Fane joined the Battalion, he and his
wife arrived in their own single-engined aeroplane, having flown it
from England. It was a comparatively uneventful trip except perhaps
for an engine failure just after they had taken off from Athens. How-
ever, they succeeded in gliding safely back to the airport and large
aircraft in the neighbourhood got out of their way.
For both the enterprising and the unenterprising, Company and
Battalion exercises provided plenty of change of scene, and during the
two and a half years or more that they were in Kenya, the Battalion-
or part of it-visited most parts of the country. Many of the exercises
were devoted to practising the Battalion in flying out to any likely
trouble-spot in the Middle East, and on one occasion in May 1960
a
1960/61)
]
THE SECOND BATTALION
77
a
half the Battalion was flown to Aden: the other half was meant to go
too but not enough aircraft were serviceable. The exercise was
designed to test the Battalion in an “action with acclimatisation' and
it certainly succeeded: they left Nairobi, which is at a height of
6,000 feet with a temperature of 65 degrees, and landed at Aden at
sea level in a temperature of 106 degrees in the shade, and 93 per cent
humidity, and then carried on with the exercise: the fact that there
were only six cases of heat exhaustion (and two of those were men
who had only left England ten days earlier) speaks well for the
Battalion's ability to carry out its role. One side-effect of the exercise
was that after a week's stay in Aden, there were far fewer complaints
about Gilgil—in fact it was even occasionally referred to as 'Glorious
Gilgil'.
On 5 September the first edition of the Battalion's newspaper The
Wazungu Times was issued, and thereafter it was published weekly,
except for a few months early in 1961 when publication became some-
what irregular, apparently because of a shortage of paper. The paper
provided an editorial, reports of Battalion and Company news, short
articles on various people's travels and experiences, verse, sports
news, entertainments programmes, cartoons and sometimes cross-
word puzzles.
In February 1961, half the Battalion was sent to Bahrain, in the
Persian Gulf, and that Detachment's story is recorded later. For the
remainder of the Battalion this also meant a move, but only for a
distance of one mile to Slim Camp, which was on the other side of
Gilgil: it was, in fact, a direct 'swop' with the First Battalion the
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who had been providing the Bahrain
Detachment. In Slim Camp, all were in huts and, after eighteen
months of living in tents, it was a welcome change.
In May, Support Company, acting as a Rifle Company, as no
Rifle Company could be made available, took part in an internal
security operation, the only one in which the Battalion was involved
during their stay in Kenya. The Company was part of a force making
a sweep through the Mau forest looking for suspicious Africans, and
it was divided into four patrols: the operation lasted for two days
with the men tramping for seven or eight hours a day through thick
forest: although nothing or nobody of a suspicious nature was found,
the negative information was considered to be of considerable value,
and the many hours' tramping were not, therefore, wasted. Although
the Battalion took part in no other actual operation in Kenya, there
were a number of occasions when Companies or Platoons were sent
6
78
(1961
THE SECOND BATTALION
a
to various parts of the country to show the flag and to bolster up the
morale of the civilians in the area.
By now the Battalion, with two Rifle Companies and part of
Headquarter Company in Bahrain, was finding it increasingly
difficult to fulfil its commitments: so, towards the end of July,
Number 1 Company of the First Battalion was sent out from England
to reinforce the Battalion and remained in Kenya until the Second
Battalion went home early in 1962.
From time to time various small parties from the Battalion had
climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, which, at 19,565 feet is the highest
mountain in Africa and which stands astride the Kenya-Tanganyika
border: though only 200 miles south of the Equator, its peak, a
rounded crater, is covered in snow and ice all the year round. The
Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Paget, decided that it
would be a worthwhile achievement to see how many men could be
got to the top at one time and, while they were about it, climb
Mount Kenya as well: the latter at 17,058 feet is the second highest
mountain in Africa: it stands almost on the Equator and like Kiliman-
jaro its peak is snow-covered all the year round.
The climbing party was essentially composed of volunteers, and
anyone who could be made available was allowed to go irrespective of
whether he had a good chance of being successful or not. In fact only
just over 130 could be made available and all volunteered. Prepar-
ations for the climb of such numbers of men took considerable
planning and effort: Mount Kenya was tackled first: the actual peak
is Mount Batian, but to reach this calls for real mountaineering: it is,
however, possible to 'walk' to Point Lenana at 16,355 feet and on
30 August 92 out of the 131 who started out reached this point.
About a fortnight later Mount Kilimanjaro was climbed and on
12 September 114 reached Gilman's Point, which is the accepted
'top' of the mountain, and signed their names in the book kept there:
the previous largest party was 76. The party then pressed on to the
real peak, Kaiser Wilhelm Spitze, the highest point in Africa, and
72 reached this point: as far as it was known this was more than
twice the number to have reached the point in one party before.
In September the Bahrain Detachment had moved to Zanzibar
and plans were made for the Kenya half of the Battalion to be flown
there in case of trouble. On 31 October this was actually practised
and they were duly flown to Zanzibar and linked up with the Detach-
ment there, though one of the two transport planes was delayed for
twenty-four hours: the rumour was that the delay was caused by an
1962]
THE SECOND BATTALION
79
Officer's alarm-clock failing to work! On arrival in Zanzibar a
cordon and search of an African village was carried out, and then, after
two days of relaxation, the Kenya half returned by air to the mainland.
At the beginning of January 1962, the Battalion left Gilgil and
moved into Muthaiga Camp on the outskirts of Nairobi: their days
in Kenya were numbered and a party including forty families left by
sea for England. On 12 February the Zanzibar Detachment rejoined
and ten days later the first flight left for England, the sixth and last
flight leaving on 28 February.
In the final issue of the Wazangu Times, the General Officer Com-
manding East Africa Command sent a message to the Battalion in
which he said 'The Battalion has now been in East Africa Command
some two and a half years. Wherever you have been you have ful-
filled the highest traditions of your Regiment. You have done all that
was required of you; your behaviour has been exemplary and you will
know that this has been much appreciated by the inhabitants of
Kenya of all races. In particular, the Detachment in Zanzibar, arriv-
ing there after a very difficult period of tension was admired and
respected by European, African and Arab alike.
Now, to go back a year—Twenty-fourth Infantry Brigade had one
odd Detachment, half a Battalion, at Bahrain on the Persian Gulf,
and in February 1961 it was the Second Battalion's turn to provide
this Detachment. The Detachment was commanded by Major R. D.
Dobson, and under his command were part of Headquarter Com-
pany and Numbers 1 and 3 Companies: twenty-three families moved
with the Detachment, which consisted of 275 all ranks, and by the
end of the month they were all established on the island, having
travelled by air.
Bahrain is an island thirty miles long and ten miles wide, situated
about half-way up the Persian Gulf and twenty miles from the main-
land of Arabia. The word island is a slight misnomer, as Bahrain
consists of two islands, half a mile apart and joined by a causeway.
The main island is Bahrain and the subsidiary is called Muharraq.
On the latter was sited the Royal Air Force Station. Number 3
Company and Detachment Headquarters were stationed in a small
barracks in the naval base at Jufair on the main island, while Number
1 Company and the Quartermaster's stores were at the Royal Air
Force Station, Muharraq. After his first visit to the Detachment, the
Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Paget, described
living conditions as follows:
a
a
80
(1961
THE SECOND BATTALION
IRAQ
.
Basra
Abadan
A
PERSIA
Kuwait
Bahrain
Sharja
Qatar
TRŪCIAL
COAST
Muscat
SAUDI ARABIA
1
N
OMAN
W
E
S
INDIAN OCEAN
ADEN PROTECTORATE
Aden
100
200
300 miles
The Persian Gulf
'Bahrain, when I landed, was slightly cooler than Kenya and it actually
rained twice whilst I was there: but everyone living on the island assured
me that it would soon get really hot and humid and remain so until about
November. All the houses and the barracks are therefore air-conditioned,
and the Detachment is already on a tropical routine, work from 0730 to
1230 daily, resting in the afternoon and playing games in the evening.
"Everyone there has been pleasantly surprised at what they have found
in Bahrain, and most of the men and the families say that they do prefer it
to Gilgil.
"The accommodation varies. Number 1 Company have brand new
R.A.F. billets, with baths and showers on a scale of almost one a man.
Detachment H.Q. and Number 3 Company are unlucky in that their new
1961)
THE SECOND BATTALION
81
accommodation is being built, as is their N.A.A.F.I. and Corporals' Mess.
It is not good at the moment; they have to sleep on double-tier beds and
are very cramped, and it does not look as if their new billets will be finished
this year. The Sergeants' Mess will be very good when certain improve-
ments have been made.'
Facilities for training on the island were virtually non-existent but
fortunately the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force were most co-
operative. Alongside at Bahrain was an Amphibious Warfare
Squadron of the Royal Navy. It consisted of a command ship and a
variety of landing ships and craft from which a number of amphibious
exercises were carried out with landings on the mainland of Arabia
and on some of the other islands. In addition there was a Squadron of
Frigates, and small parties of the Detachment were taken on short
cruises on the Gulf: on one of these a party under Second Lieutenant
the Hon. T. J. E. Tollemache found themselves involved in an
attempt to salve the British motor vessel Dara which was ablaze in the
Gulf. The Royal Air Force assisted by flying one or other Company
to the mainland, where training was carried out, sometimes in co-
operation with the Sultan of Muscat's Armed Forces. In general
each Company was away from Bahrain for a week or so every month.
For recreation the detachment relied once again on the help and
generosity of the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, both of
whom gave every assistance in allowing the Detachment to use cricket
fields, swimming pools and other facilities. There were many inter-
services matches and even one international one when an American
ship U.S.S. Valcour visited the island and the Detachment's Ser-
geants' Mess played the Petty Officers at baseball: the result was a
draw--though history does not relate whether the fact that the
umpire was a Coldstreamer had anything to do with it.
Parties from the Detachment and the families were taken on con-
ducted tours of the oil installations, visits which were followed by
luncheon for the whole party provided by the kindness of the oil
company. To keep all ranks fully up to date with local affairs, the
example of the Battalion was copied and early in March the first
edition of the Detachment newspaper appeared; it was called the
Naha' Bari' Jundi, which is the Arabic for 'Cold Water Soldiers'.
At the end of June the routine was broken by the threat of trouble
in Kuwait, the rich oil-producing state at the north-west end of the
Gulf: this state was threatened with invasion and annexation by its
much larger neighbour Iraq and, in accordance with her treaty
obligations, Great Britain went to its assistance, troops being brought
G
82
THE SECOND BATTALION
[1961
in from Aden and Kenya for this purpose, as the only troops in the
Gulf at the time were Number 42 Commando Royal Marine, a
Squadron of the Third Dragoon Guards and the Detachment of the
Second Battalion.
The plan for this operation gave the detachment the somewhat
inglorious role of remaining in Bahrain to provide parties to load
stores and ammunition and to erect and run a transit camp for the
troops passing through. This they started to do on the evening of
29 June and continued to do so until midday on 1 July when the
plan was altered and the Detachment was ordered to move to
Kuwait at once. To continue the story in Major Dobson's words:
a
“We therefore downed tools and in four hours were ready to move.
Number 3 Company took off at 1900 hrs. feeling elated that they had been
relieved of their job as stevedores to be proper soldiers. There was an anti-
climax, however, when their aircraft had to turn back after circling Kuwait
because of bad visibility and a faulty radio compass. As a rather dejected
Number 3 Company landed again at Bahrain at 2300 hrs., Number 1
Company was just taking off. Fortunately this Company landed at Kuwait
at 0130 hrs. on 2 July followed by Number 3 Company at 0700 hrs. Our
pilot seemed to have some difficulty in finding the right airfield but this
was probably because we were the first people to fly in, the only other
troops already there being 42 Commando and “C” Squadron, 3rd
Dragoon Guards, who had come by sea. The Detachment was given the
task of securing the airfield and the distillation plant. After two days the
latter task was taken over by the police and the whole Detachment con-
centrated on the airfield. This airfield is in the process of being built but
we at least had some half-finished buildings in which to shelter and were
therefore better off than the battalions in the desert. By 6 July the build up
of 24 Infantry Brigade was complete and the Detachment was ordered to
move back to Bahrain. As nothing warlike was happening and we were
beginning to get rather bored, we were quite pleased to return home, but
we would all have been very disappointed indeed if we had never gone to
the “war".
.'
After the Kuwait excursion, the remainder of the Detachment's
stay in the island was comparatively quiet. In August news arrived
that they were to move to Zanzibar and after a round of farewell
parties they left by air on 10, 11, 12 and 14 September. A small rear
party was left behind which looked after the families who were flown
back to England some weeks later.
By the evening of 14 September the whole Detachment except for
the small rear party, had reached Zanzibar, which lies off the east
1961]
THE SECOND BATTALION
83
coast of central Africa, and was, at the time, a British Protectorate;
the two main parts of the Protectorate were the islands of Zanzibar
and, to its north, Pemba: in addition there was a small coastal strip
on the mainland and some smaller islands: the people are mainly
Africans and Arabs, the former providing the bulk of the population,
though the Sultan was of Arab stock. In the previous June, elections
had been held during the course of which disturbances took place,
which resulted in the death of sixty-eight persons, of which sixty-four
were Arabs, and injury to several hundreds. To restore order,
Companies of the King's African Rifles were brought in and it was
from these troops that the Detachment took over. It became the sole
Military Garrison of the Protectorate, and they were in fact the first
British troops ever to be stationed there. The whole Detachment was
quartered on Zanzibar island, which is about 640 square miles in
extent and has a population of some 165,000. Of these, over 45,000
live in Zanzibar City, which is on the west side of the island. The
Detachment was split into three: the Headquarters occupied the
Aga Khan's Bungalow, which is about two miles from Zanzibar City.
Number 3 Company were at Chukwani Palace, which is about seven
miles from the city, and Number 1 Company was on the east coast at
Chwaka, which is about twenty miles from Zanzibar City. The lush
and green island, whose main product is cloves, provided a welcome
change from the barren coast and islands of the Persian Gulf.
On 15 September they started their Internal Security duties, and
from then till the day they left the island, hardly a day went by with-
out patrols being out: the normal form was for a Platoon to go out to
a selected point, where it would establish a base from which patrols
were sent out, either on foot or in vehicles, while a second Platoon
stood by in camp at short notice to move. Companies took it in turns
to provide the duties. During the four and a half months that they
carried out these duties a large number of persons were arrested and
handed over to the police for a variety of offences, including curfew
breaking, being without a pass, and possession of illegal liquor and
offensive arms: one curfew-breaker on a bicycle was carrying no less
than twenty-three chickens! Over 200 gallons of illicit liquor were con-
fiscated and several illegal stills were found: in addition many offensive
weapons were removed from their owners: mostly they were knives but
they included a few spears. Other duties included the provision of
road-blocks, of which about fifty were found during the period, and
the Detachment also carried out eight cordon and search operations.
At the end of September a very welcome visitor to the island was
84
[1961
THE SECOND BATTALION
H.M.S. Loch Fyne, an old friend from Bahrain, and a true friend as
she carried five tons of the Detachment's stores and two NCOs of the
Rear Party. During their whole stay on the island there was a constant
stream of visitors, most of whom arrived by air. They ranged from the
Secretary of State for War downwards.
Two amphibious operations were carried out. At the end of
October Lieutenant C. W. Lawrence took his platoon of Number 3
Company on board a landing-craft to check all Dhows sailing
between Zanzibar and the mainland and also to land on Uzi island,
where they found all quiet and peaceful: then on the evening of
15 November Lieutenant the Hon. T. J. E. Tollemache took his
platoon of Number 1 Company on board the Salama and sailed to
Pemba, where they assisted the police to arrest some wanted agitators:
the operation was entirely successful and they rejoined the Detach-
ment on 18 November.
On 31 October, Exercise Link Up' took place. This was a practice
for the reinforcement by air of the Detachment by the Kenya half of
the Battalion. They arrived in two flights but unfortunately the
second flight arrived a day late. However, for a few days the Battalion
was together again, and the Kenya half flew back on 3 November.
Part of the Detachment paid one visit to Tanganyika, and that was
in early December when Captain J. H. James with two Officers,
three Warrant Officers and fifty Other Ranks, flew to Dar-es-Salaam
to represent the British Army in a parade before H.R.H. the Duke of
Edinburgh, to mark the Independence of the country: while they
were away from the island their places were taken by two platoons
flown down from the Battalion at Gilgil.
By the end of January 1962, preparations were being made for the
Detachment to rejoin the Battalion which was to return to England.
On 10 February the Detachment of the First Battalion the Gordon
Highlanders arrived to take over and the Detachment of the Second
Battalion, led by the Police Band of H.H. the Sultan, marched to the
docks, where they embarked on H.H.S. Seyyid Khalifa for the passage
to Mombasa. For Major C. W. B. Jacot de Boinod the march was
not a happy one: he had failed to shake out one of his boots before
putting it on and had been stung on the big toe by a scorpion! From
Mombasa they went by train to Nairobi, where they rejoined the
Battalion.
a
The last aircraft load arrived at London Airport on 1 March and
all ranks were sent on disembarkation leave: they reassembled at
1964)
85
THE SECOND BATTALION
Wellington Barracks on 26 March 1962. There were a few stragglers
in the shape of a party of twelve Officers and Other Ranks, led by the
Adjutant, Captain K. Teulon-Sellars, who had driven four Land
Rovers from Nairobi to Benghazi, in Libya: they drove across
Uganda and the Sudan: at Juba they learned that the roads were
blocked by floods so they had their Land Rovers loaded on to a
barge which was lashed to a small tug: on this they travelled five
hundred miles to Marakal where they landed: then they drove on
through Khartoum to Dongola, on the Nile: from there they struck
across the desert to Benghazi, which they reached after some very
anxious moments: they finally rejoined the Battalion on 5 April.
That year the Battalion found the Escort and Number 2 Guard,
the Field Officer-in-Brigade-Waiting being the Commanding Officer,
Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Paget. Soon afterwards they lost a strong
Company group which went in July to the First Battalion: after
training with that Battalion, the Company went with them to British
Guiana and it was a year before it rejoined the Second Battalion. In
October, what was now a very under-strength Battalion moved to
Chelsea Barracks: there they remained, finding Public Duties and
with only a month's break for training at Thetford and Otterburn
until the beginning of 1964 when they moved to Windsor. The most
important event of that summer was the presentation of Colours to
both Battalions by Her Majesty the Queen on the lawns beyond the
East Terrace of Windsor Castle. Then after a few weeks' training on
Salisbury Plain and at Otterburn, the Battalion started to prepare for
a tour of duty in Aden.
a
VI
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
PART I: THE SECOND BATTALION-ADEN
T
HE Second Battalion, by now under command of Lieutenant-
Colonel Sir Ian L. Jardine, Bt., M.C., moved by air to Aden in
four flights between 11 and 14 October 1964, and went into
Salerno Camp at Little Aden: the move was complicated by the fact
that the stores and vehicles had to be taken over from the Second
Battalion Scots Guards in Kenya: in consequence there had to be
two advance parties, one to prepare Salerno Camp and the other to
collect the stores and vehicles; the Kenya advance party was also
divided into two, half being flown with the essential stores from
Nairobi to Aden, arriving a few days after the Battalion, and the
remainder bringing the vehicles and the rest of the stores by sea,
arriving on 27 October.
Aden State was, and is, part of the South Arabian Federation,
which was at the time a British Protectorate: during the time that the
Battalion was there, and later during the First Battalion's tour of
duty, there were two distinct campaigns to be fought, both against an
enemy supplied and directed by Egypt: the first was a guerrilla war-
fare in the mountains of the Federation, aimed at controlling the road
to Dhala and the Yemen and keeping the tribes in the neighbouring
areas, particularly the Radfan, in order: the second was operations
against attacks by terrorists in Aden State itself: both campaigns
were directed not only at the British, but also at the Federal Govern-
ment, who were regarded as puppets of the British and whom the
Egyptians did not wish to be left as sole rulers when Independence
was granted.
Ten days after the Battalion's arrival, the first casualties were
suffered when a Land Rover driven by Guardsman A. E. C. Norton
and with the Adjutant, Captain P. A. Fazil, as the only passenger,
was blown up on a mine near Little Aden. Captain Fazil's left leg was
blown off and he suffered other injuries: Guardsman Norton suffered
burns, bruises and shock and temporarily lost the sight of one eye:
however, he ignored his own injuries, applied a tourniquet to Captain
Fazil's leg and having put him in the shade, commandeered an Arab
1964)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
87
car and drove for help: finding another military vehicle, he and the
driver brought it back to the scene of the explosion, and, despite the
obvious presence of more mines, as close as possible to Captain Fazil.
He then tended Captain Fazil on the twenty-mile drive to hospital
and by his actions undoubtedly saved Captain Fazil's life: he was
awarded the George Medal.
a
a
On 9 November the Battalion started moving up to the Radfan, a
long, hot and dusty journey by road or track of about seventy miles,
and there they took over from the First Battalion the Royal Anglian
Regiment in the area of the Wadi Taym: they were very spread out in
this barren, rocky, mountainous and dusty land, it being nearly four-
teen miles as the crow flies between the two ends of the Battalion and
considerably more by the tracks, recently made passable to vehicles
by the Royal Engineers. Basically they protected the four airstrips:
Battalion Headquarters with the Corps of Drums and half a troop of
armoured cars of the Tenth Hussars were at Paddy's Field in the
centre of the area. Number 3 Company, with the remaining armoured
cars and half a Battery of Twenty-eighth/Nineteenth Light Regiment
Royal Artillery, were at Blair's Field at the eastern end of the area,
with a Platoon and the remaining guns at Table Top, a long flat-
topped spur three miles to the south-west, and an outpost at Call
Girl guarding the track in between. Number 1 Company was at
Monk's Field, with a Platoon at Piccadilly and another split between
Big Nose and Cap Badge, two rocky high points one on either side
of the track along the Wadi Taym: lastly Number 4 Company was
with Headquarters Twenty-fourth Brigade at Habilayn-a place
sometimes known as Thumier. In this rocky land digging to any
depth was impossible, so sangars were built: theoretically sangars
are breast works of stones—as many soldiers who have served in
India or Italy will remember: in the Radfan sangars erected in a
hurry were of stone, but when they were for a more permanent post
or camp they were built of sandbags, sometimes to the annoyance of
the local inhabitants who saw what little soil they had disappearing
into a sandbag wall! Each post was, then, a fort built of sandbags with
tents inside. They were supplied daily, mostly by vehicle, and this
meant that tracks had to be checked for mines first thing every
morning: some posts could not be reached by vehicles: Cap Badge
had to be supplied by helicopter and another post by camel, while at
one period the Corps of Drums acquired their own train of donkeys.
The Battalion quickly settled down to the routine of life in the
а
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ADEN AND MAURITIUS
Radfan, which involved guard duties, patrols and ambushes: most
days or nights, one or other post was fired at by dissidents, fire which
was promptly returned: even Battalion Headquarters took part in
patrols and the Regimental Sergeant Major led a successful patrol
and succeeded in arresting six men, some camels and a bull: un-
Hayaz
N
Dhala
Khuraibah
W
E
S
Ad Dimnah
1
Paddys Field
Monks
Blairs Field
Field Cap Badge
Call Girl
Wadi
Taym Big Nose Table Top
Wadi
Piccadilly
Quatana
A
Habilayn
(Thumier)
THE RADFAN
Al Milah
Aden
2
0
2
4
6 miles
The Radfan
fortunately he suffered the indignity of being charged by the bull
which then escaped.
On 1 December a large fighting patrol from Number 3 Company,
three Officers and fifty-six Other Ranks in strength, and including a
Forward Observation Officer of the Royal Artillery, moved, under
Major P. R. Adair's command, from Blair's Field eastward to the
Wadi Quatana: there they prepared an ambush position with the
1964)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
89
bulk of Number 10 Platoon, commanded by Second Lieutenant
R. J. S. Wardle, on a ridge near the bottom of the Wadi, and the
leading section, commanded by Sergeant P. S. Goddard, the Platoon
Sergeant, four hundred yards ahead, right in the bottom of the Wadi:
in this very rugged country they had a very limited field of view,
though the remainder of the Platoon could see over their heads and
give warning of anyone approaching: the remainder of the Patrol was
on either side of the Wadi about four hundred yards away and about
six hundred feet higher. It was a good ambush position provided that
communications were satisfactory, but unfortunately after an early
morning thunderstorm the wireless sets refused to work. Two parties
of men in uniform appeared during the afternoon, one moving
towards Sergeant Goddard's Section, unseen by him, but visible to
Second Lieutenant Wardle, the other moving to a position on Second
Lieutenant Wardle's flank, unseen by him but visible to the remainder
of the Patrol. As the Battalion had never seen dissidents in uniform
before and as there were no communications, no one was certain who
they were. In fact they were dissidents and as they got very close to
Sergeant Goddard's position Second Lieutenant Wardle opened fire
to warn him: a fire fight developed between the dissidents and
Sergeant Goddard's section and almost at once Lance-Sergeant
Taylor, who was manning the General Purpose Machine Gun
(G.P.M.G.), was badly wounded in the head. With great coolness
Sergeant Goddard reorganized his men and got them returning fire
effectively: he made certain of the safety of Lance-Sergeant Taylor
and then, under heavy fire, moved forward to recover the G.P.M.G.
which had rolled down a bank; he brought it back to the position and
got it into action again. While this was happening the party of
dissidents on Second Lieutenant Wardle's flank opened fire on his
men on the ridge and almost at once Guardsman Clarke, who was
manning the G.P.M.G. was wounded: Guardsman W. Nicholson,
acting on his own initiative, ran across open ground and from a
position which gave him virtually no cover, got the G.P.M.G. back
into action and kept it in action for ten minutes, until the dissidents
had had enough and withdrew. Second Lieutenant Wardle then
organized the withdrawal of his Platoon and the evacuation of the
two casualties. It was later established that four dissidents had been
killed and two wounded. For the courage they displayed in this
action, Sergeant Goddard and Guardsman Nicholson were awarded
the Military Medal, and for the courage that he displayed on this
occasion and on many others, both before and afterwards, Second
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ADEN AND MAURITIUS
>
Lieutenant Wardle was awarded the Queen's Commendation. The
casualties were evacuated by helicopter, and that evening the whole
patrol returned to Blair's Field.
On 11 December the First Battalion the Royal Scots arrived to
relieve the Battalion, which returned to Little Aden. For two of the
Companies it was only for a very brief stay: on 17 December Number
4 Company went north again to Dhala, which is some eighteen miles
north-west of Habilayn, and for the next three months a Company
was kept there, Number 3 Company going there in mid-January and
Number 4 Company again in mid-February. There were two camps
at Dhala, one housing a Battalion of the Federal Regular Army and
the other our Company: the latter camp was shaped like a boat with a
large bridge-like structure in the middle which was, in fact, the
Command Post. Both camps were frequently attacked and equally so
both F.R.A. and our Company frequently spotted and attacked
dissidents. On one day early in January 1965 our Camp was attacked
and the fire fight lasted for an hour: during this time the following
ammunition was fired at the dissidents: 200 81-mm mortar bombs,
6,000 rounds G.P.M.G., 3 Wombat shells, 3 rocket launcher bombs
and 20 2-in. mortar bombs: it was clear that the Company Com-
mander, Major A. P. F. Napier, had enjoyed his evening.
On 21 and 22 December, Number 1 Company was flown up to
Mukerias, which is in the north-east of the Federation, and where
they shared a camp with, and guarded, a Royal Air Force Signals
Unit manning a Radar Station: Mukerias is 7,000 feet up in the
mountains and close to the Yemen border and came in for its fair
share of attack by dissidents and the dissidents came in for their fair
share of attack from Number 1 Company. On 14 January, in the early
hours of the morning, the Battalion suffered its first fatal casualty: the
Camp and outlying picquets were attacked from four different
directions by dissidents using mortars, rocket launchers, light machine
guns and rifles: a bomb landed in a sangar of one of the picquets,
killing Guardsman D. Millard and wounding Lance-Sergeant Parker
and Guardsman Tozer. As soon as the firing slackened, the acting
Platoon Commander, Sergeant D. J. Fogarty, took a three-ton lorry,
with a medical orderly, a small relief party and more ammunition and
drove about a mile to the picquet: though he had every reason to
expect to meet dissidents, he kept the head-lights full on, so as to find
the track and lose no time. Once he reached the picquet he sent the
lorry back with the casualties, reorganized the defences and was soon
calling down mortar fire on dissident groups: for his conduct he was
a
1965]
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
91
>
a
awarded the Queen's Commendation. The Company remained at
Mukerias until 1 February, when a Company of the First Battalion
the Royal Anglian Regiment took over.
In Aden the remainder of the Battalion had a comparatively
peaceful time: an Internal Security Platoon, at thirty minutes' notice
to move, had to be found, but otherwise they carried on with training
until the beginning of March, when they had to find a number of
static guards in Aden: this, however, was only for a fortnight and on
17 March the Battalion moved back to the Radfan, with Battalion
Headquarters and Numbers 1 and 3 Companies at Habilayn and
Number 4 Company at Monk's Field, moving there direct from
Dhala.
The next day, Number 3 Company went north to take part in
operation ‘Park', an operation planned by the Federal Regular
Army to clear a tribe called the Shairi, from the villages on the Dhala
road. The Company's area of responsibility was from Ad Dimnah to
Kuraibah and they established a firm base close to Ad Dimnah,
having lost one scout car on a mine during the move. On 20 March
the Company did a sweep up to Kuraibah and then returned to Ad
Dimnah: the base camp was attacked that morning and again in the
evening when mortar bombs landed in the Company area: one,
landing in one of our mortar pits, killed or mortally wounded
Guardsmen A. C. Edge, M. Reynolds and D, M. Wilkins; others
wounded Lance-Sergeant Hill and the Forward Observation Officer,
Major J. B. Corrigan of the Royal Artillery: the Company reacted
strongly, as did the Artillery, who fired about 400 shells at the
dissidents. But the mortar pit was chaotic, with the dead and wounded
lying there, a fire burning and a considerable number of phosphorous
and high explosive bombs stacked inside, some of the former, in fact,
smouldering. Captain S. E. Barnett and CQMS F. Pell ran to the
scene, and although they realized that a large explosion might take
place at any moment, they removed the casualties, and the bombs and
put out the fire: CQMS Pell's hands were so covered with phos-
phorous that they were glowing six hours later. Even so, when the
second of the Company's mortars ceased to fire because of a bomb
stuck in the barrel, he accompanied Captain Barnett across a stretch
of
open ground to man the Wombat and fired at probable enemy
positions: later CQMS Pell had to be evacuated because of his
injuries. For their courage and initiative Captain S. E. Barnett was
made a Member of the Order of the British Empire and CQMS
F. Pell was awarded the British Empire Medal. On 24 March the
92
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
(1965
Company moved further north and took up positions in the village of
Kuraibah and 2,500 feet up in the hills to the east of the road, where
they remained until 26 March, and acted as a flank guard to two
Battalions of the Federal Regular Army, who were doing a sweep
through country to the west of the road towards Dhala. The Com-
pany then withdrew once again to the position close to Ad Dimnah
and on the following day was relieved by Number 1 Company.
Meanwhile Number 4 Company at Monk's Field had been
attacked by mortar and machine-gun fire and by rocket launchers,
but without suffering any casualties, though in the part of the camp
occupied by the Gunners, there was a disaster—the N.A.A.F.I. was
destroyed! The Company and the Gunners also engaged several
definite and suspected dissident positions. Number 1 Company on
their first night near Ad Dimnah were attacked, with some dissidents
creeping as close as forty yards to a picquet position. Guardsman
D. Norton was wounded in the back and legs and was evacuated in a
convoy of vehicles taken up to the Company by Captain S. E. Barnett.
The next day the Company moved into the village itself, which gave
them some protection from mortaring but laid them open to attacks
by hordes of bugs and fleas. On 5 April the Company was withdrawn,
leaving behind Number 1 Platoon, under Second Lieutenant R. M.
Smith: their job was to lie up in the houses and capture any dissidents
who might try to use the village, and in the afternoon they captured
three of a party of six who walked in: they were however harmless
villagers trying to get back to their houses. The next day the Platoon
rejoined Number 1 Company and Number 3 Company returned to
Ad Dimnah, where they remained, being attacked several times, until
relieved on 12 April by D Company First Battalion the Parachute
Regiment who had recently come under command of the Battalion.
By now there was trouble further to the south as well. The Battalion's
camp at Habilayn was fired on, as was the Royal Engineer Road
Construction Camp at El Milah, and part of Number 3 Company had
to be sent there to assist in the defence. But the Battalion's tour of
duty in the Radfan was coming to an end. Number 45 Commando
Royal Marines arrived, and by the evening of 21 April the whole
Battalion was back in Salerno Camp in Little Aden.
Life was once again comparatively peaceful; guards had to be found
at the Cable and Wireless Station and at the Royal Air Force Trans-
mitting Station at Hiswa, about half-way between Aden and Little
Aden: an Internal Security Patrol had to be found, by day at sixty
1965)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
93
minutes' notice to move, and by night organized into four Land
Rover patrols, patrolling to check-points in the Little Aden area.
There were three incidents: in two of them grenades were thrown at
Land Rovers, resulting in a Signaller attached to the Battalion and
Guardsmen Hughes and Dales being wounded: in the third a Land
Rover was blown up on a mine and Sergeant Cockcroft was wounded.
Then on 13 May Number 1 Company left for Mauritius and their
story is recorded later. The remainder of the Battalion, by now, of
course, very under strength, started to prepare to move back to the
Radfan, and to enable them to carry out their task properly they were
given two Companies from other Regiments under command. On
18 May Number 3 Company flew up to Dhala, and on 20 May the
remainder of the Battalion and troops under command moved north
by road, Battalion Headquarters and Number 4 Company to
Habilayn, B Company Fourth Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment
to Monk's Field and C Company First Battalion the Parachute
Regiment to Ad Dimnah—the latter's Company Commander,
Major N. Giles, and the Company Sergeant Major, were both ex-
Coldstreamers. The threat of mining had greatly increased, and now
almost all supplies were carried to Companies by Wessex Heli-
copters. For the Coldstream part of the Battalion it was a com-
paratively peaceful stay in the Radfan, though the two Companies
under command saw plenty of action. Early in June C Company
First Battalion the Parachute Regiment was taken away, and after
that Ad Dimnah was evacuated. Number 3 Company at Dhala was
only attacked once and that was on one of the nights that the Com-
manding Officer had chosen to stay there. A patrol under Second
Lieutenant C. P. Foord-Kelcey met a party of dissidents returning
from this attack and in the fight which followed killed four of them,
and, it is believed, wounded three. Of the patrol four were slightly
wounded, Lance-Corporal Thackray and Guardsmen Snape,
Tolson and Tate. For the gallant part that they took in this action,
Sergeant A. Connell and Guardsman C. Snape were awarded the
British Empire Medal. On 23 June the Battalion returned to Salerno
Camp by road, leaving Number 3 Company to return by air six days
later: the Battalion's return being marred by the accidental death of
Guardsman Harnes of Number 4 Company.
For the next two months the Battalion remained based on Little
Aden: the first month was quiet, so quiet that the Brigade Com-
mander was able to carry out his Annual Administrative Inspection,
an event which Number 1 Company avoided by arriving back from
94
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ADEN AND MAURITIUS
а.
Mauritius three days later. Then, towards the end of July the Bat-
talion became fully engaged in Internal Security duties: one Com-
pany was on duty in the Crater district each night, another found the
guards on Military Headquarters and Depots in Aden, which
amounted to thirteen NCOs and thirty-eight Guardsmen, and the
third Company found the Little Aden Internal Security Platoon:
every four days duties allotted to Companies were changed round, so
that each Company did its share of each duty. There were a number
of incidents in the town, but none in which members of the Battalion
were involved.
On 22 August the Battalion moved north again to start its fourth
and final tour of duty in the Radfan. It was a four and a half hour
journey by road to Habilayn, where Battalion Headquarters and
Number 1 Company took over. Number 3 Company went to Monk's
Field with a Platoon at Cap Badge and another at Piccadilly and two
days later Number 4 Company moved into Dhala, where they
replaced A Company First Battalion the Parachute Regiment who
moved south to Habilayn and came under command of the Battalion.
Life in the Radfan was very much the same as before except for one
new feature-every afternoon there was a storm of torrential rains
and high winds: on the whole the camps stood up well to this but the
main casualty was the road from Habilayn to Monk's Field which for
a time became impassable. Sappers and pioneers laboured to improve
conditions in the Camps and did a great deal of good, though there
was one unfortunate occurrence. When some dissidents attacked
Habilayn, the Duty Officer hurriedly turned off the master-switch to
black out the camp: alas, the camp had been rewired: the camp
remained brightly illuminated and the Command Post was plunged
into darkness! One of the most exacting appointments in the Bat-
talion was that of Assault Pioneer Platoon Sergeant, who was
Sergeant E. C. Hilling: in the year that the Battalion was in Aden and
the Radfan he carried out over one hundred mine-clearing patrols,
largely over roads and tracks which had to be cleared daily, so that
the dissidents knew a patrol would be on the way: he had to deal
not only with mines laid by the dissidents but also a variety of
unexploded grenades, bombs and shells left by our own troops: he
was awarded a very well earned Queen's Commendation.
On 30 August, Number 1 Company, after only two hours' notice,
were moved by helicopter to Hayaz, about six miles north of Dhala
and close to the Yemen to replace the Fifth Battalion Federal Regular
Army who, together with the Fourth Battalion, were, once again,
1965)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
95
trying to clear the area east of Dhala. During this operation the two
Battalions came under heavy fire from the dissidents and were
considerably helped by airstrikes directed on to the dissidents by the
Forward Air Control Officer, Second Lieutenant R. J. Heywood, of
the Regiment attached to them for the operation. For this and for
personally leading over fifty patrols against the dissidents in the
Dhala and Radfan areas during the past year, he was awarded the
Queen's Commendation. On 2 September, Number 1 Company
returned to Habilayn, and two days later were sent south to Al
Milah for a week to assist in the defence of the Royal Engineer Camp
there: there they were attacked several times but suffered no
casualties.
The Battalion's last ten days in the Radfan were reasonably quiet,
though there were incidents such as the visit of an eminent Member
of Parliament, escorted by the Commanding Officer, to Number 3
Company's Platoon at Cap Badge, high up in the hills dominating the
Wadi Taym: it was unfortunate that the helicopter that was to bring
them back broke down and they had to walk to Monk's Field-a long
and hot walk! Finally on 24 September Number 45 Commando
Royal Marines arrived and the Battalion said good-bye to the Radfan.
a
The 25 September started peacefully for the Battalion which was
resting in Salerno Camp but the peace did not last for long: the High
Commissioner had suspended the Aden State Constitution and a
general curfew was to be imposed from dusk to dawn for three nights.
The Battalion's task was to control the Hiswa and Sheik Othman
areas and to take over guard of the prison in the latter place which
housed many captured terrorists of the National Liberation Front,
the main terrorist organization in Aden. Number 4 Company was
given Hiswa to look after: Number 1 Company guarded the prison
with Captain H. M. C. Havergal appointed Governor and it also
assisted Number 3 Company in controlling Sheik Othman: the night
passed off quietly and of the few curfew breakers arrested most were
either drunk or mad. At dawn the troops returned to camp, except
for Number 1 Company who remained at the prison and that evening
and the following the curfew was again enforced. Finally on 28
September the curfew was lifted and the guard on the prison was
given up.
The advance party of the First Battalion Welsh Guards had by
now arrived from England to take over from the Battalion: also by a
coincidence the advance party of the First Battalion arrived to take
96
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
(1965
a
over from the First Battalion the Royal Sussex Regiment, though the
Officer who arrived in a panama hat and carrying polo sticks was
thought to be rather hopeful! Actually he had the last laugh as he had
plenty of opportunity to use them. But there was still much to do and
the last week or so in Aden was a busy time: on 2 October, the
Trades Unions called a General Strike in protest at the suspension of
the Constitution and rioting, looting and arson broke out in the
Crater: the Battalion's duty that night was to enforce the curfew in
Sheik Othman and the next day trouble continued and in the after-
noon Number 1 Company was sent to the Crater while Number 3
Company went back to Sheik Othman: here four men were unwise
enough to throw a grenade at a Land Rover containing Captain
S. E. Barnett, CSM Smurthwaite, CQMS Pell and Drum-Major
Kirk: the four gave chase and caught the four men thought to be
responsible: they turned out to be important N.L.F. terrorists. For
the next few days various patrols and parties were out on duty. The
first flight for England left on 9 October: even so the next day the
Battalion took part in a cordon and search operation and it was not
until the 17th that Number 1 Company handed over Internal Security
responsibility for Little Aden, by when five flights had left. The
seventh and final flight left on 23 October.
a
As a fitting epilogue to the Battalion's tour of duty in Aden, in the
1966 New Year's Honours, the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-
Colonel Sir Ian Jardine, Bt., M.C., was made an Officer of the Order of
the British Empire.
>
PART II: THE SECOND BATTALION-MAURITIUS
IN 1965 the area of responsibility of Headquarters Middle East
Command, which was sited in Aden, included large areas of the
Indian Ocean, and in May of that year, Twenty-fourth Infantry
Brigade, under whose Command the Second Battalion was when in
Aden, was instructed to earmark a Company to test plans for dealing
with possible Internal Security problems in Mauritius. Number 1
Company, commanded by Major the Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby, was
fortunate enough to be detailed for the task and he was due to leave
Aden on 12 May to reconnoitre the island: however, the night before,
while the Officers were holding a dinner party, the Battalion received
orders for the Company to be at four hours' notice to move to
Mauritius as from 8 a.m. the following morning. Major Willoughby

A carrier in Palestine in the '40s.
TRANSPORT
A.P.C.s in Germany in the late '60s.
15 EA85

***
.
.
*****
A
Second Battalion sails for Malaya, 1948.
TROOPING
Trooping in the '70s.
ROYAL AR

Second Battalion marches through London en route for Malaya.
MALAYA
Soldiers in Jungle Green.



1

Presentation of New Colours
to First and Second Battalions
at Windsor, 1951.
ENGLAND
SIT
The Last Day of the Third Battalion.
A sentry of Third Battalion with old
rifle relieved by a sentry of First
Battalion with new rifle.
The Colours are marched off parade.

A
U
N

G.P.M.G. in action.
ADEN
In the Radfan.



Gdsm A. E. C. Norton, G.M.
Dhala.
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
Stone Sangar.


Patrolling in Mauritius.
Catata
B
TEON

Making Camp.
SNOW WARFARE
Map reading.
Men and Snow-cats.

0
NORTHERN IRELAND
The different sides of life in Belfast.
1965)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
97
.
duly left in a Royal Air Force Argosy aircraft and after a night spent
at Mombasa in Kenya, flew on to Mauritius, receiving on the way a
message telling him that his Company were also airborne and on the
way. He now realized that he was definitely a one-man advance party
and not on a reconnaissance: so he carefully studied maps of the
island-which did not really help as they were some years out of date!
The island of Mauritius lies some 550 miles east of Madagascar:
its 720 square miles, of which only half-226,000 acres—is cultivable,
held at the time a population of 700,000. It was captured by the
British from the French in 1810, though shortly before the capture
frigates of the Royal Navy were defeated by a superior French
squadron off the island: by an odd coincidence the British frigates
were under the command of Captain Nesbit Willoughby, R.N., who
was of the same family as the Coldstream Company Commander.
Mauritius when originally discovered had been uninhabited: slaves
were brought in from Africa and after the abolition of slavery they
were replaced by Indians, who by now represented 70 per cent of the
population: the remainder were French, Creoles, Chinese and a few
British: the island was over populated and there was not enough
employment.
During the previous months the British Secretary of State for the
Colonies had visited the island. The Indians were in general in favour
of Independence and the rest of the population were against it: both
sides were most vociferous in making their point of view heard and
this led to violence and murder. As a result the Governor asked for
reinforcements and a State of Emergency was declared.
a
Major Willoughby landed at Plaisance Airfield, which is in the
south-east corner of the island, during the afternoon of 13 May and
during the night was joined by his Company. They spent a night at
the Royal Navy Leave Camp at near-by Le Chaland and next day the
police handed over vehicles to the Company by the simple method of
giving the Guardsmen the keys-rather different from the lengthy
army system. The Company was then divided into two: two Platoons
under Captain H. M. C. Havergal remained at Le Chaland and two
Platoons under Major Willoughby moved the thirty miles to the
Capital, Port Louis, in the north-west corner of the island where they
were quartered in the Police Barracks. Both the Royal Navy and the
Police could not have been kinder, more helpful and more hospitable
hosts and in addition, the Chief Secretary to the Governor, Mr T. D.
Vickers, who had been a Captain in the Third Battalion during the
war, gave every help and assistance.
H
98
[1965
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
For the first three weeks the pattern was established whereby in the
daytime the Platoons patrolled on foot and in vehicles round the
villages and likely trouble-spots, showing themselves as much as
possible: almost invariably they were well received, though on a few
occasions they were not made so welcome, but they were never
attacked and never had to fire a shot. At night the Police took over
and the troops returned to barracks. By the end of the month the
situation had eased sufficiently for the Company to be concentrated
at Le Chaland, though patrols still covered the whole island; on 12
June the Queen's Birthday Parade was held in Port Louis and the
Company played a prominent part. Thereafter patrols decreased
though one Platoon lived 'on board' H.M.S. Mauritius, the naval
communications centre in the centre of the island, to give it adequate
protection. For the rest it was training, competitions, sport and enter-
tainment and most hospitable the people were. It was a sad Company
that finally flew away from the island and back to Aden on 18 July.
PART III: THE FIRST BATTALION—ADEN
THE impending move of the First Battalion from Germany to
Aden was treated with such secrecy that, to start with, only the
Commanding Officer was told: he was not even allowed to tell
his Adjutant and his Quartermaster: it appears that matters of this
nature were not treated with such secrecy in Aden and the follow-
ing unclassified signal from the Second Battalion to the First Bat-
talion made the future of the Battalion very clear to everyone:
‘Delighted to hear your future intentions. Luckily you will have out-
standingly modern camp. Do come and see us all any time.'
Towards the end of October 1965 the Battalion, by now under the
command of Lieutenant-Colonel E. T. Smyth-Osbourne, was duly
flown to Aden: they replaced the First Battalion the Royal Sussex
Regiment, from whom they took over half of Radfan Camp, which
lies about half-way between Aden and Sheikh Othman, and which,
though perhaps modern, has been described by one Officer as having
‘the appearance and comforts of a Concentration Camp'. The other
half of the Camp was occupied by the First Battalion King's Own
Yorkshire Light Infantry—or when they were up country by their
rear party: the term 'up country'is in future being used to refer to the
Radfan to avoid confusion with Radfan Camp. The first Company to
1965)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
99
a
arrive was Number 2 and they flew in on 23 October: thirty-six
hours later they were guarding Mansoura Prison, close to Sheikh
Othman, and providing thirty warders to look after the detainees:
during the next few days the remaining Companies arrived and were
soon sent out on other Internal Security duties.
The nature of the Battalion's duties in the South Arabian Feder-
ation was just about the opposite of the Second Battalion's: the latter
did four tours as a Battalion up country and returned to Little Aden
in between to rest, train and carry out a comparatively small amount
of Internal Security work in Aden State. On the other hand the First
Battalion's main task was Internal Security in the area north of Aden
town area and the provision of Companies or Platoons for duties
elsewhere was, to the Battalion, of a little less importance. By a
coincidence the Battalion arrived as the Second Battalion was leaving,
but it also happened to be a time when the operational emphasis was
moving from up country to Aden and Sheikh Othman.
But all the same for five out of the six months of the Battalion's
tour of duty, there were detachments elsewhere. At the beginning of
December a Platoon was sent to the island of Perim which lies a little
over a hundred miles west of Aden and right in the middle of the
entrance to the Red Sea: here, there was a Diplomatic Wireless
Station which had to be protected from sabotage: duties were by no
means heavy and fishing and swimming were good: it was a popular
fortnight's detachment and in mid-January another Platoon did a
similar tour of duty. In mid-December a Platoon was sent for three
weeks to find the Garrison for the Royal Air Force Radar Station at
Mukerias, which a year before had been found by a Company of the
Second Battalion: by now the situation was quieter and a Platoon
sufficed.
On 2 December a section of mortars under Lieutenant J. G. G. N.
White was sent up country and joined the First Battalion Welsh
Guards at Habilayn. At the end of January Number 2 Company was
moved to Monk's Field and came under command of First Battalion
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry: they were joined by Lieutenant
White and his mortars: the camp was shot at or mortared several
times and the fire was returned with interest but no casualties or
damage was caused to either side, as far as is known. On 19 February
the Company moved back to Habilayn; unfortunately during the
move a troop-carrying lorry was blown up on a mine: five Guardsmen
were injured-none, luckily, very badly—and two had to be treated
for shock. The Company remained at Habilayn until 7 March when
a
100
(1965
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
Dar Saad
JULIETE
X
YGOLF
X
Scrubber Line
Grenade
Corner
Sheikh
Othman
N
1G
Prison
W
E
Mansoura
S
Little
Aden
BRAVO
a
Radfan
Camp
NCHARLIES
Causeway
Khormaksar
Airfield
ADEN PORT
Slave Island
Singapore Lines
Steamer Point
TE
Maala
H.Q. Middle East
Command
Government House
INDIAN
ADEN
OCEAN
Crater
1
2 miles
Aden
they were replaced by Number 1 Company and the First Battalion
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry were replaced by the First
Battalion Welsh Guards. Number 1 Company remained with the
Welsh Guards until 14 April: there was a certain amount of dissident
activity but no casualties were suffered. Though it was Number 1
Company in name, in fact Platoons from other Companies were from
time to time sent up to replace Number 1 Company Platoons so that
as many men as possible had a change from Aden and some ex-
perience of operations up country.
1965)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
101
>
But as has been already said the main task of the Battalion was
Internal Security in Aden State and in particular the prevention of the
import of arms and ammunition. The Battalion area ran from a mile
or so north of Aden and the Crater up to Sheikh Othman and it
included the airfield at Khormaksar—a somewhat sensitive spot
which the authorities were always afraid might come under mortar
fire. When the Battalion arrived there were a number of check-
points on the roads into Aden but also miles of open desert and it was
decided to build a barbed-wire fence from coast to coast-a distance
of eleven miles: this would funnel at least the vehicles and animals
through the check-points and deter humans from avoiding them: it
would also be sited sufficiently far north to keep the airfield out of
mortar range from any possible raiders from the north. The chief
architect of the line was the Second-in-Command, Major P. N. R.
Stewart-Richardson, known to all and sundry as 'Scrubber', by
which name the line or fence was christened: it consisted of dannaert
barbed-wire and pickets and once it was finished it became quite a
game preventing the locals from stealing the pickets-generally for
no more sinister purpose than that of propping up their very dilapi-
dated houses. Almost everyone in the Battalion played a part in its
building, the leading lights being the Corps of Drums.
With the Scrubber Line built there were now three entry points into
the Aden area, known respectively as check-points Bravo, Golf and
Juliet. Check-point Bravo was on the west on the Little Aden road,
check-point Golf on the north-west where the line divided Sheikh
Othman, which was within the area, from Dar Saad, which was out-
side the area, and check-point Juliet on the east coast: there was also
a ‘long stop' check-point on the east coast named 'Charlie'. The
Battalion's commitments were numerous, so much so that even when
no Company was up country, extra help was required: when they first
arrived this was provided by C Company First Battalion the Para-
chute Regiment. In mid-December they were replaced by B Company
First Battalion the Gloucestershire Regiment, commanded by Major
B. Hobbs, and they remained under command of the Battalion for
four months, until just before the Battalion left, when they were
replaced by B Company Second Battalion the Parachute Regiment:
these Companies were quartered a couple of miles south of Radfan
Camp, in Singapore Lines, which also housed Headquarters Aden
Brigade. When the Battalion had a Company up country some of the
commitments, generally including the guard at the prison at Man-
soura, were carried out by a Battalion from Little Aden.
102
(1965
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
Each check-point was manned by a Platoon living on the site in a
few tents with probably a section on duty at a time, stopping people
and vehicles, examining documents and searching men and vehicles:
women were rather a problem as there were no female searchers
available for the check-points: however, the Intelligence Officer,
Lieutenant Sir Brian Barttelot, Bt., fitted chairs with mine detectors
and the women were invited to take a seat: there is, however, no
recorded case of contraband being discovered in this manner. The
men on duty were kept busy and it was reckoned that, when manning
all four check-points, the average daily search was 4,500 men and
500 vehicles plus camels and other animals. There were a number of
ordinary static guards to be found, mostly in Aden town and, there-
fore, outside the Battalion area, but all Battalions in the Aden
Brigade shared these particular duties: the Battalion generally found
the Guard on the British Forces Broadcasting Station, the Intelligence
Headquarters and the Naval Depot. There was always an Internal
Security Company and this Company found patrols mounted in
Land Rovers to patrol the Battalion area and in particular Sheikh
Othman. There was a Battalion picquet available to deal with any
sudden emergency and sometimes a section had to be provided to
search the large number of civilian employees when they left Singa-
pore Lines, where Brigade Headquarters was quartered. Last but not
least there was the Mansoura Prison Guard provided as much to
protect it from attacks from the outside as to stop prisoners escaping:
as has been said, on first arrival the Battalion had to find warders, but
these were soon replaced by suitable NCOs sent out from England:
the Battalion did, however, remain responsible for the administration
of the prison, even though it did not always find the guard.
Generally a Company's duties were changed every fortnight-one
fortnight check-points, the next static guards and so on. There was
one special patrol from the Reconnaissance Platoon, a sort of 'James
Bond' section under Sergeant Bambrick who, in support of Special
Branch Officers, carried out raids and arrests of wanted men. There
was also, sometimes, a more amateurish patrol-anyone who
normally stayed in camp, such as Cooks and Storemen-whom the
Intelligence Officer would get together and take out on duty. He
acquired an ancient car and, one day, his patrol, all dressed up as
Arabs, nearly got themselves arrested by another Battalion!
Most days produced an incident of some sort or the other and
Christmas Day was no exception: a rocket fired at Mansoura Prison
exploded in the Operations Room but fortunately only Lance-
1966)
ADEN AND MAURITIUS
103
>
Corporal Woodhall of Number 2 Company, who were guarding the
prison, was hurt, and only slightly at that. The most common incident
was grenade throwing, generally at military vehicles passing through
the built-up area of Sheikh Othman, where the thrower could easily
get lost in the maze of hovels. A particularly favourite spot for this
pastime was nicknamed, not surprisingly, Grenade Corner. Such an
incident happened on 28 December: a patrol mounted in two vehicles
was held up by a lorry on the edge of Sheikh Othman: a grenade
thrown at the second vehicle injured Guardsman Wyatt slightly and
Guardsman Bates badly: the patrol Commander decided to with-
draw so as to get medical attention for Guardsman Bates as quickly
as possible: whereupon another grenade went off, near by, killing one
local and wounding five; it was probably meant for the patrol but was
dropped or mishandled. The patrol reinforced by the stand-by
Platoon returned to the scene and three more grenades were thrown
at them: one failed to explode and the others injured Lance-Sergeant
Cook and Guardsman Nicholson slightly.
Most of January and February were comparatively quiet: one tent
was burnt down accidentally in Radfan Camp: it belonged, of all
people, to the Battalion Fire Officer! On the last day of the month the
lull ended: an Intelligence Report had been received that a hundred
trained men had returned to the area and almost at once the grenade
throwing started again and also a certain amount of rioting in Sheikh
Othman. One grenade landed in the driving cab of a three-ton lorry:
very fortunately the cab was empty. The situation deteriorated and for
most of the last ten days of March a nightly curfew was imposed in
Sheikh Othman which resulted in the arrest of numerous curfew
breakers; sixty-eight was the highest for any one night. During April
the activity continued but the Battalion six months' tour was coming
to an end: in mid-April Number 1 Company returned from up
country and shortly afterwards the First Battalion Somerset and
Cornwall Light Infantry started to arrive to take over: operational
control was handed over on 27 April and on 1 May the fifth and last
flight left Aden for Germany.
a
a
VII
THE SECOND BATTALION 1965-1970
B
,
Y 23 October 1965, the whole of the Second Battalion had
arrived home by plane from Aden, and after six weeks dis-
embarkation leave, reassembled at Elizabeth Barracks, Pir-
bright, at the end of November. They soon started finding Windsor
Castle Guard and, occasionally, Queen's Guard. Otherwise life was a
mixture of ceremonial and training; the highlight of the year was, as
usual the Queen's Birthday, when the Battalion found Numbers 6 and
7 Guards, and five half Companies for street-lining.
Towards the end of June 1966, the Regiment had to provide a
Platoon which was attached to an Irish Guards Company which was
in its turn attached to the First Battalion Scots Guards in Malaya.
The Second Battalion provided the Platoon Commander, Second
Lieutenant E. M. Crofton, and half the Platoon, and the First
Battalion the remainder. They flew off to Singapore at the end of the
month and rejoined nearly eight months later, by which time the
Battalion had moved to Chelsea Barracks.
The First Battalion Scots Guards was part of the Twenty-eighth
Commonwealth Brigade and was, at the time, stationed in Malacca
in Malaya: the Platoon immediately got down to jungle warfare
training in preparation for the Battalion's third and final tour of duty
in Borneo, which was due to start in September, but, before that date,
peace with Indonesia was arranged and as a result the Battalion
remained in Malacca. So, instead of operations, it was training, some
of which took place near Tapah, where the Second Battalion had
been some sixteen years before: the Platoon made a visit to Kampong
Coldstream, which was built by the Second Battalion, and were given
a very warm welcome.
a
The first half of 1967 was spent almost entirely in London, where
they were joined in Chelsea Barracks in February by the First
Battalion. In June, while taking their turn in finding Queen's Guard
and rehearsing and taking part in the Queen's Birthday Parade, for
which they found Number 7 Guard and ten half Companies for
street-lining, they were also packing for a month's visit to Canada for
1967–69)
105
THE SECOND BATTALION
a
training. A week after the Birthday Parade, they were established in
Camp Wainwright, which is in Alberta, and soon started using the
training area which was once the Buffalo National Park, and which
they had to themselves. In addition to normal Company and Battalion
training, adventure training parties went off to the Rocky Mountains
and by the end of their stay some 270 members of the Battalion had
taken part in these expeditions. It was also the Stampede season and
many were able to visit the Stampedes at both Wainwright and at
Calgary. It was a most instructive and entertaining month and there
were few who were not sorry when it came to an end. They started
home on 17 July and on 21 July, while two flights were leaving
Canada, the Battalion was finding Queen's Guard and continued to
take their turn in doing so, except for a few weeks' break for training
on Salisbury Plain in the autumn of 1968, until the end of February
1969. By that time, since their arrival back from Aden they had
mounted 292 Queen's Guards and 288 Windsor Castle Guards!
There were some notable events for the Battalion in 1968. On 4
May, the Freedom of the Borough of Windsor was granted to the
Brigade of Guards at a parade which was held, in the presence of
Her Majesty the Queen, in the Horse Show arena in the Home Park.
The Regiment was represented by the Second Battalion's detachment
of 120. At the Queen's Birthday Parade, the Battalion's Queen's
Colour was trooped, with the Battalion finding the Escort and Num-
ber 2 Guard and five half Companies of street-liners: the Com-
manding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel E. I. Windsor Clive was, as
Field Officer-in-Brigade-Waiting, in command of the Parade. In
August a detachment went to Coldstream to take part in a Regi-
mental Parade at which the Freedom of the Burgh was granted to the
Regiment. Finally, on quite a different note, Number 4 Company
was flown to Cyprus in November to take part in an exercise and was
in the island for three weeks.
Towards the end of March 1969, the Battalion moved by air to
Buller Barracks, Munster, where it became part of Fourth Guards
Brigade. The move of the main body was made in eight flights spaced
over nine days and was completed by 29 March.
Like the First Battalion a few years before, the Battalion became
an A.P.C. Battalion--that is, they were carried in Armoured Per-
sonnel Carriers: this time the A.P.C. was the FV 432, a tracked-
armoured vehicle, of which they had about eighty, and for which they
had to train the drivers and signallers: each section had one A.P.C.
106
(1970
THE SECOND BATTALION
а.
and the section as a whole was responsible for the maintenance of the
vehicle: as in tank Battalions, the first parade of the day was a
servicing parade, and every man had a job to do in his section or
Headquarters vehicles. The first test came in May when the Battalion
moved to Sennelager by road for training: however, even with the
large number of extra tracked vehicles the move to and from the
training area went smoothly. Thereafter, for the following year and a
quarter it was a fairly routine B.A.O.R. life, with the usual large
amount of training and the occasional provision of Border Patrols.
There was also liaison and co-operation with our allies in N.A.T.O.:
for instance, a Company of a Danish Infantry Regiment, the Second
Battalion Jutland Dragoon Regiment, was attached to the Battalion
for a fortnight and visits were paid to the Battalion by German
Panzer Grenadier Officers.
But the routine of training was interrupted by the troubles in
Northern Ireland, and in July 1970 it was the Battalion's turn to go
there for four months.
a
In June the Battalion started training for the tour of duty in
Northern Ireland and the main body moved there by air on 27 July,
taking over on the following day the West Central Area of Belfast
from the First Battalion the Royal Scots. The Battalion was well
split up, mainly in the Springfield and Falls Road area, where a six or
seven hundred yard wide wedge of Roman Catholic-occupied houses
lies between two areas of Protestant-occupied houses: on the north of
the wedge, mainly along Cupar Street, was the Peace Line, the
dividing line between the Catholics and the Protestant Shanklin
area to the north. Battalion Headquarters was in the Royal Ulster
Constabulary Station at the eastern end of Springfield Road:
Number 1 Company was in Paisley Park with Number 1 Platoon in
Mayo Street Mill: Number 2 (Support) Company was in that part of
the Royal Victoria Hospital that fronts on to Broadway, with the
Recce Platoon and the Anti-tank Platoon-needless to say without
their guns—in the Mulhouse Street Warehouse. Number 3 Company
was on the Peace Line and in North Howard Street Mill with Number
12 Platoon in Number 219 Springfield Road whilst Number 4
Company was in Brigade Reserve on H.M.S. Maidstone—better
known later as a detainee camp. The Battalion was under command of
Thirty-ninth Air Portable Brigade.
The main tasks were to keep the Protestants and Catholics apart
and to stop terrorism, looting and vandalism. This was achieved by
1970]
THE SECOND BATTALION
107
routine patrols on foot and in vehicles, by snap road-blocks and
searches of vehicles and by house searches, generally in support of the
Royal Ulster Constabulary. Number 4 Company was brought on to
the scene of action as and when required though later, on 26 August,
Paisley Park
Shankill Road
Mayo St.
•N
North
Howard St.
W
E
Cupar St.
S
Wo. 219
Mill
Springfield Road
SPRINGFIELD
Falls Road
Clonard St.
RUC Stations
Springfield Road
BALLYMURPHY
Mulhouse St.
Warehouse
Magnet
Club
Falls Road
Royal
Victoria
Hospital
Roden St.
Broadway
Donegal Road
Donegal Road
Falls
Road
- Peace Line
M1 Motorway
500
1000 yards
Belfast
it was given its own area in the Lower Falls. On the whole the day-
time was peaceful and the real work was done between 6 p.m. and
2 a.m. During this time crowds would collect and would have to be
dispersed: on 1 August two shots were fired at a Reconnaissance
Platoon patrol but no one was injured: the next day a crowd of a
108
THE SECOND BATTALION
[1970
a
a
hundred attacked Battalion Headquarters and Number 4 Company
had to be brought up to disperse them.
But the real trouble was expected on 16 August: the only thing that
might dampen the rival factions' enthusiasm seemed to be rain, so the
Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel C. S. Wallis-King, sent a
signal to the padre asking him to pray for rain: this he promised to do
and the result was startling: it rained so hard that the area was badly
flooded. Families had to be evacuated to welfare centres by the
troops, some of whom waded up to their necks in cold, dirty and rather
oily flood-water to help those whom the day before had been throw-
ing stones at them. Tea and hot food was provided for the flooded-
out people and sandbag barriers were built to hold back the water.
Most of the men got wet but none so wet as Guardsman Walker, who
got in the way of a firehose, at full power at five yards' range. He
was then asked to repeat the performance for the benefit of a tele-
vision film crew! Then as the waters receded the men assisted in
clearing up the rubbish and cleaning up the houses—for a time at
least, being welcomed into both Catholic and Protestant homes;
perhaps the most practical example of help and co-operation was the
Roden Street Redecoration Committee a committee of soldiers and
civilians set up to provide wallpaper and furnishings for the old and
the less well-off, most of whose property was not insured: Lieutenant
B. M. de L. Cazenove of the Anti-tank Platoon, who was a member
of the Committee toured the city, was met with the greatest kindness
by wholesalers and auctioneers and was given considerable quantities
of wallpaper, paint and furniture. By the time that the Battalion left,
a considerable number of old people in the area had had their homes
dried, papered and furnished for nothing. The gratitude of the
people was shown in various ways—the most concrete example was,
perhaps, the gift of over £51 to the Reconnaissance Platoon.
The Battalion made every effort to gain the goodwill of the people
both Catholic and Protestant and particularly the young. One way in
which some progress was made was in the running of the Magnet
Club. This was an inter-denominational youth club for boys and girls
from the age of five to twenty-five and members—450 at the time
though only 150 attended regularly came from all over Belfast. It
was started by a local girl, Elizabeth Boyle, in January 1970 with a
capital of £10 in a small room behind the Mulhouse Street Ware-
house. The Battalion in the area at the time, the First Battalion
Hampshire Regiment, helped develop the Club and their successors,
the First Battalion the Royal Scots, made great improvements and
1970]
THE SECOND BATTALION
109
a
encouraged local firms to contribute large sums of money: when the
Second Battalion took over they continued the good work under the
general supervision of Lieutenant B. M. de L. Cazenove, with
CQMS L. Peake as the day-to-day manager, assisted by Staff Ser-
geant Instructor B. White of the Army Physical Training Corps and
also Lance-Corporal Albrighton. The Club was open daily from
5 p.m. to 10 p.m. with different times for different age groups, so that,
fortunately, there was no question of all 450 members being there at
the same time—the space was far too limited. There was indoor
football, badminton, basket-ball, a trampoline and the inevitable
juke-box: soft drinks and food were served and the club remained
open irrespective of any trouble outside.
Companies also ran children's outings; the first of these was
organized by the Recce Platoon who gave a picnic party to 150
children: the following day an outing to the seaside was organized by
Number 3 Company and sixty children were asked: a hundred turned
up and were taken. Other Companies and the Magnet Club followed
suit with outings either to the seaside or the near-by mountains.
For the Officers and Men living conditions were uncomfortable and
hours of work very long and tiring. There was not much chance of
recreation and, to relieve some of the monotony, a Battalion news-
paper was produced, as had been done on various other occasions
when a Battalion had been outside England: this time it was called
the Star and Garter: it varied in size, thirty pages of foolscap being
the largest edition, and it contained Company news, gossip and
scandal, articles of general interest, poetry, crossword puzzles, car-
toons and even photographs.
But, to return to operations, on 31 August the Battalion took part
in its first large-scale search operation in support of the Royal Ulster
Constabulary. As the result of information received, twenty-two
houses were searched and finds were made in six of them: eleven
people were arrested and the finds included six pistols, one shotgun,
nine home-made grenades, one German hand-grenade, about two
thousand rounds of assorted ammunition and various detonators and
bits and pieces for making bombs. The next big search took place in
the Clonard area on 7 October: it was not only a failure in that only
a few rounds of ammunition were found but it spoilt the good
relations that had been established by the Battalion with the people
of the area and led to demonstrations by a large number of women
outside Battalion Headquarters. The third search took place two days
later in the same area, the police being assisted by Sergeant Cope, the
110
THE SECOND BATTALION
(1970
a
Pioneer Sergeant, and some of his men equipped with a mine detector:
this was much more successful and the 'bag' included a Thompson
sub-machine gun with full and empty magazines, two revolvers,
three home-made bombs, some explosive devices and nearly 400
rounds of assorted ammunition.
For the rest it was a pattern of daily and nightly incidents, mostly
minor ones: bottles, stones and petrol bombs were thrown at foot and
mobile patrols—mostly by youths of both the religious denomi-
nations. Men and women were arrested for vandalism, abusive
behaviour and drunkenness. On one occasion a stolen car was
recovered and it was found to contain the local church collection!
On another occasion a patrol of men of Number 1 Company in plain
clothes led by CSM Bamforth, disguised in a “beatle' wig, surprised
and arrested a group of five Protestant youths who were intimidating
the Catholic occupants of a house. Frequently there were protest
marches and demonstrations, mostly at Battalion Headquarters and
mostly carried out by singing or placard-carrying women. There was
rarely a quiet night and few were sorry when the time came for the
Battalion to return to Germany. On 17 November control of West
Central Belfast was handed over to the Second Battalion the Royal
Anglian Regiment and the Battalion began to leave the city and return
to Germany.
During their time in Belfast they had searched over twelve thou-
sand cars and the suspects detained included ninety-nine persons, one
pony and one donkey. But it was not all unfriendly and someone
worked out that the number of cups of tea given by the locals to
members of the Battalion amounted to 160,939; give or take a few,
no doubt. There is also at least one man who owes his life to the
gallantry of members of the Battalion: a house caught fire and Lance-
Sergeant Cowling led Guardsmen Griffiths, Taylor and Falconer
through the flames and succeeded in carrying out a man who was
lying semi-conscious upstairs. For this action Lance-Sergeant
Cowling was awarded the General Officer Commanding's Certificate
of Commendation.
Before the Battalion left the following message of appreciation was
received from the G.O.C.
‘As you return to BAOR I wish to thank All Ranks in your Battalion for
the excellent contribution you have made to our work here. You have
risen splendidly to the occasion when confronted by widely differing tasks:
whether it was helping in the floods, community relations, or looking after
your part of Belfast from day to day. Your record here is in the best
1970]
THE SECOND BATTALION
111
traditions of your Regiment and you will be sadly missed by us all and
especially the many friends you have made. Well done and every best wish
for the future.'
The remaining six weeks of 1970 were spent in the peace of
Germany at Christmas time-peace because there is little training at
that time of year and duties are light though from the social point of
view it is a very lively time.
VIII
THE FIRST BATTALION 1966-1971
I
.
T was the end of May 1966 before the First Battalion had re-
assembled at Aldershot Barracks, Iserlohn, after their return from
Aden and disembarkation leave. The last to arrive were a party of
four Officers and sixteen NCO's and Guardsmen, led by Majors
J. I. Whitaker and K. Teulon-Sellars, who drove home: the latter
seemed to make a habit of this practice as, when the Second Battalion
returned from Kenya some years before, he with others drove from
Kenya to Benghazi. On this occasion the party with four Land
Rovers was taken by landing-craft to Bahrain and from there to the
mainland by dhow. They then drove across Saudi Arabia, Jordan,
Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, crossed by ferry to Italy, and on
through Austria to Germany. In all they covered 5,496 miles in
twenty-seven days.
The Battalion soon settled down to training, though once again
there was more variety than in years gone by. The second half of
June Number 3 Company spent in Denmark, training and being well
entertained by the Danish Army, and in August the whole Battalion
went to Le Larzac in southern France for three weeks' training. The
tour abroad was, however, coming to an end and towards the end of
January 1967 they moved back to England by air and took over
Chelsea Barracks, which they shared with the Second Battalion.
The round of Public Duties started again, though a small part of
the Battalion was soon on the move; early in April a Platoon com-
manded by Second Lieutenant A. S. H. Pollen was sent back to Aden
to be attached to the First Battalion Irish Guards, who were under
strength, and they stayed with that Battalion for four months, taking
part in a variety of operations, both in Aden State and up country.
At home the Battalion found Numbers 5 and 6 Guards and a
detachment of street-liners for the Queen's Birthday Parade and a
week later a party of a hundred, accompanied by the Corps of
Drums and the Regimental Band, went to Coventry, where the old
Colours of the Battalion were laid up in the Cathedral: it will be
remembered that new Colours had been presented to the Battalion
by Her Majesty the Queen just three years earlier and a month before
1967)
THE FIRST BATTALION
113
they left for Germany. This was the first opportunity for the old
Colours to be laid up with proper ceremony.
In August the Battalion was required to send a Company on a six
months' tour of duty, unaccompanied by families, to British Hon-
duras: this is a Crown Colony on the east coast of Central America,
facing the Caribbean Sea: it is about the size of Wales and is bordered
on the north by Mexico and on the west and south by Guatemala: the
latter would like to annex the colony but the people, who are mostly
Creoles—a cross between the early white settlers and their Negro
slaves—are proud of their British status: backward as the Colony is,
they realize that to join Guatemala would mean a lowering of their
standard of living, higher unemployment and a lessening of the
political stability that they enjoy as members of a British Colony. The
population was at the time about 105,000 and of these about one-
third lived in the capital, Belize City, which is the only sizeable town
in the Colony, and which consists of a few elegant houses and a large
number of shanty slums. There is a port but a ship of any size has to
anchor outside and off-load into lighters. There is also Belize Inter-
national Airport, about ten miles from the town, which despite its
name had not got a long enough runway to take modern airliners: it
must also be one of the few airports where the Air Traffic Controller
has contrived to have two aircraft landing from opposite directions
on the same runway at the same moment!
For the rest of the country, it is mostly swamps, jungle and forest
with few tarmac roads and no railways. The best feature of the
country, from the leisure point of view, is the string of islands up the
coast-known as cays--each just big enough for a house, with
beautiful sandy beaches and good fishing, water-skiing and ‘snor-
kelling'.
Number 2 Company, brought up to a strength of about 185, and
under the command of Major P. E. W. Gibbs (succeeded later by
Major R. A. Q. Shuldham) left England in chartered aircraft on 26
and 27 August. There was an overnight stop at Nassau in the
Bahamas and then they transferred to Argosy Aircraft of the Royal
Air Force for the flight on to British Honduras-aircraft small
enough to land on the runway there. The Company was housed close
to the airport in a well-appointed and modern camp with brick-built
air-conditioned huts, cricket and football pitches, tennis courts and
swimming pool. The camp was modern for the simple reason that its
predecessor had been knocked down in a hurricane five years earlier.
I
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THE FIRST BATTALION
(1967
a
Other than the Company, the Garrison of the Colony consisted of a
Garrison Commander, a Colonel, a small staff and a stock pile of
stores and vehicles for any reinforcements that might have to be
flown in.
The Garrison's role was fourfold. First there was internal security
which, during the Company's time in the Colony, was no problem:
anyway, as has been said, the people were pro-British and, even if a
riot had taken place, it would have been against union with Guate-
mala. Secondly there was external defence which meant that the
Company would defend the airport to allow the arrival of reinforce-
ments. Anti-aircraft defence was limited to a few rather ancient
point-five Browning machine guns: these were tried out on occasions
and were even persuaded to fire but, as the tracer ammunition tended
to start forest fires, practice on these weapons was not very frequent!
The proper role for the Company should, no doubt, have been to
defend the frontiers but it was apparently felt that a Company-even
a Coldstream Company—could not be expected to defend a country
the size of Wales. Thirdly there was ‘Showing the Flag', a real
necessity in a country of loyal members of the Commonwealth to
show to the more remote villages that there were British Troops in the
Colony and that the British Government cared for their defence.
Vehicle and foot patrols were sent to numerous out of the way and
distant places and the men always received a warm welcome, despite
the language barrier. Lastly there was Hurricane Defence: the Colony
lies in the Hurricane belt and the Company's task was, after the
hurricane had passed, to provide relief and rescue and to prevent
looting: during their tour of duty one hurricane did approach Belize
but veered away at about the last moment.
For most of the time, three out of the four Platoons would be out of
camp on training or on expeditions: all the Platoons attempted to
climb the Colony's only mountain, Mount Victoria, 4,000 feet high:
the difficulty was not the climb but getting through the jungle to its
base. Two Platoons visited Mexico and made good friends in the
Mexican Army just over the border at Chetumal. Platoons camped
out on the various cays: they had two boats, a speed-boat belonging
to the Officers and a more sedate launch, provided by the Nuffield
Trust for the Company as a whole: on one Platoon expedition the
Platoon Commander and his advance party nearly came to grief
when the speed-boat broke down some miles out to seam for the
simple reason that the Officer, not being a brilliant mechanic, had
filled the petrol tanks with kerosene: it was after dark before they
1968)
THE FIRST BATTALION
115
were washed ashore on the mainland and found themselves in the
garden of a nunnery! But it wasn't all fun and games and there was
plenty of proper training, field-firing, patrolling, map reading, etc.
Leave was restricted as there was nowhere particular to go to in
British Honduras and flights elsewhere were expensive: a few got
away-every fortnight an Officer or Warrant Officer had to take the
diplomatic bag to San Salvador: for the Company's Christmas draw
the star prize was a trip to Mexico City and the Sergeants' Mess gave
for theirs a trip to the United States: the American Air Force also
helped and two parties visited Panama.
By February 1968 the tour of duty had come to an end and they
left, once again in Argosy aircraft of the Royal Air Force, trans-
ferring, after a stay of twenty-four hours in Jamaica, to Britannia
aircraft for the journey back across the Atlantic.
For the remainder of the Battalion there was a month's training at
Otterburn in Northumberland during the autumn, but otherwise they
remained at Chelsea Barracks, finding Public Duties, and the same
pattern was repeated in 1968. For the Queen's Birthday Parade the
Battalion found Number 3 Guard and a Detachment of street-liners:
on this occasion there was one particular difference from previous
Birthday Parades: on the day before Her Majesty had visited Chelsea
Barracks and had met a large number of the Officers and Men who
were on parade and also their families. On 10 August a Detachment
took part with the Second Battalion Detachment and the Band of the
Regiment in a parade at Coldstream, when the Freedom of the
Burgh was conferred on the Regiment. Later in the month they moved
to Otterburn for a month's training and then back to Chelsea Bar-
racks for two more months' Public Duties.
'
On one evening, 3 October, the Captain of the Queen's Guard
entertained to dinner the Colonel of the Regiment and the Sultan of
Brunei who was and is an honorary Captain of the Regiment. The
Sultan presented to the Regiment a beautifully engraved silver tray
and received from the Colonel a Regimental Sword, suitably in-
scribed. The previous year the Sultan, when Crown Prince, had, with
his brother, been at Sandhurst: it had been decided that they should
both have some training and experience in ceremonial and the
Crown Prince, His Highness Sultan Hassanal Belkiah Mu'izzuddin
Waddaulah Ibni Sultan Omar Saifuddin Sa-'Adul Khairi-Waddin,
was gazetted into the Regiment with the honorary rank of Ensign:
however, before he could join, his father abdicated and he had to
116
[1969/70
THE FIRST BATTALION
return to his country as Sultan: it was felt that Ensign was hardly an
appropriate rank for a Head of State, and so he was granted the
honorary rank of Captain.
In the first half of December 1968, the Battalion moved by Com-
panies to Assaye Barracks, Tidworth where they were to be based for
the following two years: they became part of Allied Command
Europe Mobile Forces (Land Component)in its abbreviated form
A.M.F. (L) and started training for warfare in Arctic conditions:
this meant the issue of special clothes, equipment and vehicles, and,
as they had to be prepared to fight in normal conditions as well, they
had to keep their usual equipment and vehicles too. Number 3
Company went off to train in Canada-at Fort Wainwright in
Alberta: the remainder of the Battalion started to get used to their
equipment in the Cairngorms in Scotland and then moved to Norway,
where, taught by Norwegian Officers, they learned to move across
country on skis or snowshoes, carrying full equipment and towing
toboggans: they learnt survival techniques, how to erect and live in
their five- or ten-men tents, how to build and survive in snow holes
and also, of course, they started learning how to adapt their tactics and
weapon handling to this new type of warfare: for the transport drivers,
valuable experience was gained in driving Volvo oversnow vehicles.
By mid-April 1969 the whole Battalion was back at Tidworth and
the summer was spent training as a normal infantry battalion in
various parts of England, ending with a fortnight's training in
Denmark in September. Then it was time to get back to winter war-
fare training again, starting with hardening training at Glen Trool in
Scotland and ending with the whole Battalion spending most of
January and March 1970 in Norway, on very energetic training. The
two winters spent training for this type of warfare had been a great
experience for the Battalion, though whether everyone enjoyed the
conditions is doubtful. One Officer described it—'Everyone enjoyed
the skiing but otherwise it was bloody'!
The summer of 1970 was largely taken up with shooting-at
targets not birds--as the Battalion had to find about 250 men to
assist in the running of the Bisley Rifle Meeting, besides taking part in
various competitions: there was however still time for a little training.
In the autumn two parties went abroad. One of about a section in
strength, under Lieutenant the Hon. T. H. J. Clifford, took five Land
Rovers to Turkey to take part in a N.A.T.O. exercise; the last time
that any part of the Regiment had been there was in 1922 and 1923
when the Third Battalion landed in very different circumstances. The
1970]
THE FIRST BATTALION
117
second party was a composite company about 150 strong, and com-
manded by Major J. R. Macfarlane, which went to Fort Hood in
Texas for six weeks' training with the American Army. The last time
that a detachment of the Regiment, other than the Band, had visited
America was nearly two hundred years ago and again in very different
circumstances: somewhat over 300 Coldstreamers were part of a
composite Guards Battalion taking part in the War of American
Independence.
a
a
At the end of November the Battalion's tour of duty in A.M.F. (L)
was over and they moved back to Chelsea Barracks, but only for a
few weeks: they were now due for a tour of duty in Northern Ireland,
where, as a few years earlier in Aden, they arrived just after the de-
parture of the Second Battalion and also carried out a somewhat
different and more varied role. Once again news of the move leaked
out earlier than intended: this time it was nine months in advance and,
when the Battalion was deep in Norwegian snow, a copy of a letter
arrived, giving Ministry of Defence Transport Plans: included was the
move of the Battalion to Northern Ireland in December 1970. The
Battalion was based at Magilligan Point, a hutted camp by the sea
some twenty-eight miles north-east of Londonderry, and perhaps
better known, at the date of writing, as a camp for detainees. The
story is continued in the words of the Battalion's Second-in-
Command, Major the Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby:
*The Battalion alternated at two to three week intervals with the other
Battalion of 8th Infantry Brigade, the 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regi-
ment, in carrying out duties in the city of Londonderry and in the county.
Whilst in the City, the Battalion, less one reserve Company, was accom-
modated in a variety of buildings in the city, varying from a disused
mortuary to specially erected huts in the old prison and what had once
been a Seamen's Hostel. The task of the Battalion was to assist the Royal
Ulster Constabulary in keeping the peace within the city and to prevent
illegal crossings of the border between Londonderry and Donegal in that
part of Ulster which lies West of the River Foyle.
‘During the county phases, the Battalion, less Number 3 Company who
lived at the Royal Air Force station at Ballykelly, concentrated on
Magilligan, from where it carried out a wide variety of routine tasks: key
points such as Power and Electricity stations required frequent visits by
patrols; quarries were visited and checked for explosives: Royal Ulster
Constabulary stations and Territorial Army Centres were called on and
frequent road checks were carried out, day and night, to deter the movement
of illegal arms and ammunition by cars. In addition, depending on infor-
mation received, special operations were carried out. These included
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THE FIRST BATTALION
[1970
a
operations to search for hidden arms and ambushes to capture IRA
members in the act of blowing up Customs Houses or radio masts. At the
same time the Battalion was liable to be called upon to reinforce troops
already in Belfast or in other parts of the province including Londonderry
itself. It also attempted, with some success, to carry out its own training.
‘On 17 December the Battalion was complete in Northern Ireland,
having travelled by Landing Ship, Car Ferry and by air from England.
Little breathing space was allowed, and on 18 December the Battalion was
deployed in Londonderry to help contain any violence which might break
out as a result of the Lundy Day Celebrations. An effigy of Colonel Lundy
is burnt by the Protestant “Apprentice Boys”, on the walls of the city over-
looking the Catholic area of the Bogside, in commemoration of the
successful Protestant defence of the city against the besieging Catholics
supporting King James II in 1689. The burning and the marches which
take place at the same time might be expected to evoke a violent response
from the Catholics, never averse at the best of times to throwing a punch
or a rock at their Protestant fellow citizens. In the event, the celebrations
were somewhat curtailed and well controlled by the Royal Ulster Con-
stabulary and the Battalion remained discreetly behind the scenes through-
out the day.
*Christmas in Derry was passed in a haze of alcohol by many of the
inhabitants and in long hours of duty by the Guardsmen. The Padre's
Midnight Christmas Eve Service, held in a car park, was interrupted by the
need for the congregation to chase away a number of hooligans, who were
breaking windows in the town centre, but otherwise there were few inci-
dents. The Christmas spirit of goodwill was somewhat lacking in the case
of a Derry citizen who invited a Coldstream Sergeant to get away back to
England, you English bastard". The only hurt lay in the fact that the
Sergeant in question had been born and brought up in Eire! At the same
time, a number of Guardsmen were invited into people's homes to eat a
Christmas meal.
‘Mid-January found the Battalion back in Magilligan, but within two
days it was re-deployed to Belfast to reinforce Battalions already there and
hard pressed by a week's continuous disorders in the City. Normally under
command of another Battalion, the Companies carried out long hours of
duty, manning vehicle check points, although at one stage Number 2
Company became involved with a particularly vicious mob and sustained
minor casualties mainly caused by rocks and broken glass. On the credit
side, one rioter was laid low by a magnificent blow from Captain Innes's
fist and the Battalion's first ever arrest was made by Guardsman Williams,
one of the smallest members of the Battalion. No shooting incidents
occurred in the ten days during which the Battalion was employed in
Belfast, but the bitterness and unpleasant atmosphere stood out in
interesting contrast to the sometimes violent, but generally less extreme,
inhabitants of Derry.
“The beginning of February found the Battalion back in Londonderry,
a
1971)
THE FIRST BATTALION
119
where the wilder of the hoodlums were emulating the activities of the
extremists in Belfast, and intermittent rioting took place over a period of
three days and nights. Barricading the streets, hi-jacking and burning
buses and the stoning of shop windows, the Royal Ulster Constabulary
and the soldiers were activities favoured by the rioters and it became
apparent how many troops were needed to control even a relatively small
area. It also proved extremely difficult to arrest rioters who in the main
were fleet-footed youths, from the age of 12 years old upwards, with a
wealth of experience in the game of Tom Tiddler's ground with the military,
encumbered as the latter were with shields and helmets. Quick and efficient
outflanking manoeuvres proved to be the only method of ensuring more
than the odd lucky arrest.
“The Guardsmen were subjected to considerable verbal abuse from
men and women alike on these occasions and their self-control was at
times sorely tried. Bricks and rocks, flung with remarkable accuracy and
strength, formed the main armoury of the rioters, backed by a plentiful
supply of milk bottles filled with petrol which was ignited just before they
were thrown. Fortunately no Guardsman was injured by these petrol
bombs throughout our tour, though tragically one Military Policeman
under the Battalion's Command died from the effects of such a bomb
thrown into the back of a Land Rover. We were also fortunate in that
firearms were employed against us only on two occasions.
"The Guardsmen themselves were generally armed one third with
rifles and two thirds with batons. All wore helmets with plastic visors
attached and leg padding; most carried shields. Indeed, the Coldstreamer
of 1971 more closely resembled the Roman legionary than a modern
soldier. Tactics were also somewhat similar, and shields were used in the
manner of the Roman testudo. In place of javelins, heavy rubber bullets
were fired by platoons and followed up by snatch squads, whose task was
to seize rioters before they had recovered from the effects of a rubber
bullet landing in the middle. That was the theory-it did not always work.
No live round was fired in anger by the Battalion during its four months.
CS gas grenades were carried in case of emergency, but none was thrown.
‘By mid-February the Battalion was back in Magilligan and during the
next fortnight it carried out two area searches. An area near Portglenone
was suspected of concealing illegal weapons, and the Battalion duly
blocked off all approach roads and carried out a search of all derelict
buildings and barns, undergrowth, hedgerows, pits and quarries. The size
of the needle was not known-nor indeed whether there was a needle at all
---but the haystack was very large. Later searches were more fruitful,
but the Portglenone area was drawn blank. On one subsequent search an
Irish lady was particularly helpful in trying to turn up a weapon in her
house, which puzzled the searchers. However, it transpired that the poor
lady had ten children under ten years of age and she seemed eager to assist
in an operation which might result in a year's jail for her unremitting
husband. She failed.
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THE FIRST BATTALION
(1971
'The Battalion returned to the city of Derry for the fourth time on
28 March, and prepared for the processions by two rival groups of
Republicans, who were commemorating the Easter Rising of 1917, as well
as by Protestant Apprentice Boys. By the afternoon of Easter Day it
appeared that all would be well, but it was not to be. Some hundreds of
hooligans bent on mischief fiung stones at troops, who were on stand-by
to prevent deviation off the agreed route, and then stole a bus. Within
minutes the Battalion with a Royal Anglian Company and a Royal
Artillery Battery (acting as Infantry) under command, was embroiled in a
series of tough engagements. There were fears that rioting might again
continue for three days, but the unpredictable Irish decided to call it a day
soon after 6 p.m. after only two hours. It was disappointing that the peace
had to be disrupted at all but some small measure of progress could be
marked in the fact that rioting finished so quickly.
*The variety of tasks which the Battalion was required to perform was
welcomed as a relief from the monotony of constant street patrols or from
constant duties in the county. Efforts were made by Companies to improve
the Army's image in the eyes of the local people and to disprove the "jack-
boot” propaganda put about by the extremists. Each Company adopted
an area and set about organising visits to old people's homes, outings for
children and simple welfare projects. These were greatly helped by a visit
in March by the Regimental Band which gave concerts in Londonderry
and other towns.
'Walking out was limited by the long hours of Duty, but time was still
found to enter a football team for the Northern Ireland Major Units Foot-
ball competition and to win it. Time was also found towards the end of the
tour to loose the Regimental Sergeant Major on the Companies' drill; the
walls of the Barracks echoed the sounds more usually echoed by the walls
of the Horseguards or Ambassador's Court.
*The Battalion returned to England in the third week in April, and, by
the evening of St George's Day, were all on leave. The Guardsmen had
acquitted themselves well in a very trying circumstance over four months,
and to a biased eye it seemed that the methods of training and the stan-
dards of discipline and self respect required of a Coldstreamer had once
again proved their worth. On numerous occasions, men on perhaps two or
three man patrols, were subjected to tests, when any slackening in
patiences, self control or discipline could have had disastrous results, but
young NCOs and Guardsmen continued to treat sometimes very tiresome
Irishmen with good humour and respect. It cannot be claimed that the
situation in Ulster was in any way improved when the Battalion left in
April, but an unpleasant if necessary duty had been carried out to the
satisfaction of Senior Officers who made complimentary remarks about
the conduct of a Coldstream Battalion in the various tasks it was required
to perform.'
IX
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
T
HE years 1946 to 1970 have seen very considerable changes in
the Army as a whole and in the Regiment in particular: this is
not surprising as any good organization should learn from
past experience and, perhaps, mistakes and keep up with the times:
the Army in the past may have been slow in doing so, quite often
because of lack of money, and has tended to start a war using the
tactics, methods and weapons of the previous war but, even so,
changes and improvements did take place and the soldier of 1918
would have found the Army of 1939 very different from the one he
knew. Since 1946, however, changes and improvements have come
much more speedily, probably for two main reasons—the advent of
the Atomic weapons and their effect on tactics, weapons and equip-
ment, and the very great change in the standard of living and way of
life of the British civilian population: there are also two subsidiary
reasons, the break-up of the British Empire and the consequent
decrease in the number of overseas stations, and the abandonment in
1959 of National Service—though the latter was in existence for only
twenty years and until 1939 the Army consisted entirely of volunteers,
except for a short time during the First World War.
What then are the changes? First of all the structure of the Regi-
ment and the training establishments that it uses. There are now only
two Battalions, the Third Battalion having been placed in suspended
animation in 1959: either Battalion may be an ordinary infantry
Battalion, doing Public Duties in England or on training or operations
in any part of the world, to where it must be prepared to move at
short notice by air: a Battalion may be mounted in Armoured
Personnel Carriers which, inter alia, means producing drivers for the
many heavy, tracked vehicles provided, or it may be trained for
winter warfare, using skis and snowshoes, pulling toboggans and
using over-snow vehicles. In fact a Battalion and its men have to be
highly adaptable: for instance, as had already been recorded, during
the period 1965 to 1970, the First Battalion trained as an Armoured
Personnel Carrier Battalion, saw active service in the hills of the
Radfan and in the streets of Aden, did Public Duties in London, was
a
122
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
trained in winter warfare in the Arctic and maintained law and order
in the streets of Londonderry. It also means that Battalions frequently
leave this country on tours of duty, either for training or for
operations: though these tours may be limited to only a few months
the men are not accompanied by their families: at the moment, as far
as the Household Division is concerned, Germany and Hong Kong
are the only stations to which families are taken and a high proportion
of the men of all ranks are married: this separation of families,
aggravated as it is at the present time by the large number of troops in
Northern Ireland, is probably one of the main factors that deter a man
from ‘signing on' when his period of service comes to an end.
In addition to the two Battalions, the Regiment, like other Regi-
ments of the Household Division, finds a proportion of the Officers
and Men, all volunteers, of the Guards Parachute Company, who are
the pathfinders of the Sixteenth Parachute Brigade, and also for the
Guards ('G') Squadron of the Twenty-second Special Air Service
Regiment.
Next the training establishments, or establishment as it is now.
Until 1960 the Guards Depot was at Caterham, where the emphasis of
training was on drill and discipline: from there the recruit moved to
the Guards Training Battalion at Pirbright, where the emphasis was
on Weapon Training and Tactics: the two parts of training were
therefore divided, when they should be integrated as both are equally
important, and in 1960 the Depot moved to Pirbright, absorbed the
Guards Training Battalion, and a well balanced training programme
was introduced. The move was fiercely contested by some tradition-
alists who appeared to be unable to see how a truly disciplined
Guardsman could be trained other than in a walled barracks (with
incidentally a lunatic asylum next door!): it would not be possible to
instil discipline in the open atmosphere of Pirbright. Attitudes have
changed and the latest pamphlet, which is issued to every man on
joining, describes Pirbright as being 'ideally situated from a military
training point of view'.
Pirbright itself has changed: the old A, B and C Lines have dis-
appeared and a new modern Guards Depot stands on the C Lines
site, with a standard of comfort far above that of the old Caterham
barracks or the old Pirbright huts. Included in the Guards Depot is
the Junior Guardsmen's Company-called a Company though it is
more like a battalion in strength. Twenty-five years ago a boy, that
is someone under the age of 174, could only join the Regiment for
training as a Drummer or as a Tailor. During the war years they
.
a
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
123
were sent to the Guards Depot on enlistment: one, on arrival at the
Barrack Gate was greeted by a Corporal on duty with the 'friendly'
remark, 'Go away boy, grow up a bit and come back when you know
what you are doing.' He did not, and he is now a Warrant Officer
Class I. Training was hard and the pay was low-9/4d. a week, of
which they were allowed to draw 5/-: of this they had to deposit 1/- in
their Post Office Savings Account: they were also issued with a
coupon, entitling them to buy ten cigarettes-an odd proceeding as
they were not allowed to smoke! As Battalions arrived home, the
pre-war system was reverted to and boys, on enlistment, went straight
to Battalions for training: they even went overseas with Battalions
and there were boys with the Battalions in the Canal Zone of Egypt
on active service in 1952 and 1953. But gradually, as Battalions spent
more and more time overseas, they tended to leave their boys at the
Guards Training Battalion and Regimental Companies there each
held a Platoon of boys. In 1958 these were amalgamated into the
Junior Guardsmen's Company which was, and is, run as a school
with three terms a year and holidays at Christmas and Easter and in
the summer. There are now no boys in Battalions but in the Junior
Guardsmen's Company their equivalents can train for almost any
trade that there is in a Battalion and there is a wing for future
musicians. In addition to the adult staff, they have their own Junior
Non-Commissioned Officers and there is even a Junior Company
Sergeant Major. Education plays a large part in their training and
they can take tests corresponding to the three Army Certificates of
Education: they can also sit for the civilian General Certificate of
Education at 'O’Level. A Junior Guardsman gets paid £9.45 a week
on joining, of which he has to pay £3 for food and lodging: he has to
save money for the holidays and so is allowed to draw £3 a week-
even with the rise in the cost of living this is a considerable increase on
a
1945. Nevertheless, the boy (now Warrant Officer Class I) who
received such an unfriendly welcome at the Depot in 1945 says
'sometimes I half wish that I had been born about twenty-five years
later, but on reflection, I do not think that I would swop my soldier-
ing for today's set-up with all its obvious benefits'. So perhaps the
old days were not so bad after all!
There is one other organization for young men under the age of
177 and that is the Guards Company in the Junior Leaders Battalion,
which is designed to train the future leaders for the Household
Division, and, in the other Companies of the Battalion, the Infantry
as a whole. A good deal of space has been given to the training of
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CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
a
Junior Guardsmen, but the reason for this is that they are a most
important and numerous source of recruits for the Regiment.
Now, what of the man? A man of 5 ft. 10 in. in height, in good
health and of good character is not now so readily accepted as a
re ruit: he has to show that he has the intelligence to cope with the
increasingly sophisticated weapons and equipment that come to a
modern Infantry Battalion. On joining, he is probably better in-
formed than his predecessor, rather than better educated, though if
he joins through the Junior Guardsmen's Company or the Leader
Training Battalion, he is probably better educated too. But education
will play a large part in his training, not just for the sake of education,
but to fit him to deal with the weapons and equipment, and also to fit
him for promotion. As a result the man tends to be more individual-
istic: he probably walks out by himself, rather than in a crowd, and
he wants to know the reason behind the orders that he is given. Lip-
service, and perhaps often more than lip-service, has always been
paid to explaining orders, but the attitude 'you are not paid to think'
still existed in 1946: now, very great attention is paid to explanation
of orders of all sorts. The German leader, Field-Marshal Rommel,
referring to the 201 Guards Brigade at Knightsbridge in the Western
Desert in 1941, said “This Brigade was practically a living embodi-
ment of the positive and negative qualities of the British soldier-an
extraordinary bravery and toughness was combined with rigid
inability to move quickly.'1 If he could have seen the individualism
and lack of rigidity shown by small groups of two or three modern
Guardsmen, capable of directing mortar or artillery fire in the hills of
the Radfan or dealing with internal security situations in the back-
streets of Belfast, he would have realized how much the Guardsman
has changed.
As the nature of the Guardsman has changed so has the discipline:
throughout the ages every young soldier has been told by the old
soldier that “things are not what they used to be and very often it is a
very good thing that they are not. The system of discipline has
changed: it is not so rigid and as has been said, much more attention
is given to explaining the reasons for orders: but the result is as good
as, if not even better than, it ever was: the standard of drill and turn
out on the Birthday Parade is as good, if not even better, than it ever
was, and the discipline and restraint shown by soldiers of all Regi-
ments in the streets of Belfast and Londonderry is really unbelievable.
So the modern system would seem to be as effective as the old.
* Rommel by Desmond Young, published by Collins 1950.
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
125
a
What is the modern system of administering discipline? A Com-
manding Officer can still award a man up to twenty-eight days'
detention but the punishment of 'Confined to Barracks' has dis-
appeared and in its place is ‘Restriction of Privileges'-not so drastic
as confined to barracks in that he can leave barracks at times in
uniform and he can also do guards and other duties. But the main
disciplinary measure is fining, which is far more effective in that it
affects a man's pocket, so that he really notices the punishment, but it
does not affect his availability for duty as a soldier. Minor punish-
ments, such as drills and extra parades, are only now awarded for the
purpose for which they are designed, that is when the drill or turn-
out of a man needs improvement. Another change is in the length of
hairm at the present time, in the country and, perhaps, the world as a
whole, a great bone of contention. The Army has for many years
insisted on short hair, because a man with long hair will not only look
untidy but, on active service conditions, he is more likely to become,
literally, lousy. Now the reasonable medium has been reached and a
man's hair has to be neat and tidy—though probably a bit shorter as a
a
recruit at the Guards Depot.
There have been a number of changes in clothing: battledress has
disappeared and has been replaced by a camouflage combat suit for
wear in the field and Number 2 Dress, a Khaki Service Dress, for
wear on parade. Number 2 Dress or denim trousers with pullover is
the normal working dress: some NCOs and Guardsmen wear
Number 1 Dress (the old Blue Patrol) and there has, of course, been
no change in Home Service clothing, except that the brass buttons are
anodised and do not require cleaning: the same applies to brass
buttons on other uniforms and cap stars. Rubber-soled boots are
worn in the field, though the 'ammunition' boot is still kept for
parades. After twenty-five years of dark blue berets, the khaki beret is
reappearing and a new type of web equipment has been introduced
which does not require blanco and which has gunmetal buckles. In
fact the only piece of equipment that does require blanco is the buff
belt. Two more changes are that a man no longer has to wait until he
rises to the rank of Warrant Officer before he may wear a raincoat-
it is now issued to all and sundry: secondly Mess Dress, as previously
worn only by Officers, can now be worn by members of the Ser-
geants' Mess and is worn particularly on formal dinner nights in the
Mess: in fact the tendency is for the Sergeants’ Mess to be rather more
formal than the Officers' Mess.
One of the most noticeable changes is in the men's food-not
126
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
particularly the food supplied in the field on exercises or on oper-
ations, where the 'Compo' ration is very much the same, but in the
food provided in barracks, whether it be at the Depot or in a Bat-
talion. The system, whereby a man arrived at the Mess Room,
carrying his knife, fork, spoon and mug, picked up two plates, on to
which were deposited his main course and sweet, each perhaps with
one alternative, has gone: he now arrives to find the cutlery provided
and he can have as much as he likes, of the great variety of dishes
available: when the new system was first brought in, there were fore-
casts of great wastage of food but in fact, it proved the opposite: the
man takes what he wants, whereas before he was given, maybe, more
than he wanted. It is, however, in the variety of the food that the
change is most marked and the following are two menus from the
Guards Depot for the midday meal—the first in 1950 and the second
in 1970: even the name of the meal has changed!
1950
DINNER
Soup
Braised Beef or Brown Stew and Dumplings
Creamed and Baked Potatoes
Buttered Swede-Cabbage
Baked Jam Roll and Custard
Bread and Butter Pudding
(Note: No hot drinks were served at this meal)
1970
LUNCH
Roast Lamb and Mint Sauce
Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings
Roast and Creamed and Boiled Potatoes
Buttered Cabbage, Baton Carrots, Tinned Peas
Entree Bar
Fried Lamb Chops. Meat Pies. Sauté Kidney
Brown Stew and Dumplings. Steak and Kidney Puddings
Roast and Creamed and Boiled Potatoes
Buttered Cabbage. Baton Carrots. Tinned Peas
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
127
Grill Bar
Grilled Steaks with Mushrooms. Sausage, Bacon, Fried Eggs
Chipped Potatoes. Baked Beans
Curry Bar
Curried Beef. Curried Eggs. Boiled Rice
Side Dishes. Chilli Sauce
Cold Bar
Plated Salads
Sweets
Hot and Cold Sweets (Choice of 8)
Hot and Cold Drinks
It is perhaps worth recording that the Regiment, like other Regi-
ments of Footguards, still provides its own Cooks, though they do,
of course, rely on the Army Catering Corps for the more advanced
training.
The question of pay has been mentioned, as far as Junior Guards-
men are concerned, but, like them, the pay of all Soldiers-it's
Soldiers now, not Other Ranks-is, when all the circumstances have
been taken into account, far more generous than it was twenty-five or
even ten years ago. No longer is the man, who is wondering whether
or not to extend his term of service, drawn towards civilian life by the
financial prospects: as has already been said, it is more likely to be the
frequent periods of separation from his family. The general improve-
ment in the standard of living of all soldiers is very obvious and this
is particularly reflected by the number of cars to be seen parked in a
barracks. The system of pay has changed too: it was always difficult to
relate Army pay to civilian wages as the former included for the
single man free board and lodging, while the married man received
a marriage allowance and ration allowance. Now there is a basic
salary from which the single man has to pay for board and lodging
and the married man for his quarter-assuming that he has one.
This, of course, means very much more work for the pay staff, as
adjustments to a man's pay have to be made when he is away from
barracks at night on leave, training or operations: but, at least, the
rate of pay can be truly assessed and compared. Pay parades too are
gradually disappearing and any man who wishes can have his pay
credited direct to his civilian bank account. The pay staff too has
128
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
changed: whereas twenty-five years ago the Quartermaster and one
of the Battalion's Sergeants dealt with pay on a Battalion basis, and
in each Company the CQMS and a clerk dealt with the Company
detail—which included each man's account-now a Battalion has a
considerable staff provided by the Royal Army Pay Corps, headed
by an Officer, who may even be a Major. One is tempted to wonder
how Quartermasters fill in their time these days! There are, inciden-
tally, now two or three Quartermaster Commissioned Officers in a
Battalion: the second is the Transport Officer and the third, in an
A.P.C. Battalion, is the Technical Quartermaster. This does, of
course, greatly increase the chances of Warrant Officers attaining
Commissioned rank.
As far as weapons are concerned, there has been a complete change
in everything except the bayonet and the swords carried by Officers
and Warrant Officers on parade! The bolt action .303 inch rifle has
given place to a Self Loading Rifle (S.L.R.) which fires a 7.62 milli-
metre round: this rifle has a magazine holding twenty rounds and has
a semi-automatic action. The Bren Light Machine Gun, which was
magazine fed, and the Vickers Medium Machine Gun, which was
belt fed, have disappeared and both have been replaced by the
General Purpose Machine Gun (G.P.M.G.), which is belt fed and
fires the 7.62 millimetre round: it can be used as a light machine gun
or, on a tripod, in the sustained fire role. The Sten gun has been
replaced by the Sterling sub-machine gun, a very similar weapon but
more reliable. The 2-inch Mortar is now only provided with smoke
bombs, to the regret of many in the hills of the Radfan who could well
have done with the High Explosive bombs: the 3-inch mortar has
given way to the 81-millimetre mortar, a more accurate and lethal
weapon. Finally the Anti-tank weapons: the 17-pounder gun has
disappeared and in its place there is the 120-millimetre Wombat
which is a recoilless and extremely effective weapon. Each Rifle
Platoon has a Swedish rocket launcher, called the Carl Gustav and,
when employed on some roles, Battalions are given Vigilant Anti-
tank Guided Missiles. As already said, it has been a complete change.
In the vehicles there has been less change and the ordinary lorries
and trucks remain very much the same. The Jeep of the war and
immediate post-war days, was, however, replaced by the Land Rover,
which was in turn, in the mid-fifties, replaced by the Champ: how-
ever, the Land Rover is now back in favour and does most of the
tasks carried out by the Jeep and also the Carrier, the lightly
armoured tracked vehicle so well known to soldiers of the forties
a
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
129
and the fifties. In Armoured Personnel Carrier Battalions, however,
the A.P.C. is the dominant vehicle, which not only carries infantry
but from which mortars and anti-tank guns can be fired. In addition,
in some roles, a battalion may have the use of an Air Platoon, which
consists of three light reconnaissance helicopters.
The Band of the Regiment has seen very little change. Outwardly
the only differences from pre-war days are tunics with very much less
gold braid on them and the disappearance of the band sword, a short
ornate sword carried by NCOs and Musicians, who now carry the
normal bayonet: the reason for both are economy: gold braid is very
expensive and the swords were probably melted down during the last
war and the expense of replacing them has not seemed to be justified:
perhaps a mistake was made and one day they will be found stored
away in some Ordnance Depot! But behind the scenes there are
changes, primarily in the recruitment of musicians; wireless and
television in almost every home has had the effect that very few men
now bother to learn to play musical instruments and if they do learn,
they generally learn to play only one. The Band has not only to
provide a military parade band but also light orchestras and dance
bands of all sorts: most men must be able to play two instruments and
in the late fifties and early sixties it was becoming increasingly
difficult to find string players. It was mainly for this reason that the
Junior Guardsmen's Company started in 1962, accepting Junior
Musicians and now the bulk of the Recruits for the Bands of the
Household Division receive their musical training at Pirbright: the
first Director of Music of the Junior Guardsmen's Company was,
incidentally, a retired Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel D. A. Pope,
O.B.E., A.R.C.M., who from 1944 to 1963 was Director of Music of
the Regiment. Otherwise the Band continues very much as it always
did though more space has to be provided for car-parking and over-
seas tours are more numerous and more profitable-ranging from
tours of several months to the United States to an evening in Monte
Carlo and back home to bed the same night or early the following
morning.
And, lastly, but by no means least, at any rate as far as influence is
concerned, Regimental Headquarters. Except for moving around-
and no great distance at that-about the only change is that some of
the Regimental Clerks have been replaced by civilians: on one
occasion 'replaced' can hardly be the right word: Sergeant Knight
completed his service on one day and reappeared the next morning to
continue the same job as Mr Knight. During the War Regimental
>
K
130
CHANGES IN THE REGIMENT
Headquarters had to evacuate the building between the Guards
Chapel and Birdcage Walk because of damage caused when the
Chapel was hit by a flying bomb: the Headquarters moved to 73
Ashley Gardens, just off Victoria Street, and remained there until
May 1946 when the Birdcage Walk building had been repaired and
was habitable again: but the rebuilding of the Guards Chapel
involved the demolition of the Headquarters building and in the
summer of 1962, they moved the length of Wellington Barracks
Square into a G Block where they still are. Now, with the prospect of
Wellington Barracks being rebuilt, there are rumours of yet another
move.
It will, no doubt, be noticed that no attempt has been made to
compare the Officer, Warrant Officer and NCO of 1946 with his
counterpart today. There are several reasons for this not least being
the fact that I, myself, was a serving Officer for the first fifteen years
of the period covered by this book: any opinion that I might give is
liable to be biased and is, therefore, of little value. But it will, I
hope, have been made clear that, with the increased sophistication of
modern weapons and equipment, the greater speed and dispersion of
warfare in this atomic age and the large variety of roles in which a
Battalion may have to operate, every Commander, from Lieutenant-
Colonel down to the junior Lance-Corporal, has to be just that bit
more professional than his predecessor. But that is only progress, if
the rate or efficiency with which you can kill can be called progress.
It has all happened before and the Officers and NCOs of 1939 had a
rather more complicated and professional war to fight, though
generally less bloody, than their predecessors in 1914. Similarly the
changes in methods of maintaining discipline have meant that all in
authority have had to assume a somewhat different approach, to their
subordinates. But to contradict myself and to express an opinion, I
do not believe that the people, be they Officers, Warrant Officers or
NCOs, have changed: they, like their predecessors throughout the
ages, have just altered their methods to keep up with the times,
EPILOGUE
BE
EFORE ending the story of the Coldstream Guards for the
last twenty-five years, there is one sad event to record which
took place in 1966-the retirement, after nearly twenty-one
years as 25th Colonel of the Regiment, of General Sir Charles Loyd,
G.C.V.O., K.C.B., D.S.O., M.C. At that year's Annual Dinner of the
London Branch of the Coldstreamers' Association the following
message was read:
'As your Colonel-in-Chief, I know how sorry you all must be that this is
the last time when General Loyd will be with you as Colonel of the
Regiment. For more than twenty years he has given an example which has
been second to none and which will remain an inspiration to all Cold-
streamers. I join with you in wishing him every happiness in his retirement.'
7th May 1966
ELIZABETH R.
Colonel-in-Chief.
He was succeeded by Major-General Sir George Burns, K.C.V.O.,
C.B., D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C.
THE APPENDIXES
S with the text of this book, the dates covered by some of the
Appendixes do not conform to the dates of the title of the book,
but to the dates on which similar Appendixes in The Coldstream
Guards 1920–1946 ended.
Appendixes I to IV have been compiled by the Regimental Adjutant,
Major D. Powell, and I am most grateful to him for all the trouble and
care that has been taken.
AP
APPENDIX I
ROLL OF HONOUR
THIS Roll includes the names of all Coldstreamers who lost their lives
while serving on the strength of the Regiment during the period 16 August
1945, that is the day after the end of the war with Japan (VJ Day) to
31 December 1970.
The only exceptions are two NCOs who died during this time of wounds
received before VJ Day and whose names are recorded in the Roll of
Honour of The Coldstream Guards 1920-1946.
ROLL OF HONOUR
Major (QM) E. A. May
Captain G. A. G. Smith
Captain (QM) E. E. Moore
Captain D. B. de V. Jacot de Boinod
Lieutenant P. D. F. Kelly
Lieutenant J. R. E. Bartholomew
2/Lieutenant C. R. Feilden
2/Lieutenant T. W. S. Groome
123742
2339554
175339
453506
335156
467526
424850
447270
19.1.56
18.9.53
15.10.46
15.7.64
11.7.47
9.9.64
26.8.53
9.6.57
23650450
22302509
2669810
21007020
2667116
2669934
2665313
21007205
23865355
2667542
2667147
24048924
2669851
2659420
2667022
2666190
2669215
2670414
23346434
2661156
23650016
2664354
2659956
24076634
23879214
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
Gdsm
CQMS
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
J/Gdsm
Gdsm
CSM
L/Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
R. A. Baldwin
D. W. Bennett
E. G. Bird
D. J. Bissex
J. Bramley
A. E. Brown
F. Brown
J. D. Brown
A. C. Butcher
P. W. Brooks
B. R. Bateman
P. Cardwell
A. F. Carey
G. P. C. Christer, M.M.
F. G. Clark
M. Colligan
J. R. Collins
F. Copson
F. G. Crossman
J. J. Davis
L. S. Dibben
M. Dowdeswell
J. R. Dowsen
D. A. Dunk
A. C. Edge
20.2.61
3.12.54
23.8.45
23.4.48
25.10.45
5.10.50
3.1.52
21.2.49
13.7.62
26.1.46
22.1.46
20.7.67
23.8.45
4.1.52
20.10.46
26.10.45
15.1.48
12.1.52
5.3.57
3.12.45
23.7.59
20.7.48
3.10.49
28.9.68
20.3.65
ROLL OF HONOUR
135
22214551
23650144
2656703
2670307
2671067
23865427
23865384
2668177
2671297
22214020
2670283
4961612
2670856
2320609
22302173
22817504
24021755
2663351
2603570
23474146
22683599
2671159
2660279
22817006
14225383
23929883
2664684
23206699
2670845
24000081
2670753
23715012
2667729
22214570
22214874
23116177
22166679
22029247
5948233
22649718
2670715
23929996
2658404
2669726
23701517
2668634
2869044
2668533
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
L/Cpl
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
O/Cdt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Cpl
L/Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
A. Forster
G. G. Green
H. F. Green
H. Goodfellow
R. Haigh
P. D. Haines
R. J. Hales
A. Hall
T. C. Hancock
W. Harpham
K. Heath
J. A. Hiam
F. Hinchcliffe
T. Hines
M. M. D. Hodges
A. F. Hornett
J. Horwood
F. Jukes
H. R. Kelly
D. V. King
R. W. Lambert
T. W. Lawrence
I. D. Lawson, B.E.M.
B. C. Lee
J. A. Lee
T. J. Lemilliere
L. L. Lewin
G. A. Massam
H. J. Medley
D. G. Millard
P. E. Morris
P. J. Norman
M. C. Oakley
J. A. Oldbridge
W. T. D. Orchard
J. Padmore
S. Palfrey
J. Parkin
W. H. F. Parris
E. A. Pether
B. P. Porter
P. Reddy
A. D. Reed
B. T. Repper
M. Reynolds
H. Rivers
D. E. Samways
P. C. Sandy
2.8.53
16.8.58
3.11.45
16.4.46
20.2.49
25.6.65
8.5.62
29.10.47
17.5.49
24.3.60
25.5.48
20.1.49
15.9.47
7.10.57
22.9.59
19.12.60
25.10.69
25.12.45
4.10.45
11.1.62
30.9.53
21.8.50
28.5.50
24.12.54
26.9.46
14.10.64
22.5.46
30.5.60
16.2.49
14.1.65
7.9.48
21.11.60
10.11.46
31.12.51
28.8.58
15.1.56
28.5.50
29.7.49
7.10.46
11.7.52
9.4.48
22.12.70
30.8.48
23.8.45
20.3.65
22.4.46
8.12.47
13.6.46
136
ROLL OF HONOUR
22683993
2669727
2670059
23206802
2654276
2667169
23650117
23650852
22214723
2671295
2658009
2665381
22302872
23865298
2669104
23393356
2649042
24000071
2667101
2658539
24000856
21007137
2671481
2669143
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Sgt
L/Sgt
L/Cpl
L/Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
L/Sgt
Gdsm
Gdsm
COMS
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
Gdsm
C. R. Showers
E. E. Smith
J. T. Smith
S. Snell
T. W. Stannard
D. Stocker
L. J. Summerscales
D. J. Swain
S. Talbot
M. Tate
C. A. Thawley
D. H. Thorpe
M. G. Thurlow
G. Tilley
G. R. Tyler
R. M. Warner
G. A. B. Webber
D. M. Wilkins
J. T. Wilson
T. E. Witton
S. Wood
W. Woodcock
P. G. Wray
F. Weston
16.12.52
23.8.45
8.3.46
27.8.58
22.6.46
8.3.47
24.12.59
20.3.62
28.6.53
20.11.49
25.12.45
8.11.45
17.1.53
27.8.62
22.9.47
24.4.59
18.6.49
20.3.65
20.7.46
2.2.55
16.2.68
14.4.48
15.6.51
20.3.46
APPENDIX II
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
IN The Coldstream Guards 1920–1946 the Coldstream Roll was completed
to 31 December 1949. In this Appendix, the Roll is continued from 1
January 1950 until 31 December 1970.
1. ROLL OF OFFICERS
who appear in Appendix I to The Coldstream Guards 1920–1946 whose
particulars have been amplified for the period 1950-70
1406 Sir HENRY CHARLES LOYD, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., D.S.O., M.C., 2nd Lieut.
3.9.10, from R.M.C.; Lieut. 1.4.12; Capt. 17.7.15; Major 30.11.21;
Brevet Lieut.-Colonel 1.1.29; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding 3rd Bn.
30.11.29; Colonel 12.10.32; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding Regiment
12.10.32; Major-General 22.6.38; Lieut.-General 1.11.42; Colonel
of the Coldstream Guards 13.9.45; General 12.2.46; ADC to the
King 26.6.46.
1498 ARNOLD DE LERISSON CAZENOVE, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.V.O., 2nd Lieut.
7.4.16, from R.M.C.; Lieut, 16.9.16; Capt. 1.11.25; Major 1.9.33;
Brevet Lieut.-Colonel 1.1.39; Commanding 1st Bn. 2.9.39; Lieut.-
Colonel 11.10.39; Colonel 10.8.42; Brigadier 1.7.48; Retired
29.10.50.
1554 ALISTAIR CAMPBELL, Lord STRATHEDEN, 2nd Lieut. 20.12.18, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 20.12.20; Capt. 16.8.28; Major 12.10.36; Com-
manding Training Bn. 11.5.41; Commanding 5th Bn. 11.10.41;
Lieut.-Colonel 9.11.44; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding Regiment
11.4.45; Colonel 9.11.47; Retired & granted Hon. rank Brigadier
21.11.50
1588 Sir TERENCE EDMOND PATRICK FALKINER, Bt., 2nd Lieut. 29.8.24,
from S.L. R.A.R.O.; Lieut. 29.8.26; Capt. 10.8.34; Major 29.8.41;
Commanding 3rd Bn. 19.8.42; Retired & granted Hon. rank of
Lieut.-Colonel 10.11.56.
1591 RICHARD BYNG PEMBROKE, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 30.8.24, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 30.8.26; Capt. 1.11.35; Major 30.8.41; Lieut.-Colonel
29.6.44; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Colonel 1.1.51.
1594 WILLIAM LINDSAY STEELE, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 29.1.25, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 29.1.27; Capt. 15.10.36; Major 29.1.42; Commanding
Training Bn. 1.10.42; Commanding 3rd Bn. 8.10.44; Commanding
2nd Bn. 1.3.45; Lieut.-Colonel 29.11.45; Commanding 3rd Bn.
10.12.46; Colonel 10.5.49; Brigadier 7.9.53; Retired 12.5.58.
1602 RICHARD SHULDHAM SCHREIBER, 2nd Lieut. 30.8.26, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 30.8.29; Capt. 1.11.37; Major 30.8.43; Retired & granted
Hon. rank of Lieut.-Colonel 29.3.51.
1605 EDWARD RODERICK HILL, D.S.O., 2nd Lieut. 9.6.25, University
138
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
Candidate; Lieut. 9.6.27; Capt. 17.12.36; Major 9.6.42; Command-
ing 2nd Bn. 25.12.42; Commanding 5th Bn. 3.8.44; Commanding
1st Bn. 31.7.45; Commanding Training Bn. 1.7.46; Lieut.-Colonel
20.7.46; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding Regiment 9.7.49; Colonel
15.7.49; Retired 1.10.52.
1612 MELVILLE EDWARD BERTRAM PORTAL, M.B.E., Lieut. 30.8.25, from
17th/21st Lancers; Capt. 10.11.34; Major 1.8.38; Retired 28.2.51.
1613 Count PETER FRANCIS DE SALIS, 2nd Lieut. 18.5.25, from 100th
(Oxford & Worcester Yeomanry) Field Brigade, R.A. (T.A.);
Lieut. 4.5.30; Capt. 1.8.38; Major 4.5.44; Retired & granted Hon.
rank Lieut.-Colonel 10.11.56.
1622 RICHARD FRANK SHERLOCK GOOCH, D.S.O., M.C., 2nd Lieut.
8.11.27, University Candidate; Lieut. 8.11.30; Capt. 1.8.38; Com-
manding 1st Bn. 1.9.44; Major 8.11.44; Commanding 2nd Bn.
27.4.46; Lieut.-Colonel 29.11.48; Retired & granted Honrank of
Brigadier 20.12.51.
1638 PETER HUGH FLOWER, 2nd Lieut. 28.8.30, from R.M.C.; Lieut.
28.8.33; Capt. 28.8.38; Major 1.7.46; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Lieut.-Colonel 8.3.60.
1639 RONALD DAWNAY, 2nd Lieut. 2.2.28, University Candidate; Lieut.
2.2.31; Capt. 1.8.38; Major 2.2.45; Commanding 5th Bn. 1.7.45;
Retired & granted Hon, rank of Lieut.-Colonel 20.3.51.
1653 Rt. Hon. MICHAEL EDWARD ADEANE, P.C., K.C.B., K.C.V.O., 2nd
Lieut. 28.8.30, University Candidate; Lieut. 28.8.33; Capt. 28.8.38;
Commanding Sth Bn. 22.7.44; Major 1.7.46; Retired & granted
Hon. rank of Lieut.-Colonel 1.1.54.
1655 BRINSLEY ERSKINE LUARD, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 28.1.32, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 28.1.35; Capt. 28.1.40; Major 1.7.46; Commanding 1st Bn.
23.4.48; Lieut.-Colonel 29.11.51; Retired 12.5.60.
1657 HENRY JAMES LINDSAY GREEN, C.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 28.1.32, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 28.1.35; Capt. 28.1.40; Major 1.7.46; Retired &
granted Hon. rank of Lieut.-Colonel 6.6.47; Rejoined 8.10.51;
Commanding 2nd Bn. 1.10.55; Lieut.-Colonel 2.10.55; Colonel
1.5.58; Brigadier 1.5.62; Retired 30.4.64.
1664 Sir WALTER ARTHUR GEORGE BURNS, K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C.,
2nd Lieut. 29.1.31, University Candidate; Lieut. 29.1.34; Capt.
29.1.39; Commanding 3rd Bn. 10.11.43; Major 1.7.46; Com-
manding 3rd Bn. 12.11.47; Lieut.-Colonel 15.7.49; Lieut.-Colonel
Commanding Regiment 1.10.52; Colonel 19.10.55; Major-General
19.9.59; Colonel of the Regiment 8.5.66.
1666 JOHN CHANDOS-POLE, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 27.8.31, from University
Candidate; Lieut. 27.8.34; Capt. 27.8.39; Major 1.7.46; Com-
manding 1st Bn. 11.11.47; Lieut.-Colonel 3.11.49; Commanding
2nd Bn. 1.12.50; Retired 1.8.53.
1670 IAN WILLIAM GORE-LANGTON, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 1.2.34, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 1.2.37; Capt. 1.2.42; Major 1.2.47; Commanding
3rd Bn. 11.11.50; Lieut.-Colonel 15.7.52; Lieut.-Colonel Com-
manding Regiment 1.10.55; Colonel 14.4.60; Retired 28.8.62.
1. ROLL OF OFFICERS
139
1675 Sir ROBERT GEORGE VICTOR FITZGEORGE-BALFOUR, K.C.B., C.B.E.,
D.S.O., M.C., 2nd Lieut. 31.8.35, from S.R.O.; Lieut. 1.2.37; Capt.
1.2.42; Major 1.2.47; Commanding 2nd Bn. 17.1.49; Lieut.-
Colonel 7.1.53; Colonel 17.6.54; Brigadier 1.1.61; Major-General
6.4.62; Lieut.-General 1.5.68.
1677 RAOUL CHARLES LEMPRIERE-ROBIN, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 30.8.34,
University Candidate; Lieut. 30.8.37; Capt. 30.8.42; Major
30.8.47; Commanding 1st Bn. 12.3.51; Lieut.-Colonel 3.11.52;
Colonel 1.3.59; Brigadier 1.7.63; Retired 27.4.66.
1679 DAVID ARTHUR KENNARD, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 30.1.36, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 30.1.39; Capt. 30.1.44; Major 31.1.49; Retired 12.2.56.
1680 MARTIN ANTONY GIBBS, 2nd Lieut. 30.3.36, from R.M.C.; Lieut.
30.3.39; Capt. 30.3.44; Major 30.3.49; Retired 31.3.53.
1682 RICHARD JOHN VESEY CRICHTON, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 27.8.36, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 27.8.39; Capt. 27.8.44; Major 27.8.49; Lieut.-
Colonel 12.3.54; Commanding 1st Bn. 12.3.54; Lieut.-Colonel
Commanding Regiment 5.9.58; Retired & granted Hon. rank
Colonel 4.11.61.
1684 HUBERT GUY BROUGHTON KNIGHT, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 28.1.37, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 28.1.40; Capt. 28.1.45; Major 28.1.50; Retired
22.2.54.
1692 ARTHUR HENRY GRENVILLE FORTESCUE, M.B.E., M.C., 2nd Lieut.
30.1.36, University Candidate; Lieut. 30.1.39; Capt. 30.1.44;
Major 30.1.49; Commanding 2nd Bn. 2.10.52; Lieut.-Colonel
18.8.53; Colonel 1.1.59; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Brigadier
21.2.62.
1703 BEVIL GEOFFREY BRITTON, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 6.5.36, from 5th Royal
Inniskilling Dragoon Guards; Lieut. 27.8.40; Capt. 27.8.45; Major
6.5.49; Retired 28.9.50,
1706 ROBERT CHARLES WINDSOR CLIVE, 2nd Lieut. 26.1.39, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 1.1.41; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 26.1.52; Lieut.-Colonel
30.6.56; Commanding 3rd Bn. 30.6.56; Lieut.-Colonel Com-
manding Regiment 7.10.61; Colonel 8.5.63; Brigadier 31.12.66.
1709 RALPH BENSON, 2nd Lieut. 26.1.39, from R.M.C.; Lieut. 1.1.41;
Capt. 1.7.46; Retired 15.5.50.
1711 Sir JEFFREY LIONEL DARELL, Bt., M.C., 2nd Lieut. 3.7.39, from
R.M.C.; Lieut. 3.1.41; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 3.7.52; Commanding
1st Bn. 9.1.57; Lieut.-Colonel 12.3.57; Lieut.-Colonel Com-
manding Regiment 1.4.64; Colonel 9.5.63; Brigadier 31.12.66.
1712 HENRY KENNETT SWEETING, 2nd Lieut. 3.7.39, from R.M.C.; Lieut.
3.2.41; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 3.7.52; Lieut.-Colonel 1.3.58; Com-
manding 2nd Bn. 1.3.58; Retired 10.4.61.
1717 JOHN WILLIAM YOUNGER, C.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 31.12.39, from R.M.C.;
Lieut. 1.7.41; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 31.12.52; Lieut.-Colonel
23.11.59; Commanding 1st Bn. 23.4.59; Colonel 18.5.63; Brigadier
30.6.67
1719 RICHARD MARK CHAPLIN, Lieut. 3.3.41, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 24.6.52; Retired 12.3.54.
140
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
>
1720 RONALD JOHN DENYS EDEN BUCKLAND, M.B.E., Lieut. 27.1.43,
from Emergency Commission; Capt. 27.7.47; Major 27.7.54;
Commanding 1st Bn. 14.6.61; Lieut.-Colonel 14.6.61; Colonel
31.1.66; Brigadier 31.12.66; Major-General 19.10.70.
1721 Hon. DESMOND CLIVE CHICHESTER, M.C., Lieut. 27.7.42, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 27.1.47; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 30.3.52.
1722 JULIAN TOLVER PAGET, Lieut. 11.7.42, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 11.1.47; Major 11.1.54; Lieut.-Colonel 18.3.60;
Commanding 2nd Bn. 18.3.60; Retired 16.4.68.
1723 CHARLES WILLIAM LAMBTON, Lieut. 22.2.44, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 22.8.48; Retired & granted Hon. rank Major
4.1.54.
1725 HENRY RONALD BURN CALLANDER, M.C., Lieut. 6.5.44, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 6.11.48; Resigned & granted Hon.
rank Major 20.7.50.
1726 RICHARD CULLING CARR-GOMM, Lieut. 2.7.44, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 2.1.49; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Major
6.9.55.
1727 WILLIAM BIRKBECK, Lieut. 13.10.44, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 13.4.49; Major 13.4.56; Retired 18.1.57.
1728 ALAN BROOKE PEMBERTON, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 11.9.44, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 11.3.46; Capt. 11.9.50; Major 11.9.57;
Lieut.-Colonel 3.5.63; Commanding 1st Bn. 3.5.63; Lieut.-Colonel
Commanding Regiment 11.11.65; Retired & granted Hon. rank
Colonel 13.3.67.
1729 Sir IAN LIDDELL JARDINE, Bt., O.B.E., M.C., 2nd Lieut. 13.10.44,
from Emergency Commission; Lieut. 13.4.46; Capt. 13.10.50;
Major 13.10.57; Commanding 2nd Bn. 1.9.64; Lieut.-Colonel
1.9.64; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding Regiment 13.3.67; Colonel
30.6.68; Brigadier 30.6.69.
1731 JOHN HUGH TORQUIL SUTTON, 2nd Lieut. 3.11.44, from Emergency
Commission; Lieut. 3.5.46; Capt. 3.11.50; Resigned & granted
Hon. rank of Major 12.7.52.
1732 JOHN WILLIAM BURKE COLE, Lieut. 1.9.42, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 1.3.47; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Major
12.7.52.
1733 EDWARD HENRY BOUNIER IMBERT-TERRY, M.C., Lieut. 3.3.41, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 1.7.46; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 20.12.51.
1734 LEWIS DAWNAY, M.B.E., Lieut. 7.3.41, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 7.9.52; Retired 22.10.54.
1736 MICHAEL WILLIAM STILWELL, M.C., Lieut. 10.1.43, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 10.7.47; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 15.1.54.
1737 JOHN WILLIAM PROCTER, Lieut. 5.9.43, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 5.3.48; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Major
11.12.53.
1. ROLL OF OFFICERS
141
1738 PETER WYNDHAM LOYD, Lieut. 18.10.45, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 18.4.50; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Major
18.8.52.
1739 GEORGE VICTOR SHERIDAN LE FANU, 2nd Lieut. 24.1.46, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 24.7.47; Capt. 24.1.52; Major
24.1.59; Retired 28.2.63.
1740 DAVID ARTHUR HODGES TOLER, O.B.E., M.C., Lieut. 3.3.43, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 13.9.47; Major 13.9.54; Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel 1.7.59; Commanding 2nd Bn. 14.9.62; Lieut.-
Colonel 14.9.62; Colonel 3.5.63; Lieut.-Colonel Commanding
Regiment 1.10.64; Brigadier 31.12.66; Major-General 1.10.69.
1742 JOHN GREVILLE BAGOT CHESTER, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 20.5.46, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 20.5.52; Major
20.5.59; Retired 22.5.65.
1743 PETER FRANCIS JAMES FOSTER TOWERS-CLARK, Lieut. 7.3.42, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 7.9.46; Major 7.9.53; Retired 26.5.56.
1744 ROBERT ERSKINE PHILIPS, M.C., Lieut. 22.3.42, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 22.9.46; Major 22.9.53; Retired 1.5.62.
1746 SIMON FRANCIS BETHEL CODRINGTON, Lieut. 14.2.46, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Capt. 14.8.50; Retired & granted rank of
Major 1.1.54.
1747 ALAN KEITH BARLOW, M.C., Lieut. 3.8.46, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 3.11.48; Retired &granted Hon. rank of Major 2.1.54.
1748 JOHN NEVIN AGNEW, Lieut. 3.8.46, from Emergency Commission;
Capt. 10.5.49; Major 10.5.56; Retired 30.6.65.
1749 ALEXANDER ROBERT, Lord BALGONIE (afterwards Earl of LEVEN
and MELVILLE), 2nd Lieut. 13.5.45, from Emergency Commission;
Lieut. 13.11.46; Capt. 13.5.51; Resigned 14.10.52.
1750 DOUGLAS ROBERT GEORGE NOEL, 2nd Lieut. 16.4.45, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 16.10.46; Capt. 16.4.51; Major 16.4.58.
1751 ROBERT PATRICIUS CHAWORTH-MUSTERS, Lieut. 7.11.45, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 7.5.50; Major 7.5.57; Retired
31.10.60.
1752 ROGER BECK, M.C., Lieut. 28.9.46, from Emergency Commission;
Capt. 1.3.46; Retired & granted Hon. rank Major 9.3.50.
1753 Hon. ANTHONY PHILIP HARBORD-HAMMOND, M.C. (afterwards
Lord SUFFIELD), Lieut. 19.12.44, from Emergency Commission;
Capt. 19.6.49; Major 19.6.56; Retired 1.3.61.
1754 CLAUDE PERCY MICHAEL WORRALL, M.V.O., O.B.E., Lieut. 12.10.42,
from The Devonshire Regiment; Capt. 30.1.44; Major 30.1.49; Com-
manding 3rd Bn. 18.8.53; Lieut.-Colonel 11.3.54; Retired 29.7.59.
1755 Roy DOUGLAS DOBSON, Lieut. 15.6.44, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt. 15.12.48; Major 15.12.55; Retired 8.9.64.
1756 JOHN ROLAND CHRISTOPHER RILEY, 2nd Lieut. 4.7.46, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 4.7.52; Major
4.7.59; Retired 9.7.62.
1737 LEWIS RIDLEY SMITH, Lieut. 5.1.47, from Emergency Commission;
Capt. 5.7.51; Retired & granted Hon. rank Major 21.12.57,
142
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
1758 EDWARD TIMOTHY SMYTH-OSBOURNE, 2nd Lieut. 5.4.46, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 5.10.47; Capt. 5.4.52; Major
5.4.59; Commanding 1st Bn. 18.10.65; Lieut.-Colonel 18.10.65;
Lieut.-Colonel Commanding Regiment 14.9.69; Colonel 30.6.70.
1759 WILLIAM WARDE-ALDAM, 2nd Lieut. 14.6.46, from Emergency
Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 14.6.52; Major 14.6.59;
Retired 14.6.63.
1760 EVERARD IVOR WINDSOR CLIVE, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.46, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 29.7.52; Major 29.7.59;
Commanding 2nd Bn. 20.1.67; Lieut.-Colonel 30.6.67.
1761 Sir TORQUHIL ALEXANDER MATHESON, Bt., 2nd Lieut. 15.8.46, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 16.8.52; Major
15.8.59; Retired 15.11.64.
1762 DONALD GEORGE MILES MARSH, 2nd Lieut. 23.9.46, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 23.9.52; Major 23.9.59;
Retired 1.2.67.
1763 ANDREW PATRICK WITHY MACLELLAN, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 29.11.46,
from Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 29.11.52;
Major 29.11.59; Lieut.-Colonel 31.12.66; Commanding 1st Bn.
26.2.68; Colonel 30.6.70.
1765 THOMAS DAVIS OGILVY CODNER, 2nd Lieut. 15.4.47, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 15.4.53; Retired &
granted Hon. rank of Major 1.7.59.
1766 GEOFFREY ARTHUR GRANVILLE SMITH, 2nd Lieut. 4.6.47, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Died 18.9.53.
1767 GORDON CHARD MIDDLETON, 2nd Lieut. 10.11.46, from Emergency
Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Resigned & granted Hon. rank of
Capt. 6.10.51.
1768 Hon. EDWARD HENRY KENELM DIGBY (later Lord DIGBY), Lieut.
24.1.47, from Emergency Commission; Capt. 24.7.51; Resigned
13.9.53
1769 COLIN SAINTHILL WALLIS-KING, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 13.9.47, from
Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 13.9.53; Major
13.9.60; Lieut.-Colonel 30.6.68; Commanding 2nd Bn. 18.7.69.
1770 Hon. DESMOND RUPERT STRUTT, 2nd Lieut. 17.6.47, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Resigned 12.8.52.
1771 PETER NEIL RALLI STEWART-RICHARDSON, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut.
9.2.47, from Emergency Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt.
9.2.53; Major 5.2.60; Lieut.-Colonel & transferred to The Para-
chute Regiment 30.6.67.
1772 GEORGE RITSON EDWARDS, 2nd Lieut. 10.6.47, from Emergency
Commission; Lieut. 1.11.47; Capt. 10.6.53; Retired & granted
Hon. rank of Major 21.1.56.
1773 Hon. ROBERT GUY EARDLEY YERBURGH (afterwards Lord ALVING-
HAM), 2nd Lieut. 16.12.47, from Emergency Commission; Lieut.
16.12.47; Capt. 16.12.53;
16.12.53; Major 16.12.60;
Major 16.12.60; Lieut.-Colonel
30.6.68.
1. ROLL OF OFFICERS
143
1774 COLIN LOUIS St. HUBERT PELHAM-BURN, Lieut. 1.11.47, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 6.5.53; Major 6.5.60; Retired 26.7.70.
1775 Sir RALPH HUGO ANSTRUTHER, Bt., M.C., Lieut. 15.5.48, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 13.6.48; Major 13.6.55; Retired
3.1.59.
1776 FERGUS JOHN MATHESON, Lieut. 22.2.48, from Emergency Com-
mission; Capt.22.2.54;Retired & granted Hon.rank of Major 22.2.64.
1778 LAWRENCE HUGH WILLIAMS BARRINGTON, 2nd Lieut. 15.7.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 15.7.50; Resigned 1.10.53.
1779 WILLIAM MICHAEL ELLIS HICKS, O.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 15.7.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 15.7.50; Capt. 15.7.54; Major 15.7.61; Brevet
Lieut.-Colonel 25.10.63; Lieut.-Colonel 30.6.67; Commanding
1st Bn. 13.4.70.
1780 JOHN ANTHONY HAWTREY LUARD, 2nd Lieut. 15.7.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 15.7.50; Capt. 15.7.54; Major 15.7.61.
1781 MICHAEL ANDREW PATRICK MITCHELL, 2nd Lieut. 15.7.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 15.7.50; Capt. 15.7.54; Major 4.12.61; Lieut.-
Colonel 30.6.70.
1782 CHARLES GEOFFREY CAMPBELL SPENCER, 2nd Lieut. 15.7.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 15.7.50; Retired 8.6.56.
1783 THOMAS HENRY OLIVER STANLEY, Lieut. 28.9.48, from Emergency
Commission; Resigned & granted Hon. rank of Capt. 28.9.52.
1784 HENRY FRANCIS GIBBS, 2nd Lieut. 21.10.48, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
21.10.50; Capt. 21.10.54; Major 21.10.61; Retired 1.10.67.
1785 GEORGE RICHARD LAWLEY GIBBS, Lord WRAXALL, 2nd Lieut.
21.10.48, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 21.10.50; Resigned 22.12.53.
1786 JOHN FREDERICK HANNAY DAGGER, Lieut. 13.7.48, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Resigned & granted Hon. rank of Capt. 1.7.52.
1787 CHARLES EDWARD IFAN WYNNE-FINCH, 2nd Lieut. 22.12.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.12.50; Retired 1.10.54.
1788 FRANCIS JAMES JOHNSTON, 2nd Lieut. 22.12.48, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 22.12.50; Capt. 22.12.54; Retired & granted Hon, rank of
Major 1.10.59.
1789 ERNEST JOHN ANNESLEY VAUGHAN, 2nd Lieut. 22.12.48, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.12.50; Capt. 22.12.54; Major 22.12.61;
Retired 18.11.67.
1790 Lord EDWARD ANTHONY CHARLES FITZROY, 2nd Lieut. 22.12.48,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.12.50; Capt. 22.12.54; Resigned 1.7.59.
1791 DAVID BENNETT, Lieut. 14.9.48, from Emergency Commission;
Retired & granted Hon, rank of Capt. 23.8.57.
1792 JAMES BENTINCK BAGOT POLLARD, Lieut. 7.10.48, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 7.10.54; Major 7.10.61; Retired 20.5.69.
1793 ALASTAIR REGINALD SANDEMAN TOWER, Lieut. 26.7.48, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Capt. 26.7.54; Major 26.7.61; Retired 1.12.69.
1794 MICHAEL GERALD HAMILTON PARKES, Lieut. 31.10.48, from Emerg-
ency Commission; Capt. 31.10.54; Retired 31.12.56.
1795 OLIVER MICHAEL ROBIN GREENWOOD, 2nd Lieut. 14.7.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 14.7.51; Capt. 14.7.55; Retired 31.10.59,
144
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
1796 Sir DAVID ROLAND WALTER LAWRENCE, Bt., 2nd Lieut. 14.7.49,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 14.7.51; Retired 19.11.54.
1797 FRANCIS WILLIAM ROSLING FISHER, 2nd Lieut. 14.7.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 14.7.51; Capt. 14.7.55; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 30.1.60.
1798 RICHARD NEIL BERESFORD GUBBINS, 2nd Lieut. 14.7.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 14.7.51; Capt. 14.7.55; Resigned 30.9.55.
1799 JOHN HOLLIDAY BINGHAM HARTLEY, 2nd Lieut. 14.7.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 14.7.51; Retired 1.2.57.
1800 EDWARD ARTHUR TREVOR BONNOR-MAURICE, Lieut. 24.4.49, from
Emergency Commission; Capt. 24.4.55; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 1.1.61.
1801 DAVID WIGLEY NICKSON, 2nd Lieut. 6.12.49, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 16.12.51; Resigned 1.7.54.
1802 DENIS HERBERT ARTHUR LEWEY, 2nd Lieut. 16.12.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.12.51; Capt. 16.12.55; Major 16.12.62;
Lieut.-Colonel 30.6.69.
1803 IAN BENJAMIN MURRAY JOHNSTON, 2nd Lieut. 16.12.49, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.12.51; Resigned 1.3.54.
1804 CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM BROOKE JACOT DE BOINOD, 2nd Lieut.
16.12.49, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.12.51; Capt. 16.12.55; Major
16.12.62; Retired 23.9.67.
2. SUCCESSION ROLL FROM 1 JANUARY 1950
(Continued from the Succession Roll in The Coldstream Guards 1920-1946)
1805 PETER JOHN HILLS, Lieut. 18.2.50, from Emergency Commission;
Capt. 18.2.56; Major 18.2.63; Retired 1.6.66.
1806 DAVID FRANCIS DOUGLAS NOEL, Lieut. 18.11.41, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 1.7.46; Major 18.5.53; Lieut.-Colonel 8.4.64;
Retired 18.5.69.
1807 PAUL HENRY WILLIAM STUDHOLME, 2nd Lieut. 22.7.50, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.7.52; Capt. 22.7.56; Retired 29.9.59.
1808 ANTHONY BEDFORD-RUSSELL, 2nd Lieut. 22.7.50, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 22.7.52; Capt. 22.7.56; Major 22.7.63; Transferred to the
Intelligence Corps 30.8.67.
1809 JOHN MELVILLE DONNER, 2nd Lieut. 22.7.50, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 22.7.52; Resigned 2.9.53.
1810 WILLIAM JOHN MARTIN GREENER, Lieut. 18.12.50, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 19.9.56; Major 19.9.63; Retired 7.5.68.
1811 PAUL ROBIN ADAIR, 2nd Lieut. 3.8.51, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
3.8.53; Capt. 3.8.57; Major 3.8.64.
1812 DAVID HAMILTON CLEGG, 2nd Lieut. 3.8.51, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 3.8.53; Capt. 3.8.57; Retired & granted Hon. rank of Major
1.4.62.
1813 ROBIN ANDREW QUANTOCK SHULDHAM, 2nd Lieut. 3.8.51, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 3.8.53; Capt. 3.8.57; Major 3.8.64: Retired
1.11.68.
2. SUCCESSION ROLL
145
1814 JOHN GORE, 2nd Lieut. 3.8.51, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 3.8.53;
Resigned 2.9.54.
1815 PETER JOHN NASH, 2nd Lieut. 3.8.51, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
3.8.53; Capt. 3.8.57; Retired 1.10.57.
1816 PATRICK MICHAEL ERNEST DAVID MCNAIR-WILSON, Lieut. 28.5.50,
from S.S.C.; Resigned 31.8.52.
1817 Hon. SAVILLE WILLIAM FRANCIS CROSSLEY, Lieut. 17.9.49, from
S.S.C.; Retired 7.1.56.
1818 SIMON GILLILAN WEBER-BROWN, Lieut. 7.4.56, from Emergency
Commission; Capt. 7.4.56; Major 7.4.63; Retired 12.11.64.
1819 DAVID POWELL, 2nd Lieut. 8.2.52, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 8.2.54;
Capt. 8.2.58; Major 8.2.65.
1820 SIMON WILLIAM BATT, 2nd Lieut. 8.2.52, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
8.2.54; Retired 1.4.57.
1821 COLLINGWOOD PETER DRINKWATER, 2nd Lieut. 8.2.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 8.2.54; Capt. 8.2.58; Retired 1.3.58.
1822 RICHARD RANSON COOPER, Lieut. 19.8.48, from S.S.C.; Capt.
,
8.8.57; Retired 17.9.58.
1823 CHARLES MICHAEL ANDREW MAYES, Lieut. 29.11.49, from
R.A.R.O.; Capt. 29.11.53; Major 29.11.60; Lieut.-Colonel
;
29.7.65; Colonel 30.6.70.
1824 LYONEL HUMPHREY JOHN TOLLEMACHE, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 10.7.54; Capt. 10.7.58; Retired & granted Hon.
rank of Major 16.7.62.
1825 ANTHONY JOHN MAXSE, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
1.8.54; Capt. 1.8.58; Retired 1.7.62.
1826 Hon. HENRY ERNEST CHRISTOPHER WILLOUGHBY, 2nd Lieut.
1.8.52, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 1.8.54; Capt. 1.8.58; Major 1.8.65.
1827 PETER GERALD SANDEMAN TOWER, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 1.8.54; Capt: 1.8.58; Major 1.8.65; Lieut.-Colonel
30.6.70.
1828 JOHN MERVYN MANNINGHAM-BULLER, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 1.8.54; Retired 1.8.57.
1829 RICHARD BRAZIL, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
4.1.55; Retired 31.10.57.
1830 GEOFFREY MICHAEL CRESSWELL WALL, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 1.8.54; Capt. 1.8.58; Retired 1.3.59.
1831 ANDREW PATRICK FORBES NAPIER, 2nd Lieut. 1.8.52, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 1.8.54; Capt. 1.8.58; Major 1.8.65.
1832 WILLIAM GILBERT GIBBS, Lieut. 21.4.52, from S.S.C.; Resigned
1.3.54.
1833 PETER EGERTON-WARBURTON, 2nd Lieut. 6.2.53, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 6.2.55; Capt. 6.2.59; Retired 13.2.62.
1834 MICHAEL GEORGE WILLASEY-WILSEY, 2nd Lieut. 6.2.53, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 6.2.55; Capt. 6.2.59; Major 2.2.66.
1835 JOHN BOUVERIE MCNEILE, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.53, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 31.7.55; Capt. 31.7.59; Retired 1.12.62.
L
146
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
1836 ARMINE GUY GREVILLE LOMAX, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.53; from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 31.7.55; Retired 10.8.58.
1837 WILLIAM FREDERICK EUSTACE FORBES, Lieut. 6.7.53, from S.S.C.;
Capt. 6.7.59; Retired 1.11.59.
1838 RICHARD HEATHCOTE TATHAM, 2nd Lieut. 9.8.53, from A.E.R.O.;
Lieut. 4.3.54; Capt. 19.8.59; Retired 1.4.62.
1839 JEREMY EDWARD CADGE, 2nd Lieut. 12.2.54, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 12.2.56; Capt. 12.2.60; Major 31.12.68.
DAVID FOULK MYDDELTON, Lieut. 25.5.53, from N.S.C.; Capt.
25.5.60; Retired 8.10.63.
1841 MICHAEL MATTHEW BULL, M.B.E., Lieut. 14.1.54, from N.S.C.;
Capt. 25.8.59; Major 25.8.66.
1842 JONATHAN WILLIAM SALUSBURY-TRELAWNY, 2nd Lieut. 6.8.54,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 6.8.56; Capt. 6.8.60; Major 30.6.67.
1843 JEREMY INGHAM WHITAKER, 2nd Lieut. 6.8.54, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 6.8.56; Capt. 6.8.60; Major 30.6.67; Retired 5.12.67.
1844 THOMAS DOUGLAS GAUSSEN MACNEECE, 2nd Lieut. 6.8.54, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 6.8.56; Capt. 6.8.60; Retired 1.1.63.
1845 PAUL RUXTON POTTER, 2nd Lieut. 6.8.54, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
6.8.56; Retired 5.7.58.
1846 MARTIN WILLIAM FREDERICK MAXSE, 2nd Lieut. 4.2.55, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 4.2.57; Capt. 4.2.61; Major 30.6.68.
1847 PETER NOEL DE BUNSEN, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.55, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
29.7.57; Capt.29.7.61; Retired & granted Hon.rank of Major 2.8.67.
1848 KEVIN TEULON-SELLARS, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.55, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 29.7.57; Capt. 29.7.61; Retired & granted Hon. rank of
Major 2.1.69.
1849 JONATHAN ERVINE VAN DER WERFF, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.55, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.7.57; Capt. 29.7.61; Major 31.12.67; Retired
1.12.68.
1850 HENRY MALCOLM CHITTY HAVERGAL, Lieut. 27.6.55, from S.S.C.;
Capt. 10.4.61; Major 31.12.67.
1851 RICHARD WORTH ST. VINCENT BUCKNALL, 2nd Lieut. 16.12.55,
from R.M.A.S.; Retired 1.3.58.
1852 PHILIP ALI (ANTHONY) FAZIL (later FoxwooD), 2nd Lieut. 16.12.55,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.12.57; Capt. 16.12.61; Retired 20.1.66.
1853 EDWARD MARTIN DEAN, 2nd Lieut. 27.7.56, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 27.7.58; Capt. 27.7.62; Retired 7.3.66.
1854 WILLIAM GEORGE WARDE-NORBURY, 2nd Lieut. 27.7.56, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 27.7.58; Capt. 27.7.62; Retired 18.10.63.
1855 BRIAN ERIC CHRISTOPHER OHLSON, 2nd Lieut. 27.7.56, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 27.7.58; Retired 1.9.61.
1856 GILES GERVAIS TENNYSON-D'EYNCOURT, 2nd Lieut. 21.12.56, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.4.58; Capt. 16.4.62; Retired 6.2.64.
1857 EDMUND HENRY FANE, 2nd Lieut. 21.12.56, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
21.12.58; Capt. 21.12.62; Resigned 30.11.64.
1858 JEREMY HARBEN JAMES, 2nd Lieut. 21.12.56, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
21.12.58; Capt. 21.12.62.
2. SUCCESSION ROLL
147
1859 PETER EVAN WYLDBORE GIBBS, Lieut. 30.1.57, from N.S.C.; Capt.
1.2.61; Major 31.12.67.
1860 DANIEL BERNARD DE VALANGIN JACOT DE BOINOD, 2nd Lieut.
2.8.57, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 2.8.59; Capt. 2.8.63; died
;
15.7.64.
1861 WILLIAM RICHARD AVENS, 2nd Lieut. 20.12.57, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 20.11.59; Capt. 21.11.63; Major 31.12.68.
1862 Hon. WILLIAM DUKE COLERIDGE, 2nd Lieut. 20.12.57, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 20.12.59; Capt. 20.12.63; Major 31.12.69.
1863 SIMON EDWARD BARNETT, M.B.E., 2nd Lieut. 2.8.58, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 2.8.60; Capt. 2.8.64; Retired 1.9.66.
1864 GEORGE ANTONY PHILIPPI, 2nd Lieut. 2.8.58, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 2.8.60; Capt. 2.8.64.
1865 GREGORY WOLCOUGH, 2nd Lieut. 2.8.58, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
2.8.60; Capt. 2.8.64; Retired 23.9.67.
1866 SIMON STEWART FORSTER, 2nd Lieut. 19.12.58, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 19.12,60; Capt. 19.12.64; Retired 1.3.68.
1867 JULIAN JOHN BUCKINGHAM POPE, 2nd Lieut. 19.12.58, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 19.12.60; Capt. 19.12.64.
1868 GEORGE EDWARD DERRINGTON TREMLETT, 2nd Lieut. 19.12.58,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 19.12.60; Resigned 31.5.64.
1869 ANTHONY JOHN MERVYN DRAKE, Lieut. 11.3.59, from S.S.C.;
Capt. 12.11.60; Major 12.11.67.
1870 MICHAEL WILLIAM ALEXANDER PANTER, Lieut. 28.10.59, from
S.S.C.; Retired 1.4.63.
1871 Hon. MICHAEL BAIRD, 2nd Lieut. 25.7.59, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
1.6.61; Retired 1.8.62.
1872 WILLIAM EDWARD ROUS, 2nd Lieut. 25.7.59, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 1.1.61; Capt. 25.7.65.
1873 EDWARD ANTHONY PEREIRA, Lieut. 18.5.60, from S.S.C.; Resigned
1.11.64.
1874 RICHARD TRISTRAM COMBE, 2nd Lieut. 18.6.60, from S.S.C.; Lieut.
6.5.60; Capt. 4.4.64; Retired 1.9.67.
1875 JOHN BEAUCHAMP BLACKETT, Lieut. 6.5.60, from S.S.C.; Capt.
. ,
6.5.66; Retired 16.6.70.
1876 GEORGE LANCELOT ST. LEGER ROLLESTON, M.B.E., Lieut. 8.5.60,
from N.S.C.; Capt. 8.5.66; Retired 31.1.69.
1877 JOHN RODERICK EYRE BARTHOLOMEW, 2nd Lieut. 15.12.60, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.6.62; died 9.9.64.
1878 JOHN ALISTAIR PONSONBY FORBES, Lieut. 24.4.58, from Somerset &
Cornwall Light Infantry; Capt. 22.4.64; Retired 1.11.66.
1879 JAMES RICHARD MACFARLANE, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.59, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 18.6.61; Capt. 18.12.65.
1880 JEREMY DEEBLE PETER-HOBLYN, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.59, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 18.6.61; Retired 7.12.65.
1881 EDWARD JEREMY THORNEWILL, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.59, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 18.6.61; Capt. 18.12.65; Retired 1.10.67.
148
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
1882 ROBERT NIGEL FIELDING SWEETING, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.61; from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.1.63; Capt. 29.7.67.
1883 ANTHONY JOHN CORDLE, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.59, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 18.6.61; Retired 27.9.65.
1884 ANDREW MICHAEL STEWART BROADHURST, Lieut. 13.7.61, from
N.S.C.; Capt. 10.10.63; Major 31.12.
1885 JOHN CYRIL DORLAND PILLEY, Lieut. 21.9.61, from N.S.C.; Capt.
22.12.62; Resigned 10.1.66.
1886 MICHAEL THOMAS NOEL HAMILTON WILLS, Lieut. 21.9.61, from
S.S.C.; Capt. 30.5.67.
1887 MARK PATRICK CHETWYND-TALBOT, 2nd Lieut. 22.12.61, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.6.63; Capt. 22.12.67.
1888 Sir BRIAN WALTER DE STOPHAM BARTTELOT, Bt., 2nd Lieut. 22.12.61,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.6.63; Capt. 22.12.67.
1889 PETER WILLIAM DAVID ST. VINCENT DE SAUSMAREZ, 2nd Lieut.
22.12.61, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 22.6.63; Retired 1.7.66.
1890 RICHARD ANTHONY Novis, Lieut. 3.3.60, from A.E.R.O.; Capt.
21.6.65; Retired 1.3.69.
1891 NICHOLAS GUY GOLD, 2nd Lieut. 4.8.62, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
4.2.64; Resigned 1.9.65.
1892 JEREMY GEORGE GEOFFREY NETHERCOTT WHITE, 2nd Lieut. 4.8.62,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 4.2.64; Capt. 4.8.68; Retired 23.9.68.
1893 CHARLES FREDERICK FUGLESANG, Lieut. 23.5.63, from S.S.C.;
Capt. 10.7.66; Retired 17.9.68.
1894 DAVID DUDLEY FOLLAND, 2nd Lieut. 2.8.63, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 2.2.65; Resigned 9.9.69.
1895 MURRAY BERNARD NEVILLE HOWARD, 2nd Lieut. 2.8.63, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 2.2.65; Capt. 2.8.69.
1896 JAMES RICHARD INNES, 2nd Lieut. 20.12.63, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 20.6.65; Capt. 20.12.69.
1897 GEORGE MAURICE POPE, 2nd Lieut. 8.4.64, from S.S.C.; Lieut.
14.4.65; Resigned 1.12.68.
1898 DIGBY NOEL THORNEWILL, 2nd Lieut. 28.12.63, from S.S.C.;
Lieut. 14.4.65; Capt. 28.12.69.
1899 IVAN DIMITRY ZVEGINTZOV, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.64, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 31.1.66; Capt. 31.7.70.
1900 ANTHONY COLLIS SAINTHILL, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.64, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 31.1.66; Capt. 31.7.70.
1901 CHRISTOPHER JAMES NEVILLE FELTON, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.64, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 31.1.66; Capt. 31.7.70.
1902 SIMON JOHN DAVIE, Lieut. 25.11.62, from R.A.R.O.; Capt. 25.11.68;
Retired 30.4.69.
1903 JAMES NOEL MCTAVISH THOMSON-MOORE, 2nd Lieut. 30.7.65, from
S.S.C.; Lieut. 30.1.67.
1904 ROBIN JOHN STUART WARDLE, 2nd Lieut. 7.11.65, from S.S.C.;
Lieut. 2.5.67.
1905 EDWARD MORGAN CROFTON, 2nd Lieut. 17.12.65, from R.M.A.S.:
Lieut. 17.6.67.
2. SUCCESSION ROLL
149
1906 RICHARD JOHN HEYWOOD, 2nd Lieut. 5.7.65, from S.S.C.; Lieut.
27.7.66.
1907 OLIVER RAVEN ST. JOHN BREAKWELL, 2nd Lieut. 8.4.66, from
S.R.C; Lieut. 8.4.69.
1908 MYLES RICHARD FRISBY, Lieut. 28.12.65, University Candidate;
Capt. 28.2.70.
1909 ROBIN EDWARD RICHARD ALDERSON, 2nd Lieut. 13.7.66, from
S.S.C.; Lieut. 3.4.68.
1910 EDWARD WILLIAM FAURE-WALKER, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.66, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.1.68.
1911 ANTHONY STEPHEN HUNGERFORD POLLEN, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.66, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.1.68.
1912 MICHAEL RICHARD ALLEN CAMPBELL, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.66, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.1.68.
1913 GEORGE CLIVE FORESTIER-WALKER, 2nd Lieut. 29.7.66, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 29.1.68.
1914 JOHN ROBERT GILES CRISP, 2nd Lieut. 24.7.66, from S.S.C.; Lieut.
9.11.66.
1915 EDWARD ARCHER WINDSOR-CLIVE, 2nd Lieut. 16.12.66, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 16.6.68.
1916 CHARLES EDRIC HOLDSWORTH-HUNT, 2nd Lieut. 27.2.67, from
S.S.C.; Lieut. 14.6.67; Capt. 25.12.70.
1917 DWARD BRADLEY LAWRENCE ARMITSTEAD, 2nd Lieut. 28.7.67,
from R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 28.1.69.
1918 BERNARD MICHAEL DE LERISSON CAZENOVE, 2nd Lieut. 28.7.67, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 28.1.69.
1919 ANTHONY HOLDSWORTH BRYAN EVANS, 2nd Lieut. 28.7.67, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 28.1.69.
1920 ROBERT DE LERISSON CAZENOVE, 2nd Lieut. 31.8.67, from S.S.C.;
Lieut. 5.8.68.
1921 HUGH MICHAEL ROSE, Lieut. 22.8.64, University Candidate; Capt.
8.12.67.
1922 PETER HUGH MILLS, 2nd Lieut. 15.12.67, from R.M.A.S.; Lieut.
15.6.69.
1923 IAN JAMES GLENCAIRN CUNNINGHAM, 2nd Lieut. 2.8.68, from
R.M.A.S.; Lieut. 2.2.70.
1924 PATRICK LORAINE BELL, 2nd Lieut. 24.3.65, from S.S.C.; Lieut.
27.4.66.
1925 ALAN RICHARD MASON, 2nd Lieut. 20.12.68, from R.M.A.S.;
Lieut. 20.6.70.
1926 NICHOLAS EMLBLETON EMSON, M.C., 2nd Lieut. 21.10.68, from
Parachute Regiment; Lieut. 30.7.69.
1927 MARTYN HUBERT SOMERVELL, 2nd Lieut. 14.8.69, from S.S.C.;
Lieut. 15.4.70.
1928 LAIN MCNEIL, 2nd Lieut. 31.7.70, from R.M.A.S.
1929 ANTHONY RICHARD BIGGs, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.70, from R.M.A.S.
1930 PETER THORNTON-DEWHURST, 2nd Lieut. 18.12.70, from R.M.A.S.
150
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
3. COLONELS OF THE REGIMENT
(Continued from The Coldstream Guards 1920-46)
25 Sir HENRY CHARLES LOYD, G.C.V.O., K.C.B., D.S.O., M.C., General
13.9.45.
26 Sir WALTER ARTHUR GEORGE BURNS, K.C.V.O., C.B., D.S.O., O.B.E.,
M.C., Major-General 8.5.66.
4. LIEUTENANT-COLONELS COMMANDING
THE REGIMENT
(Continued from The Coldstream Guards 1920-40)
75 EDWARD RODERICK HILL, D.S.O., effective 1.1.50.
76 WALTER ARTHUR GEORGE BURNS, D.S.O., O.B.E., M.C., 11.10.52.
77 IAN WILLIAM GORE-LANGTON, M.B.E., 30.9.55.
78 RICHARD JOHN VESEY CRICHTON, M.C., 5.9.58.
79 ROBERT CHARLES WINDSOR CLIVE, 6.10.61.
80 Sir JEFFREY LIONEL DARELL, Bt., M.C., 1.4.64.
81 DAVID ARTHUR HODGES TOLER, O.B.E., M.C., 1.10.64.
82 ALAN BROOKE PEMBERTON, M.B.E., 11.11.65. .
83 Sir Ian LIDDELL JARDINE, Bt., O.B.E., M.C., 13.3.67.
84 EDWARD TIMOTHY SMYTH-OSBOURNE, 14.9.69.
5. OFFICERS COMMANDING BATTALIONS
(Continued from The Coldstream Guards 1920-46)
WALTER ARTHUR GEORGE BURNS, D.S.O., M.C.
1.1.50
BRINSLEY ERSKINE LUARD, M.C.
1.1.50
ROBERT GEORGE VICTOR FITZGEORGE-BALFOUR,
C.B.E., M.C.
IAN WILLIAM GORE LANGTON, M.B.E.
JOHN CHANDOS-POLE, O.B.E.
RAOUL CHARLES ROBIN, O.B.E.
ARTHUR HENRY GRENVILLE FORTESCUE, M.B.E., M.C.
CLAUDE PERCY MICHAEL WORRALL, M.V.o.
RICHARD JOHN VESEY CRICHTON, M.C.
HENRY JAMES LINDSAY GREEN
ROBERT CHARLES WINDSOR CLIVE
JEFFREY LIONEL DARELL, M.C.
HENRY KENNET SWEETING
JOHN WILLIAM YOUNGER, M.B.E.
JULIAN TOLVER PAGET
RONALD JOHN DENYS EDEN BUCKLAND, M.B.E.
DAVID ARTHUR HODGES TOLER, M.C.
ALAN BROOKE PEMBERTON, M.B.E.
Sir IAN LIDDELL JARDINE, Bt., O.B.E., M.C.
3rd
effective
1 st
effective
2nd
effective
3rd
2nd
1st
2nd
3rd
1 st
2nd
3rd
1 st
2nd
1st
2nd
1st
2nd
1 st
2nd
1.1.50
11.11.50
1.12.50
12.3.51
2.10.52
18.8.53
12.3.54
1.10.55
30.6.56
9.1.57
1.3.58
23.4.59
18.3.60
14.6.61
14.9.62
3.5.63
21.8.64
5. OFFICERS COMMANDING BATTALIONS
151
EDWARD TIMOTHY SMYTH-OSBOURNE
1st
EVERARD IVOR WINDSOR CLIVE
2nd
ANDREW PATRICK WITHY MACLELLAN, M.B.E.
1 st
COLIN SAINTHILL WALLIS-KING, O.B.E.
2nd
WILLIAM MICHAEL ELLIS HICKS, O.B.E.
1st
18.10.65
10.1.67
26.2.68
18.7.69
13.4.70
6. ADJUTANTS
(Continued from The Coldstream Guards 1920-46)
WILLIAM BIRKBECK
RICHARD JOHN VESEY CRICHTON, M.C.
JOHN HUGH TORQUIL SUTTON
ALAN BROOKE PEMBERTON
ALAN KEITH BARLOW, M.C.
EDWARD TIMOTHY SMYTH-OSBOURNE
DAVID ARTHUR HODGES TOLER, M.C.
GEORGE VICTOR SHERIDAN LE FANU
EDWARD TIMOTHY SMYTH-OSBOURNE
ANDREW PATRICK WITHY MACLELLAN
ALASTAIR REGINALD SANDEMAN TOWER
DAVID BENNETT
ROBERT CHARLES WINDSOR CLIVE
EDWARD ARTHUR TREVOR BONNOR-MAURICE
ROBERT ERSKINE PHILIPS, M.C.
DENIS HERBERT ARTHUR LEWEY
SIMON GILLILIAN WEBER-BROWN
DAVID FOULK MYDDLETON
JOHN GREVILLE BAGOT CHESTER, M.C.
MICHAEL MATTHEW BULL
KEVIN TEULON-SELLARS
COLIN SAINTHILL WALLIS-KING
JONATHAN ERVINE VAN DER WERFF
WILLIAM RICHARD AVENS
JOHN CYRIL DORLAND PILLEY
ERNEST JOHN ANNESLY VAUGHAN
PHILIP ALI FAZIL
ALISTAIR REGINALD SANDEMAN TOWER
GEORGE ANTHONY PHILIPPI
WILLIAM EDWARD ROUS
PAUL ROBIN ADAIR
MICHAEL THOMAS NOEL HAMILTON WILLS
Sir BRIAN WALTER DE STOPHAM BARTTELOT, Bt.
ANDREW PATRICK FORBES NAPIER
RICHARD JOHN HEYWOOD
ROBIN JOHN STUART WARDLE
3rd
effective 1.1.50
Reg
effective 1.1.50
1st
effective 1.1.50
2nd
effective 1.1.50
3rd
7.3.50
2nd 23.8.51
Reg 29.1.52
2nd 10.2.52
1st 11.3.52
3rd 3.10.52
3rd
1.3.54
1st 1.10.54
Reg
3.1.55
2nd 31.1.55
Reg 13.6.56
3rd 6.7.56
1st
8.7.57
2nd 25.12.57
Reg 2.6.58
1st 2.12.59
2nd 11.4.60
Reg
11.2.61
1 st
8.1.62
2nd 7.6.62
Ist 31.12.63
Reg 1.3.63
2nd 24.6.64
Reg 17.9.64
2nd 25.10.65
1st
4.1.66
Reg
13.6.66
2nd 6.12.66
1st 25.12.67
Reg 23.7.68
2nd 30.1.69
1st 6.11.69
152
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
7. QUARTERMASTERS
(Continued from The Coldstream Guards 1920-40)
A. Quartermaster Commissioned Officers
HUGH MCCARTER JOEL, M.B.E., M.M., Lieut. 28.4.53; Capt. 26.6.55;
Major 26.6.61; Retired 26.6.63.
JAMES CHARLES COWLEY, D.C.M., Lieut. 10.10.53; Capt. 25.6.57; Major
25.6.64; Retired 20.9.68.
FREDERICK THOMAS AYLEN, Lieut. 11.2.54; Capt. 13.11.56; Major 13.11.62;
Retired 15.11.64.
ARTHUR RAMSDEN, M.B.E., M.C., Lieut. 14.6.52; Capt. 2.10.56; Major
2.10.62; Retired 1.1.67.
NORMAN DUCKWORTH, M.B.E., M.M., Lieut. 1.1.57; Capt. 23.8.61; Major
23.8.67; Retired 30.11.70.
FRANK ARTHUR DENNIS BETTS, M.B.E., Lieut. 31.8.57; Capt. 6.1.61; Major
6.1.67,
FREDERICK WILSON, Lieut. 1.1.57; Capt. 7.5.59; Major 7.5.65; Retired
5.9.68.
DOUGLAS HERBERT JOHN GLISSON, Lieut. 27.11.59; Capt. 19.6.63; Major
19.6.69.
THOMAS ROCKLEY, Lieut. 16.12.63; Retired 23.7.66.
STANLEY ARTHUR JOHN BLAKE, Lieut. 17.2.64; Capt. 1.4.66.
EDWIN JOSEPH ROY ROSE, Lieut. 7.4.66; Capt. 1.4.67.
DONALD HACKING Willis, Lieut. 10.11.67; Capt. 1.4.68.
THOMAS RAYMOND FORREST, Lieut, 15.6.68; Capt. 1.4.69.
JAMES EDWARD LARKIN, Lieut. 20.8.68; Capt. 1.4.70.
PETER JOHN CLIFFORD, Lieut. 25.9.69; Capt. 1.4.70.
KEITH BADHAM, Lieut. 1.9.70.
13
B. Battalion Quartermasters
SIDNEY BADEN REDVERS COOPER, M.B.E.
ARTHUR RAMSDEN, M.B.E., M.C.
FRANK ARTHUR DENNIS BETTS, M.B.E.
EDWIN JOSEPH ROY ROSE
THOMAS RAYMOND FORREST
JAMES SAWDON, M.B.E.
Ist
effective 1.1.50
1st
9.7.52
1st
10.1.62
Ist 30.8.67
Ist 21.10.70
2nd
effective 1.1.50
2nd 22.10.53
2nd 25.3.57
2nd 13.3.68
2nd 12.4.70
3rd
effective
1.1.50
3rd
3.3.52
JAMES CHARLES COWLEY, D.C.M.
NORMAN DUCKWORTH, M.B.E., M.M.
DOUGLAS HERBERT JOHN GLISSON
DONALD HACKING WILLIS
ERNEST ALFRED MAY
HUGH MCCARTER JOEL, M.B.E., M.M.
7. QUARTERMASTERS
153
C. Battalion Mechanical Transport Officers
FRANK ARTHUR DENNIS BETTS, M.B.E.
DOUGLAS HERBERT JOHN GLISSON
THOMAS ROCKLEY
EDWIN JOSEPH ROY ROSE
DONALD HACKING WILLIS
PETER JOHN CLIFFORD
FREDERICK WILSON
STANLEY ARTHUR JOHN BLAKE
THOMAS RAYMOND FORREST
KEITH BADHAM
1st
1st
1st
1st
1 st
1st
2nd
2nd
2nd
2nd
3.9.57
10.1.62
16.12.63
24.6.66
1.11.67
2.4.70
27.10.59
16.3.64
20.5.68
21.10.70
8. DIRECTORS OF MUSIC
DOUGLAS ALEXANDER POPE, O.B.E., F.R.C.M., Lieut. 5.9.44; Capt. 30.11.46;
Major 30.11.52; Lieut.-Colonel 4.11.59; Retired 20.11.63.
TREVOR LE MARE SHARPE, M.B.E., L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M., Lieut. 1.8.63, from
R.A.C.; Appointed D of M 15.8.63; Capt. 15.4.64; Major 15.4.70.
9. REGIMENTAL SERGEANT-MAJORS
effective
3
A. First Battalion
ROBERT WILLIAM SMITH, M.B.E., D.C.M.
JAMES CHARLES COWLEY, D.C.M.
RONALD JAMES SMYTH TYACKE
LESLIE HAYWOOD TRIMMING
DENNIS WILKINSON
THOMAS RAYMOND FORREST
KEITH BADHAM
ALBERT PICKLES
1.1.50
4.3.52
8.10.53
1.9.55
4.10.60
16.2.66
16.6.68
1.8.70
effective
B. Second Battalion
ARTHUR RAMSDEN, M.B.E., M.C.
FRANK GEORGE PICKFORD
NORMAN DUCKWORTH, M.M.
STANLEY ARTHUR JOHN BLAKE
NORMAN MORSE
DONALD HACKING WILLIS
PETER JOHN CLIFFORD
NORMAN WELCH, M.B.E.
1.1.50
26.5.52
8.12.54
8.3.57
13.6.61
24.8.65
2.11.67
3.9.69
effective
C. Third Battalion
CHARLES LACEY SMY, D.C.M.
FREDERICK WILLIAM WILSON
DOUGLAS HERBERT JOHN GLISSON
1.1.50
5.9.54
19.7.55
154
THE COLDSTREAM ROLL
10. SUPERINTENDING CLERKS
effective
HENRY CHARLES NORMAN, M.B.E.
FREDERICK WHITEHEAD, M.B.E.
JOHN ROBERT WARD, M.B.E.
JOHN GEORGE LOCKEY, M.B.E.
KENNETH MURSELL
JOHN GLYN HOOK
1.1.50
1.12.52
25.5.57
3.1.62
20.1.66
6.11.67
APPENDIX III
THE ROLL OF WAR EMERGENCY,
NATIONAL SERVICE AND SHORT SERVICE
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
THIS Roll includes the names of all Officers who received War Emer-
gency, National Service and Short Service Commissions during the
period 16 August 1945 to 31 December 1970.
WAR EMERGENCY, NATIONAL SERVICE
AND SHORT SERVICE COMMISSIONED
OFFICERS
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
NSC
4.11.50
11.10.51
Addis,
Richard Thomas
SSC
3.4.65
Alderson,
Robin Edward Richard
Granted Reg
13.7.66
NSC
29.7.50
21.10.51
Alliot,
John Dawnes
NSC
15.11.52
9.8.54
30.9.54
Alliot,
Peter Alexander
SSC
9.1.60
13.10.61
17.7.62
Allsopp,
Charles Henry
EC
14.5.48
25.9.49
Ansdell,
Peter Murray Agnew
NSC
14.4.56
26.9.57
Aykroyd,
David Peter
NSC
Bailey,
18.3.50
6.9.51
John Adrian
NSC
29.10.49
20.4.51
Baillieu,
Colin Clive
SSC
2.5.70
Baillieu,
Hon James William
Latham
NSC
26.5.54
15.11.52
Bannister,
Michael John Rennie
156 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
NSC
Baring,
Nicholas Hugo
NSC
Barnard,
Peter Francis
NSC
Barnard,
Thomas Murrell
NSC
Barnard,
Thomas Peregrine
NSC
Barry,
Richard John
EC
Batt,
Christopher Windham
NSC
Bayliss,
Jeremy David Bagot
NSC
Bedford,
William Ely
NSC
Bedford-Russell,
Jeremy Longmore
SSC
Bell,
Patrick Loraine
SSC
Bevan,
John Gordon
NSC
Bingham, Lord,
Richard John
NSC
Black,
Hamish John Stuart
NSC
Blackett,
John Beauchamp
EC
Blacking,
John Anthony Randoll
NSC
Bond,
Peter Robert Michael
NSC
Bower,
Hugh Patrick Harold
NSC
Brand,
John Martin
NSC
Bramble,
Roger John Lawrence
NSC
Broadhurst,
Andrew Michael Stewart
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
REMARKS
18.4.53
10.1.55
3.4.58
30.5.53
26.10.54
7.12.57
27.5.59
29.10.49
8.4.51
22.3.58
29.9.59
27.11.48
9.2.50
14.4.56
26.9.57
10.5.58
30.9.59
25.9.54
20.3.56
27.4.63
27.4.66
Granted Reg
5.9.68
8.1.55
11.1.58
10.10.53
20.3.55
17.5.55
21.3.57
7.12.57
6.5.60
Granted SSC
3.5.59
Granted Reg
6.5.60
14.8.48
10.11.49
2.8.58
3.2.60
30.7.49
28.3.50
25.8.56
1.5.58
4.11.58
4.11.50
1.11.51
14.4.56
23.12.57
Granted SSC
2.12.57
Granted Reg
13.7.61
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 157
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Brooksbank,
David William
NSC
Bruce,
David Hamilton Grant
Duff
NSC
Buchanan,
Andrew George
NSC
Buchanan,
Alistair John
NSC
Bullough,
Roderic Iain
EC
Bunning,
Patrick Stuart Caldicott
NSC
Burdett-Blackett,
Archibald Frederick
Stewart
Granted SSC
18.1.54
NSC
Burnett,
Timothy Adrian John
NSC
Caccia,
David Anthony Lawrence
EC
Cadbury,
George Adrian Hayhurst
NSC
Capstick,
William Richard Dacre
NSC
Carew-Pole,
John Richard Walter
Reginald
Granted SSC
10.4.60
SSC
Cazenove,
Robert De Lerisson
Granted Reg
28.7.67
NSC
Chelsea, Viscount,
Charles Gerald John
SSC
Clark,
Guy Wyndham Niall
Hamilton
SSC
Clarke,
John Owen
SSC
Clifford,
Hon Thomas Hugh
NSC
Clutterbuck,
Jasper Meadows
NSC
Cobbold,
Nicholas Sydney
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
16.1.65
11.8.67
15.11.52
9.8.54
30.9.54
25.8.56
30.1.58
8.1.55
12.7.56
2.8.58
3.2.60
25.9.48
12.9.49
5.9.52
13.5.54
18.1.59
25.8.56
30.1.58
17.9.55
21.3.57
23.10.48
30.6.49
21.7.51
5.2.53
2.8.58
21.4.60
10.4.63
21.1.66
14.4.56
26.9.57
3.11.62
3.11.65
1.10.66
22.2.69
10.6.67
10.6.70
27.3.54
28.9.55
25.7.53
14.12.54
21.7.51
26.1.53
Coke,
Simon
158 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
EC
Collins,
William Janson
EC
Constantine,
Joseph
NSC
Constantine,
Robert Loudoun
SSC
Crawley,
Charles Aiden
SSC
Crisp,
John Robert Giles
Granted Reg
24.7.66
NSC
Crockford,
David Allen
EC
Currie,
Hugh Gordon
NSC
d'Abo,
Robin Gerard
Granted SSC
3.5.59
SSC
Davie,
Simon John
Granted Reg
8.1.65
NSC
Dawnay,
Andrew Charles
NSC
Dawson,
Edward Anthony
EC
Day,
John Ronald
NSC
De Laszlo,
Philip Richard
NSC
De Uphaugh,
John Richard Duppa
NSC De Wesselow,
Ian Vaughan
NSC
De Winton,
Nicholas John Dennys
Parry
NSC
Dent-Brocklehurst,
Geoffrey Mark
SSC
Dickson,
Malcolm James
Livingstone
NSC
Dillon,
Brian Patrick
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
27.11.48
15.9.49
26.7.47
30.8.48
10.5.52
28.10.53
10.7.65
29.3.68
9.11.63
18.3.50
23.3.51
27.11.48
9.2.50
7.6.58
19.11.59
3.5.62
1.7.61
4.4.63
5.1.64
10.10.53
27.10.54
17.9.55
21.3.57
14.5.48
29.8.49
19.12.53
3.7.55
14.4.56
26.9.57
30.7.49
2.6.50
4.11.50
8.5.52
28.4.51
30.10.52
25.10.69
30.7.49
28.5.50
7.12.57
27.5.59
Dodd,
Christopher John
Hamilton
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 159
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Donlea,
Timothy James Gilbert
NSC
Doughty,
Charles Edward
SSC
Drake,
Anthony John
Granted Reg
11.3.59
EC
Drake,
William Barnard Mervyn
NSC
Drummond-Hay,
Malcolm James
NSC
Duckett,
John
NSC
Duthy,
Humphrey Robin
NSC
Earnshaw-Smith,
Richard Vipian
NSC
Eckersley,
Peter Leonard
NSC Fairley,
Richard James Stanley
NSC
Fane,
Vere John Alexander
NSC Farmiloe,
Michael John
SSC
Feilden,
Andrew James
NSC
Died 26.8.53
Feilden,
Cecil Roderick
NSC
Feilden,
Randle Joseph
EC
Fenton,
Colin Charles Humphries
EC
Fenwick,
Anthony Walter
NSC
Ferard,
James Richard
NSC
Fitzalan-Howard,
Hon Mark
NSC
Fitzherbert,
Anthony Ralph
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
25.10.69
27.3.54
28.9.55
24.10.53
9.5.55
26.7.47
15.12.48
24.11.51
10.5.53
14.3.59
6.10.60
7.12.57
27.5.59
22.9.51
24.9.52
26.4.52
26.10.53
17.1.59
2.6.60
10.4.54
28.9.55
28.4.51
30.10.52
10.9.60
14.6.62
17.3.63
5.9.52
30.7.49
14.5.50
14.5.48
23.8.49
26.7.47
30.12.49
25.8.56
12.1.58
18.4.53
28.10.54
7.12.57
27.9.59
11.11.52
1.9.54
Fitzherbert,
Nicholas John
160 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., ,
COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Foord-Kelcey,
Christopher Peter
NSC
Forbes,
Anthony David Arnold
William
NSC
Forbes,
William Frederick Eustace
Granted Reg
6.7.53
NSC
Fox,
William Francis
SSC
Fraser,
Simon Beaufort
NSC
Frisby,
Simon Rollo
Granted SSC
18.1.54
NSC
Fuglesang,
Charles Frederick
Granted SSC
10.1.60
Granted Reg
23.5.63
SSC
Gadney,
Reginald Bernard John
NSC
Gage,
Hon Henry Nicholas
NSC
Gale,
Anthony Adrian
NSC
Gaze,
John Alistair Christopher
SSC
Gibbs,
Anthony Julian
NSC
Gibbs,
David Evelyn
EC
Gibbs,
Hon Eustace Hubert Beilby
NSC
Gibbs,
Peter Evan Wildbore
Granted SSC
21.11.54
Granted Reg
30.1.57
NSC
Gibbs,
William Gilbert
Granted SSC
13.1.52
Granted Reg
18.3.53
EC
Glynn-Jones,
Geoffrey
SSC
Gommes,
John Patrick
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
16.1.65
12.8.67
13.4.57
29.12.58
11.10.59
28.4.51
16.1.53
14.3.59
6.10.60
18.7.69
5.9.52
13.5.54
18.1.56
2.8.58
21.4.60
24.9.59
14.12.61
24.9.62
18.4.53
10.10.54
29.10.49
17.10.50
10.5.52
2.11.53
14.4.62
16.11.64
18.3.50
26.9.51
27.11.48
15.9.49
25.7.53
24.3.55
29.7.60
21.4.52
15.11.47
30.12.48
14.3.59
12.12.60
14.3.62
27.7.37
28.1.59
Granville,
Richard de la Bere
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 161
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Greenly,
Richard Anthony
NSC
Gridley,
Richard Crandon
SSC
Groome,
Raymond Paul
NSC
Died 9.6.57
Groome,
Terence William Stanley
NSC
Guinness,
David Gerald Charles
NSC Hair,
John Anthony
NSC
Hambro,
Charles Eric Alexander
SSC
Hamilton,
Hon James Leslie
SSC
Hamilton,
Hon Archibald Gavin
NSC
Hanbury,
Benjamin John
NSC
Hancock,
Richard Michael Spencer
EC
Hare,
Thomas
SSC
Hare,
Patrick Michael
Trans'd
Devonshire
& Dorset
Rgt. 14.10.66
EC
Harris,
Jeremy Clement
NSC
Hart-Davis,
Peter Duff
NSC | Havergal,
Henry Malcolm Chitty
Granted SSC
27.2.55
Granted Reg
7.9.55
SSC
Hawke,
Edward George
EC
Hawkins,
George Richard Plume
EC
Hely-Hutchinson,
Henry Aymar
EC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
19.10.68
25.9.54
21.3.56
7.5.60
14.1.62
24.9.62
14.4.56
2.8.58
24.10.59
30.7.49
1.9.50
29.10.49
14.5.51
1.12.56
4.6.58
2.7.60
12.4.62
21.1.63
18.4.53
27.10.54
18.3.50
25.9.51
2.4.49
1.5.50
16.1.65
1.2.46
1.8.46
18.5.48
17.9.55
21.3.57
24.10.53
27.6.55
31.1.70
2.4.49
31.5.50
23.9.45
23.3.46
27.11.47
23.9.45
23.3.46
2.2.48
Herbert,
Mervyn Edward
M
162 WAR EMERGENCY, ,
ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Heywood,
Richard John
Granted Reg
5.7.65
NSC
Hicks,
Cedric Nicholas Griffin
SSC
Higham,
Robin David
NSC
Hill,
James Richard
NSC Hill,
Michael Roderick
NSC Hill,
Timothy Edward Burrow
NSC Hill-Wood,
Peter Denis
NSC
Hingston,
Richard Henry Trevan
SSC
Holdsworth-Hunt,
Charles Edric
Granted Reg
27.2.67
SSC
Holdsworth-Hunt,
Christopher
EC
House,
Adrian Rupert
EC
Howard,
David Sanctuary
NSC
Howard,
Hon Jonathan Alan
EC
Howard,
Stanford John
EC
Hugonin,
William Francis Pennyman
EC
Humphryes,
James Anthony
NSC Impey,
John Edward
NSC
Ingrams,
Peter John
SSC
Jacques,
Anthony Kynaston
SSC
Jarratt,
David Frederick
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
27.7.63
10.4.54
28.9.55
15.11.58
13.6.60
15.11.60
2.12.50
6.2.52
12.9.59
6.10.60
25.9.54
21.3.56
2.4.55
27.9.56
21.7.51
5.2.53
3.11.62
1.7.61
4.4.63
5.1.64
26.7.47
30.8.48
3.5.47
30.7.48
26.4.52
19.10.53
27.11.48
9.2.50
23.9.45
23.3.46
19.12.47
26.7.47
20.9.48
18.3.50
6.9.51
14.3.59
6.10.60
2.9,70
11.7.59
11.4.61
11.7.62
26.4.52
8.10.53
Johnston,
Gordon Gleadell
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 163
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Johnston,
Terence Desmond
NSC
Jolliffe,
Hon Raymond
SSC
Kendall,
Bruce Michael
NSC | Kennedy,
Hugh Robert James
NSC
King,
Colin Henry Harmsworth
NSC
Laing,
Alexander Graham
Athol Turner
EC
Lake,
John Dene Neville
EC
Lane,
Jocelyn Henry Cecil
SSC
Langley,
Christopher John
NSC Lascelles,
Rupert John Orlando
SSC
Lawrence,
Bernard Reginald le
Marchant
SSC
Lawrence,
Clive Wyndham
EC
Leigh,
Patrick Stephen
EC
Leonard,
Hamilton John
EC
Leventhorpe,
Richard Christopher
EC
Lewis,
Peter Tyndale
EC
Lloyd,
Anthony John Lewis
EC
Loder,
James David Gerald
NSC
Loder,
Hon Robert Beauclerk
SSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
28.8.65
12.7.68
21.7.51
22.9.52
15.6.68
22.1.55
12.7.56
6.5.50
25.9.51
28.4.51
30.10.52
26.7.47
15.12.48
27.11.48
25.1.50
9.10.65
9.10.68
5.5.69
10.7.54
19.3.56
24.6.56
15.2.64
19.9.66
11.7.59
11.4.61
11.7.63
30.11.45
30.5.46
14.6.48
28.9.45
28.3.46
20.12.47
18.10.46
18.10.47
19.6.48
27.11.48
15.9.49
27.11.48
8.9.49
3.5.47
11.6.48
15.11.52
26.5.54
25.4.69
Lomer,
Charles Richard Lucien
164 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
SSC
Lopes,
Hon Henry Massey
SSC
Loveridge,
David John
NSC | Luard,
Nicholas Lamert
NSC
Lutyens,
Martin Crawford
NSC
Maby,
David Grant
NSC
Machin,
Norman lan
NSC
MacIntyre,
Angus Donald
NSC
Maitland,
Peter John
NSC
Martelli,
Brian Anthony
NSC
Martelli,
Dominick Francis John
EC
Mason,
Christopher Robert Barry
NSC
Maud,
Humphrey John Hamilton
NSC
Maude,
Michael Frederick Tremain
EC
Maugham,
Peter Frederick
NSC
Mavor,
Richard Edward
NSC
Maxwell,
Timothy George Stuart
NSC
McBride,
Barrie St Clair
NSC
McCarthy,
Hugo Stuart D'Arcy
SSC
McCorquodale,
Neil Edmund
SSC
Meade,
James John
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
1.7.61
7.3.63
1.7.64
10.9.60
14.6.62
17.3.63
14.4.56
26.9.57
2.4.55
27.9.56
13.4.57
8.10.58
8.1.55
12.7.56
10.4.54
28.9.55
10.4,54
28.9.55
14.4.56
26.9.57
2.4.55
30.12.56
26.7.47
30.12.49
10.10.53
20.3.55
10.7.54
28.9.55
28.9.45
28.3.46
29.12.47
18.3.50
26.9.51
2.5.53
26.10.54
27.7.57
28.1.59
4.10.52
11.2.54
31.10.70
19.7.69
2.7.55
27.12.56
Mellor,
Hugh Salusbury
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 165
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
NSC
Milbank,
Anthony Frederick
NSC
Millar,
Robert Peter Wharton
NSC McGougan, M.C.;
John Angus
EC
Morley,
John Austin
EC
Morris,
Rowland George
Trans'd RAC
12.7.47
SSC
Morse,
Norman
Promoted Capt.
7.10.67
EC
Mosley,
Simon James
EC
Mosley,
Timothy John Oswald
NSC
Mowbray,
John Robert
NSC Moynihan,
Hon Anthony Patrick
EC
Moxon,
Eric Vladimir
NSC
Myddelton,
David Foulk
Granted SSC
6.10.52
Granted Reg
8.9.54
NSC
Myddelton,
Hugh Robert
NSC
Napier,
Robert Surtees
NSC
Neame,
Timothy Roger Hancox
NSC
Negus,
Thomas Arthur Addison
NSC
Newman,
Robin George
SSC
Nicholas,
Mervyn Henry Johr.
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
14.3.59
6.10.60
25.8.56
5.3.58
30.7.49
8.12.50
24.8.45
24.2.46
6.10.47
11.3.45
11.9.45
7.10.65
7.6.46
7.12.46
25.6.48
28.9.45
28.3.46
6.3.48
21.7.51
1.5.53
8.1.55
10.7.56
30.11.45
30.5.46
6.4.48
28.4.51
16.1.53
11.7.59
10.10.60
28.4.51
30.10.52
7.12.57
1.12.59
2.4.55
27.9.56
14.1.56
17.7.57
5.1.70
13.4.57
8.10.58
Nicholson,
Paul Douglas
166 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
NSC
Norman,
Bryan Montagu
EC
Norman,
Sir Mark
NSC
Norman,
Ronald Scott
NSC
Norman-Butler,
Christopher Thackeray
NSC
Novis,
Richard Anthony
SSC
Oficer,
John Knowles
NSC
Olivier,
Simon Tarquin
SSC
Panter,
Michael William
Alexander
Granted Reg
28.10.59
SSC
C
Parker-Bowles,
Simon Humphrey
SSC
Peacock,
Michael Hugh
NSC
Peake,
John Sebastian Brinsley
NSC
Pearce,
Francis Jeremy
EC
Pearce,
Richard Gerald Anthony
NSC
Pearson-Rogers,
Martin William
SSC
Peck,
Anthony John
NSC Peppiatt,
Hugh Steven Kenneth
NSC
Peterson,
Colin Vyvyan
SSC
Peto,
Jonathan Basil Morton
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Licut Ended
7.12.57
27.5.59
28.9.45
28.3.46
27.1.48
27.7.57
28.1.59
10.10.53
23.3.55
27.7.57
16.4.59
30.1.60
14.3.59
7.11.60
14.3.62
2.4.55
27.9.56
7.5.55
27.12.56
6.5.61
3.2.63
3.11.63
10.7.65
11.2.68
5.9.52
15.9.53
11.8.50
6.2.52
14.5.48
1.9.49
4.11.50
1.10.51
16.1.65
11.8.67
30.7.49
14.5.50
21.7.51
26.9.52
13.1.62
13.1.65
13.4.66
18.8.51
22.9.52
Petch,
Michael Delamain
18.5.57
15.1.59
NSC Periera,
Edward Anthony
Granted SSC
14.9.58
Granted Reg
18.5.60
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 167
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
NSC
Perry,
Charles Nicholas
NSC
Phillips,
Peter Waller
NSC
Pilkington,
Anthony Richard
NSC
Pilley,
John Cyril Dorland
Granted SSC
14.9.58
Granted Reg
21.9.61
EC
Pope,
Anthony Ross
SSC
Pope,
George Maurice
Granted Reg
8.4.64
EC
Pratt,
Edward Roger Michael
NSC
Previte,
John Edward
NSC Pryce-Jones,
David Eugene Henry
NSC
Quilter,
William Ronald Cuthbert
NSC
Radcliffe,
Mark Hugh Joseph
NSC
Radice,
Giles Heneage
NSC
Ralli,
George Anthony
SSC
Ramsey, Lord,
James
NSC
Randag,
Adrian Gustav
NSC
Rawson-Mackenzie,
Duncan Warren
NSC
Redfern,
O'Donnell Shuldham
NSC
Reynolds,
Simon John
EC
Richardson,
David Nicholas
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
27.3.54
28.9.55
10.10.53
20.6.55
19.9.55
27.3.54
28.9.55
30.3.57
22.12.58
14.5.48
25.9.49
14.4.62
23.9.45
23.3.46
2.3.48
10.10.53
23.3.55
2.4.55
27.9.36
25.8.56
26.9.57
13.4.57
8.10.58
14.1.56
18.7.57
25.8.56
30.1.58
15.6.68
15.6.71
2.4.55
27.9.56
19.12.53
24.6.55
21.7.51
26.9.52
26.4.52
3.10.53
27.11.48
1.12.49
2.8.58
1.1.60
Rolleston, M.B.E.,
George Lancelot St Leger
Granted Reg
8.5.60
168
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
EC
Rudd,
Bevil John
NSC
Salisbury-Jones,
Raymond Arthur
NSC
Sandeman,
Thomas Ian Fraser
SSC
Sanderson,
Richard Bryan
NSC
Schreiber,
Mark Shuldam
NSC
Scott,
Michael David
NSC
Scrope,
Simon Egerton
NSC
Shelton,
Richard John Masefield
NSC
Shepard,
Giles Richard Carless
Granted SSC
2.9.58
SSC
Shepard,
Oliver Wilfred Nicholas
NSC
Shurey,
Michael John
NSC
Sinclair,
Andrew Annandale
NSC
Slocock,
Noel Anthony
NSC
Smith,
Roger Albert Wellesley
SSC
Smith,
Rupert Malise
EC
Smith-Ryland,
Charles Mortimer
Tollemache
NSC
Snow,
Nicholas Evelin Sebastian
EC
Somerset,
David Robert
SSC
Somervell,
Martin Hubert
Granted Reg
14.8.69
NSC
Sopwith,
Thomas Edward Brodie
EC
Spencer,
Richard Harry Ramsay
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Licut Licut Ended
26.10.45
26.4.46
29.10.49
26.4.52
8.10.53
30.7.49
1.6.50
4.3.61
1.11.62
30.6.63
4.11.50
15.10.51
2.5.53
10.10.54
19.12.53
2.7.55
30.7.49
2.6.50
14.4.36
23.12.57
2.9.60
9.10.65
6.5.68
24.11.51
28.5.53
10.4.54
28.9.55
13.4.57
8.10.58
8.1.55
27.9.56
16.7.57
27.7.63
27.7.56
28.2.67
5.4.46
5.10.46
17.12.48
5.9.52
13.5.54
14.8.54
6.9.46
6.9.47
28.5.48
15.4.57
26.4.52
29.10.53
28.9.45
28.3.46
19.12.49
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 169
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
EC
Spicer,
Paul George Bullen
NSC
Spofforth,
Ian James Richard
NSC
Sporborg,
Christopher Henry
NSC
Stanley,
Richard Morgan Oliver
EC
Straker,
Michael Ian Bowstead
NSC
Stratford,
Neil Martin
EC
Studd,
Edward Fairfax
NSC
Sutcliffe,
Peter Feilden
NSC
Swire,
Adrian Christopher
SSC
Sykes,
Adrian William Guy
EC
Tamworth,
Viscount,
Washington, Shirly
NSC
Tatham,
Richard Heathcote
EC
Taylor,
James Richard Emery
SSC
Taylor,
Robin Pagan
SSC
Tennyson D'Eyncourt,
Mark Alfred Edmund
NSC
Thompson,
Christopher James
SSC
Thompson,
Dominic Charles
Christopher
SSC
Thornewill,
Digby Noel
Granted
Reg
28.5.64
EC
Thornton,
John David Frederick
Michael
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Lieut Ended
5.7.46
3.1.47
30.12.48
25.8.56
30.1.58
22.3.58
6.9.59
11.8.50
11.10.51
3.5.47
3.11.48
21.2.49
13.4.57
8.10.58
14.5.48
24.9.49
24.11.51
28.5.53
28.4.51
30.10.52
17.10.64
17.10.67
27.11.48
9.2.50
28.4.51
30.10.52
23.8.45
23.3.46
18.12.47
25.10.69
14.3.59
1.1.61
14.3.63
24.11.51
28.5.53
13.1.62
13.1.65
17.8.65
14.4.62
27.11.48
9.2.50
9.1.54
3.7.55
Thornton,
Timothy Kenneth
170 WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
NSC
Tickell,
Crispin Charles Cervantes
SSC
Tildesley,
Richard Henry Michael
SSC
Tollemache,
Hon Timothy John Edward
NSC
Tress,
Mark Julian Cecil
SSC
Turner-Bridger,
Jeremy Michael
SSC
Vaughan,
Patrick Lionel
EC
Vestey,
John
NSC
Waddington,
John
NSC
Walker,
Archibald George Orr
EC
Ward,
Rodney Frederick
Hedderley
SSC
Wardle,
Robin John Stuart
Granted Reg
7.11.65
NSC
Wates,
Neil Edward
NSC
Weatherby,
Charles Edward
EC
Weatherby,
David Harry
NSC
Webster,
James Colin Eden
SSC
Weld,
Charles Humphrey Joseph
EC
Wells,
Julian Francis
NSC
Weston,
Nigel David
NSC
Whineray,
Bruce Blundell
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Licut Ended
16.5.53
27.10.54
9.10.65
9.10.68
5.5.69
11.7.59
11.4.61
11.7.62
2.4.55
27.9.56
25.7.70
8.4.66
4.8.67
2.4.49
19.3.50
2.4.55
27.9.56
14.1.56
18.7.57
27.11.48
29.8.49
2.5.64
4.11.30
15.10.51
24.11.51
10.8.53
18.10.46
18.12.47
10.6.48
2.4.55
27.9.56
25.4.69
23.10.48
23.8.49
10.4.54
28.9.55
29.10.49
14.4.51
16.5.53
26.10.54
Whitaker,
Benjamin Charles George
WAR EMERGENCY, ETC., COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 171
Comm
NAME
REMARKS
EC
Whitaker,
David Arthur Edward
NSC
Whitworth,
John Warick
SSC
Willoughby,
Hon John Hugh Francis
SSC
Willoughby,
Hon Michael Charles
Jonathan
SSC
Wills,
Granted Reg
21.9.61
Michael Thomas Noel
Hamilton
NSC
Wilmot-Sitwell,
Peter Sacheveral
NSC
ACTIVE SERVICE
2nd Lieut Licut Ended
18.10.46
18.10.47
10.6.48
17.9.55
21.3.57
31.10.70
5.8.67
5.8.70
11.7.59
11.4.61
10.4.54
28.9.55
1.12.56
4.6.58
Wright,
Kenwyn John Maddocks
APPENDIX IV
HONOURS AND AWARDS
THIS Roll contains the names of all Coldstreamers who have been
awarded Honours and Awards for gallantry or service while serving on
the strength of the Regiment during the period 16 August 1945 to 31
December 1970: included in the Roll are the names of Officers, who
received awards, who are no longer on the strength of the Regiment
because of promotion to Colonel or above but not the names of Officers
and Other Ranks who received their awards for service after transfer to
another Regiment or Corps of the Army.
Inevitably, it takes time for Honours and Awards to be announced and
many, for service in the last war, were announced after 16 August 1945:
these are not included as they are recorded in The Coldstream Guards
1920–1946: at the other end of the scale there are a few for service prior
to 31 December 1970 which have been announced in 1971. These are
included.
Notes
1. Rank shown is the substantive rank held at the time of the award.
2. The symbol denotes Mentioned in Despatches or Queen's Commendation.
Rank
Name
Unit
Date
Award
Lt-Col
Lt-Col
Capt
Sir M. E. Adeane
Sir M. E. Adeane
Sir R. H. Anstruther, Bt.
ERE
ERE
2
7.6.51
19.11.53
24.10.50
KCVO
PC
3
Capt
Lieut
Major
Major
Capt
Major
Major
MBE
S. E. Barnett
L. H. W. Barrington
J. H. Bowman
B. G. Britton
R. J. D. E. Buckland
R. J.D. E. Buckland
M. M. Bull
wt 。
MBE
MBE
2
25.1.66
2
24.10.50
3
7.1.49
ERE
2.1.50
ERE
4.4.52
ERE
2.1.56
Jun Gdsm 13.6.70
Coy
RHO
1.1.53
ERE
10.6.61
ERE
2.6.62
1
1.1.66
MBE
MBE
Lt-Col W. A. G. Burns
Maj-Gen W.A. G. Burns
Maj-Gen W. A. G. Burns
Capt (QM) F. Betts
OBE
CB
KCVO
MBE
3
Lieut
Lt-Col
Lt-Col
Capt
H. R. B. Callander
J. Chandos-Pole
J. Chandos-Pole
J. W. B. Cole
بر سر نM M
7.1.49
7.1.49
1.1.52
27.4.51
OBE
2
我
​HONOURS AND AWARDS
173
Award
Rank
Name
Unit Date
Major L. Dawnay
ERE
7.1.49
Capt (QM) N. Duckworth
2
11.6.66
MBE
Major
Major
Lt-Gen
R. G. V. Fitzgeorge-Balfour 2
R. G. V. Fitzgeorge-Balfour 2
Sir R. G. V. Fitzgeorge- ERE
Balfour
13.12.49
24.10.50
8.6.68
DSO
KCB
MBE
Major
Major
Colonel
I. W. Gore-Langton
1. W. Gore-Langton
H. J. L. Green
3
3
ERE
7.1.49
7.1.49
10.6.61
CBE
2
24.10.50
MC
Capt Hon. A. P. Harbord-
Hammond
2nd Lieut R. J. Heywood
Lt-Col W. M. E. Hicks
2
ERE
8.1.66
1.1.70
OBE
Lt-Col Sir I. L. Jardine, Bt.
Capt (QM) H. M. Joel
دن بی
2
3
1.1.66
13.6.57
OBE
MBE
OBE
Lt-Col
Lieut
R. C. Lempriere-Robin
R. C. Leventhorpe
ERE
3
12.6.58
7.1.49
MBE
OBE
Major A. P. W. MacLellan
Major J. H. Magill
Capt T. A. Matheson
2nd Lieut J. A. McGougan
ERE
ERE
3
2
13.6.64
9.6.49
4.1.49
4.8.50
MC
Capt
D. F. D. Noel
2
13.12.49
Major
Lt-Col
A. B. Pemberton
D. A. Pope
2
Band
31.12.60
2.6.62
MBE
OBE
Lieut
Capt
J.R. C. Riley
G. L. St. L. Rolleston
2
ERE
24.10.50
1.1.69
MBE
CMG
Maj-Gen A. G. Salisbury-Jones ERE
Lieut E. T. Smyth-Osbourne ERE
Capt P. N. R. Stewart-Richardson ERE
9.6.49
19.5.50
28.1.50
Croix de
Guerre
MBE
OBE
Major
Lt-Col
P. N. R. Stewart-Richardson ERE
W. L. Steele
ERE
13.6.64
7.1.49
174
HONOURS AND AWARDS
Award
Rank Name
2nd Lieut J. D. F. M. Thornton
Lt-Col D. A. H. Toler
Unit
2
2
Date
19.5.50
1.1.63
OBE
OBE
Lt-Col C. S. Wallis-King
2nd Lieut R. J. S. Wardle
Major J. H. W. Willink
Major C. P. M. Worrall
Lt-Col C. P. M. Worrall
2
2
ERE
ERE
ERE
19.6.71
24.1.66
1.1.52
16.7.53
1.1.59
CBE
MVO
OBE
Brigadier J. W. Younger
ERE
1.1.69
CBE
Award
B. Other Ranks
No. Rank
4688748 C/Sgt
2655506 ROMS
2653688 C/Sgt
Name
W. Axon
F. Aylen
J. Ayre
Unit
ERE
2
1
BEM
Date
1.1.55
20.10.50
14.6.57
BEM
23474643 Gdsm
2652957 RSM
2660469 Cpl
2648319 RSM
2653528 Sgt
2656193 ROMS
2671312 L/Sgt
D. S. Barker
J. N. G. Bennett
P. Brennan
R. Brittain
J. Brobbel
H. G. Bryant
R. Butler
1
ERE
2
ERE
DHO
ERE
2
17.12.63
3.6.58
16.5.50
3.6.49
26.12.61
30.5.52
1.8.50
BEM
MBE
MM
MBE
BEM
MBE
MM
22300132 L/Sgt
2650752 RSM
A. Connell
G. C. Copp
2
ERE
21.1.66
31.12.48
BEM
MBE
2656917 CSM
2656313 RSM
2657103 Sgt
W. C. Davis
V. Duffield
G. Dunn
ERE
ERE
DHQ
13.12.49
3.6.49
31.12.63
MBE
BEM
22305199 Sgt
D. J. Fogarty
2
21.1.66
2656573 RSM
G. Franks
ERE
27.5.55
MBE
22817334 Sgt
2656175 RSM
2666436 L/Sgt
2657037 Sgt
P.J. Goddard
A. Goodhall
E. J. Gulston
J. H. Gutteridge
2
ERE
2
1
21.1.66
1.1.57
1.7.49
6.6.61
MM
MBE
MM
BEM
HONOURS AND AWARDS
175
Name
Unit
No. Rank
2657061 C/Sgt
2670709 L/Sgt
2671395 L/Cpl
2657161 Sgt
Award
BEM
MM
S. C. Hewitt
R. G. Howells
J. W. Huck
D. Huggins
Date
20.10.50
24.4.51
20.10.50
16.5.50
2
2
2
2
Come
22214079 Gdsm
J. Knowles
2
2
9.12.49
BEM
2660279 Sgt I. D. Lawson
2670442 L/Sgt R. G. Lewis
2662165 ORQMS J. G. Lockey
2
2
ERE
20.10.50
20.10.50
31.12.60
MBE
23969503 Gdsm
2652358 SC
23929889 Gdsm
W. Nicholson
H. Norman
A. I. C. Norton
2
RHQ
2
21.1.66
3.6.49
12.1.65
MM
MBE
GM
BEM
2657997 Sgt
2658385 CSM
22302200 C/Sgt
23474328 Sgt
T. Parris
R. A. Pearce
F. C. Pell
A. Pritchard
2
ERE
2
1
4.6.65
24.8.56
21.1.66
30.12.66
BEM
BEM
2657007 RSM
2648666 RSM
2646457 C/Sgt
A. Ramsden 2
J. Ray
ERE
A. H. Risebrook ERE
9.12.49
3.6.55
3.6.58
MBE
MBE
BEM
2656853 C/Sgt
2647427 Sgt
2653987 RSM
2670764 Sgt
R. Scoffins
J. W. Slip
R. W. Smith
P. Smurthwaite
BEM
BEM
MBE
1
1.1.59
3
31.12.48
1
29.12.50
Gds Para 2.7.57
Coy
2
4.6.65
ERE 3.6.58
2
21.1.66
2
16.5.50
2670764 C/Sgt
2656975 RSM
23908582 Gdsm
2666591 Sgt
P. Smurthwaite
C. L. Smy
C. E. Snape
L. Spedding
BEM
MBE
BEM
2656222 RSM
A. Thomas
ERE
28.12.51
MBE
21007069 L/Cpl R. A. Wadley
21007139 Sgt L. Walker
2652912 ORQMS J. E. Ward
21007121 RSM N. Welch
2654977 ORQMS F. Whitehead
2664978 Gdsm F. T. Whitfield
2
2
RHO
ERE
DHQ
2
16.5.50
20.10.50
29.12.50
3.6.66
30.5.52
11.5.48
BEM
MM
MBE
MBE
MBE
US Silver
Star
2660216 Sgt
E. W. Young
2
16.10.45
MM
APPENDIX V
STATIONS OF BATTALIONS
THE Appendix records the stations at which Battalions were based
during the period 1946–70. Company detachments and the moves of a
Battalion for Exercises are not shown, the only exceptions being:
(a) Second Battalion 1961 and 1962 when more than two Companies
were in Bahrain and Zanzibar.
(6) First Battalion in 1967 and 1968 when one Company was virtually
the whole of the garrison of British Honduras.
In order to keep the Appendix as short as possible, barracks are shown
for England only and this is done by letters in brackets as follows:
Ca Caterham
A Aldershot
Ch Chelsea Barracks
L Lydd
P Pirbright
S Shorncliffe
V Victoria Barracks, Windsor T Tidworth
W Wellington Barracks
In Germany, the towns in which Battalions were stationed are shown.
First Battalion
Second Battalion
Third Battalion
Palestine
Returned to
England (W)
England (W)
England (W)
Malaya
Palestine
Palestine
England (P) (A)
Malaya
Malaya
England (W)
England (W)
1946 Returned to
England (Ca)
1947 England (Ca) (P) (Ch)
1948 England (P)
Palestine
Tripoli
1949 Tripoli
1950 Tripoli
England (V)
1951 England (V)
Cyprus
1952 Cyprus
Canal Zone of Egypt
1953 Canal Zone of Egypt
England (V)
1954 England (V)
1955 England (V) (Ch)
Germany (Krefeld)
1956 Germany (Krefeld)
1957 Germany (Krefeld)
England (A) (V)
England (V) (W)
Tripoli
Tripoli
Canal Zone of Egypt
Canal Zone of Egypt
England (W)
Germany (Krefeld)
Germany (Krefeld)
Canal Zone of Egypt
England (W)
England (W) (P) (Ch)
) )
Germany (Krefeld)
Germany (Krefeld)
England (Ch)
England (Ch) (P)
England (P) (W)
England (P) (Ch) (S)
England (S)
Germany (Hubbelrath)
Germany (Hubbelrath)
1958 Germany (Hubbelrath) England (W)
England (Ch)
STATIONS OF BATTALIONS
177
First Battalion
Second Battalion
Third Battalion
1959 England (Ch) (L)
1960 England (L) (V)
1961 England (V)
1962 England (V)
British Guiana
England (W)(L) England (W)
Kenya
Kenya
Kenya
(two Coys Bahrain
and Zanzibar)
Kenya
(two Coys Zanzibar)
England (W) (Ch)
England (Ch)
England (Ch) (W)
) )
Aden
Aden
England (P)
England (P) (Ch)
ch
England (Ch)
1963 British Guiana
England (V)
1964 England (Ch)
Germany (Iserlohn)
1965 Germany (Iserlohn)
Aden
1966 Aden
Germany (Iserlohn)
1967 Germany (Iserlohn)
England (Ch)
(one Coy British
Honduras)
1968 (one Coy British
Honduras)
England (Ch) (T)
1969 England (T)
1970 England (T) (Ch)
Ulster
England (Ch)
Germany (Munster)
Germany (Munster)
Ulster
Germany (Munster)
N
N
( 178 )
APPENDIX VI
ORDERS OF BATTLE OF BATTALIONS
THIS Appendix gives details of Officers and Warrant Officers serving in Battalions at certain times. As far as possible,
times when Battalions have been serving overseas have been included, but, unfortunately, it has not been possible to trace
all the Orders of Battalion concerned.
Third Battalion Order of Battle 24 October 1945
First Reinforcement
Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. R. E. J. C. Coates, D.S.O.
Capt. A. B. Pemberton
2nd in Command Major G. D. Chetwode, M.B.E.
Lieut. D. R. G. Noel (Education Officer)
Adjutant
Capt. J. T. Paget
Lieut. A. P. W. MacLellan (Sniper Officer)
Intelligence Officer Lieut. I. O. Wrightson
Lieut. J. Harrison (Spare Mortar Officer)
RSM
RSM H. Joel, M.M.
Lieut. J. R. C. Riley (Weapon Training Officer)
Drill Sgt.
H. Harrison
Lieut. H. G. O. Wyndham (Officer i/c Drums)
Drill Sgt.
C. Smy, D.C.M.
Lieut. K. G. F. Kendall (Spare Signals Officer)
ORQMS
F. Naylor
Headquarter Company
Support Company
Company Commander Capt. R. J. Southey
Company Commander Major M. R. Hollings, M.C.
MT Officer
Capt. G. T. Pearson
Lieut. L. R. Smith
Carrier Platoon
Signals Officer
Lieut. R. S. Lancaster
Lieut. R. G. R. Marsden
Pioneer Officer
Lieut. P. R. Spurgin
Capt. R. C. Carr-Gomm
Anti-tank Platoon
Quartermaster
Lieut. (QM) L. Rowlands, M.B.E.
Lieut. P. A. Rhodes
RQMS
F. Tortoiseshell
Mortar Platoon
Capt. D. Bossom
CSM
A. Tomlinson
CSM
C. Turner, M.M.
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major C. W. Lambton
2nd in Command Capt. R. Crouch
Platoon Commander Lieut. T. A. Matheson
No. 2 Company
Capt. W. Birbeck
Lieut. P. E. B. Hargreaves
Lieut. P. N. R. Stewart-
Richardson
Lieut. P. D. F. Kelly
2nd Lieut. R. M. Cunningham
No. 3 Company
Major M. W. Stilwell, M.C.
Capt. P. F.J. F. Towers-Clark
Lieut. P. J. Wadsworth
No. 4 Company
Major H. R. B. Callender, M.C.
Capt. E. R. Cresswell, M.C.
Lieut. A. W. N. Lake
Platoon Commander
Platoon Commander
Lieut. P. T. G. Carlyon
Lieut. C. H. D'Ambrumenil
Lieut. D. G. Marsh
Lieut. T. D. O. Codner
Lieut. J. M. Gale
2nd Lieut. P. J. D. Nesbitt-
Hawes
W. Smith
CSM
F. Wilson
A. Seatherton
G. Blyth
Strength: 42 Officers
966 Other Ranks
Attached: Medical Officer-Capt. J. R. Kyles, R.A.M.C.
( 179 )
Third Battalion Order of Battle 16 March 1947
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major R. J. V. Crichton, M.C.
MT Officer
Capt. W. Birkbeck
A/MT Officer
Lieut. C. G. Harris
Signals Officer
Lieut. E. R. M. Pratt
Pioneer Officer
Lieut. E. J. B. Rudd
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) E. A. May
RQMS
F. Tortoiseshell
CSM
F. Wilson
Support Company
Company Commander Major M. W. Stilwell, M.C.
Carrier Platoon
Lieut. D. H. Watts
Anti-tank Platoon
Lieut. P. A. Rhodes
S Lieut. J. Harrison
Mortar Platoon
Lieut. D. G. Marsh
Weapon Training Officer Capt. P. J. Wadsworth
CSM
C. Turner, M.M.
{
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Capt. A. B. Pemberton
2nd in Command Capt. T. A. Matheson
Platoon Commander Lieut. P. R. Spurgin
Platoon Commander Lieut. G. R. Edwards
Platoon Commander Lieut. D. R. Strutt
Platoon Commander
CSM
E. Taylor
No. 2 Company
Capt. R. C. Carr-Gomm
Capt. L. R. Smith
Lieut. H. G. O. Wyndham
Lieut. P. D. F. Kelly
Lieut. T. G. O. Mosley
No. 3 Company
Major P. F. J. F. Towers-Clark
Capt. J. R. C. Riley
Lieut. J. M. Gale
Lieut. P. N. R. Stewart-Richardson
Lieut. T. D. 0. Codner
Lieut. Sir M. A. Norman, Bt.
C. Glisson
No. 4 Company
Major D. J. Walde-Aldam
Lieut. J. H. I. Whitaker
.
Lieut. A. Cooke
R. Adamson
N. Duckworth, M.M.
Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. W. L. Steele
2nd in Command Major J. H. Bowman
Adjutant
Capt. J. T. Paget
Intelligence Officer Lieut. C. H. D'Ambrumenil
Education Officer Lieut. J. A. Morley
RSM
C. Smy, D.C.M.
Drill Sgt.
A. Seatherton
Drill Sgt.
A. Curling
ORQMS
E. Henderson
Strength:
36 Officers
760 Other Ranks
Attached: Medical Officer-Capt. H. R. C. MacLean, R.A.M.C.
Chaplain-Capt. P. Malins, R.A.ch.D.
( 180 )
Second Battalion Order of Battle
Officers and Warrant Officers who served in Malaya in 1949
Lt. Col. R. F. S. Gooch, D.S.O., M.C.
2nd Lieut. G. R. P. Hawkins
-,
Lt.-Col. R. G. V. Fitz-George-Balfour, C.B.E., M.C. Capt. J. B. B. Pollard
2nd Lieut. W. J. M. Greener
Capt. (QM) J. Sawdon, M.B.E.
2nd Lieut. H. P. H. Bower
Major R. C. Robin
2nd Lieut. Sir J. V. Wills, Bt.
Major M. A. Gibbs
2nd Lieut. B. P. Dillon
Major J. A. Pelly
2nd Lieut. J. A. McGougan
Major R. Beck, M.C.
2nd Lieut. B. B. Whineray
Major E. H. B. Imbert-Terry, M.C.
2nd Lieut. C. E. A. Hambro
Major D. F. D. Noel
RSM A. Ramsden, M.B.E., M.C.
Major Sir R. H. Anstruther, Bt., M.C.
ORQMS F. Betts
Major The Hon. A. P. Harbord-Hamond, M.C.
Drill Sgt. F. Wilson
2nd Lieut. R. K. F. C. Treherne-Thomas
Drill Sgt. A. Tomlinson
Capt. P. W. Loyd
RQMS F. Aylen
Capt. R. P. Chaworth Musters
CSM D. Hooper
Capt. A. B. Pemberton
CSM C. Spooner
Capt. J. H. T. Sutton
CSM A. Goodhall
Capt. The Hon. E. H. K. Digby
CSM D. H. J. Glisson
Capt. J. R. C. Riley
CSM T. Rockley
Capt. W. Warde-Aldam
CSM W. Kirke
Capt. G. C. Middleton
CSM D. Taylor
Capt. P. N. R. Stewart-Richardson
CSM A. Panton
Capt. J. F. H. Dagger
CSM T. Birkett
Capt. Rev. B. W. Coleman, R.A.ch.D.
Lieut. N. E. McLeod, New Zealand Regiment
Capt. D. Bennett
2nd Lieut. H. L. W. Barrington
2nd Lieut. J. A. H. Luard
2nd Lieut. M. A. P. Mitchell
2nd Lieut. C. G. C. Spencer
2nd Lieut. F. J. Johnston
Major J. W. B. Cole
2nd Lieut. O. M. R. Greenwood
2nd Lieut. D. R. W. Lawrence
2nd Lieut. M. I. B. Straker
2nd Lieut. Viscount Tamworth
2nd Lieut. E. F. Studd
2nd Lieut. A. R. Pope
2nd Lieut. P. M. A. Ansdell
2nd Lieut. J. A. R. Blacking
2nd Lieut. P. S. C. Bunning
2nd Lieut. H. G. Currie
2nd Lieut. J. D. F. M. Thornton
2nd Lieut. C. W. Batt
2nd Lieut. S. J. Howard
Attached: Capt. M. F. H. Coigley, R.A.M.C.
( 181 )
Third Battalion Order of Battle 23 November 1950
Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. I. W. Gore-Langton, M.B.E.
2nd in Command Major D. A. Kennard, M.C.
Adjutant
Major A. K. Barlow, M.C.
Intelligence Officer Lieut. P. J. Hills
RSM
C. Smy, D.C.M.
Drill Sgt.
R. Tyacke
Drill Sgt.
N. Duckworth, M.M.
ORQMS
E. Henderson
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major D, R. G. Noel
Signals Officer
Capt. G. R. Edwards
Weapon Training Officer Lieut. W. M. E. Hicks
Pioneer Officer
2nd Lieut. C. W. B. Jacot de Boinod
Quartermaster
Major (QM) E. A. May
ROMS
F. Tortoiseshell
CSM
V. Dodds
Support Company
Company Commander Major C. W. Lambton
MT Officer
Capt. A. P. W. MacLellan
Mortar Officer
Capt. C. L. St H. Pelham-Burn
Carrier Officer
Lieut. T. H. O. Stanley
CSM
M. Christer, M.M.
No. I Company
Company Commander Major 1. L. Jardine, M.C.
2nd in Command Capt. T. A. Matheson
Platoon Commander Lieut. The Lord Wraxall
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. J. A. Bailey
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. W. J. Gibbs
Platoon Commander
CSM
S. James
No. 3 Company
Major L. Dawnay, M.B.E.
Capt. T. D. O. Codner
2nd Lieut. R. N. B. Gubbins
2nd Lieut. D, W. Nickson
2nd Lieut. J. D. Alliott
2nd Lieut. P. H. W. Studholme
W. Davis
No. 4 Company
Mjor J. L. Darell, M.C.
Capt. The Hon. D. R. Strutt
2nd Lieut. E. J. A. Vaughan
2nd Lieut. J. H. B. Hartley
2nd Lieut. J. E. Impey
C. Riddick
[ 182)
First Battalion Order of Battle 11 December 1950
Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. B. E. Luard, M.C.
2nd in Command Major C. P. M. Worrall
Adjutant
Capt. J. H. T. Sutton
Intelligence Officer 2nd Lieut. C. E. I. Wynne-Finch
RSM
R. W. Smith, D.C.M.
Drill Sgt.
L. Trimming
ORCS
L. Windsor
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Capt. The Hon. R. G. E. Yerburgh
MT Officer
Lieut. R. R. Cooper
Quartermaster
Major (QM) S. B. R. Cooper, M.B.E.
RQMS
A. Hough, M.M.
CSM
G. Morgan
Support Company
Company Commander Major J. W. Procter
Carrier Platoon
Lieut. M. G. H. Parkes
Anti-tank Platoon Lieut. The Hon. S. W. F. Crossloy
Mortar Platoon
Capt. C. S. Wallis-King
A/CSM
B. Goddard
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major R. C. Carr-Gomm
2nd in Command Capt. F. J. Matheson
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. F. W. R. Fisher
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. F. J. Pearce
Platoon Commander
CSM
F. Farnhill, D.C.M.
No. 2 Company
Capt. The Earl of Leven and Melville
Lieut. P. M. E. D. McNair-Wilson
2nd Lieut. Lord E. Fitzroy
2nd Lieut. C. C. Baillieu
2nd Lieut. I. B. M. Johnston
C. Grimmett
No. 3 Company
Major S. F. B. Codrington
Capt. E. I. Windsor Clive
Lieut. H. F. Gibbs
2nd Lieut. R. M. O. Stanley
N. Reid
( 183 )
First Battalion Order of Battle 20 February 1952
Commanding Officer Lt. Col. R. C. Robin
2nd in Command Major R. J. V. Crichton, M.C.
Adjutant
Capt. J. H. T. Sutton
Intelligence Officer Capt. A. R. S. Tower
RSM
J. Cowley, D.C.M.
Drill Sgt.
F. Pickford
Drill Sgt.
L. Trimming
ORQMS
L. Windsor
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major R. C. Carr-Gomm
MT Officer
Lieut. F. W. R. Fisher
Signals Officer
Capt. D. Bennett
Quartermaster
Lt. Col. (QM) S. B. R. Cooper, M.B.E.
A/Quartermaster Lieut. E. A. T. Bonnor-Maurice
RQMS
F. Farnbill, D.C.M.
CSM
J. Colledge
Support Company
Company Commander Major P. W. Loyd
MG Platoon
Capt. M. G. H. Parkes
Anti-tank Platoon Lieut. The Hon. S. W. F. Crossley
Mortar Platoon 2nd Lieut. A. Bedford-Russell
CSM
G. Blythe
No. 3 Company
Capt. J. G. B. Chester, M.C.
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Capt. E. I. Windsor Clive
2nd in Command
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. R. H. T. Hingston
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. W. F. E. Forbes
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. P. F. Sutcliffe
CSM
J. McCormack
No. 2 Company
Major D. F. D. Noel
Capt. R. R. Cooper
Lieut. I. B. M. Johnston
2nd Lieut. W. G. Gibbs
2nd Lieut. C. E. Weatherby
G. Morgan
Lieut. H. F. Gibbs
2nd Lieut. M. D. Petch
2nd Lieut. C. S. Redfern
N. Reid
( 184 )
Second Battalion Order of Battle 1 March 1961
Commanding Officer Lt.-Col. J. T. Paget
Adjutant
Capt. K. Teulon-Sellars
Intelligence Officer Lieut. S. S. Forster
RSM
S. Blake
Drill Sgt.
C. Riddick
ORQMS
F. Smith
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major W. Warde-Aldam
MT Officer
Capt. A. M. S. Broadhurst
Signals Officer
Lieut. G. Wolcough
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) N. Duckworth, M.M.
RQMS
B. Buckley
CSM
R. Bond
Support Company
Company Commander Capt. M. W. F. Maxse
MMG Platoon
Capt. J. H. James
Anti-tank Platoon Lieut. E. A. Pereira
Mortar Platoon
Lieut. The Hon. W. D. Coleridge
CSM
J. Larkin
Company Commander
Platoon Commander
Platoon Commander
CSM
No. 2 Company
Major M. A. P. Mitchell
Lieut. D. F. Jarratt
2nd Lieut. The Hon. M. C. W. J. Baird
J. Bowditch
No. 4 Company
Capt. The Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby
Lieut. J. B. Blackett
2nd Lieut. A. J. Feilden
E, Morris
Attached Personnel: Paymaster-Major W. Pulzer, R.A.P.C.
Chaplain-Capt. W. G. H. Willis, R.A.ch.D.
(1851
1 March 1961
Second Battalion (Bahrain Detachment) Order of Battle
Detachment Commander Major R. D. Dobson
Adjutant
Lieut. W. R. Avens
Drill Sgt.
J. Hildick
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Capt. J. B. McNeile
MT Officer
Lieut. R. G. D'Abo
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) F. Wilson
CSM
L. Rossiter
No. 1 Company
No. 3 Company
Company Commander Major P. J. Hills
Major C. W. B. Jacot de Boinod
2nd in Command
Lieut. J. K. Officer
Capt. D. Powell
Platoon Commander Lieut. The Hon. T. J. E. Tollemache
Lieut. G. E. D. Tremlett
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. The Hon. A. G. Hamilton 2nd Lieut. E. J. Thornewill
CSM
R. Howells, M.M.
W. Rising
Attached Personnel: Medical Officer--Lieut. F. M. Cameron, R.A.M.C.
(186)
Second Battalion
Order of Battle
1 October 1964
Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Sir Ian L. Jardine, Bt., M.C.
2nd in Command Major C. L. St H. Pelham-Burn
Adjutant
Capt. P. A. Fazil
Intelligence Officer Lieut. M. P. Chetwynd-Talbot
RSM
N. Morse
Drill Sgt.
T. Forrest
Drill Sgt.
M. Nicholas
ORQMS
R. Barren
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major J. A. H. Luard
Signals Officer
Capt. G. A. Philippi
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) N. Duckworth, M.M.
MT Officer
Lieut. (QM) S. A. J. Blake
ROMS
J. Hildick
CSM
J. Collier
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major The Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby
2nd in Command Capt. H. M. C. Havergal
Support Pl Commander Lieut. P. W. D. St V. de Sausmarez
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. C. E. Holdsworth-Hunt
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. R. M. Smith
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. C. J. N. Felton
CSM
J. Haylett
No. 3 Company
Major P. R. Adair
Capt. M. W. F. Maxse
Capt. S. E. Barnett
2nd Lieut. R. J. S. Wardle
2nd Lieut. A. C. Sainthill
No. 4 Company
Major A. P. F. Napier
Capt. G. Wolcough
Capt. S. S. Forster
Lieut. N. G. Gold
2nd Lieut. P. N. Bell
2nd Lieut. R. J. Heywood
E. Gulston, M.M.
F. Horsfall
Attached: Paymaster---Major W. Pulzer, R.A.P.C.
Medical Officer-Major P. J. Blackburn, R.A.M.C.
[187]
Second Battalion Order of Battle 1 September 1965
Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Sir Ian L. Jardine, Bt., M.C.
2nd in Command Major E. I. Windsor Clive
Adjutant
Capt. G. A. Philippi
Intelligence Officer Lieut. M. P. Chetwynd-Talbot
RSM
D. Willis
Drill Sgt.
W. Rising
Drill Sgt. (acting) E. Clifton
ORCS
D. Cessford
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major C. W. B. Jacot de Boinod
Signals Officer
Capt. G. Wolcough
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) N. Duckworth, M.M.
MT Officer
Lieut. (QM) S. A. J. Blake
RQMS (acting)
T. Forrest
CSM
F. O'Brian
No. 3 Company
Major P. R. Adair
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major The Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby
2nd in Command Capt. H. M. C. Havergal
Support Pl Commander Lieut. P. W. D. St V. de Sausmarez
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. R. M. Smith
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. P. M. Hare
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. C. J. N. Felton
CSM
J. Haylett
No. 4 Company
Major A. P. F. Napier
Capt. J. H. James
Capt. S. S. Forster
2nd Lieut. R. J. Heywood
2nd Lieut. R. E. R. Alderson
Capt. S. E. Barnett
2nd Lieut. C. P. Foord-Kelcey
CSM P. Smurthwaite, B.E.M.
F. Horsfall
E. Gulston, M.M.
Attached: Paymaster-Major W. Pulzer, R.A.P.C.
Medical Officer-Major P. J. Blackburn, R.A.M.C.
Education Officer—Capt. J. Hodge, R.A.E.C.
[ 188 ]
First Battalion
Order of Battle
1 December 1970
Commanding Officer Lt. Col. W. M. E. Hicks, O.B.E.
2nd in Command Major The Hon. H. E. C. Willoughby
Adjutant
Capt. A. C. Sainthill
Intelligence Officer 2nd Lieut. S. B. Fraser
RSM
A. Pickles
Drill Sgt.
B. Smith
Drill Sgt.
L. Wilkinson
ORCS
K. Ponsford
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major M. T. N. H. Wills
Signals Officer
Capt. I. D. Zvegintzov
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) E. J. R. Rose
MT Office
Capt. (QM) P. J. Clifford
RQMS
T. Storey
CSM
D. White
Support Company
Company Commander Major J. R. Macfarlane
Mortar Platoon Commander Lieut. The Hon. T. H. J. Clifford
Vigilant Platoon Commander Lieut. O. R. St J. Breakwell
Recce Platoon Commander Lieut. C. R. W. Bradford
CSM
E. Rakestrow
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major R. N. F. Sweeting
2nd in Command Capt. D. N. Thornewill
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. J. O. Clarke
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. E. J. Hawke
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. J. H. F. Willoughby
CSM
A. Smith
No. 2 Company
Capt. J. H. James
Capt. J. R. Innes
2nd Lieut. C. H. J. Weld
2nd Lieut. A. K. Jacques
2nd Lieut. N. E. McCorquodale
S. Ganderton
No. 3 Company
Major J. E. Cadge
Capt. P. L. Bell
2nd Lieut. T. J. G. Donlea
2nd Lieut. J. M. Turner-Bridger
P. Goddard, M.M.
Attached: Paymaster-Major D. Armitage, R.A.P.C.
Medical Officer-Major R. Coombs, R.A.M.C.
Chaplain-Capt. D. Chesney, R.A.ch.D.
[ 189 )
Second Battalion
Order of Battle
1 December 1970
Commanding Officer
Lt.-Col. C. S. Wallis-King
2nd in Command
Major D, Powell
2nd in Command (Designate) Major M. G. Willasey-Wilsey
Adjutant
Capt. R. J. Heywood
Assistant Adjutant
Capt. R. E. R. Alderson
Intelligence Officer
2nd Lieut. C. R. L. Lomer
RSM
N. Welch, M.B.E.
Drill Sgt.
A. Dumon
Drill Sgt.
J. Haylett
ORS
J. Sykes
Headquarter Company
Company Commander Major A. J. M. Drake
OC Command Company Capt. C. J. N. Felton
Quartermaster
Capt. (QM) D. H, Willis
MT Officer
Lieut. (QM) K. Badham
TQMS
G. Longstaff
RQMS
C. Petherick
CSM
A. Dennison
CSMIM
W. Fisher
No. 2 (Support) Company
Company Commander
Major M. P. Chetwynd-Talbot
Mor Platoon Commander
Lieut. E. A. Windsor Clive
Anti-tank Platoon Commander Lieut. A. R. Mason
Recce Platoon Commander
Lieut. The Hon. M. G. J. Willoughby
Asslt. Pioneer Platoon Commander CSM R. Leckenby
CSM
K. Hall
No. 1 Company
Company Commander Major W. E. Rous
2nd in Command Lieut. B. M. de L. Cazenove
Lieut. T. D. Johnston
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. B. M. Kendall
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. R. P. Taylor
Platoon Commander 2nd Lieut. The Hon. J. W. L. Baillieu
CSM
E. Bamforth
No. 3 Company
Major W. R. Avens
Capt. B. L. McDonald (Canadian Gds)
Capt. G. C. Forestier-Walker
2nd Lieut. M. J. L. Dickson
2nd Lieut. J. J. Meade
No. 4 Company
Major M. W. F. Maxse
Lieut. R. de L. Cazenove
2nd Lieut. Lord Ramsay
2nd Lieut. I. H. McNeill
2nd Lieut. R. A. H. Greenly
P. Tyas
C. Louch
Attached: Paymaster-Major S. C. Hamilton, R.A.P.C.
Medical Officer-Capt. C. M. Dring, R.A.M.C.
Signals Officer-Lieut. M. J. Backhurst, R. Sigs
OC LAD-Capt. L. W. R. Short, R.E.M.E.
APPENDIX VII
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
THERE are in the Regiment a number of Associations and Clubs: their
objects vary as do their qualifications for membership: some of the
battalion Officers' Dining Clubs, particularly those formed after the
First World War, are in danger of extinction. This Appendix is, therefore,
designed to record briefly the history, objects and qualifications for mem-
bership of each association and club: only Regimental associations and
clubs are included, and no reference is made to Household Division Clubs.
A. THE COLDSTREAMERS' ASSOCIATION
The Old Coldstreamers' Association was founded in 1913 by Brigadier-
General C. S. O. Monck who was at that time Regimental Lieutenant-
Colonel. The first five branches were formed in that year, at London,
Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and in the West Country (now the
Plymouth Branch): one more branch was formed before the First World
War, at Hull in 1914. Sixteen branches were formed between the two wars,
and since the Second World War a further twelve branches have come into
existence-a total of thirty-four in all.
The name of the Association was altered in 1954 to ‘The Coldstreamers'
Association' in recognition of the fact that present as well as past members
of the Regiment belong to the Association.
Since 1951, the Colonel of the Regiment has been Patron of the Associ-
ation: at present there are two Patrons, the Colonel of the Regiment and
his predecessor. The Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel is the President.
The objects of the Association are:
1. To maintain an organization whereby the principle of 'once a Cold-
streamer always a Coldstreamer' can be sustained.
2. To bring to the notice of Regimental Headquarters any case deserving
of assistance from Regimental Funds which are at the disposal of the
Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel.
3. To assist Members who are leaving, or who have left, the Regiment to
obtain employment.
4. By collective effort on the part of branches and by individual effort on
the part of Members, to obtain recruits for the Regiment.
5. To organize meetings of Members of each branch, including its Annual
Dinner, Memorial Parade and Social Events.
All Officers who are serving or who have served in the Regiment qualify
for membership, as do all serving adult and junior other ranks who have
more than three months' service in the Regiment: other ranks who have
left the colours with more than three months' service qualify, provided
that they are recommended by the branch that they wish to join and that
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
191
their character on leaving the Colours was not less than 'Good'. Branches
may, with the approval of Regimental Headquarters, grant honorary or
associate membership to ex-soldiers of other Regiments or anyone who
takes an interest in the branch.
B. THE COLDSTREAM SERGEANTS' (PAST AND PRESENT)
ASSOCIATION
The first suggestion that an Association of past and present members of
the Sergeants Mess should be formed came towards the end of 1926 from a
group of ex-members whose spokesman was Captain A. B. Pratt, M.C., a
former Drill Sergeant who in 1915 was commissioned and transferred to
the Worcestershire Regiment. The Regimental Lieutenant-Colonel set
up a Committee of past and present members under the chairmanship of
Lieutenant (QM) W.J. Cook, M.B.E., M.C., of the First Battalion, which
,
found that there was general support for the proposal and which made
recommendations for the rules.
The Association finally came into being in 1927: the first President was
Major A. Best, O.B.E., D.C.M., who had been Sergeant-Major (the
equivalent of RSM today) of the First Battalion when it went to South
Africa in 1899 and who was commissioned and transferred to the Lanca-
shire Fusiliers in 1914: the first Secretary was the Superintending Clerk,
H. P. Martin, later Major (QM) H. P. Martin, M.B.E., and President of
the Association in 1949.
The objects of the Association are:
1. To establish a centre by which the past and present Warrant Officers,
Colour-Sergeants, Sergeants and Lance-Sergeants may keep in touch
with each other.
2. To arrange for the Members to dine together once in each year and
other Meetings as may be hereafter arranged.
3. To assist wherever possible the Coldstreamers' Association and to
foster its objects, particularly in helping Coldstreamers to obtain
employment in civil life.
Membership is restricted to:
1. Quartermasters, Warrant Officers, Colour-Sergeants, Sergeants and
Lance-Sergeants of the Coldstream Guards serving with the Colours.
On leaving the Regiment they may continue to be members without
election.
2. Ex-Coldstreamers who have left the Regiment with the ranks men-
tioned above.
Honorary membership, which is subject to election by the Committee of
the Association, is restricted to:
1. Past and Present Directors of Music of the Regiment.
2. Ex-Coldstreamers who have served at least three years in the Regiment
who were not eligible for membership when serving with the Regiment
but who subsequently have become members of a Sergeants Mess in the
192
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
Army or the Royal Air Force or the equivalent in the Royal Navy or
Royal Marines.
3. Warrant Officers, Sergeants and Lance-Sergeants of other Regiments or
Corps who are or have been attached to a Battalion of the Regiment for
a period of three years or more.
Past and present Officers, other than those who have been members of
the Sergeants Mess, may not be members.
C. THE NULLI SECUNDUS CLUB
The Club was instituted on 4 March 1783 by the following Officers of the
Regiment:
John Edward Freemantle
Thomas B. Bosville
Nathaniel Webb
Francis Knight
George Calvert
The rules agreed on were that the Club should dine together once a
month until the King's Birthday (4 June), then adjourn until about the
Queen's Birthday (January 1784) and from that date dine together monthly
until the King's next birthday and so on.
Nowadays the Club meets for dinner once a year, generally on the
Tuesday before the Derby. In recent years most of the dinners have been
held at the Dorchester Hotel. Officers become eligible for election six years
from the date that they were first commissioned with the proviso that they
should have held a commission on the active list of the Regiment for at
least one year; there are special provisions for those with war service or
who retired through wounds or ill health. Quartermasters and Directors of
Music are eligible for election as Honorary Members.
In 1950 to mark the 300th anniversary of the formation of the Regiment,
His Majesty King George VI honoured the Club by dining with it at the
Dorchester Hotel on 30 May. His Majesty was presented with a Cold-
stream sword on behalf of the Club by General Sir Charles Loyd, Colonel
of the Regiment.
D. THE ROSES DINING CLUB
On Christmas Day 1918 the Second Battalion under the command of
Lieutenant-Colonel E. P. Brassey, M.C., was stationed at Cologne and
that evening an excellent Officers' dinner party was arranged. It was such a
success that the Officers of Numbers 1 and 4 Companies who shared a
Mess decided to repeat the event on the following Saturday evening,
inviting as many Officers as the size of the two-Company Mess would
allow. This again was a great success and it soon became a custom for
Company Messes to take their turn to celebrate Saturday nights.
When the Battalion returned home at the end of February 1919, it was
decided to continue the dinners on the last Saturday of each month. How-
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
193
ever, as demobilization gathered speed, this proved to be too ambitious a
programme and the dinners were restricted to one a year in December.
After some years it became evident that the dinners would continue and a
name for the club and rules had to be worked out. The name ' Roses' came,
of course, from the Rose worn by other ranks on the shoulder straps of
their service dress and it was decided that membership should be limited
to Officers who served in the Second Battalion between the end of the
Somme battles in 1916 and February 1919 when the Battalion left
Cologne-decisions which had the blessing and approval of the Regi-
mental Lieutenant-Colonel of the day, Colonel C. P. Heywood, C.M.G.,
D.S.O.
Except for the years of the Second World War the Club has met annu-
ally and in 1970 there were ten members present, including Colonel
W. A. C. Wilkinson, D.S.O., M.C., G.M., who was commanding Number
1 Company of the Second Battalion at Cologne in 1918 and was therefore
one of the originators of the club: he now organizes the dinners.
E, THE FOURTH BATTALION
There are in fact two Fourth Battalion dinners or Dining Clubs, one
as a result of each World War. One year, early in the 1950s, the two clubs
dined together but this was not a success and since then the clubs have
dined separately.
1. The First World War Club has never had a specific name and is known
as either the Fourth Battalion Officers Dinner or the Fourth Battalion
Dining Club
The Club was formed soon after the First World War, and all
Officers, including the Medical Officer and Chaplain, who served with
the Battalion, were eligible for membership.
One dinner was held each year, in May or June at the Guards Club.
There have been no dinners since 1964.
2. The Second World War Club is known as the Fourth Battalion
Dinner' and all Officers of the Regiment who served in the Battalion are
eligible for membership.
In the years immediately following the war they dined annually: now
they have decided to leave a longer gap between dinners and they meet
about every third year—always at the Guards Club.
F. THE SAMPHIRE CLUB
Dr C. P. Blacker, M.C., G.M., M.A., M.D., F.R.C.P. served in the Second
Battalion in the First World War as a Coldstream Officer, and, during the
early years of the Second World War, served in the same battalion as
Medical Officer-at a time when it was commanded by Lieutenant-
Colonel L. Bootle-Wilbraham, D.S.O., M.C. Being a member of the
Roses Club, after the war he thought it would be a good idea to form a
similar club for those who served in the Second Battalion during his time
as Medical Officer, and so the Samphire Club was born.
194
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
Officially, membership is restricted to those Officers who served in the
Second Battalion while it was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel
L. Bootle-Wilbraham, D.S.O., M.C., but the membership rule is inter-
preted in a fairly elastic manner. Dinners are held annually.
After the Dunkirk evacuation the Battalion was stationed for a time on
the Lincolnshire coast where on the brackish marshes grows an edible
herb, not unlike asparagus, called 'Samphire' from which, of course,
comes the name of the Club.
G. THE SOLLUM CLUB
The Sollum Club, which gets its name from the Egyptian village close to
the Libyan frontier in the Western Desert, was formed by Lieutenant-
Colonel J. Mowbray, D.S.O., in 1947. Membership was limited to a
number of Officers chosen by him who served in the Third Battalion
between the outbreak of war and the fall of Tobruk, which is roughly the
period over which he commanded the Battalion.
The Club, which dines once a year at Boodles, on the Tuesday before the
Eton and Harrow match, has no rules, but Lieutenant-Colonel W. D. C.
Forbes, C.B.E., always presides.
H. THE OMBRELLINO CLUB
The Ombrellino Club gets its name from the Villa of that name in Florence
which belonged to Mrs George Keppel and which she generously allowed
the Officers of the Second and Third Battalions to use as a leave centre.
The Club was formed in 1947 by Major the Hon. D. C. Chichester and
Captain E. Grey-Turner, the latter being the Second Battalion's Medical
Officer: membership is restricted to Officers who served in the Second
Battalion, in North Africa and Italy, 1942 to 1945, the qualifying dates
being November 1942, when the Battalion sailed from England, and
March 1945, when the Second and Third Battalions merged, and those with
the longest service overseas returned to England with the Third Battalion.
Membership includes Officers of 'S' Company Scots Guards, which for
many months was part of the Battalion, the Medical Officer and the
Chaplains.
The first dinner was held in 1947 and dinners have been held annually
since then, nearly always at Bertorelli's Restaurant in Soho, but with
Boodles, the Guards Club and the Mayfair Hotel as occasional alternatives.
Each Member may take one guest, preferably someone who was con-
nected with the Battalion or 1st Guards Brigade in North Africa or Italy.
In 1969 the Members decided that the Club should be dissolved from a
position of strength, and that the final dinner should be held in 1972 on
Monday, 10 July, the 25th anniversary of the first dinner.
I. TENT XII CLUB
The Tent XII Club was formed towards the end of 1959 by a group of
Officers of the Second Battalion, mostly from Numbers 1, 2 and Support
REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
195
a
Companies, when they were stationed at Gilgil, in Kenya. The Club gets
its name from the number of the tent belonging to two of the original
Members, and in which the early meetings were held.
It started operating as a Dining Club in 1962 when the Battalion returned
to England: the Members meet once or twice a year, either at Boodles or
at the Dorchester, and a few guests are asked who have either Coldstream
or Kenya connections.
In 1962 the Director of Music of the Irish Guards, the late Lieutenant-
Colonel C. H. Jaeger, O.B.E., was asked to compose a march for the Club,
and this he did: the march was called 'Tent XII' and is played quite often
on Guard Mounting: it has even been played once on the Birthday
Parade: Lieutenant-Colonel Jaeger was made a supernumerary member
of the Club with the title of 'Honorary Minstrel'.
APPENDIX VIII
PRIVILEGE IN CONNECTION WITH
THE CITY OF LONDON
ON 18 March 1952, the Regiment was granted the privilege whenever it
proceeds within or through the City of London, of marching with its
drums beating, its Colours flying and its bayonets fixed.
This privilege cannot be exercised except upon the due notice given to
the Lord Mayor. The history of the granting of this privilege is as follows:
The Colonel of the Regiment wrote to the Lord Mayor of London on
3 September 1951.
'My Lord,
I have the honour to request that you will allow my Regiment to possess
the privilege of marching through the City of London, whenever we are
permitted by your Lordship to enter within the gates thereof, with our
drums beating, our Colours flying and our bayonets fixed.
“Having set out from Coldstream in December 1659, under our first
Colonel, George Monck, the Regiment took a leading part in the restor-
ation of the King to his throne, and is the oldest corps in the British Army
to enter the King's service after the Restoration. We took up our arms and
became servants of His Majesty on Tower Hill on 14th February 1661.
We displayed our ensigns, beat our drums and discharged our musquets,
after which, history records, we marched past the Lord Mayor, after
proper notice, bearing our arms. The City of London also paid off our
arrears of pay which were incurred in the service of Parliament.
* The Lord High Admiral's Regiment which was raised by beat of
drums within the City, largely from men of the Trained Bands in 1664,
was absorbed into the Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards in 1689.
'Whilst originally raised in the border country for service with the
Parliamentary Forces, our Fealty to the Crown commenced within the
City walls. So, thus, 300 years later, we ask to be afforded this greatly
honoured privilege. I trust that you will graciously be pleased to afford us
that which we desire.
I am, my Lord Mayor,
Your Lordship's
Most Obedient Servant,
H. C. Loyd, General,
Colonel, Coldstream Guards.
THE CITY OF LONDON
197
In due course the Lord Mayor addressed the following letter to Sir Charles
Loyd:
"The Mansion House,
London, E.C.4.
18th March 1952.
'Dear General Loyd,
Your letter of the 3rd September last was considered by the Privileges
Committee of Aldermen at their meeting on Tuesday last, the 11th instant
at which I attended.
‘After careful consideration it was decided to accede to your application
and in these circumstances I have much pleasure in advising you that Her
Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards has my authority, when-
ever it proceeds through the City of London to march with its drums
beating, its Colours flying and its bayonets fixed. It must, however, be
understood, that this privilege cannot be exercised except upon due notice
to the Lord Mayor.
Yours sincerely,
Leslie Boyce,
Lord Mayor.'
Meanwhile Sir Leslie Bowker, the City Remembrancer, had written
from Guildhall giving a few more details concerning the reasons why the
City had seen fit to grant these jealously guarded privileges to the Cold-
stream. He said it was essential in applications of this kind to prove that
the Regiment had been granted a Royal Warrant to raise recruits by beat
of drum, and, after presenting the Warrant to the Lord Mayor, did so
raise recruits within the City of London. To find this proof had necessitated
an exhaustive search of the City records, which had revealed some interest-
ing entries in the Waiting Book kept in the City archives. Seven of these
entries he then quoted in their original spelling for the information of the
Colonel of the Regiment.
The oldest one is dated 24 February 1664-5. This is an order signed by
General George Monck, now Duke of Albemarle, and addressed to the
Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding his Regiment, one Ethelbert Morgan,
wherein he says: 'Whereas His Majesty hath given order for the waiting of
500 men to be added to my Regiment of His Majesty's Foot Guards, and
to be employed for sea Service. These are to authorise and require you to
beat up Drums in London and other parts thereabouts for the raising of
the said men.' The next entry is dated 26 May 1673, and is signed by King
Charles II. It reads: "His Majesty's Warrant for the raising of 199 volun-
teers by beat of drum for the recruiting with 20 in each of the five com-
panies of the Coldstream Regiment.' This is addressed to the second
Colonel of the Coldstream as follows: 'To our trusty and right well
beloved cousin and counsellor. Wm. Earl of Craven and such commission
officers as he shall appoint of the Coldstream Regiment of our Foot
Guard under his command.'
The next four entries are all dated between 17 and 19 January 1677-8,
and read as follows:
198
THE CITY OF LONDON
'His Majesty's Warrant presented unto his Lordship (i.e. the Lord
Mayor of London) from Captain James Eastland to beat the drums to
raise one hundred men to go in my Lord Craven's Regiment.
"His Majesty's Warrant presented unto his Lordship From Captain
Sinclair-100 foot soldiers under the Earl of Craven's Regiment.'
‘His Majesty's Warrant presented unto his Lordship from Counsellor
Wm. Earl of Craven to beat drums to raise 100 volunteers to service as
soldiers in the Coldstreame Regiment for Foot Guards.
'His Majesty's Warrant presented unto his Lordship from Captain
Okeover-100 volunteers under the Earl of Craven to be returned to the
-
Coldstreame Regiment.'
Finally we came to this entry dated 4 February 1677–8:
*This day presented to his Lordship his Majesty's Warrant bearing date
the 12th January 1677–78 directed to Wm. Earl of Craven, Colonel of the
Coldstreame Regiment for raising of 1 hundred volunteers for the recruit
of the said Regiment.'
Thus after a lapse of 300 years the Coldstream joined that select band of
those permitted to exercise certain privileges within the City of London.
INDEX
The Index does not include names recorded in Appendixes I, III and IV
as these Appendixes are in alphabetical order, nor does it include the
names in the Orders of Battle in Appendix VI
Abadan, 47
Bates, Gdsm. J., 103
Abu Sultan, 49, 62
Batt, Capt. S. W., 74, 145
Acre, 6
Baxendale, Maj. W. L., 15
Adair, Lt.-Col. P. R., 88, 144, 151
Baxter, Gdsm. M. E., 59
Ad Dimnah, 91, 92
Baxter, L/Sgt. F., 38
Adeane, Lt.-Col. Rt. Hon. Sir M., 70, 138 Beck, Maj. R., 141
Aden, 22, 71, 77, 82, 85 et seq., 104, 112, Bedford-Russell, Maj. A., 59, 144
121
Beds and Herts, 1st Bn., 57, 59
Adibaya, 16
Beisan, 6
Afule, 6
Belfast, 106 et seq., 118, 119, 124
Agnew, Maj. J. N., 141
Belize, 113, 114
Alanbrooke Camp, 75
Bell, Lt. P. L., 149
Alberta, 105, 116
Benghazi, 85
Albrighton, L/Cpl. G., 109
Bennett, Capt. D., 143, 151
Alderson, Lt. R. E. R., 149
Benson, Capt. R., 139
Aldershot, 42
Berbice River, 67
Aldershot Barracks, 70, 112
Bermuda, 74
Alexandria, 51, 61
Berwick Camp, 47
Al Milah, 95
Berwick-on-Tweed, 45
Alvingham, Lt.-Col. Lord, 142
Best, Maj. A., 191
A.M.F. (L), 116, 117
Bethlehem, 17
Amman, 13
Betts, Maj. (QM) F. A. D., 152, 153
Amphibious Warfare Sqn., 81
Bidor, 35
Anstruther, Maj. Sir R., 30, 31, 143 'Big Nose', 87
Aqaba, 49
Biggs, 2nd Lt. A. R., 149
Armistead, Lt. E. B. L., 149
Birdcage Walk, 130
Army Catering Corps, 127
Birkbeck, Maj. W., 15, 140, 151
Ashley Gardens, 130
Bisley, 42, 116
Assaye Barracks, 116
Bissex, Gdsm. D. J., 19
Athens, 76
Blacker, Dr. C. P., 193
Atkinson Field, 67
Blackett, Capt. J. B., 147
Austria, 112
Blair's Field, 87, 88
Avens, Maj. W. R., 147, 151
Blake, Capt. (QM) S. A. J., 152, 153
Aylen, Maj. (QM), F. T., 152
Blanch, Gdsm. T., 34
Azrak, 13
Blue Valley, 36
Bogside, 118
Badajoz Barracks, 42
Bond, Lt. P. R. M., 76
Badham, Lt. (QM) K., 152, 153
Bonnor-Maurice, Maj. E. A. T., 144, 151
Bahamas, 113
Bootle-Wilbraham, Lt.-Col. L., 193
Bahrain, 65, 77 et seq.
Borneo, 104
Baird, Lt., Hon. M., 147
Bowman, Maj. J. H., 8, 9
Ballykelly, 117
Boyle, Elizabeth, 108
‘Bamboo Shoots', 27, 41
Bradbury Barracks, 64
Bambrick, Sgt. M., 102
Brassey, Lt. Col. E. P., 192
Bamforth, CSM E., 110
Brazil, 65, 68
Barlow, Maj. A. K., 141, 151
Brazil, Lt. R., 145
Barry Docks, 51, 74
Breakwell, Lt. O. R. St J., 149
Barker, Gdsm. D. S., 69
Brennan, L/Sgt. P., 36
Barnett, Capt. S. E., 91, 92, 96, 147 Bridges, Gdsm. F., 34
Barrington, Capt. L. H. W., 32, 143 Brigades
Bartholemew, Lt. J. R. E., 147
2nd Infantry, 70
Barttelot, Capt. Sir B. W. de S., 102, 148, 3rd Infantry, 14
151
8th Infantry, 117
200
INDEX
Brigades cont.
Clonard Street, 109
24th Infantry, 75, 79, 82, 87, 96
Coates, Lt.-Col. R. E. J. C., 1, 3
28th Commonwealth, 104
Cockcroft, Sgt. K., 93
39th Air Portable, 106
Codner, Maj. T. D. O., 142
Aden, 101
Codrington, Maj. S. F. B., 49, 141
British Guiana, 65, 68, 85
Coigley, Capt. M. F. H., 31
British Honduras, 113, 115
Coldstreamers Assn., The, 44, 45, 190
Britton, Maj. B. G., 139
Coldstream, Burgh of, 65, 75, 105, 115
Broadhurst, Maj. A. M. S., 148
Coldstream Sgts. (P. & P.) Assn., 191
Brookes, Gdsm. T. C., 34, 35
Cole, Maj. J. W. B., 34, 140
Brunei, Sultan of, 115
Coleridge, Maj. Hon. W. D., 147
Buckland, Maj. Gen. R. J. D. E., 52, 140, Colombo, 22
150
Colonel of the Regiment, 44, 46, 53, 70,
Bucknall, Lt. R. W. St V., 74, 146
72, 73, 115, 131, 150, 190, 192
Buffalo National Park, 105
Combe, Capt. R. T., 147
Bull, Maj. M. M., 146, 151
Connell, Sgt. A., 93
Buller Barracks, 105
Congo, 76
Burns, Maj.-Gen. Sir W. A. G., 44, 45, 64, Cook, Lt. (QM) W. J., 191
131, 138, 150 (see also Colonel of the Cook, L/Sgt. T., 103
Regt.)
Cooper, Capt. R. R., 17, 145
Butler, L/Sgt., R., 39
Cooper, Lt.-Col. (QM) S. B. R., 61, 152
Cope, Sgt. M, L., 109
Cadge, Maj. J. E., 146
Copson, Sgt. F., 47
Caesarea, 3
Cordle, Lt. A. J., 148
Cairngorms, 116
Corrigan, Maj. J. B., 91
Calgary, 105
Coventry, 112
'Call Girl', 87
Cowley, Maj. (QM), J. C., 61, 152, 153
Callander, Maj. H. R. B., 140
Cowling, L/Sgt. J. R., 110
Cambridge, Duke of, 45
Crater, 96, 101
Cambridge, Capt. Lord F., 45
Crichton, Col. R. J. V., 139, 150, 151
Cameron Highlands, 22, 23, 24, 30, 32, 33, Crisp, Gdsm. A., 28
38
Crisp, Lt. J. R. G., 149
Campbell, Lt. M. R. A., 149
Crofton, Lt. E. M., 104, 148
Camp Wainwright, 105, 116
Cromwell, 57
Canada, 104, 116
Crossley, Capt. Hon. S. W. F., 145
'Cap Badge', 87, 94, 95
Cunningham, Lt. I. J. G., 149
Capetown, 76
Cupar St., 106
Cardiff, 74
Cyprus, 8, 17, 58, 60, 75, 105
Carr-Comm, Maj. R. C., 140
Castel-Benito, 47
Dagger, Capt. J. F. H., 33, 143
Caterham, 16, 122
Daily Express, 75
Cazenove, Brig. A. de L., 137
Dales, Gdsm. T. A., 93
Cazenove, Lt. B. M. de L., 108, 109, 149 D'Ambrumenil, Lt. C. H., 5
Cazenove, Lt. R. de L., 149
Dara, M.V., 81
Chandos-Pole, Lt.-Col. J., 16, 138, 150 Darell, Brig. Sir J. L., 139, 150
Chaplin, Maj. R. M., 139
Dar-es-Salaam, 84
Charlton Star, SS, 73
Dar Saad, 101
Chaworth-Musters, Maj. R. P., 141 Davie, Capt. S. J., 148
Chelsea Barracks, 64, 65, 70, 73, 85, 104, Dawnay, Maj. L., 140
112, 115, 117
Dawnay, Lt.-Col. R., 138
Chester, Maj. J. G. B., 141, 151
Dean, Capt. E. M., 146
Chetumal, 114
de Bunsen, Maj. P. H., 146
Chetwynd-Talbot, Capt. M. P., 148 de Gaulle, General, 65
Chichester, Maj. Hon. D. C., 140, 194 de Salis, Lt. Col. Count P., 138
Citrus House, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
de Sausmarez, Lt. P. W. D. St V., 148
Clarke, Gdsm. M. R., 89
Demerara River, 67
Clegg, Maj. D. H., 144
Denmark, 112, 116
Clifford, Lt. (QM) P. J., 152, 153
Dhala, 86 et seq.
Clifford, Lt. Hon. T. H. J., 116
Digby, Capt. Hon. E. H. K., 142
INDEX
201
Division, 3rd Infantry, 49, 51, 52, 57
Dobson, Maj. R. D., 79, 82, 141
Dongola, 85
Donner, Lt. J. M., 144
Dragoon Guards, 3rd, 82
Drake, Maj. A. J. M., 147
Drinkwater, Capt. C. P., 145
Dubrovnik, 63
Duckworth, Maj. (QM) N., 152, 153
Dunera, H.M.T., 75
Dunnotar Castle, H.M.T., 15
Dusseldorf, 52, 64, 73
Forbes, Capt. W. F, E., 146
Force 136, 21
Forestier-Walker, Lt. G. C., 149
Forrest, Capt. (QM) T. R., 152, 153
Forster, Capt. S. S., 147
Fortescue, Brig. A. H. G., 139, 150
Fort Hood, 117
Fourth Bn. Dining Club, 193
Foyle, River, 117
France, 76, 112
Frisby, Capt. M. R., 149
Fuglesang, Capt. C. F., 148
East Anglian Regt., 1st Bn., 65, 67
Eastern Prince, SS., 55
Edinburgh, H.R.H. the Duke of, 84
Edge, Gdsm. A. C., 91
Edwards, Capt. G. R., 142
Egerton-Warburton, Capt. P., 145
Egypt, 47, 52, 57, 58, 60, 62, 86
Eilat, 49
El Ballah, 59, 61, 62
El Hamada, 47
El Kantara, 16, 59, 61
El Milah, 92
'Elephant', Operation, 8
Elizabeth II, H.M. Queen, 53, 70, 72, 85,
105, 112, 115, 131
Elizabeth Barracks, 104
Empire Halladale, H.M.T., 62
Empire Test, H. M. T., 46
Empire Trooper, H. M. T., 21, 56
Emson, Lt. N. E., 149
Evans, Lt. A, H. B., 149
Exeter, 46
Garnett, Gdsm. R., 34
George VI, H.M. King, 44, 56, 70, 72, 192
Georgetown, 67, 69
Germany, 52, 64, 70, 71, 72, 111, 112, 122
Gialo Barracks, 46, 55, 56
Gibbs, Maj. H. F., 143
Gibbs, Maj. M. A., 139
Gibbs, Maj. P. E. W., 113, 147
Gibbs, Capt. W. G., 145
Gibraltar, 52, 57, 58, 74, 76
Giles, Maj. N., 93
Gilgil, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80
Givat Haiyim, 5
Glamorgan, 51
Glasgow, 63
Glen Trool, 116
Glisson, Maj. (QM) D. H. J., 50, 152, 153
Gloucestershire Regt., 1st Bn., 101
Glugor Barracks, 32
Goddard, Sgt. P. S., 89
Gold, Lt. N. G., 148
Gooch, Brig. R. F. S., 21, 138
Gordon Highlanders, 1st Bn., 84
Gore, Lt. J., 145
Gore-Langton, Col. I. W., 46, 138, 150
Gort Barracks, 64
Greece, 112
Green, Brig. H. G. L., 74, 138, 150
Green Howards, 1st Bn., 38
Green Jackets, 2nd Bn., 70
Greener, Maj. W. J. M., 50, 144
Greenwood, Maj. O. M. R., 143
Grenadier Guards
1st Bn., 52, 55, 56
2nd Bn., 42, 64, 69, 70, 73
3rd Bn., 9, 21, 36
Grey-Turner, Capt. E., 194
Griffiths, Gdsm. J. R., 110
Groner, Dov, 10
Guards Brigade
1st, 1, 8, 12, 49, 51, 55, 74
2nd, 21
4th, 52, 64, 70, 73, 105
32nd, 57, 59
201st, 124
Guards Chapel, 130
Falconer, Gdsm. J., 110
Falkiner, Lt. Col. Sir T. E. P., 137
Falls Road, 106
Famagusta, 58
Fanara, 49
Fane, Capt. E. H., 76, 146
Faure-Walker, Lt. E. W., 149
Fayid, 47
Fazil, Capt. P. A., 86, 146, 151
Federal Regular Army, 90, 91, 92, 94
Felton, Capt. C. J. N., 148
Field Security, 12
Fisher, Maj. F. W. R., 144
Fitz-George-Balfour, Gen. Sir R. G. V.,
25, 39, 139, 150
Fitzroy, Capt. Lord E. A. C., 143
Florida, 68
Flower, Lt.-Col. P. H., 138
Fogarty, Sgt. D. J., 90
Folland, Lt. D. D., 148
Foord-Kelcey, 2nd Lt. C. P., 93
Forbes, Capt. J. A. P., 147
Forbes, Lt. Col. W. D. C., 194
202
INDEX
Guards Depot, 44, 61, 122, 123, 125, 126 Iserlohn, 70, 112
Guards Para. Coy., 44, 122
Ismailia, 60
Guards Training Bn., 122, 123
Italy, 20, 112
'G'Sqn. 22nd SAS Regt., 122
I.Z.I., 1, 11, 12, 13
Guatemala, 113, 114
Gubbins, Capt. R. N. B., 144
Jacot de Boinod, Capt. D. B. de V., 147
Guildhall, 53
Jacot de Boinod, Maj. C. W. B., 84, 144
Gulston, L/Sgt. E., 28, 29
Jaeger, Lt.-Col. C. H., 195
Gurkha Rifles 2/2 Bn., 30, 31
Jaffa, 11, 17
Jagan, Dr., 66, 67
Habilayn, 87 et seq.
Jamaica, 115
Hagana, 1, 11, 12, 17
James, Capt. J. H., 84, 146
Haifa, 1, 3, 6, 16, 17, 18, 19, 55
Jardine, Brig. Sir I. L., 86, 96, 140, 150
Haltern, 64, 73
Jerusalem, 8, 17
Hampshire Regt., 1st Bn., 108
Joel, Maj. (QM) H. J., 152
Harbord-Hamond, Major Hon. A. P. (see Johnston, Capt. F. J., 143
Suffield)
Johnston, Capt. I. B. M., 144
Harnes, Gdsm. P. D., 93
Jordan, 112
Hartley, Capt. J. H. B., 144
Juba, 85
Harwich, 52, 64
Jufair, 79
Havergal, Maj. H. M. C., 95, 97, 146 Junior Gdsm's Coy., 122, 124, 129
Hayaz, 94
Junior Leaders Bn., 123
Heywood, Col. C. P., 193
Jutland Dragoon Regt., 106
Heywood, Capt. R. J., 95, 149, 151
Hicks, Lt. Col. W. M. E., 143, 151
Kaieteur Falls, 68
Hilling, Sgt. E. C., 94
Kampar, 24, 33, 37
Hill, Col. E. R., 44, 57, 61, 137, 150 Kampong Balfour, 41
Hill, L/Sgt., 91
Kampong Coldstream, 41, 104
Hills, Maj. P. J., 144
Kefar Y'Avets, 15
Hiswa, 92, 95
Kelly, Lt. P. D. F., 9, 13
Hobbs, Maj. B., 101
Kennard, Maj. D. A., 139
Hogla, 5, 6
Kenya, 53, 65, 75 et seq., 86
Holdsworth-Hunt, Lt. C. E., 149
Khartoum, 85
Hong-Kong, 122
Khormaksar, 101
Hook of Holland, 52, 64, 73
Kibbutz, 4, 5
Hook, SC J., 154
Kilimanjaro, 76, 78
Household Brigade Magazine, 20, 57 King's African Rifles, 83
Household Brigade Yacht Club, 51 Kirk, Drum-Major P., 96
Howard, Capt. M. B. N., 148
Knight, Sgt. C., 129
Howells, Sgt. R. G., 33, 34
Knight, Maj. H. G. B., 139
Hughes, Gdsm. A., 93
Knowles, Gdsm. J., 28, 29, 30
Hubbelrath, 52, 64, 73
K.O.Y.L.I.
Hussars
1st Bn., 32, 38, 41, 98, 99, 100
3rd, 18
Krefeld, 64, 73
4th, 32
Kuala Kas, 34
10th, 87
Kuala Bertam, 31
Kuala Kubu Bharu, 36, 37, 38, 41
Illustrious, H.M.S., 57
Kuala Lumpur, 22, 36
Imbert-Terry, Maj. E. H. B., 140
Kuraibah, 91, 92
Indonesia, 104
Kuwait, 81, 82
Indo-China, 33
Ingles, Gdsm. K., 28
Lake Rudolph, 76
Innes, Capt. J. R., 118, 148
Lambton, Maj. C. W., 140
Ipoh, 32
Lancashire, H.M.T., 49
IRA, 118
Larbey, Sgt. W., 22
Iraq, 81
Larkin, Capt. (QM) J. E., 152
Irish Guards
Lawrence, Lt. C. W., 84
1st Bn., 56, 112
Lawrence, Capt. Sir D. R. W., 144
Band, 17
Lawson, Sgt. I., 38
INDEX
203
Lebanon, 8, 112
Marriott, Maj. Gen. Sir J., 43
Le Chaland, 97, 98
Marseilles, 8
Le Fanu, Maj. G. V. S., 141, 151
Martin, Maj. (QM) H. P., 191
Le Larzac, 112
Mason, Lt. A. R., 149
Lee-Metford Camp, 75
Matheson, Maj. F. J., 17, 143
Leonora Estate, 67
Matheson, Gen. Sir T., 53
Lemoi River, 30
Matheson, Maj. Sir T. A., 142
Lemprière-Robin, Brig. R. C., 139, 150 Mauritius, 93, 94, 96, 97, 98
Leptis Magna, 56
Maxse, Capt A. J., 145
Leven and Melville, Capt. the Earl of, 141 Maxse, Maj. M. W. F., 146
Leventhorpe, Lt. R., 14
May, Maj (QM) E. A., 152
Lewey, Lt.-Col. D. H. A., 39, 49, 144, Mayes, Col. C. M. A., 145
151
Mayo Street Mill, 106
Libya, 71, 85
Megiddo, 6
Light, Gdsm. W., 39
Mexico, 114, 115
Limassol, 58
Middleton, Capt. G. C., 142
Link Up, Ex, 84
Miers, Brig. R. C. H., 75
Little Aden, 86 et seq.
Miles-Marsh, Maj. D. G., 142
Liverpool, 46, 49, 62, 72
Millard, Gdsm. D., 90
Llanelly Barracks, 52
Mills, Lt. P, H., 149
Lockey, SC J., 154
Mitchell, Lt.-Col. M. A. P., 143
Loch Fyne, H.M.S., 84
Mizra, 6
Lomax, Lt. A. G. G., 146
Mombasa, 75, 76, 84, 97
London, Lord Mayor of, 53, 73
Monck, Brig.-Gen. C. S. O., 190
Londonderry, 117 et seq., 122, 124
Monk's Field, 87, 91, 92, 94, 95
Lower Falls, 107
Moore's Barracks, 50
Loyd, Gen. Sir H. C., 131, 137, 150, 192 Morse, RSM N., 153
(see also Colonel of the Regt.)
Mount Kenya, 76, 78
Loyd, Maj, P. W., 141
Mount Roraima, 68
Luard, Lt.-Col. B. E., 19, 138, 150
Mount Victoria, 114
Luard, Maj. J. A. H., 143
Mowbray, Lt.-Col. J., 194
Lulworth, 72
Mukarraq, 79
Lydd, 65, 75
Mukerias, 90, 91, 99
Lydda, 13, 14
Mullhouse St. Warehouse, 106, 108
Munster, 105
Macfarlane, Capt. J. R., 117, 147
Mursell, SC K., 154
McGougen, Lt. J. A., 38, 39
Muscat, 81
MacLellan, Col. A. P. W., 142, 151 Muthaiga Camp, 79
McLeod, Lt. N. E., 41
Myddelton, Capt. D. F., 146, 151
McNair-Wilson, Lt. P. M. E, D., 145
McNeece, Capt. T. D. G., 146
Nablus, 6
McNeil, 2nd Lt. I., 149
Naha ‘Bari' Jundi, 81
McNeile, Capt. J. B., 145
Nairobi, 75, 76, 77, 79, 84, 85, 86
Madagascar, 97
Napier, Maj. A. P. F., 145, 151
Magilligan Point, 117, 119
Nash, Capt. P. J., 145
Magnet Club, 108, 109
Nathanya, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17
Maidstone, H.M.S., 106
National Liberation Front, 95
Malacca, 104
Nazareth, 6
Malaya, 21 et seq., 75, 104
Nee Soon Camp, 22
Malay Regt., 2nd Bn., 30
Neil-Robertson, 35
Malayan Police Force, 24
Nesher Yagur, 6
Malay Tribune, 28
New Amsterdam, 67
Malim Nawar, 24
Netheravon, 72
Malindi, 76
Newcastle, 45
Malta, 52, 56, 60, 74
Newcastle, H.M.S., 18
Manningham-Buller, Lt. J. M., 145 Nicholson, Gdsm. M., 103
Mansion House, 53, 73
Nicholson, Gdsm. W.,
Mansoura Prison, 99, 102
Nickson, Capt. D. W., 144
Marakal, 85
Nile, River, 85
89
204
INDEX
Noel, Lt.-Col. D. F. D., 144
Noel, Maj. D. R. G., 141
Norman, SC H., 154
North Howard St. Mill, 106
Northern Ireland, 106, 117, 118, 122
Norton, Gdsm. A. E. C., 86
Norton, Gdsm. D., 92
Norway, 116
Novis, Capt. R. A., 76, 148
Nulli Secundus Club, 192
Pollard, Maj. J. B. B., 50, 143
Pollen, Lt. A. S. H., 112, 149
Pope, Lt. Col. D. A., 129, 153
Pope, Capt. G. M., 148
Pope, Capt. J. J. B., 147
Portal, Maj. M. E. B., 138
Port Fuad, 59
Port Louis, 97, 98
Port Louis Camp, 58
Port Said, 22, 47, 51, 58, 59, 60
Portsmouth, 57
Potaro River, 68
Potter, Lt. P. R., 146
Powell, Maj. D., 74, 145
Pratt, L/Cpl. C., 30
Pratt, Capt. A. B., 191
Prinn Barracks, 55
Procter, Maj. J. W., 140
Pross's, 19
Purfleet, 72
Putlos, 64, 73
'O'Force, 49
Oakmore, S.S., 47
Ohlson, Lt. B. E. C., 146
Old Basuto Camp, 47
Ombrellino Club, 194
Orbita, H.M.T., 41, 72
Otterburn, 85, 115
Qualansuwa, 15
Paddy's Field, 87
Paget, Lt.-Col. J. T., 78, 79, 85, 140, 150
Paisley Park, 106
Palestine, 1, 16, 17, 18, 46
Palestine Police, 4, 6, 7, 9, 17
Palfrey, Gdsm. S., 38, 39
Panama, 115
Panter, Lt. M. W. A., 76, 147
Panzer Grenadiers, 106
Parachute Regt.
1st Bn., 92, 93, 101
2nd/3rd Bn., 18
Pardes Hanna, 3, 5, 6
*Park', Operation, 91
Parker, L/Sgt., 90
Parkes, Capt. M. G. H., 143
Parkin, Gdsm. J., 34, 36
Peace Line, 106
Peake, CQMS L., 109
Pelham-Burn, Maj. C. L. St H., 142
Pell, CQMS F., 91, 96
Pemba, 83
Pemberton, Col. A. B., 70, 140, 150, 151
Pembroke, Lt. Col. R. B., 137
Penang, 32, 38
Pereira, Lt. E. A., 147
Perim Island, 99
Persian Gulf, 47, 77, 79
Petah Tiqva, 7, 8
Peter-Hoblyn, Lt. J. D., 147
Petra, 8
Philippi, Capt. G. A., 147, 151
Philips, Maj. R. E., 16, 141, 151
*Piccadilly', 87, 94
Pickford, RSM F., 153
Pickles, RSM A., 153
Pilley, Capt. J. C. D., 148, 151
Pirbright, 16, 42, 44, 57, 72, 74, 122
Plaisance Airfield, 97
Polemhidia Camp, 58
Radfan, 86 et seq., 121
Radfan Camp, 98 et seq.
Ramat Gan, 8, 12
* Ramillies', Operation, 30
Ramleh, 14
Ramsden, Maj. (QM) A., 152, 153
Reid, CSM N., 16
Reynolds, Gdsm. M., 91
Riley, Lt.-Col. J. R. C., 27, 32, 39, 43, 141
Rockley, Lt. (QM) T., 152, 153
Roden St., 108
Rolleston, Capt. G. L. St L., 147
Rommel, Field Marshal, 124
Rose, Capt. (QM) E. J. R., 152, 153
Rose, Lt. H. M., 149
Rosehall, 69
Roses Dining Club, 192
Rous, Capt. W. E., 147, 151
Royal Air Force, 47, 49, 60, 68, 79, 81, 90,
92, 99, 117
Royal Anglian Regt.
1st Bn., 87, 117
2nd Bn., 110
4th Bn., 93
Royal Army Pay Corps, 128
Royal Artillery
49th Field Regt., 57
28th/19th Light Regt., 87
Parachute Regt., 59
Royal Docks, 43
Royal Dragoon Guards 4th/7th, 47, 55
Royal Engineers, 87, 92, 95
Royal Horse Artillery, 18
Royal Humane Society, 30
Royal Inniskilling Fus., Ist Bn., 77
INDEX
205
Royal Marine Commando
No. 42, 82
No. 45, 40, 92, 95
Royal Navy, 58, 60, 73, 81, 97
Royal Pavilion, 42
Royal Scots, 1st Bn., 90, 106, 108
Royal Sussex Regt., 1st Bn., 17, 96 98
Royal Ulster Constabulary, 106 et seq.,
117 et seq.
Royal Victoria Hospital, 106
Sabratha, 46, 55
Sahara, 76
St Catherine's Monastery, 60
St Lawrence, Jewry, 53
Sainthill, Capt. A. C., 148
Sakai, 25, 30, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37
Salama, 84
Salerno Camp, 86, 92, 93, 95
Salisbury Plain, 57, 65, 85
Salusbury-Trelawney, Maj. J. W., 146
Samphire Club, 193
San Salvador, 115
Sarafand, 13
Sarona, 7, 9, 10
Saudi-Arabia, 112
Sawdon, Maj. (QM) J., 152
Schreiber, Lt.-Col. R. S., 137
Scots Guards
1st Bn., 21, 59, 60, 104
2nd Bn., 21, 36, 38, 86
Band, 21
Scrubber Line, 101
Sennelager, 73
Seyyid Khalifa, H.H.S., 84
Sharpe, Maj. T. le M., 153
Sharper Yet', 3, 6, 7, 43
Sheik Othman, 95, 96, 98 et seq.
Shorncliffe, 49, 50
Shuldham, Maj. R. A. Q., 51, 113, 144
Sinai, 60
Singapore, 22, 27, 32, 41, 104
Singapore Lines, 101
Slim Camp, 77
Slim, General Sir W., 42
Smith, Capt. G. A. G., 63, 142
Smith, Maj. L. R., 142
Smith, Lt. R. M., 92
Smith, RSM R. W., 153
Smithfield Market, 16
Smurthwaite, CSM P.,
Smy, RSM C., 153
Smyth-Osbourne, Col. E. T., 98, 142, 150,
Southampton, 42, 56
South Arabian Federation, 86, 99
Southern Rhodesia, 76
Spain, 76
Speaker, The, 44
Spencer, Lt. C. G. C., 39, 143
Springfield Rd., 106
Stanford Training Area, 64
Stanley, Capt. T. H. O., 143
Star and Garter, 109
Steele, Brig. W. L., 7, 46, 137
Stern Gang, 1, 11, 12
Stewart-Richardson, Lt. Col. P. N. R., 33,
43, 101, 142
Stilwell, Maj. M. W., 9, 15, 49, 140
Stocker, Gdsm. D., 9
Straker, 2nd Lt M. I. B., 24
Stratheden, Brig. Lord, 137
Strutt, Lt. Hon. D. R., 142
Studholme, Capt. P. H. W., 144
Sudan, 85
Suez, 16
Suez Canal, 47, 49, 59, 60, 74, 75
Suffield, Maj. the Lord, 30, 34, 35, 141
Suffolk Regt., 1st Bn., 37
Sungei Ras, 35
Sungkai, 35, 38
Surinam, 65
Sutton, Capt. J. H. T., 140, 151
Sweeting, Lt.-Col. H. K., 139, 150
Sweeting, Capt. R. N. F., 148
Syria, 8, 112
151
Snape, Gdsm. C., 93
Sollum Club, 194
Solomon's Pools, 17
Somerset & Cornwall L.I., 1st Bn., 103
Somervell, Lt. M. H., 149
'Table Top', 87
Takama, 68
Tanganyika, 76, 78, 84
Tangier, 76
Tanglin School, 22
Tapah, 22, 23, 24, 27, 38, 104
Tarhuna, 46, 55
Tate, Gdsm. J., 93
Tate, L/Sgt. M., 38
Tatham, Capt. R. H., 146
Taylor, Gdsm. H., 110
Taylor, L/Sgt. J. A., 89
Tel Aviv, 7, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17
Tel-el-Kebir, 47, 58
Tel Litwinsky, 17
Telok Anson, 23
Telom River, 30
Temoh Hill Camp, 22
Tennyson-D'Eyncourt, Capt. G. G., 146
Tent XII Club, 194
Teulon-Sellars, Maj. K., 76, 85, 112, 146,
151
Texas, 117
Thackray, L/Cpl. R., 93
Thomson-Moore, Lt. J. N. McT., 148
Thornewill, Capt. D. N., 69, 148
96
206
INDEX
Thornewill, Capt. E. J., 147
Watts, Lt. D, H., 14
Thornton, Lt. J. D. F. M., 33, 34
Wazung Times, 77, 79
Thornton-Dewhurst, 2nd Lt. P., 149 Weber-Brown, Maj. S. G., 145, 151
Thorpe, Gdsm. J., 30, 31
Weizmann, Dr C., 9
Thorpe, Gdsm. F., 28
Welch, RSM N., 153
Thumier (see Habilayn)
Wellington Barracks, 20, 43, 53, 72, 75, 85,
Tidworth, 116
130
Tilbury, 73
Welsh Gds., 1st Bn., 1, 9, 62, 95, 99, 100
Toler, Maj.-Gen. D. A. H., 141, 150, 151 West Indies, 20, 67, 68
Tollemache, Capt. L. H. E., 145
Westminster Abbey, 44
Tollemache, Lt. Hon. T. J. E., 81, 84 Westminster Hall, 72
Tolson, Gdsm. S., 93
White, SSI B., 109
Tower, Maj. A. R. S., 143, 151
White, Capt. J. G. G. N., 99, 148
Tower, Lt. Col. P. G. S., 145
Whitehead, SC F., 154
Tower Hill, 52
Whitaker, Maj. J. I., 112, 146
Tower of London, 16, 72
Wilkins, Gdsm. D. M., 91
Towers-Clark, Maj. P. F. J. F., 141 Wilkinson, RSM D., 153
Tozer, Gdsm. M., 90
Wilkinson, Lt. Col. W. A. C., 193
Transjordania, 1, 8, 13
Willasey-Wilsey, Maj. M. G., 52, 145
Treetops, 76
Williams, Gdsm. R. J., 118
Tremlett, Lt. G. E. D., 147
Willis, Capt. (QM) D. H., 152, 153
Trimming, RSM L., 153
Willoughby, Maj. Hon. H. E. C., 96, 97,
Tripoli, 46, 49, 55, 56, 57
117, 145
"Trout' Operation, 36
Willoughby, Capt. N., RN, 97
Tunis, 56
Wills, Capt. M. T. N. H., 148, 151
Turkey, 112, 116
Wilson, Maj. (QM) F., 152, 153
Tyacke, RSM R., 153
Windsor Castle, 43, 56, 57, 63, 70, 72, 85,
105
Uganda, 76, 85
Windsor, 56, 57, 63, 65, 85, 104, 105
USA, 115
Windsor Clive, Lt. E. A., 149
Uzi Island, 84
Windsor Clive, Lt.-Col. E. I., 17, 18, 105,
142, 151
Valcour, U.S.S., 81
Windsor Clive, Brig. R. C., 52, 53, 139,
van der Werff, Maj. J. E., 146, 151
150, 151
Vaughan, Maj. E. J. A., 143, 151
Wolcough, Capt. G., 147
Venezuela, 65, 68
Wolseley Camp, 59, 61, 62
Vickers, Capt. T. D., 97
Woodhall, L/Cpl. C., 103
Victoria Barracks, 43, 56, 63
Worrall, Lt.-Col. C. P. M., 56, 141, 150
Victory, H.M.S., 57
Wraxhall, Lt. the Lord, 143
Volendam, S.S., 1
Wyatt, Gdsm. W., 103
Wynne-Finch, Capt. C. E. I., 143
Wadi Quatana, 88
Wadi Taym, 87, 95
Yemen, 86, 90, 94
Walker, L/Sgt. L., 38
Yong Hoi, 34
Walker, Gdsm. A., 108
York Minster, 72
Wall, Capt G. M. C., 74, 145
Younger, Brig. J. W., 139, 150
Wallis-King, Lt.-Col. C. S., 108, 142, 151 Yugoslavia, 63
Ward, SC J., 154
Warde-Aldam, Maj. W., 142
Zanzibar, 65, 76 et seq.
Warde-Norbury, Capt. W. G., 146 Zavia, 46
Wardle, Capt. R. J. S., 89, 90, 148, 151 Zerga, 13
'Warspite Operation, 28
Zvegintzov, Capt. I. D., 148
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
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