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The following Obituaries for surnames beginning with "L" have appeared in the Green Howards "Gazette", or have been notified to the Green Howards.

Stanley Lake

Major Philip Banbury writes :

The funeral of Stan Lake took place at St Mary's Priory Church, Old Malton on Wednesday 22nd February. He died in York Hospital on 15th February 2006.

Born in 1927 he had, apart from his service in the Army, spent all his life living in the Castle Howard area where he had worked either for the Estate, as a driver for local private haulage firms and, for a period, in the village shop at Welburn. He served for a number of years as chauffeur to George (later Lord) Howard, during which time he drove the HRH The Queen Mother on a visit to Castle Howard. He retired in 1992.

Stan enlisted into the KOYLI in 1944 and was posted to India. Whilst there he was drafted into the Duke of Wellington's Regiment with whom he served until the Regiment left India following partition in 1947. Returning to civilian life on return from India, he joined the TA and became a Green Howard in 1957.

Stan joined the Malton Branch of the Association in 1960. He held a number of appointments on the committee and was Chairman of the Branch from 1990-1997. He also served as standard bearer, both of the Branch standard and, on occasions, the British Legion standard, for which his natural smart appearance and upright bearing made him particularly suited.

He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Branch and, with his wife Audrey whom he had married in 1949, of all Branch social events. Retirement gave them both the opportunity to travel and they visited a daughter, who lived in Canada, six times. His last two or three years had been difficult, both for him and his family, due to his deteriorating health which involved a number of periods in hospital.

To his wife, Audrey, their three children, Philip, Ann and Sarah and four grandchildren we extend our sincere sympathy.

Captain T B Latham MBE

Brigadier Ronnie Eccles DSO writes

Terry Latham took over as RSM of the 1st Battalion in Minden at the age of 32 years. He was easy to like and I found he was quick to pick up the mood of the Battalion and get a feel for what was going on. He was well aware of what made the average soldier 'tick'. His views and advice were invaluable. Later he proved to be a more than useful second row forward in the Battalion rugby team.

He arrived shortly before we were deployed to Belfast in late- June 1969. We were given very short notice and virtually no opportunity to train for the role for which we were destined. Terry had very little time to impose his considerable character on the Sergeants' Mess before we left, but impose it he did.

The Belfast deployment was meant to last about a fortnight but it lasted two and a half months. We were sent there to help with policing the increased inter-communal tension, as the 12th July Orange Order Parade in Belfast approached. The 12th July itself passed without major problems and the rest of the time we had a mixed bag of tasks and excitements. Little did we know that it would prove invaluable experience for Belfast 1971.

Winter 1970/71 was spent catching up on training for our BAOR role and was really Terry's first chance to learn his part in it. He seemed to have no problem adapting to what was expected of him as a mechanised infantry battalion RSM.

It was the Belfast tour 1971 where Terry really showed his calibre. His opportunities to get involved with the violence on the streets when he was commanding our two-vehicle command group were plentiful. We were out most days, and at nights having a look around our area, following up an incident or visiting company bases. On these latter visits he would have a keen eye for anything which was not as it should have been, and saw to it that it was attended to. However, it was when our command group got closely involved in serious incidents out on the ground that I was so impressed by his cool calmness under fire. His example, particularly in the early days after our arrival, calmed and steadied young men most of whom were being fired at in anger for the first time in their lives.

It was during an early serious incident just before Internment that he first really showed his mettle. On the night of 8 August 1971, a 'B' Company patrol had come under fire from a gunman on the roof of one of the Ardoyne shops at the junction of the Crumlin and Shankill roads and Private Hatton was hit. I arrived shortly after the incident started and met up with Terry. It was dark, street lights were on and all very confusing, particularly as the patrol, who were obviously badly shaken, had not identified the location of the gunman and were lying on the road, in the open, in front of the shops. Terry and 1 had a brief discussion and he was off to assist Hatton who, after a quick examination, he picked up and walked coolly back to our vehicles. Tragically young Hatton was mortally wounded. The only consolation was that we later captured the man we were convinced had carried out this murder.

Terry was a tower of strength during the 1971 tour. On many occasions he proved himself brave, cool, calm and collected. He was a fine example to others, including myself, and I find it hard to believe that the Battalion could have been better served. He richly deserved his award of the MBE for Gallantry.

Like many senior NCOs and warrant officers of those days, the Army and he himself would have benefited greatly from being commissioned much earlier, but then the Battalion and I would have been deprived of an outstanding RSM. I regret deeply that I have seen so little of him and his splendidly supportive wife, Leoni, since those days.

I am sure that every man who served with Terry in his time will allow me, on their behalf, to express sincerest and deepest condolences to Leoni and her family.

Major Jack Riordan MBE writes:

Terry Latham had already made his mark as a first class NCO with 'C' Company when he was posted to the Signals Platoon in 1957. He gained an outstanding result on his signals course and took over as platoon sergeant from me. We had become firm friends and remained so until his untimely death.

Terry married Leoni in 1961 and in the same year was best man for Judith and I. Their children, Richard and Karen have five boys whom Terry adored. It was therefore fitting that one of them, Daniel, who is a talented violinist, played a very moving arrangement at the interment service. The service was conducted by the Reverend Jeremy Oliver and amongst the many mourners were Brigadier Maurice Atherton, Charlie Griffith, Colin Inett, Judith and myself. The whole family took great comfort from the strong presence of Terry's regimental friends and their participation in the service. To them we extend our deepest sympathy at their loss. The world is a poorer place, with Terry's passing, we were privileged to have known him. His conduct in difficult times was an example to us all.

George Lane

The following was published in the April 2008 edition of "The Green Howard"

George Wilson, Hon Sec of the GHA Scarborough Branch writes:

George Lane of Filey who served as a driver with the 5th Battalion throughout the Second World War.

Ex-Private T K Legg

Mr Tom Heron, writes

Ex-Private Ken Legg died at his home on 9 August 2004. He served as a rifleman with the 2nd Battalion's 'A Company and later as a medical orderly in Egypt during the 1950s.

There were many Green Howards at his well-attended funeral at Middlesbrough Crematorium on 13 August 2004.

Active in the past as a committee member on GHA Branches in the Cleveland area. Ken served as a committee member of the 2nd Battalion Branch from its foundation in 1996. He accidentally suffered a disabling injury at work several years ago but this did not prevent him, with the aid of arm crutches, leaving his wheelchair and bravely 'marching' out to receive his 50-year Gold Badge from the Colonel of the Regiment at the Annual Reunion in Scarborough last year.

Lieutenant Colonel J H Leighton TD

Major K Gardner writes:
Jack Leighton died on the 20th March 2001, aged 85 years after a long illness. He served with the 11th Battalion at the end of 1944 and was in charge of mortar training. After hostilities in 1945 he was in charge of the 1st Battalion band on a tour in Germany. Later, Jack was with the TA, 4th Battalion Green Howards, becoming second in command. This service was followed by a term in the Cadets. He was a popular member in the TA and very enthusiastic. He was a Chartered Surveyor by profession and our paths met in such capacity working for a time within the same Government Department. I attended the funeral service at Appleton le Moors and sympathies were expressed to his widow Joan, daughter Ann and son John.

The following obituary was published in the August 2004 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".

Mr J N Lockwood

Mr Phil Gibson, Jim Lockwood's nephew, writes:

Mr James (Jim) Norrison Lockwood passed away on Saturday llth October 2003 at Kirkwood Hospice near Huddersfield after suffering briefly with cancer.

Jim served with the 2nd Battalion at the very end of the Second World War and during the late forties and was always very proud of his association with the Regiment. He never spoke much to me about his military service but I know he served in India (Calcutta) with one of the mortar platoons and witnessed the division of the sub-continent into India and Pakistan in 1947.1 know Jim kept in touch with some of the guys he served with because they used to meet from time to time to have dinner together and recall the good times they shared serving with The Green Howards.

Jim met his wife (Jennie) shortly after leaving the army and they were devoted to each other until sadly Jennie died in March 2001. Jennie and Jim did not have children but they shared a full and wonderful life together. After the army Jim worked for the Co-op and several other local businesses, the last being at Symphony Kitchens until his retirement. Outside his work, after finding himself at a loose end he responded to an appeal from a local authority to help out at a local youth club. His association with East Ardsley Youth Club was to last 27 years and by the time Jim left the club
it had become affectionately known as 'Jim's Place' to the kids who went there.

Jim was always larger than life, always positive and encouraging; he had a big heart and at the end was astonishingly brave and truly an inspiration to everyone who knew and loved him. Jim is survived by his younger brother, Gavin.

Alan Lund

The following was published in the April 2008 edition of "The Green Howard"

George Wilson, Hon Sec of the GHA Scarborough Branch writes:

We regret the passing of Alan Lund. Alan served with the 5th Battalion and was wounded at Poperinge in May 1940 and taken prisoner. He was repatriated in 1943. The Scarborough Branch has lost a good friend and loyal member.