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

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Norman Palmer

Mr Benn Gunn writes:

It is with great sadness and regret to record the passing of yet another old comrade and friend to many in the 1st battalion in Malaya, - 22358278 Pte Norman Palmer.

Norman was taken ill just after Christmas 2001 and died of cancer on the 5th March this year. His funeral took place in hartlepool on Monday 11th March.

Norman joined the 1st Battalion at Yong Peng in 1950. he stayed with 12 Pl 'D' Company as Pl Signaller for the whole of his National Service until 1952. He loved the Regiment and was always to be seen wearing its cap badge with great pride. Norman kept in contact with many chums he joined up with, including Brian Stenchoin whose elder daughter Anne was his God-daughter. His funeral was attended by many friends and comrades from the Regiment. This included his old Platoon Commander of 12 PI, the Rev Clive Artley. To his widow, Joyce, son Gary, grandchildren, sisters and brother, we offer our sincere condolences and sympathy.

 

Corporal Francis Charles Patrick

The Regimental Secretary writes:
RHQ has heard from the grandson of ex Cpl Francis Charles Patrick, a former member of the Regiment and GHA, who lived in London had died on the 12th March. He served in the 4th Bn during the war until becoming a POW after Gazala. He was in two camps in Italy before finishing in Stalag IVB at Muhlberg on the River Elbe east of Leipzig. A painting of this camp is displayed in the Regimental Museum.

 

The following obituary was published in the April 2001 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".

Squadron Leader R W Pearson DSO DFC

Major Ken Gardner writes:
It is with regret that I have to report the death of Bob Pearson on 26th January 2001 aged 82 years.

Bob was commissioned into the Green Howards (TA) just prewar and attended TA Camp in 1939 at Halton, which comprised the 5th Battalion and the later newly formed 7th Battalion.   On embodiment at the end of August 1939 we were sent to various vulnerable points on guard and defence duties, including 2/Lieut Pearson being posted from Malton to RAF Station, Dishforth.   Eventually all guards concentrated at Bridlington, HQ of 7th Battalion, remaining there for training prior to movement to France.

Three 2/Lieuts, Pearson, Ward and Gardner, with Capt Archie Scott and Lieut Sir Richard Sykes formed D Company.   Personnel changed and Bob was evacuated from Dunkirk but later in November 1940 transferred to the RAF, where he had a distinguished career earning a DFC in 1943 and DSO in 1945.   It is understood much of his flying was in Mosquitoes.   After demob in 1945, he continued with his law studies and was in the partnership of Pearson and Ward, a prominent firm of Solicitors in the North Riding of Yorkshire.

All Saints Church, Helmsley was full for the Memorial Service on 17th February, during which an address was given by the Rev Fr Edmund Hatton , O.S.B.   Sympathies were given to Mrs Pearson and family at the service which was also attended by Majors Vincent Kidd and Ken Gardner.

Major G E R Pendred

Philip J G Pendred (ex-Green Howard), writes

My father died on 13 June 2004 after a short stay in the Kent & Sussex Hospital, Tunbridge Wells.

He was born in Sydenham, London in 1912.
After school at Brockley, he joined Barclays Bank. He started his military service in the HAC in 1936 and the Green Howards in September 1939. He served in 'A' Company, 4th Battalion with the British Expeditionary Force in France from January 1940 to 2/3 June when he was lucky enough to sail from Dunkirk.

After reforming and training in the West Country, the Battalion left from Liverpool in April 1941 for the Middle East in the Empress of Russia. After seven weeks of wonderful food (better than 'The Queen's' father told us) they arrived in Suez. At this point my knowledge of his movements become hazy to say the least. Father never spoke about his war in the desert, except to say that he was in the Mareth Line, but not the Gazala Line or the Battle of El Alamein. He was at some point slightly wounded, perhaps with the 7th Battalion, and thereafter spent the rest of the war in North Africa.

In September 1945 he came out of the Service. He bought the family farm in 1946 where he remained for the rest of his life. His interest in everything military never waned. He kept in touch with friends and comrades from both the HAC and the Green Howards, attending many reunions and luncheons. After his death, I received several letters from people who had known him and served with him many years ago. One of them, my wife and I managed to visit and exchange happy memories. We found several interesting items and photographs from his service years, I had no idea existed.

I have also had the opportunity to visit The Green Howards Museum at Richmond and talk over some of his service history with Major Roger Chapman MBE, who was able to point me in the right direction and fill in some of the large gaps in my knowledge. This has helped me to write this brief obituary and given me the interest to research his desert exploits more extensively.

 

The following obituary was published in the April 2001 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".

Major A G Pickard

Colonel ET Boddye writes:
I first met Arthur Pickard in late 1952 when, returning from the 1st Battalion, I was posted as a National Service Volunteer to B Company, 4th Battalion.   Arthur was Company Commander. Company HQ and one platoon were in Richmond and the other two platoons were in Northallerton and Thirsk.   There were few TA volunteers in those days and Arthur and I were the only volunteer Officers.   Fortunately there was a handful of experienced senior ranks.   For some years, therefore, Arthur's command was a select few on evening training and weekends but an over-strength Company at Annual Camps and those weekends that required the compulsory attendance of National Service reservists.

Arthur Pickard supervised this variety of circumstances with great aplomb.   Being a soldier of considerable experience, the joy of working for him was that there were few situations he had not come across before.   This meant he was always able to offer sound advice and was a font of knowledge.

Arthur was a Green Howard through and through.   Along with this went a determination to maintain standards (he had little time for those that did not), an occasional wicked sense of humour and an ambition that B Company should always do well.

Everyone worked hard for him for that best of reasons, because Arthur Pickard was Arthur Pickard.

The Regimental Secretary writes:
Arthur Pickard was a Lance Corporal in A Company when the 1st Bn carried out Public Duties in London from 8th August to 1st September 1930.   By 1940 he was a Warrant Officer with the 2nd Bn in India and was commissioned into the Gurkhas.   His regiment became part of the Indian Army in 1947 and he transferred to the Buffs until he retired in the early 1950s and joined our 4th Bn.   Arthur was very definitely one of the 'old school'.   He was always immaculately turned out and even when he was far from well he insisted on seeing me out to the car at the end of my visits to him in his Residential Home in Catterick.   Prior to moving there when he lived in Colburn he would call in to RHQ to have a chat on his frequent visits to Richmond and we shall all miss him greatly.

Colonel Geoffrey Powell MC FRHistS

The following obituaries of Colonel G S Powell, MC, appear below;-

1 From the "Times" of 10 January 2005.
2 From the "Yorkshire Post" of 15 January 2005
3 From the Green Howards "Gazette" (written by Field Marshall the Lord Inge KG GCB DL)
4 From the Green Howards "Gazette" (written by Colonel Fergus Mackain-Bremner OBE)
5 From the Green Howards "Gazette" (written by Colonel Hugh le Mesurier

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The following obituary notice appeared in the "Times" on 10 January 2005.

Colonel G S Powell, MC, author, historian and veteran of the Battle of Arnhem, was born on 25 December 1914. He died on 5 January 2005 aged 90.

Colonel Geoffrey Powell

Soldier who distinguished himself in the Battle of Arnhem and later turned to writing and MI5 work

GIVEN a choice of being introduced as an author, soldier or counter-espionage officer, Geoffrey Powell would undoubtedly have chosen the first. He was a quietly spoken man but the restless humour behind his eyes was the give-away. One would not guess him to be a hero of Arnhem, nor would he mention the epic battle unless asked directly about it.
Having not being required in Normandy, although on standby to follow up the air and sea landings, 1st Airborne Division welcomed their role in Operation “Market Garden” — the capture of the road and rail bridges over the Rhine at Arnhem in September 1944. Powell commanded a company in 156 Parachute Battalion of Brigadier “Shan” Hackett’s 4th Parachute Brigade. This was dropped northwest of the town on the second day of the operation (September 18). 1st Parachute Brigade and 1st Air-Landing Brigade had dropped on the 17th with orders to go fast for the bridges. It is now history that the Germans destroyed the railway bridge before it could be taken and 2nd Parachute Battalion secured only the north end of the road bridge.

On landing next day, one of Hackett’s battalions was detached to join in the battle for the road bridge while the rest set off to secure high ground overlooking Arnhem from the north. After two unsuccessful attempts to take a dominating feature, 156 Battalion was ordered to act as the brigade rearguard in a move to form a divisional perimeter and take over a sector facing east. Two companies became separated, the CO was killed and Powell took command of the remainder together with some elements of brigade headquarters.

Due to the strength of the German force in the area, particularly at the southern end of the road bridge, it was clear by September 21 that all that could be hoped for was the extraction of what remained of 1st Airborne Division. Wounded earlier in the battle, Powell and his group of survivors of 156 Battalion held their sector south of the Ommershol crossroads for six days as plans to get back across the Rhine were made. Their position was subjected to fire from artillery, self-propelled guns and mortars throughout but, in the words of the citation which led to his award of the Military Cross, Powell “showed himself to be a gallant leader of men and a source of inspiration to all those around him”. (His citation was for the DSO, but this was not approved, presumably due to the requirement to recognise the large number of acts of gallantry during the operation).

When ordered to evacuate, he led his group down to the river half-fearing the evacuation might be over. The first boat he found was full of holes and the Sapper crew dead, but a second was still afloat. He sent half his men in it to the southern bank with instructions to the crew to return. They did so and he brought his final 15 men across. His was the last organised group of 156 Battalion to return to the southern bank.

Geoffrey Stewart Powell was born in Scarborough soon after the German naval bombardment of the town in December 1914, the only child of Owen Powell, a businessman, and his wife Kitty. As a boy he aspired to join the Royal Navy, but failed to win a place in the competitive special entry examination. He took a Territorial Army commission in the Green Howards and a day job as an estate agent, but received a regular commission, and war with Germany was declared just as he was leaving for India to join 2nd Green Howards in the Punjab. There the phoney war lasted longer than in Europe. Club life, polo and trekking in Kashmir continued as usual, so he volunteered for airborne forces, a decision which was to lead him to Arnhem.

Before then, however, he went to Egypt with the 4th Parachute Brigade and served a staff attachment with the 7th Armoured Division in the Western Desert in 1942. This was followed by command of a company of 156 Parachute Battalion in Tunisia, where a broken leg sustained in a training drop kept him from service in Italy, when the 1st Airborne Division was sent to Taranto by sea, in September 1943, but he returned to England with the division in November.

Arnhem was the end of his participation in the Second World War, but he was on active service again after six months at the Staff College. In 1946 he went to the Far East as brigade major (chief of staff) of 49 Indian Brigade in Java, where the Javanese were fighting a particularly unpleasant campaign for their independence from the Dutch and holding hostage hundreds of British and Dutch women and children who had been interned by the Japanese. He was mentioned in dispatches for his service in Java. A brief period in Malaya followed, during which he saw the onset of the communist insurrection. He returned to England in 1949.

Although slightly disadvantaged by being five years older than others of the same rank, Powell served on Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer’s staff, when he was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), and commanded 11th Battalion The King’s African Rifles in Kenya from 1957 to 1959. After two appointments as a colonel, at 49 he knew further promotion was unlikely and so he decided to opt for a more settled life. He applied for the administrative class of the Civil Service, passed in the top group of candidates and was accepted for the Department of Education.

Concurrently, he had inquired about a similar ranking post with the Security Service (MI5) and when this was offered he accepted without hesitation. The next 12 years were spent working in the London office of MI5, at first on security policy, then on counter-espionage.

On leaving MI5 in 1977, he founded the Campden Bookshop in Chipping Campden and also helped to establish the Campden and District Archaeological and History Society. He had long held a passionate feeling for books, but decided against dealing with old books because, as he was later to point out, he would never wish to sell any of them.

His career as an author began in 1968 while still with MI5. He published The Kandyan Wars: The British Conquest of Ceylon in 1973, Men at Arnhem in 1976 and Suez: The Double War in collaboration with Roy Fullick in 1979. The partnership over the Suez book arose at a dinner party when the pair resolved to climb the Matterhorn before they were too old. The attempt was made in 1974, when Powell was 59, but they were defeated by bad weather. Later he published The Devil’s Birthday: The Bridges to Arnhem; Plumer: The Soldiers’ General and Buller: A Scapegoat? He also wrote The History of The Green Howards, first published in 1992 but updated in collaboration with his son, Brigadier John Powell, the current Colonel of the Green Howards, and republished in 2002.

He is survived by his wife Felicity, née Wadsworth, whom he married in 1944, and a son and daughter.

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This Obituary appeared on 15th January 2005 in the 'Yorkshire Post' and is published below with their permission:

Geoffrey Powell, a former Green Howards officer and Deputy Colonel of the Regiment, who was awarded the Military Cross for action during the Second World War, has died aged 90.

Born in Scarborough, Colonel Powell joined The Green Howards as a Territorial andwas given a commission as a regular officer just before the outbreak of the war. After time spent in India - and a broken leg sustained during parachute training which he had taken up to relieve the boredom of his posting - he first saw serious action at Arnhem.

When 156 Brigade's commanding officer was killed in the battle, Colonel Powell took command of the surviving men and held their position for six days, under intense artillery fire, while plans were made for the rest of the troops to get back over the Rhine as the attempt to take the Arnhem bridge was repulsed. It was for his actions at Arnhem that he was awarded the Military Cross.

At the end of the war. Colonel Powell saw the last of the fighting in Java then played an active role in Malaya at the beginning of the communist uprising. He returned to England in 1949 and served on the staff of Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templar. He served in Austria and Cyprus and was in Kenya from 1957 to 1959 as commanding officer of the King's African Rifles.

He left the Army on his return to Britain and was accepted for an administrative post in the Department of Education but instead he was given a post with MI5 where he was to remain for the next 12 years working in London, first on security policy then on counter-espionage. He began his parallel career as an author while at MI5, publishing five well-regarded books on military history, including biographies of Field Marshal Lord Plumer and General Sir Redvers Buller. He was the author of many books and articles and one of his greatest pleasures was his election as a fellow of the Royal Historical Society on the strength of his work.

He retired to Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire in 1977, where he opened a well-respected bookshop. He wrote about the town in The Book of Campden. Colonel Powell wrote The History of The Green Howards: Three Hundred Years of Service, first published in 1992 and updated in 2002 in collaboration with his son, Brigadier John Powell, who is the current Colonel of The Green Howards. Colonel Powell retained his links with the Regiment throughout his life; as well as serving for some years as Deputy Colonel of theRegiment, he was a member of the Regimental Council and a Trustee of The Green Howards Regimental Museum in Richmond.

A thanksgiving service for Colonel Powell was held at St James's Church, Chipping Campden, at noon on Wednesday 2nd February 2005.

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Field Marshal The Rt Hon Lord Inge KG GCB DL, with assistance from lan Homersham, writes:

A stranger coming into a packed church of St James's, Chipping Campden, on the morning of the 2nd February would have quickly realised that this was a Service in memory of a remarkable man; a man for all seasons. The packed church of friends, local people, writers, booksellers, servicemen and in particular, soldiers, rejoiced in the knowledge that they had been lucky enough to know Geoffrey Powell. The Service and equally important, the atmosphere, was both impressive and a fine tribute to Geoffrey and was beautifully organised by Felicity, John, Rosemary, the family and friends.

I first met Geoffrey as a young officer when he was the Yorkshire Brigade Colonel. After being Adjutant of the 1st Battalion, I was keen to go to Sandhurst as an instructor and initially I was disappointed when Geoffrey made it clear that I should have a more 'hands on' regimental role and I was posted to command the Yorkshire Brigade Junior Soldiers Company. I quickly realised how lucky I was and how right Geoffrey Powell had been to send me there. I loved the job and learnt a great deal.

However it was as Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, when I was fortunate enough to have John Powell as my Adjutant, that I really got to know Geoffrey. He may not have worn his heart on his sleeve, but his love for the Regiment went very deep. He recognised its weaknesses but most importantly concentrated on its strengths. I learnt a great deal from him.

Later, when I became Colonel of the Regiment, he kindly agreed to become the Deputy Colonel. He was a wonderful 'elder statesman' and recognised that if the Regiment was to get benefit from the advice of retired officers and at the same time be responsive to the needs of serving officers and men, be they regulars, territorials or cadets, the council needed to be restructured. Geoffrey Powell was the driving force behind our present Regimental 'command structure'. His advice was invariably sound and at times quite radical. Like General Desmond Gordon he saw officer recruiting as the key to the health and future of the Regiment. The vision of both men is apparent today when we have three serving Generals and three serving Brigadiers (and more in the pipeline no doubt). It is an exceptional achievement for a single Battalion Regiment.

On top of all of this there is Geoffrey Powell the author and historian, a role in which he would most wish to be remembered - not least for 'The Devil's Birthday', the official account of the Battle of Arnhem where he was awarded the Military Cross.

As Colonel of the Regiment I asked him if he would write a new Regimental history. He agreed provided he was given a free hand. I gave it willingly not quite sure what a 'free hand' might produce, but the result as we all know was a great success and sold out! It was updated by John Powell and at the re-launch Geoffrey was able to express his pride and pleasure at his co-author becoming Colonel of the Regiment.

Geoffrey will always be remembered in his Regiment with great respect and great affection.

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Colonel Fergus Mackain-Bremner OBE (ex Adjutant of the llth King's African Rifles) writes:

My first contact with Geoffrey Powell was "Now that you've taken over as RSO, get out on patrol in the Aberdares and meet the Askari - signals test exercise on return." With these few words I was launched. All went well on the test, unlike a later battalion exercise on which he commented "Platoon admin good, turnout and morale fine, radio communications non-existent."

Geoffrey set us all very high standards and was not keen on failures. Under his rather austere exterior he was understanding and had a great sense of humour. His loyalty to officers and Askari was legendary, sometimes to the detriment of his relations with Brigade HQ! Both he and his wife. Felicity, were devoted to anything to do with horses and through this, polo and the Limuru Drag we got to know each other well. One day he asked me how our radios worked at the edge of our Internal Security area on the Ethiopian border. When I replied that I did not know, there was a pause "well, bloody well get out there and find out and take at least a week to do it." Getting to know how things worked in Kenya was of paramount importance to him.

He was a good horseman and a tough, resolute polo player, normally at No 3 from where he could control and curse us lesser mortals at No 1 and 2. I was always on my toes when he came to inspect Stables, but less so when he made me Mess Secretary which I hated. I was called in for 'interview' about the accounts which were not good. "Awful - but things were to change." Thank God I thought - someone else will do it - "and what's more" he continued "do it for another three months to get it right." Later I became his Adjutant and on appointment he said "Fergus, I command this battalion, but you will run it." It was a great and unenviable period, and I hope I did not let him down.

When we all went our separate ways; we were later able to pick up the threads through Beagling. Both Geoffrey and Felicity were keen supporters of the Dummer and came to Wiltshire to hunt with the School of Infantry. My great moment was, as hunting Master, to give Felicity, in Geoffrey's presence, a pat after a particularly good day.

I saw him not very long before he died and shall miss him greatly. One always knew exactly where one stood with this stalwart, straightforward man. It was a privilege to have served with him.

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Colonel Hugh Ie Mesurier late DWR writes:

In 1962 I relieved John Bade, Green Howards, as the second Commanding Officer of the Yorkshire Brigade Depot, Strensall. Shortly afterwards Geoffrey Powell arrived as Brigade Colonel and, with Felicity, soon settled in to enjoy life in that part of Yorkshire.

They both kept horses in the stable, as did lan Kibble, my Adjutant, and all rode to hounds whenever possible. At the same time there was a private pack of basset hounds in kennels and the Depot had a passable shoot.

Geoffrey took considerable interest in the work of the Depot at a time of some upheaval, but he was probably most happy when visiting the junior soldiers in camp in Cumbria and walking in the hills.

It was at this time that he was required by the Colonels of the regiments to write a paper on our reorganisation into a big regiment. Further to design a brigade mess kit. Few will remember a strange uniformed dummy with a bit of green and a bit of red and a bit of something else. The day came when the move to a big regiment was due to be announced at the Duke's annual dinner by General Kenneth Exham, at which Geoffrey was a guest. I shall always remember the look on his face when the General opened his remarks after dinner with the words "you will be glad to hear that we shall not be part of a big regiment."

  The Daily Telegraph printed an obituary of Colonel Wally Prike, who died on the 21st November 2007, and with their permission it is reproduced here:

Colonel Wallace Pryke, MBE

Colonel Wallace Pryke , who has died aged 92, had an adventurous Army career which took him to the North-West Frontier, the jungles of Burma and behind enemy lines in wartime Italy.

In 1936, as a subaltern in 2nd Battalion, The Green Howards, Pryke was posted to India and took part in two campaigns on the North-West Frontier against the wily Fakir of Ipi and his Pathan tribesmen. The marksmanship of the Pathans meant that soldiers in the open had to keep on the move to avoid being hit. On one occasion the CO paraded the whole battalion in full view of the tribesmen concealed among the surrounding hills. When they came under fire, to the consternation of the men, their adjutant developed a stutter. After what must have seemed an eternity of waiting for the command to dismiss, the order was finally given and the soldiers wasted no time in falling out.

Wallace Pryke was born in Cairo on October 3 1915 and educated at Reading School, where he was captain of the school as well as of rowing and shooting. He was commissioned into the Essex Regiment before leaving and was granted a regular commission after transferring to the Green Howards.

He worked for Shell as a trainee and, after the outbreak of the Second World War, served with the King’s African Rifles (KAR) in East Africa, seeing action in Italian Somaliland, Eritrea and Ethiopia. He was then seconded to Italy for operations behind German lines before joining 1st Battalion The Green Howards at Anzio.

In 1944 Pryke returned to the KAR in Burma and took part in fierce fighting in the Kabaw Valley against the Japanese. He and his men had to rely on air-drops for their supplies and existed for some time on very little food; they also had to carry their own wounded.
They were assisted by Lt-Col JH Williams, who was famous as ‘Elephant Bill’, who was dropped by parachute with two Harley Street surgeons. They organised the rounding up of stray elephants and used them to transport substantial quantities of medical personnel and equipment.

After the end of the war, Pryke returned to England. He had a number of staff appointments at the War Office but was then injured in an accident at 2,000ft over Salisbury Plain when his transport aircraft collided with a fighter.

After recovering he was promoted lieutenant-colonel on his appointment as British delegate to the NATO tactical nuclear weapons group. Between 1958 and 1960 he commanded 1st Battalion, The Green Howards in Hong Kong, Strensall near York and in Iselohn, W Germany. Postings to Northern Army Group and then US Army and Tactical Air Headquarters in Virginia were followed by a move to HQ Singapore during the Confrontation with the Indonesians in Borneo.

In 1968 Pryke went to Harvard Business School before retiring from the Army. After passing the Civil Service exams, he went first to the Board of Trade and then to the Department of Industry.

A transfer to the Department of Energy was followed by promotion to assistant secretary with responsibility for managing the national energy conservation campaign; this started in the winter of 1973 and the Three-Day Week.

Pryke retired in 1980 and spent two years as a consultant to the World Bank and a further six advising private clients.

His recreations included skiing and sailing, bridge and golf. Aged 90 he could often be seen speeding around the fairways of Royal Wimbledon Golf Club on a motorised golf bike. He was for several years president of the Italy Star Association.

Wallace Pryke died on November 21. He married first, in 1948, Doreen Murphy, and secondly, in 1985, Aziza Jansenns. Both unions were dissolved and he is survived by an adopted daughter of his first marriage