The
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The
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Obituaries, - Surnames "S" | |||||
| Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment (19th Foot) The North York Militia, The North York Local Militia & North York Rifle Volunteers | |||||||
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The following Obituaries for surnames beginning with "S" have appeared in the Green Howards "Gazette", or have been notified to the Green Howards.
The following obituary was published in the April 2002 issue of the "The Green Howards Gazette".
Colonel ET Boddye writes:
John died in October 2001 following a long illness. I first met John 50 years ago when he was a Subaltern in C Company, 1st Battalion, based at Gemas. 5 Platoon, B Company was going to patrol close to our common operational boundary for a few days and my Company Commander, John Collard, despatched me to Gemas to ensure there was no chance of an unfortunate incident. John Sabine bought me a drink. As I recollect, I next met John at the Ball in Catterick Camp, held shortly after the return to the Battalion from Malaya when he was accompanied by an exceptionally pretty young lady called Celia.
It was nearly 40 years before our paths crossed again. I am told by Branch Members that John Sabine was one of four founder members of the East Anglia Branch of the Association in 1968. Some years ago I took over as President from John. He was showing signs of his illness even then. It was very obvious that both John and Celia were greatly respected by the Branch. They led from the front. They supported all Branch activities and initiated many of their own. Indeed, the garden parties which they held from time to time were eagerly anticipated. Their hospitality was overwhelming.
John was very proud of his Branch and his Regiment to the extent that in my first few months as President, I felt that I was very much on probation and that John had to be satisfied I would do no harm to his beloved Branch. John was not able to attend meetings in the last year or so but we did visit and though he was wheelchair bound and had difficulty in speaking, he could still remember the past quite clearly, sometimes in more detail than his audience.
Celia and John ran an attractive and successful antiques business in Stock, Essex. Till comparatively recently, Celia somehow managed to nurse John with loving care and still keep the business functioning. For many, many months Celia was busy most hours of the day and many of her friends became concerned about her own health.
The funeral in Stock was a standing room only affair and was attended by all Branch Members. We shall miss our leader for a long time to come and our heartfelt sympathy goes out to Celia and her family. We know her loss will be hard to bear.
Lieutenant Colonel N D Mclntosh writes:
Ex-Sergeant Vic Sadler, who served in the Regiment for almost 32 years died
on the 30th September 2003 aged 75 years. Vic enlisted in July 1946 and during
his service he was a member of both the 1st and 2nd Battalions and did most
of the tour in Malaya from July 1949 until May 1952. He also served in Kenya
during the Mau Mau troubles and in the Radfan. His medals included the General
Service Medal (GSM) 1918-62 with clasp Malaya, The East Africa Medal GSM 1962
with clasp South Arabia, the Good Conduct Medal, The Queen's Silver Jubilee
Medal and last, but by no means least, the Meritorious Service Medal.
After retirement in 1978 he settled near Taunton and became a Barrack Inventory Accountant (BIA) in South West District. He marched me into my house in Norton Fitzwarren when I became CO of the Junior Soldiers' Battalion in 1979 and he became an Honorary Member of the Sergeants' Mess.
We extend our sympathy to his widow, Brenda, on her sad loss and to 'Dinger' Bell on the end of a long friendship which lasted over fifty years.
The Regimental Secretary writes:
Lieutenant Colonel John Sanderson, The York & Lancaster Regiment, who commanded
the Yorkshire Brigade Depot at Strensall from 1964-67 died aged 80 years on
the 20th December 2001, we have just learnt from his son Robin. John started
up a medal holder business after he retired which his son is continuing. They
are available from the Museum shop and are a most useful item.
Major Roger Chapman writes:
Jeanne Scott, the widow of the late Brigadier John Scott OBE, had a bad fall
at her home in Wass just before Christmas and broke her hip. She was admitted
to the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, but died peacefully in her sleep
on Saturday 25th January 2003, with her son, Mark, at the bedside.
The funeral was held on the 7th February at St Mary's Parish Church, Coxwold
with many Green Howards in attendance. The Service was conducted by The Reverend
Toddy Hoare, assisted by The Reverent Clive Artley, who had served with the
1st Battalion in Malaya between 1949-52, before taking the cloth. Many Green
Howards both abroad and around the country have telephoned or written to express
their condolences to Mark Scott, who was a young boy in Iserlohn and Libya,
when his Father commanded the 1st Battalion between 1962-64. Jeanne was a most
gracious and caring Commanding Officer's wife who had a remarkable knowledge
of the history of the Regiment and who took great interest in all the activities
of The Green Howards since she moved to Wass in 1978. We will miss her.
Keith Mitchell and Ronnie Boyes write:
It is with great sadness that we report the death of Joe Scuffham MM on 26th
April 2003. The village of Skelton paid its respects to Joe Scuffham on 1st
May 2003 when he was laid to rest in Skelton cemetery. Friends and relatives
turned out to pay their respects as eleven standard bearers from the Royal British
Legion and Green Howards Association Branches formed a guard of honour at the
church and cemetery.
Born in 1919, Joe started work aged 14 years in the blacksmith's shop at Park Pit ironstone mine. He joined the 4th Battalion in 1936 and trained in the Cotswolds before being sent to France with theBritish Expeditionary Force in January 1940. Joe was a despatch rider during the 150th Brigade withdrawal towards the French border from the River Dendre in Belgium in May 1940 and the subsequent retreat to Dunkirk. According to 'The Story of The Green Howards 1939-45' during these terrible two weeks, when civilian refugees and marching soldiers were cluttering the roads towards the channel coasts: "The task of the despatch riders was a difficult and dangerous one under the conditions which prevailed and Private J A Scuffham was continually employed carrying messages along roads which were under shell and small arms fire. He never faltered in his duties, and his spirit and carefree riding were an example to all who saw him. He was awarded the Military Medal." Joe Scuffham never realised he had been awarded the MM, because he was taken prisoner by the Germans on 23rd May. Following a week's march and then a four-day train journey he spent the next five years in a POW Camp (Stalag XXa) at Thorun in Poland.
Joe went on to try a number of escapes but with no success and was handed over to the Gestapo on one occasion. He was interrogated by a German officer who, before the war, had been a representative for a German steel company and had visited Dorman Long at Redcar. He was well known for his fiddle playing and claimed that he once played for Goebbles on a visit to his POW Camp. It was after this that he learned that he had won the Military Medal, one of the first such medals in WWII. Joe was also on the 'long march' of 1300 to 1400 miles over three to four months away from the Russian advance. On his return to England he was not invited to Buckingham Palace, but received the MM with a letter from King George VI by post.
After the war Joe returned to Park Pit before going on to work as a crane driver at the steel works in Middlesbrough. Joe was a member of both Guisborough and Loftus Branches and also the British Army Association at Liverton. Our condolences to his wife and family.
Major Philip Banbury, Hon Sec Malton Branch, writes :
Albert Selby died in hospital in Buckinghamshire on 14 June 2005 at the age
of 79 years. He had joined the 4th/5th Battalion in Malton in 1956 and attended
his first meeting with the Malton Branch of the Association in 1957.
Born in South Shields in 1925 he became an apprentice boiler-maker in a shipyard on the Tyne at the age of 15 years. On the outbreak of war he was interviewed by the Navy and became an emergency ship repairer working for the Admiralty. It was whilst working in a shipyard that he received a wound to his lower abdomen when the yard was 'strafed' by an enemy plane. His war was spent repairing ships, frequently at sea when the ship was underway to rejoin its flotilla at some home port.
Albert came down to Malton in 1948 to live with his uncle and aunt, taking up a job as stud-groom offered to him by Countess Maud Fitzwilliam. Surprised at the good fortune of finding that a house went with the job he later discovered that the estate manager had served as a naval officer during the war! Following some 18 years' service with the estate he then started work with the local water company. Much of his time in the job he spent 'on call', the company having installed a radio in his van for this purpose. It was when they said they would install similar equipment in his bedroom that Tilly, his wife whom he had married in the meantime, declared: "enough was enough" and he gave up the job to become self-employed, working for the same organisation on his own terms.
From that time he was self-employed for the rest of his working life, a life of enormous variety in jobs. In all of these ventures, as in every aspect of his life, his wife, Tilly, was fully involved. In work and at leisure they were inseparable.
When he fully retired from work he became a regular attender of Branch meetings. In recent years his health deteriorated but he enjoyed being able to get around on his electric 'buggy'. Often in pain, he never failed to appear cheerful. Following the death of his wife in early 2004, his family (a son and two daughters), would either come to look after him at his home in Old Malton or, increasingly, he would go down to Buckinghamshire to be looked after by them.
Albert's funeral was held at St Mary's Priory Church in Old Malton on 1st July 2005. He will be much missed and our thoughts go out to his family to whom we extend our greatest sympathy.
Lieutenant Colonel Neil McIntosh writes
Sheila Sefton, widow of CSgt Danny (Albert) Sefton, died on the 16th July 2004
whilst enjoying a holiday in Lytham St Annes.
Sheila went into service as a young girl firstly, I believe, to the Bishop of Durham but in 1941 she married Sgt Sefton and started a family. When Danny left the army he became the permanent Sergeant Mess Caterer at the Depot and Sheila became the cleaner. When the Depot closed in 1961 she became the cleaner at the new Regimental Headquarters and Museum and moved with it to Trinity Church in 1973 and continued for another twelve years until she retired. She became an active member of the Ladies Section of the Richmond Branch of the GHA and became a well-known and respected member. She assisted at numerous functions at RHQ including Royal Dinners and one luncheon in the Normanby Room.
Sheila was a most determined lady of great spirit who will be sadly missed by all those who were fortunate enough to have known her. The funeral in St Mary's was very well attended as was her due.
Major J R Chapman MBE writes:
WO1 Thomas Shields had been in the Royal Hospital Chelsea for only six months
when he died, aged 84 years, on 20th February 2004.
Tommy Shields was born in Spennymoor in 1920 and enlisted into The Green Howards at Richmond in March 1938. He saw service with the 1st Battalion in Malta and Palestine, before moving to France in October 1939 as an ASgt on the outbreak of the Second World War. He fought in the disastrous Norwegian Campaign in April 1940 before being evacuated by the Royal Navy in May. After re-training in Northern Ireland, he travelled with his Battalion to India, Iraq and Egypt to prepare for the Invasion of Sicily in July 1943 followed by the Invasion of Italy in September 1943. Tommy Shields later took part in the landing at Anzio where he was Mentioned in Despatches.
After the War, he was released in December 1946 only to rejoin the Regiment in January 1947. He was then posted to India for five months and to Sudan and Egypt for a further two years before moving on active service with the 1st Battalion to Malaya in 1949. He was finally posted ERE to the 3rd Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (TA) in 1950 before transferring to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps to complete his term of service as a Warrant Officer Class 1.
Brigadier Bill Marchant-Smith writes;-.
Graham Silvey was the Battalion's Education Officer in Iserlohn, West Germany, between 1961-62. Some of the readers of The Green Howard may remember being taught ACE 3 and/or 2 by him in those days. From memory, everyone had to pass level 3 and 2 was needed for promotion to Sergeant. I believe ACE 1 for Warrant Officers, but I think that was done on a garrison basis. Anyway, sadly, his very well attended funeral was in Edinburgh on 20th June 2007, and his time with the Regiment featured in the tribute given him.
The following notice has been forwarded to us by Thomas Simblet's son, Tom.
My Father died on Sunday 13th May 01. He was 83 years old and joined the Green Howards Regiment on 1st July 1936. He was proud to be a Green Howard. He was born on the 4th March 1918.
The following obituary was published in the August 2004 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".
Mr Dawson N Smith writes:
I am sorry to have to inform you of the death, on 1st November 2003, of my
father, William Ronald (Ron) Smith who served with Support Company (Anti-Tank),
6th Battalion, The Green Howards in World War II.
He was with the 8th Army in the Western Desert, from El Alamein up into Tunisia, and took part in the Sicilian Campaign. He was seriously wounded during the D-Day Landings on Gold Beach, which resulted in him having his right leg amputated below the knee which, with serious gunshot wounds, also in the left leg resulted in him being classed as 100% disabled.
He very soon mastered the use of his artificial limb and, despite repeatedly being told that he was unemployable and could not be given the cards necessary to allow him to work, persevered until he was given a full time job with British Nylon Spinners (later ICI) at Pontypool. He was later made a supervisor and worked there until his retirement in 1978. Getting to and from work involved a one-mile walk down a quite steep hill to catch the bus and the walk up on his return. This included times of snow and only once with a stick (the only time he slipped, so the stick was never used again!).
He attended the ceremony at Arromanches for the 40th Anniversary of D-Day 1944 and also took part in the 50th Anniversary Commemoration parade there. We had hoped that he would attend the 60th Anniversary in June 2004.
He lived an active life (including gardening - a lifelong hobby - and was a good cook!) until just a few weeks before his death. He liked to receive your Gazette and read about the latest exploits of The Green Howards, the Regiment of which he was so proud to have been a member
Mr George Hewling sent this extract from the Whitby Gazette:
Tributes have been made to a former Whitby head teacher who died recently of
prostate cancer, aged 82 years. Robert Snape was the head at two schools in
Whitby during his teaching career. He was born in Leeds in 1921. His mother,
Jane Elizabeth was a teacher and his father, Charlie was one of the founders
of Leeds United FC. Robert Snape served with the 2nd Battalion, The Green Howards
during the Second World War in Burma and later in Nigeria. During his service
he met Patricia and they married in 1948.
Christine Snowden, Albert Snowden's daughter, informed us as follows;-
My father, Albert Snowden, passed away on 10 October 2002 at Figham House Nursing
Home, Beverley, East Yorkshire. He was aged 82, and up until a severe stroke
in July 2000 he had been the Secretary of the Green Howards Beverley Branch
for many years. He was a wonderful man and a brilliant father.
Major Roger Chapman, of Regimental Headquarters, has added this brief note;-
Albert Snowden was Lt Col Derek Seagrim VC's driver with the 7th
Battalion in the North African campaign and was with him when he died of wounds
after the battle of Wadi Akarit.
I have put a short Obituary in the December issue of the Green Howards Gazette.
Mr Rixon Matthews writes :
I first met John Sothcott in 1962 when I was invited to join the 4/5th Battalion
by Col Jock Neighbour. I was posted to "C" Company, based in Bridlington
with a detachment in Driffield commanded by John Sothcott. He was a kindly and
gentle man and helped me back into soldiering after an absence of seven years.
The Company, under John's command was run with efficiency and enthusiasm and
being a wartime veteran he spoke and led with a great deal of practical experience.
We had, like many territorial units, a happy and very family friendly atmosphere.
John was well liked and respected by all ranks. He was, in civilian life, a
bank manager but he was certainly NOT a 'Captain Mainwaring'! in the Green Howards.
When Major Ken Gardner left the Battalion it was no surprise that John became
Battalion 2IC in his place, a position he held with distinction until the Battalion
was disbanded on re-organisation in 1967.
Both John and I retired from the TA on the disbandments of the 4/5th Battalion
but kept in touch. He was a good soldier and a good friend who will be greatly
missed. To Janet, his daughter, and family we offer our sympathy at this sad
time.
George Wilson, Hon Sec Scarborough Branch writes:
John and I enlisted in the 5th Battalion The Green Howards on the same night
in May 1939. In July we attended the Annual Reunion at Halton Camp and joined
the Transport Platoon. When we were embodied at the start of the war, we went
to Cottingham where John was posted to the 7th Battalion whereas I remained
with the 5th Battalion.
He was a Dunkirk veteran, then took part in the North African desert campaign,
the invasion of Sicily and 'D' Day to Holland. After the war, in the early 1950s,
I took over as Treasurer of the GHA in Scarborough from John who was then 2IC
to Ken Gardner, 4th/5th Battalion TA. He was a staunch and loyal Green Howard.
Captain Richard Inman writes:
I first met Ken at RMA Sandhurst in 1988. Somehow we had both slipped through
the Army's Regular Commission Board at Westbury and he joined the Green Howards
in August 1988 three months before me. What Ken bought to the Green Howards
was a deep understanding of friendship, loyalty, respect, courage and Jimi Hendrix.
Kenwas a keen guitarist and had a vinyl collection anyone would admire but his
talents with the guitar stopped there!
Ken started his career in the Green Howards as a subaltern in A' (King Olav's) Company were he soon made his trademark as a first class officer. Every soldier under his command grew to respect Ken immediately, he had qualities that other officers would envy because everything he did came naturally.
Ken's first operational tour was in Londonderry. As a Subaltern Ken relished the times when A' Company were the City Company where you had the opportunity to command one of the platoon bases Rosemount/Masonic/Fort George. Sending out patrols in the Creggan and the Bogside soon tested your skills as a young Platoon Commander but Ken took this in his stride. He had the added advantage of spending three years in the West Midlands Police Force before joining the Green Howards where he had experienced many a drunken 'Brummy' on a Friday, Saturday night!
The 1st Battalion's move from Londonderry to Catterick in the exciting new role of 24 Air Mobile Brigade allowed us to celebrate our Tercentenary on home soil. Ken played an instrumental part in the Tercentenary Parade where he was presented the new Regimental Colours by HM Olav V, King of Norway. Ken was then posted to the Depot King's Division as a Platoon Commander, which he relished. His zealous character made him many friends throughout the Depot; this only highlighted the XIX cap badge even more, of which he was immensely proud to wear.
On his return from the Depot, Ken took command of the Recce Platoon. Many an Army publication has pictures of Ken with his camouflaged face wearing his green woolly hat with his Recce team patrolling in their Light Strike Vehicles. Ken went onto pass the Infantry Sniper Instructor Course; this he relished and was instrumental in developing the role of the sniper in the Armoured Infantry role a few years later. Ken also completed another tour of Ireland and was given the nickname the 'Sheriff of Keady' by his fellow officers for the role he played.
Ken always had a desire to try for SAS selection, which he did in August 1993. He 'conned' me into going on holiday with him and I spent two weeks in the Brecon Beacons, the Black Mountains and the Elan Valley following Ken as he pounded across every hill! Ken passed the initial stage of the course in the Brecon Beacons the next phase was the jungle. This I thought would be natural for him only to find out that he took himself off the course. He took this decision unselfishly as he could see a conflict of interests developing within his patrol and he didn't want to jeopardise the other members of his team. We discussed this decision at great length, some may disagree with his decision but Ken always put the soldiers first.
Ken returned to the 1st Battalion and took over the role as the Training Officer. I was also attached to the Training Wing and the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Nick Houghton, was keen for Ken and I to lead two six man patrols in the Army Light Fighter Competition. Yet again this was a challenge Ken thrived on. We ran an intense eight-week course with the help of CSgt John Howard, which took us from the training areas of Catterick to the Brecon Beacons. The competition itself was held on Salisbury Plain. The Battalion won the competition; Ken's team was placed 4th and mine 6th out of over 50 teams. We continued to work together in the Training Wing for the next six months where Ken was the Chief Instructor on the NCO Cadre and set a very high standard and inspired so many soldiers on the course with his leadership skills.
The next stop was Oman, a whole Battalion living in a tented camp in the middle of the desert. Ken and I, with our accomplices W02 Williams and CSgt Hunt, were the Battalion 2i/c's (Maj Nick Rynn) Range Team. This was the job everyone wanted! It involved borrowing the 2i/c's Land Cruisers speeding off into the dessert digging holes and bedding in targets for our ranges while drinking all the 2i/c's soft drinks from his Land Cruisers' cool box. We worked closely with the Oman Army and had a truly memorable exercise.
From sunny Oman Ken's next posting was 122 Army Youth Team. Ken thoroughly enjoyed this role as it involved working with schools and colleges in the XIX recruiting area and introducing them to outdoor pursuits and giving them an insight into their local Family Regiment. Ken created many new friendships and set up a good network with the schools and colleges within our recruiting area.
At this stage Ken had decided that he would leave the Green Howards in search of a new adventure. Ken returned to the 1st Battalion for his last six months where he ran a Sniper Cadre and was influential in constructing the role for the deployment of snipers in the Armoured Infantry Role.
Ken also excelled as a sportsman in the Regiment; he represented the Battalion in football, rugby and running, all in which he was naturally talented.
Ken had many passions in his life, his love for the mountains, his snowboarding, his music and his sailing. He was a character in every sense of the word. If you didn't have a nickname he would find one for you! He was an inspiration to so many; his concerns were always to his family, friends and to others less fortunate than he. Ken was a true gentleman; he made people feel at ease in his company, he would never put himself first. God Bless you Ken and thank you for everything you have shared with us.
From an Obituary in the Darlington & Stockton Times
Albert Stokell of Hambleton Avenue, Thirsk (better known as 'Little Albert')
died aged 90 years in January 2005.
Albert joined The Green Howards TA in 1936 and when war broke out he sailed to France and on 17th May 1940 was taken prisoner at Poperinge near Ypres in Belgium. He was marched into Germany and on into Poland where he was put to work. One of his jobs was in the mines digging coal. In the winter of 1945, with the Russians closing in, he was again marched into Germany towards the American lines, a distance of about 600 miles, where he was repatriated in May, a few days before completing five years as a POW.
Albert Stokell was a founder member of Thirsk Branch GHA and attended all the reunions and Richmond Sunday parades. For many years he was Branch Treasurer, receiving a gold badge in 1986 and serving as Vice-President. He was also a staunch supporter of the Royal British Legion, not only as a poppy seller but also as a visiting officer to sick members at home and in hospital. This work earned him a Legion gold badge, life membership and finally, the highest of the Legion's awards, the national certificate. He was a founder member of Thirsk British Legion Club, serving on the committee from the beginning and was latterly Vice-President. Poppy organiser, David Brown, said: "He was a very gentle and kind chap, always ready to give a hand and he will be sadly missed by all members of The Green Howards and The Royal British Legion.
He leaves daughter, Margaret, and son, Peter, with whom he lived and grandchildren. All these helped look after him after his wife, Emily, died in 1992.
Excerptsfrom The Daily Telegraph on the 29th October 2005, with kind permission
of the Obituaries Editor.
Colonel Philip van Straubenzee, who has died aged 93, led a West African battalion
with distinction in the second Kaladan campaign in Burma and was awarded a DSO.
In an operation which drove the last Japanese from Indian soil in mid-October 1944, van Straubenzee commanded 1st Sierra Leone Regiment (1SLR), part of 81 (West African) Division Royal West African Force, in the capture of Frontier Hill in the North Arakan. The Africans had to cut their way through dense bamboo jungle with machetes and scale narrow, slippery tracks which, in some places, were almost vertical. The night of 18th October resonated with rifle, machine-gun and mortar fire as the Japanese put up fierce resistance from bunkers dug into a series of outlying positions. In the morning the RAF launched a powerful air strike and the survivors withdrew.
Towards the end of November, van Straubenzee was under great pressure from his brigade and divisional commanders to clear the tenacious 55th Divisional Cavalry Regiment from the hills around Paletwa. On one feature overlooking an airstrip, the Japanese held on stubbornly to a position which could only be approached along a knife edge ridge. With the lives of his men at stake, van Straubenzee refused to be hurried and exchanged strong words with higher authority. Two heavy air strikes were called in a gallant platoon charge put the defenders to flight.
Van Straubenzee's DSO citation pays tribute to his offensive spirit and states that it was largely due to his example and drive that 1SLR succeeded in every action in which it fought. He and his brother. Henry, were invested with DSOs by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on the same day.
Philip Turner van Straubenzee descended from a north Yorkshire military family of Dutch extraction and was born in Johannesburg on 2nd March 1912. He was only two years old when his father, a civil engineer, died of enteric fever. Young Philip went first to Aysgarth, where he excelled at cricket - on two occasions he and his brother took all ten wickets in a 1st XI match. He went on to Sherborne before going to RMA Sandhurst in 1929. He was commissioned into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, but after the regiment moved to Colchester he became bored with soldiering in England and applied for secondment to the Royal West African Frontier Force.
In 1953 van Straubenzee retired from the Army and took over the family estate. A venture into market gardening foundered and a herd of Jersey cows made little money, but a caravan park proved more successful. Two years later he took command of the 4th Battalion, Green Howards (TA). On one occasion, he organised a night river-crossing exercise with assault boats, Verey lights and rockets. This caused pandemonium among the racehorses at nearby Middleham and one of the trainers arrived at three o'clock in the morning to vent his rage.
Van Straubenzee subsequently became deputy brigade commander of 151 Infantry Brigade (TA). He relinquished all his TA commitments in 1964. Van Straubenzee was appointed a JP in 1955 and a deputy lieutenant for the North Riding of Yorkshire in 1959. He became chairman of the Richmond Division of the Conservative Party in 1965 and served as a councillor for 15 years on the North Yorkshire County Council. For seven years he was chairman of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Committee.
The premature death of his wife, Imogen, in 1980, left him ill-equipped to lead a semi-solitary life in a large house; but loneliness was mitigated by the loyal support of his family and friends.
Philip van Straubenzee died on 20th October. He married, in 1954, Imogen Clutterbuck, the daughter of Major General Walter Clutterbuck of Hornby Castle, Bedale. He is survived by their two daughters.
The funeral was held on 1st November at St Mary's Church, Spennithorne. FM The Rt Hon Lord Inge, Colonel Rex Belas, Lieutenant Colonel Neil Mclntosh and Major Roger Chapman represented the Regiment.
The following obituary was published in the
December 2001 issue of the "The Green Howards Gazette".
Colonel WK Pryke writes:
Harry and I were of the same vintage (within a few months) and soldiered together
with the 2nd Battalion in pre-war India at Meerut, the North West Frontier and
Ferozepore covering 1937 to 1940. He, Jonathan Forbes and I were a trio that
often had to endure the somewhat harsh 'knocking into shape' that 2nd Lieutenants
received in those days. Extra Orderly Officer duties were most generously awarded!
On the NW Frontier, we were sometimes in the same Company and Harry was probably
the fittest of us all (our only non-smoker). We both received our first baptism
of fire together in 1937 when, on one particular occasion, our Company had to
occupy a very high picket with all three platoons (including Harry and I). Unfortunately,
Company HQ only made it halfway up. All went well until we got the flag signal
from the Battalion Rear HQ in the valley below to withdraw. The Pathans had
remained hidden all day not only in front of our forward positions but also
on our flanks and opened heavy fire as soon as we started to pullout. We felt
rather lonely as we now had no communication with the outside world; any flag
signalling came under immediate fire. Three very junior 2nd Lieutenants then
managed to get together to make some sort of plan. Harry remained very cool
throughout all this and I admired his professional approach. Eventually, it
took a whole Ghurka battalion (2/4 Ghurkas) to get us back safely with luckily
only a few casualties.
We carried on serving together at Ferozepore and, with Jonathan Forbes, managed
to get Blighty leave travelling on the same ship to UK. However, we were all
recalled when war looked a probability. We all parted during the War and it
was not till 1948 that we next served together rather unexpectedly as fellow
company commanders in the York and Lancasters in BAOR. Our paths then separated
until many years later when Harry passed command of the 1st Battalion to me
at Hong Kong. We then met again years later when were both on the staff at HQ
FARELF in Singapore. After retirement, we met regularly at London Branch meetings
and Regimental Luncheons until medical troubles made travel difficult for him.
Throughout all these years I got to know both Harry and his delightful wife,
Audrey, very well. It was indeed a very great privilege to have had such a loyal
and trusted friend who I shall miss dearly. Professionally, he was very highly
respected by all those who served with him and I feel we have indeed lost a
very true and valued Green Howard. My sincere condolences go to Audrey who so
ably and charmingly supported him all those years.
The Regimental Secretary writes:
Colonel Harry Styles died in Broadstairs on 13th June 2001 after picking up
a viral infection when on holiday in Lanzarote. He was cremated at Margate
on the 25th June.
Harry was born on 19th June 1915 at Woolwich and was commissioned into the Regiment in 1935. He was posted to the 2nd Bn and served in Waziristan in 1936-37 and in 1938-39. On the outbreak of war he was seconded to the Royal West African Frontier Force with which he served in East Africa and Burma.
By 1945 he was commanding the 4th Bn The Nigerian Regiment. At the end of the war he served for 3 years at the War Office and various other staff appointments until he commanded the 1st Bn in Dover and Hong Kong from 1955-58. He was promoted Colonel in 1961 and his last appointment was in the MOD until he retired in 1970.
I never served with him though I got to know him from about 1965 so I am hardly qualified to write this notice. Perhaps someone more competent than I will write something better for a future Gazette. Until about 10 years ago he and Audrey were regular attendees at the London Lunch and they were both present at the Tercentenary celebrations in 1989.
Brigadier Maurice Atherton represented the Colonel of the Regiment at the funeral and we extend our condolences to his widow Audrey.
Mr George "Ben" Gunn from Guisborough writes :
It is with great regret we announce that we have lost another old comrade from
the Malayan Emergency days.
Jeffrey, along with his old pal Percy Prior, joined up as a regular in 1945 and completed basic training at the HLI Depot in Glasgow. After training he joined the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion in Palestine, which was in training for the Far East, when Japan surrendered. The Battalion was then disbanded. Jeff and Percy were then sent to the York and Lancashire Regiment in BAOR, Germany After a short time they were sent to Strensall and posted, at their request, to the 1st Battalion, The Green Howards in Malaya serving from 1949 until their demob in 1952.
Jeff had been very ill for the last seven years, but during all this time he was nursed by his wife, Alice. He was a great and generous man and never forgot his old pals in The Green Howards. His funeral took place in Hull where the service was performed by Padre, the Rt Rev Graham (ex-PARA). A lone piper played the 'Black Bear' and 'Flowers of the Forest'. The GHA standard was paraded and members of the Beverley Branch, GHA attended.
To Alice, his wife, Laurence, his son, and his wife and grandson Nicholas, we send our deepest sympathy, knowing that he will be remembered by us all.
Jack Riordan writes;-.
Wilf Swales died on 23 April 2007 after a short illness. He was buried in
Northallerton on 30th April 2007. A 100% turnout by the Branch at the service
resulted in us being able to provide an impressive Guard of Honour at the
church which was very much appreciated by his family and a fitting tribute
to his service with the Regiment and our Branch.
Wilf joined the Army in 1939 on the call-up of the 4th Battalion for WWII.
He served in France and was evacuated from Dunkirk. He was seriously wounded
in North Africa in 1941 and as a result of his injuries was no longer fit
for front-line service. He was transferred to the CPIP and spent the rest
of the war as POW camp guard in Egypt, reaching the rank of L/Sgt.
On leaving the Army he found work as a van delivery driver operating in the
Dales area.
He was a founder member of the Northallerton and Bedale Branch and a loyal
and devoted member. He served as President for five years, having to retire
due to ill health in 2002.
He will be sadly missed by the Branch. To the members of his family we all
extend our sympathies in their sad loss.
