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Up-to-the-minute perspectives on defence, security and peace issues from and for policy makers and opinion leaders. |
We mark the passing of those who have served this country. Contributions from comrades and families welcome. Write to
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A comrade writes : I am saddened to my core at the news of the passing of my former chief of staff, Major General Matt Holmes CBE, DSO. As his legal adviser, I saw first hand how he went out of his way, not just to serve our nation but to serve every man and woman who he encountered. I was no exception. He was the first chief of staff of the UK Standing Joint Force Headquarters. The staff loved him, as did his commander. Sometimes the perfect teams forms in the Armed Forces. That was one of them. He was a leader, for he brought out the best in all those he met. He could find light in darkness and hope in despair. He hated injustice. He would have been the finest of lawyers. He used to share with me his pride in his wife's legal career. People genuinely liked him and few could match his intellect. None could match his work ethic. He could switch effortlessly from being the senior military leader to the cheeky schoolboy in the one sentence (often with just a glance). That was his personality; not some learned trick. Any 'cheek' was actually pure, unrefined charm and never, ever at anyone's expense. I was liaising with him, hoping that he would join me in a sleep out event to raise money for SSAFA in Glasgow. The pandemic delayed that, but it speaks volumes that a major general was willing to sleep out in a wood in Glasgow with me and other veterans to raise funds for the vulnerable. To him it would have been no hardship; just fun. He could make anything fun. Matt Holmes was a Christian and spoke to me about our shared faith; he lived it through every selfless act. God bless you, Sir, and your family who I know you love so dearly.
HOLMES Flt Lt Ernest 'Ernie' Holmes DFC 29 January 1921 - 14 October 2021 35 Sqn 22 Pathfinder missions inc. Battle of Berlin. Lancastersshot down over Hollnad, betrayed to GestapoÂÂÂ Stalag Luft III Forced march liberated VE Day. Post war transports Far East, Berlin airlift. Flying instructor UAS in Scotland
HAYNES Col Douglas Sim Haynes died 26 December 2021 aged 100
HOLTOM Brig Christopher Gibbs Holtom CBE died 24 September 2021 aged 74 Intelligence Corps
HUTCHINGS Corporal Dennis Hutchings 8 May 1941 – 18 October 2021 Life Guards N Ireland
KENNARD Robert Kennard MC 1912 – 1979 TA Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders escaped from Singapore, Malaya, Burma, Imphal
LAMB (Later Sir) Sqn Ldr Archie (Albert) Lamb DFC 23 October 1921 – 19 October 2021 Pilot Training Southern Rhodesia (supported by editor's father?) Sunk on SS Oronsay 184 Sqn Hurricane ground attack Northern France, V1 sites, Arnhem later Ambassador to Kuwait and Norway
LEWENDON Gp Captain John Massey Lewendon died 5 November 2021 aged 91
LITTLEJOHNS Lt Col Bryan Littlejohns RA died 12 October 2021
LONGWILL Dr Col John Longwill died 16 September 2021
MAUNSELL Major Christopher Ernest (Kit) Maunsell MC 6 October 1939 - 6 October 2021 aged 82 10th Ghurkhas Borneo (battle of Serikin - MC)
MCLEAN Vice Adm Rory McLean CBE, OBE 4 April 1950 - 5 September 2021 CO HMS Lewiston, Upton, Jupiter, Charybdis, Fearles, Invincible) Sea King pilot and Helicopter instructor, Bosnia, Rwanda, (Op Barrass) Director, Navy Plands (19997 SDR) ACDS (resources and plans) RUSI trustee
MILBURN Brig Joseph Hubbard Milburn CBE died 17 October 2021 aged 88
MORROGH Major James McCarthy Morrogh 1947 – 2021 Royal Irish Rangers Bahrein, Oman , Gibralter, Cyprus, Berlin
NORRELL WO "Norrie" Norrell RVM RVO 7 December 1933 – 9 October 2021 HMS Vanguard HMS Lioness joined RY Britannia 1953 – 1987 then Windsor Castle
O'CONNELL Margaret (Betty) Elizabeth Oliver 25 July 1925 – 24 July 2021 WRNS Bletchley Park Newmanry section (Colossus C Watch – Lorenz code)
OLDHAM Sgt Wilfred Edward Oldham MBE 28 August 1920 - 26 November 2021 1st Border Regt/ 1st Airborne (air landing) Op Ladbroke , Sicily- ditched Op Market - escaped after 70% losses. Garden. Norway to disarm occupation troopÂÂÂÂÂ
PARKINSON Brigadier Charles David Parkinson died 7 September 2021 RADC
PARSONS Edmund (Eddie) Geoffrey Parsons died 13 December 2021 aged 92 RAOC
PASQUANI Flt Lt Joe Pasquani 30 January 1933 - 6 August 2021 Navigator, bombing instructor 76 Sqn Canberra sampling nuclear tests - campaigner for nuclear justice
POLAND Lt Cdr (Trevor) Peter Gordon Poland 24 July 1923 – 30 August 2021 HMS Nelson (chasing Scharnhorst and Gneisenau ) HMS King George V (Bismark engagement west of Brest) Arctic convoys CO landing craft N Africa (Bougie landings) HMS Matchless HMS Haydon post war Med, Palestine, E Indies
PRIESTLEY Cdr Michael Priestley died 2 December 2021 aged 74
QUILTER Harold Keith Quilter RN DSC 5 March 1922 - 23 Nov 2021 1842 NAS HMS Formidable 3 attacks Tirpitz Far East (Kamikaze attack) Ditched off Honshu, picked up by US submarine 1832 NAS RNVRÂÂÂÂ
RICHARDS Major Robert Alan Upton Richards died 9 October 2021 aged 90 Worcester Rifles, Intelligence Corps
ROBERTSON Rear Adm John Robertson died 23 December 2021
ROSE (Susan) Pamela Rose (Gibson) 29 November 1917 (during Zeppelin raid) – 17 October 2021 Bletchley Park Hut 4 head of index . Later helped found Runneymede Trust Vice chair NSPCC
SAMPSON Lt Col Reg Sampson die 30 December 2021 aged 86
SHIPTON Anthony Ashley Shipton MBE TD died 19 Dec 2021 aged 92
SHORT Captain Anthony Short RN died 11 October 2021 aged 92
SHORT Donald Hrry Short RNR died 28 December 2021 aged 91
SQUIRE Dr Clifford William (Bill) Squire CMG, LVO 7 October 1928 - 14 October 2021 Nat service jnr officer I Bn Suffolk Regt Palestine, Greece Later Ambassador to Israel
STOKES Keith Stokes RN died 16 October 2021 aged 91
STEVENSON Major Henry Stevenson MBE 14 July 1927 – 18 August 2021 Ulster Defence Regt Intelligence Officer
STRUDWICK Maj General Mark Jeremy Strudwick CBE MiD 19 April 1945 – 26 September 2021 Royal Scots Cyprus BAOR Exercise Lionheart N Ireland (I/c 3 Bde) GOC Scotland
SYRAD Major Stuart Syrad RM OBE MC 7 August 1933 – 23 August 2021 National Service then volunteered. SBS. Op Musketeer (Suez helicopter assault - MC) Malta, Singapore, North Borneo, Northern Ireland First qualified RM hovercraft pilot 3 Cdo
TAYLOR Col Charles Eyre Taylor MC died 4 October 2021 aged 92. 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards
THORPE Col Philip James Thorpe died 3 October 2021 aged 64
THRES Anthony Thres 1928 – 2021 1st Bn Sherwood Foresters 1Para Cyprus Suez amphibious landing (clasp to GSM) Malaya19th Infantry, 6 Armoured Bgde BAOR
ULOTH Col Anthony Conrad Uloth 30 May 1929 – 23 September 2021 Korean War (Royal Tank Regt MiD) Army Air Corps test pilot Defence Attache Khartoum Overseas Defence Relations
WALKER Patrick Jeremy Walter KGB 25 February 1932 – 13 October 2021 Colonial Service Uganda Later CT and CE then DG MI5 (the Security Service)
WALTERS (later Sir) Dennis Murray Walters 28 November 1928 – 1 October 2021 Interned in Italy 1940 1943-44 resistance courier in Italy Later MP
WEST Mayor Aidan Neil 'Danny' West BEM 1 December 1943 - 11 December 2021 10th Royal Hussars Aden SAS Buenes Aires, Oman, South Georgia, Falklands left the Army in 1995Â
WICKES Lt Cl Donald James Charles Wickes LVO died 10 Nov 2021 aged 93 RASC, RAOCÂ
WOOD Captain Anthony Wood RN died 3 Nov 2021 aged 90
YOUNG David Stephen Young MC died 30 Nov 2021 aged 100
In the service of our country. |
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