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The
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Obituaries, - Surnames "M" | |||||
| 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 "M" have appeared in the Green Howards "Gazette", or have been notified to the Green Howards.
The following obituary was published by "The Daily Telegraph" on 16 April 2001, and is published with their permission.
MAJOR D'ARCY MANDER, who has died aged 91, was awarded a DSO in 1944 for espionage work which he carried out in Rome following his escape from a prisoner-of-war train.
Mander had been captured while serving with the Green Howards in the Western
Desert, and flown to Italy. After his plan to hijack the aeroplane in
mid-flight was vetoed by senior officers, Mander accepted captivity for a while,
putting his time to good use by learning Italian.
In 1943 he managed to escape from a prisoner-of-war train in northern Italy.
Adopting the alias Pietro Bartoli, and with the assistance of Italian
country people who sheltered him at great risk to their own lives, Mander proceeded
to walk to Rome.
By this time the city was under German occupation, but rather than seeking
refuge in the Vatican, or hiding out in the countryside, Mander decided to set
up his own intelligence network, based on conversations he had overheard among
Germans (he was also fluent in German).
Soon he had made contact with a pro-Allied Italian network which was already
functioning in Rome and passing information to the Allied forces in the south.
The intelligence which Mander acquired during this period included the date
of the German counter-attack against the Anzio bridgehead. In the course
of this work, Mander was twice arrested by the Gestapo and managed to free himself
only by the greatest ingenuity.
One of Mander's closest colleagues was a Hungarian called Kisz, who had close
contacts with Communist elements, among them an Italian named Cipolla.
Learning that Cipolla had been arrested by the SS and immediately released,
while those arrested with him had been shot, Mander and Kisz soon guessed the
reason.
When questioned, Cipolla admitted that he had joined the SS himself and was
to be the paymaster of the espionage and sabotage network that the SS intelligence
organisation (SD) was setting up to operate after the Allied occupation.
Having "turned" Cipolla once more, Mander and his colleagues were able to penetrate
the SD and, when Rome was liberated, were able to provide a complete list of
names and addresses of SD agents.
Mander's citation read: "The decision to carry out such work was entirely his own and in the conduct of it he was unassisted by any official Allied PoW organisation. There is no doubt that this officer made an important contribution to the success of our espionage and counter-espionage efforts and it is recommended that his courage and resource should be recognised by the award of a DSO."
D'Arcy John Desmond Mander was born at Youghal, County Cork, on December 11
1909, the son of an Army officer, and educated at Charterhouse and at Sandhurst.
He had never been in any doubt about his choice of career and he was
commissioned, in 1929, into the Green Howards.
On the outbreak of war he served with his battalion in France, Belgium and the
Western Desert, where he was captured and flown to Italy. Following the liberation
of Rome, Mander was repatriated and sent to the Staff College, after which he
served in Germany, with the Allied Control Commission.
There followed periods of regimental service in India and the Sudan and active service in Malaya, where he commanded the 1st Battalion Green Howards from 1950 to 1952, and was mentioned in dispatches. After a period as Colonel GS (Int) at FARELF, he was Brigade Colonel of the York and Durham Brigade from 1956-59, after which he served in Vienna as military attache until his retirement in 1963.
After leaving the Army, Mander joined Sir Owen Williams and Partners, a firm of consulting and structural engineers. He remained with the firm until his retirement at the age of 75.
An avid follower of the stockmarket, Mander was not content to leave the management of his affairs to his broker. He was a keen golfer and an enthusiastic, though lethal, cyclist until he finally abandoned his bicycle in his late eighties. His main passion, however, was gardening, and with the help of a niece who worked as a garden designer he created a new garden with a pond and orchard at the age of 90.
Mander's March on Rome, in which he described his wartime experiences, was published in 1987.
He married, in 1939, Dorothy Eileen Nichols. She survives him with their two daughters.
The following obituary was published in the April 2001 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".
The Regimental Secretary writes:
I first met Gordon Mallinson when I reported to the Depot in January 1958 having
been commissioned the month before. He was the first Green Howard Sergeant
I met. He remained at the Depot whilst I joined the lst Bn and we met
again when I returned to Richmond as a Training Subaltern in 1960 for the final
year of the Depot's 84 year existence. By then the Staff was small and
inevitably I got to know him well.
Gordon was a big, smart NCO, who was both respected and feared by the recruits. I suspect he was not averse to administering summary justice behind the range hut on Deerpark or Whipperdale Ranges on occasion but I am equally sure that it was justified. Gordon then served on and off with the lst Bn as B Coy Colour Sergeant and as a PSI in the 4th/5th Bn until he retired in the late 60's.
He attended Richmond Sunday when he could and we had a most friendly re-union at the Tercentenary Parade in 1989 where, to my chagrin, he seemed more pleased to see my wife than me! He would scarcely have recognised the Army today but in his day he was a first class NCO who will be remembered by all who served with him both senior and subordinate. Our sympathy is extended to his widow Maureen.
Simon Marchant-Smith died in St Leonard's Hospice, York on 23rd December 2005, after a long and painful battle with cancer. His funeral was held on the 9th January 2006 at St Mary's Church, Strensall, York with over 250 people in the congregation, many of whom were Green Howards.
The service was assisted by the Rt Rev Clifford Barker, formerly an officer in the 2nd Battalion, The Green Howards (1944-47) and Bishop of Selby.
Major Roger Chapman MBE writes:
Simon Marchant-Smith was born in Scarborough and lived much of his youth in
Seascale, Cumbria. After RMA Sandhurst, where he was awarded a Boxing Blue,
he joined the 2nd Battalion in August 1952 at Barnard Castle and later served
with them as a platoon commander in Suez. In September 1954 he took part in
Exercise Floodtide when the whole Battalion conducted a sea-borne landing on
the north-west coast of Cyprus. He was then involved as the MMG platoon commander,
based in Lanarca, with anti-terrorist operations throughout 1955 at the start
of the EOKA campaign. Apart from being an excellent athlete, Simon proved to
be a natural ball player - he represented theRegiment at cricket, rugby, hockey,
golf and tennis - but he was best known for his skill with boxing gloves which
not only gained him the nickname 'Punchy' but also a place in the Army Boxing
Team.
Just before the 2nd Battalion was placed in 'suspended animation' Lieutenant
Simon Marchant-Smith transferred to the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
in January 1956, and was involved with Near East operations in Suez and Cyprus
until 1959. He returned to Yorkshire as the Captain and Adjutant of the 4th/5th
Battalion for two years based in Guisborough. His enthusiasm for sport and soldiering
was passed on to all who came in contact with him.
He spent a year as 2IC of 'C' Company, 1st Battalion in Iserlohn, West Germany
between 1962-63 - with Jack Riordan as his CSM and his brother, Bill, as one
of the subalterns - before going to Staff College. He returned in 1967 as OC
'C' Company, 1st Battalion in Colchester. It was whilst training with the 1st
Battalion, The Green Howards in New Brunswick, Canada that he met Captain Rosemarie
McMenamon RCAMC in Summer 1967. They married in Colchester in December 1967;
the bride was given away by Simon's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Maurice
Atherton. This period of active duty was followed by several staff jobs including
DAAQMG (Mov) at HQ FARELF before returning, as a Lieutenant Colonel, to command
11 Ulster Defence Regiment in Belfast, from 1975 to 1977. He was made a Member
of the British Empire for his services as G2 (Int) in Cyprus between 1973-74
at the time of the Turkish invasion.
Simon retired in 1978 and moved to Strensall, York. He was OIC Infantry Manning
& Records office for the soldiers of the Prince of Wales Division and later
G2 Security for 2nd Division in Imphal Barracks. He found time to bring his
golf handicap down to single figures and was Captain of the Strensall Golf Club
in the same year that Rosemarie was Ladies Captain. He served with the St John
Ambulance in the 1980s, becoming its North Yorkshire commander and was invested
as a Commander of the Order of St John at a ceremony in London. He never travelled
in St John uniform without Rosemarie in case they met a medical emergency which
was beyond his Army First Aid training.
Once he had fully retired Simon became an enthusiastic bird watcher and managed
to complete a survey of the bird life in some of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
Reserves and the Conservation Area on Strensall Common.
Throughout 2004-2005, Simon Marchant-Smith had a continual fight with cancer, but in no way did it stop him supporting Regimental functions and GHA 2nd Battalion Branch events. His good humour, ebullient personality, courage and vivaciousness made him very popular with all ranks within the Regiment. He will be much missed by all Green Howards who had the privilege of knowing him.
Our sympathy goes to Rosemarie, Fiona and Roderick at their sad loss.
Major James Pearson writes:
I still remember Simon reporting for duty in 1952 with the newly formed 2nd
Battalion at Barnard Castle. He had joined us fresh from RMA Sandhurst. I was
the senior subaltern at the time and so introduced him to life in the Battalion.
He quickly settled in and made his mark. In the following years, we served together
in the 1st and 2nd Battalions and also in 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.
He then went on to command llth Battalion, The Ulster Defence Regiment during
the troubles in Ireland.
Simon was a very good officer and friend to so many of us - much loved and admired
by all those who knew him. He was an outstanding sportsman having won a Boxing
Blue at Sandhurst, boxed for the army, an excellent cricketer and single figure
golfer. He had many interests and, in later years, he and Rosemarie became keen
bird watchers. He kept up to date with IT and combined this with his keen sense
of humour and seemingly, almost on a daily basis, sending us the latest jokes
from around the world. Simon was immensely popular and respected in the Regiment
and this was born out by the number of old comrades of all ranks who attended
his funeral, some of whom had travelled long distances to be there.
Simon had been ill for a number of years. He was an inspiration to us for the
cheerful and brave way he dealt with his cancer. Although often in great pain
and able to do less and less as time went on, he remained cheerful and positive.
He demonstrated a wonderful example of bravery and how to conduct one's life
during such difficult times. Throughout his illness he was supported by Rosemarie
who was with him at the end.
'Punchy' Marchant-Smith, as he was known to many of us, will be greatly missed.
He was a fun person to be with and a man of great charm. We send our sympathy
to Rosemarie, Roderick and Fiona in their sad loss.
May you rest in peace old friend.
Major ] C Conway writes:
I first met Simon when he joined the 2nd Battalion when we were serving in Egypt
and Cyprus. Although he was a sportsman of some renown he did not spend all
his time knocking balls of various shapes about a field or opponents about a
boxing ring. He did spend time with the MMG Platoon. Some thirty odd years alter
I was able to prove this to him by producing some photographs I had taken of
the Platoon exercise. He took some convincing that he was the slight and slender
figure on the left sporting an enormous pair of binoculars and equally large
map case. When the Battalion went into 'suspended animation' we went our separate
ways.
The first of the Northern Officers' Lunches brought us together again. Simon
was a very sociable man and, along with Rosemarie, a regular and popular attendee.
The formation of the 2nd Battalion Branch of the Association also meant that
he and Rosemarie were able to renew even further their contacts within the regimental
family. Simon was a loyal and popular member of the Branch.
Towards the end of his life, when he was unable to attend Branch meetings or
northern lunches, I was tasked to relay his apologies and best wishes to everyone.
Afterwards I had to report back. The interest he took in the people concerned
and the proceedings made this a very detailed debriefing indeed.
Of course Simon had a very wide range of friends and interests outside the Regiment.
He spoke with real affection of his 'golf chums' and his 'birding buddies'.
Regarding the former, I gathered that he was a formidable player. We had long
debates on which was the most eccentric behaviour, his trying to put a small
ball into a slightly larger hole some hundreds of yards away or my trying to
catch a fish with a small hook covered by fur, feather and a bit of tinsel.
With bird watching we were on common ground but by comparison I was a mere tyro.
His birding expeditions took him to many varied, distant and exotic locations
from Strensall Common to Costa Rica. To reach the magical 2,000 variety sightings
Africa may well have been contemplated, sadly this was not to be.
He loved new technology; seldom did he arrive for lunch without some new gadget
or other. He was a very early convert to digital photography. One day he produced
a palm of the hand-sized electronic notebook, ideal for his birding expeditions.
However, I am convinced that email was invented just for him. He was a prolific
correspondent; his address book must have been huge. Since his death, like many
others I am sure, my emails have decreased by 90% and my supply of jokes has
completely dried up.
Simon, during his lifetime, crossed the lives of many people. Those of us who
were lucky enough to have encountered him and his special thank you term of
"Bless you" are all the better for it.
Tom Heron writes
22689472 Private Les Marsay was a member of the MT Section of the 1952/1956
2nd Battalion. He served between July 1952 and August 1955.
Les died in late 2007, in New South Wales, Australia, the precise date not
known.
He is survived by his wife Heather.
David Turner writes
I am sorry to have to inform you of the death of one of our senior Newcastle
Branch GHA members, Matthew Henry Maughan, who served with The Green Howards
from 1933 to 1946.
'Matty', who had recently celebrated his 90th birthday, joined The Green Howards aged 18 years in 1933. He was a POW during WW2 after being torpedoed en-route to the UK from India. 'Matty' left the Regiment in 1946 and was a founding member of The Green Howard Association holding the posts of Chairman and Standard Bearer at the Newcastle Branch and was a regular attendee of Branch meetings.
His funeral took place in Newcastle on 13 October 2004 and was well attended by his family and friends. The Newcastle Branch standard draped his coffin and the Branch standard of the 2nd Battalion was carried by Mr Ray Gibbon.
We offer our sincere sympathy to his wife Cathy and family. 'Matty' will be remembered as a friend, comrade and above all a loyal Green Howard.
Mr Norman Ward, Hon Sec, Newcastle Branch, writes:
George McCowie died suddently on Saturday 8 March 2003 aged 89 years.
George served with The Green Howards and the Royal Navy from 1928 to 1950, in
Malta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Ceylon, USA and Canada.
He was very proud of his Regiment as his attendance at Branch meetings, Regimental
days and weekends proved over the many years he attended. Following one of the
Branch meetings he was assaulted by some young thugs, fortunately some passers-by
came to his rescue and he was escorted home. Needless to say this incident affected
his confidence and he stopped attending during winter months. However, once
the nights were lighter he returned to the fold and enjoyed meeting the lads.
Our deepest sympathy goes to his family.
The Regimental Secretary writes:
Miss Laura Mead of Keats House, Pimlico died on the 10th March aged 77 years.
She was the daughter of Colour Sergeant E Mead who served with the 1st Bn in
India and Afghanistan. She presented his medals to the Museum in 1995 and was
a long time supporter of the regiment.
Mr Clive Brocklesby writes:
Canon John Meek, the immediate past Rector of Bridlington Priory, died on 26th
May, aged 69 years, following an all too short retirement.
He was the Rector from 1982 to 1998 and each July invited us to celebrate Bridlington Sunday with a service in his Church. We were well supported by members from neighbouring branches and all were invited to the spacious Rectory gardens afterwards for sherry.
John was a regular guest at the Bridlington Branch annual diners and at his very last, in March 1998, he was presented with a suitably inscribed Regimental plaque as a token of our gratitude to him.
He was a diligent Chairman of Governors of Bridlington School and a member of the Rotary Club. A fine cricketer in his earlier days, he later became a keen golfer. John and his wife. Pat, a devoted supporter to him, lived in Filey on leaving Bridlington.
John Meek will be mourned, missed and remembered.
Major Roger Chapman MBE writes :
Major Robert William (Bob) Metcaife, who was born in Richmond in 1915 and served
as a Company Commander with 4th Battalion at Dunkirk and later served in North
Africa, Sicily, Italy and France in the Second World War, died of a heart attack
at his home in Ottawa, Canada on 6th April 2005, aged 91 years. His memorial
service was at Beechwood Cemetery Chapel, Ottawa on 30th April 2005.
'Bob' Metcaife - as he was affectionately called by all who knew him - wrote an autobiography when he was in his 80s, 'No Time for Dreams; A Soldier's Six-Year Journey through World War II', which vividly recalls many most exciting and dangerous war- time experiences. He was A Company Commander, 4th Battalion The Green Howards when the Battalion joined the 400,000 members of the British Expeditionary Force in France in January 1940. He was based near Vimy Ridge, when the German 'Blitzkreig' began and the British Army began their fighting withdrawal towards Dunkirk. On 27 May 1940 "a day I shall never forget", heavy German mortar fire erupted around his Company position near Zillebeeke Lake close to the Menin Gate. Whilst applying a field dressing to a wounded Green Howard, Bob Metcaife was hit in the legs by shrapnel. He was casevaced to a Regimental Aid Post, and picked up by an ambulance with a large red cross on both sides. Even so, it came under fairly accurate fire from a German tank as they made their escape to the Mole at Dunkirk. He was picked up by HMS Grenade yet saw two of its sister destroyers sunk during his evacuation.
Once recovered from his wounds, he was sent out on the Staff to North Africa and fought from El Alamein to Tunis, through the Sicilian Campaign in 1943 and then on into Italy from 1944- 45. In Italy, he met and married Lieutenant Helen Porter, a physiotherapist with a Canadian military hospital. They were actually married twice - once on the morning of 28 October 1944 by the mayor of a small Italian town and again in the afternoon by the British Army padre. Bob Metcaife ended the war in Europe in May 1945 as a Major attached to the US Army in Southern France.
The hard decision came after he was demobbed in 1946, whether to stay in England or emigrate to Canada. In 1948, the Metcalfes moved to Chatham, Ontario where he sold steel and hardware until his retirement, aged 65 years. However, he never forgot his old Regiment. He travelled to Richmond whenever there was a Richmond Sunday and even instructed the Curator to keep his bowler hat and rolled-umbrella on the archive shelves ready for his next appearance. He also maintained contact with the Queen's York Rangers - our Allied Regiment in Toronto - and paid visits to the Rocky Mountain Rangers in Kamloops in British Columbia. He subscribed to The Green Howards Gazette and the Friends of the Museum Newsletter, and contributed some fascinating papers about Dunkirk for the Museum.
When news came of the re-structure of the British Infantry and the possible disbandment or merger of The Green Howards, he was the first to write a personal letter to the British Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet. He strongly warned them of their mistake at cutting the infantry at such a dangerous time from international and domestic terrorism and the fallacy of destroying the county regimental system.
He worked tirelessly for fellow veterans in Canada. On the 30th, 40th and 50th Anniversaries of 'D' Day, he and his wife, Helen, organised battlefield tours to Normandy and also combined them with trips to Sicily and Italy. In 1977, he received the Queen's Jubilee Medal and used it to show to school children, when he started a scheme for veterans to talk about their wartime experiences in the classroom to hundreds of schools in Ontario. Perhaps his greatest legacy, is that he was chosen as the model of a typical veteran. A photograph of him wearing a veteran's blazer and his Green Howards' beret, saluting the war memorial in downtown Ottawa, was superimposed on the back of the Canadian ten dollar bill under the words: 'in service of peace'.
There are few who can match Bob Metcaife's loyalty to and affection for Richmond and his old Regiment, The Green Howards. We extend our condolences to Helen and their large family.
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Stevenson writes from Toronto, Canada:
Bob Metcaife was a devoted and loyal member of The Green Howards who followed very closely all Regimental events in The Green Howards Gazette from promotions to retirements. He was keenly interested in RHQ and the Museum, where he was a frequent visitor in the past. He was truly 'Mr Green Howards of Richmond and Ottawa'.
Not many Regimental events of any significance took place without him making a Sunday afternoon telephone call to me in Toronto to discuss the event. More recently discussions took place about the future of The Green Howards and would then read to me his forceful letter to the Prime Minister in London and Members of his Cabinet as to why The Green Howards should retain their famous name; their position in the order of battle of the British Army and, most important, their place in British history. His mind was always clear and his logic extremely convincing.
His book 'No Time for Dreams', written when he was 80 years old, gives a very interesting account of his wartime service, mostly with the 4th Battalion, The Green Howards. Today, his portrait as a wartime veteran is given a high profile on the Canadian ten dollar bill.
Bob Metcaife was very active in many forms of voluntary service work, particularly with the Royal Canadian Legion. He was also very active in the Ottawa area with the Canadian Gurkha Welfare Appeal, which every year raised substantial funds for former members of the Gurkha Regiment, who had fallen on hard times.
Bob Metcaife was a stalwart of The Green Howards and will be sadly missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.
Major Peter Holmes has provided some photographs of Major Bob Metcalfe's grave in Beechwood Cemetery, Ottawa, Canada, together with a few useful comments.
Colonel Simon Miller, late RAMC, writes:
My father died on 13th May 2003 at the age of 92 years.
He was commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment and was Adjutant to the 2nd Battalion at Dunkirk where he was mentioned in despatches. He took part in the Salerno landings in 1943 as Brigade Major of the Hampshire Brigade and in the following year was awarded the DSO and Bar for actions in Northern Italy while commanding the 6th Battalion, the York and Lancaster Regiment. He handed over command in April 1945 to take up a staff appointment in Casserta.
After the war he attended the US Military Command and Staff Course at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and held a staff appointment in Berlin during the airlift. In 1952 he took over command of the 1st Battalion, The Green Howards, in Malaya during the communist insurgency and he took the Battalion to Minden in Germany the following year. One of my earliest childhood memories was going for a drive with my parents in the German countryside at that time. We caught up with an army lorry which, to my father's fury, contained Green Howards who were not wearing their berets. The lorry was duly flagged down and the strongest possible reprimand administered by my father who could not countenance any such imperfection in his beloved Regiment!
Before leaving the army in 1961 my father commanded 131 Infantry Brigade
and spent a year in Korea as Chief of the British Commonwealth Mission to
the United Nations Command. After leaving the army he worked for many years
for the Order of St John at their London Headquarters in Grosvenor Crescent
and when he retired he became the Commander of St John Ambulance for Wiltshire.
After my mother died in 1979 my father continued to live in his cottage in
the village of Chitterne on Salisbury Plain until he was over 90 years old.
He eventually had to leave the
cottage early last year, largely as a result of a flood caused by a burst
water-pipe in the roof, but before he died he spent several contented months
in Amesbury Abbey Nursing Home.
Lieutenant Colonel K G Wesley writes:
Aubrey Miller came from the East Yorkshire Regiment to command our 1st Battalion in Malaya on 24th July 1952. He took over from D'Arcy Mander (who, of course, was bitterly disappointed not to be able to take the Battalion back to the UK). It was quite a difficult time to take command as the Battalion was both buoyed up with success and expecting to go home. The latter was not to be as the Battalion's tour was extended by several months and a further move came out of the blue. All the companies, however, felt some reluctance to leave the Tampin area where they had enjoyed much success and where the local police and endangered civilians had confidence in their presence.
The move from Tampin to Tapeh (Ipoh area) proved very successful and the Battalion record was further enhanced. I was Aubrey's Adjutant at the time and I recall the new Commanding Officer musing that, at the climax of our farewells in Tampin and the many parties.. ."the Battalion seems to be hunting bandits only in its spare time!" My first obstacle to working for Aubrey was his writing -I simply could not read it - perhaps if I had been fluent in Russian or read it upside down, I might have done better.
In Tapeh, after an initiation patrol in August 1952 (led by Corporal Jackie Webb, in which the only Red Army encountered were red ants which viciously attacked several members of the patrol) Aubrey regularly went out with company patrols. He was meticulous in meeting patrols as they returned to base, in particular where a carrying party brought in Communist Terrorist dead. He was delighted in his quiet way by these successes and even more so when the High Commissioner and Commander of the British Forces, General Sir Gerald Templer, congratulated the Battalion on three occasions during the final months in Tapeh.
My planning for the final weeks in Singapore, journey to Singapore and journey back to UK by ship received detailed scrutiny from Aubrey. I will never again issue oranges to 600 men on a long train journey. Aubrey was a meticulous planner and, whilst most of the Battalion was on leave in UK, or thinking about it, Aubrey put his mind to shedding the atmosphere of the jungle and thinking of the European scene. The period at Barnard Castle set him many problems. The disruption of staggered leave, horrendous snow, changes in personnel, particularly officers and competing needs of the re-formed 2nd Battalion.
The Battalion as a whole experienced some difficulty in converting from single-file mentality to conventional section, platoon, company activities and our weaknesses were revealed all too plainly on exercise in our new theatre, Austria. Many trials and disappointments were quietly borne by Aubrey, sadly still regarded as a 'foreigner' by many in the Battalion.
Aubrey was very silent at times, seemingly aloof, but very concerned for everyone's welfare and a casual acquaintance or shared experience was never forgotten. Despite these reservations he could sparkle with a joke or two which got even some of the hardened Howards chuckling. I enjoyed my final year as an Adjutant - but it was quite tough - I have to admit my learning curve zoomed upwards under his command.
I did not serve again with Aubrey, he went on to eventually command a TA Brigade. To my delight, in retirement and as a widower, I found Aubrey living only three miles away. In recent years Ann and I always invited him to share anniversaries and special family occasions - he was generous in response and kept in regular touch. As a widower in the village of Chitterne near Stonehenge he was much liked and deeply respected. I will remember him for his sincerity, charm and honesty in word and deed.
Lieutenant Colonel R TRockett writes:
Aubrey was my first commanding officer in the 1st Battalion in Minden for a short period, whilst I was being prepared for the platoon commanders' courses at Hythe and Warminster. When I arrived from the Depot as a 'whey-faced ensign', the Battalion was out of barracks deployed on Exercise 'Battle Royal 1954', so I did not meet the commanding officer and majority of the Battalion for about two weeks. My first impression of Aubrey Miller, erroneous as it turned out, was of a softly spoken, distant and slightly intimidating figure, with a thick black moustache of almost Edwardian proportions.
By the time I returned from Warminster, command had devolved on Harry Styles and I did not meet Aubrey again until he was commanding the TA Brigade in Salisbury. I hardly recognised him. He had shed his moustache and at least 10 years. He greeted me with charm and warmth - the real Aubrey Miller.
After his retirement to Chitterne as a widower, we met socially on many occasions. He was a generous host at dinner and lunch parties, which were always highly organised and beautifully served affairs in which clearly he took great pride. He had a particular gift of getting on well with the younger generation right up to the end of his life. He will be greatly missed.
The following was published in the April 2008 edition of "The Green Howard"
Mr D Turner, Newcastle Branch, writes
Sadly I have to inform you of yet another passing of one of our oldest members here at Newcastle Branch. 4393217 ‘Dusty’ Miller MM passed away on New Year’s Day 2008. Dusty was born in 1914 and joined the 1st Battalion, The Green Howards in 1940, serving in India, Sicily, Italy, Germany and Egypt till his demob in 1945.
It was during 1945 that Dusty was to gain the Military Medal for his action after the crossing of the River Elbe at Lauenburg on the 30th April. After crossing the river the Battalion was ordered to capture Penkberg woods 800 yards to their front, prior to an advance on Dahidorf. Whilst moving forward to the start line at Basedow Village the Battalion was shelled and Major J Howell, OC A Company was seriously wounded. Against fairly strong opposition the attack was launched at 1800 hrs and by 2000 hrs the woods were in the hands of B and C Companies who had also taken 34 prisoners. During this action L/Cpl Miller of C Company led his section with great gallantry against a German machine gun post, which was dug in behind a mound in a hedgerow. Three of L/Cpl Miller’s men were killed and two more wounded, leaving L/Cpl Miller alone, still about 50 yards short of the MG post. Single handed and firing his sten gun, L/Cpl Miller silenced the MG post, killing three Germans and taking two more prisoners.
‘Dusty’s’ funeral was held on the 9th January 2008 at Gateshead and was well attended by family friends and fellow Green Howards. Also in attendance were the Standards of the 2nd Battalion Branch and the Newcastle Branch. ‘ Dusty’ was held in high regard and will be much missed by all of us here at Newcastle Branch and we offer our sincere sympathy to Dusty’s wife and family.
The following obituary was published in the April 2001 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".
Mr Norman Ward writes:
Stanley Mills died peacefully on Friday the 3rd November 2000 after a long
illness, borne with dignity and always cheerful, aged 67. Our deepest
sympathy goes to his wife and family at this very sad time. Stanley
served with the 1st Battalion from 1951 to 1955, attaining the rank of Cpl
in A Company. He was a supportive member of the Branch and will be
sadly missed by all. The funeral was attended by many members of the
Branch and Fred Wilson carried the Standard for Stan's final parade.
Mr Ron Boyes writes :
It is sad to report the death of ex-Sgt Albert Mitchell on 29th January 2006
in the James Cook University Hospital.
Albert served his National Service at the Barracks, Richmond and then with the
10th Royal Hussars in Germany. After his demob he enlisted into the 4th Battalion
at Guisborough on 10th June 1949. He served with the 4th Battalion until it
amalgamated with the 631 Light Regiment RA and became the 4th/5th Battalion
and then, in 1966 on reorganisation, he went to 'B' Company, 1st Battalion Yorkshire
Volunteers where he served until 1986 - a total of 37 years unbroken service.
Albert was a staunch supporter of The Green Howards Association and was a member
of the Guisborough Branch. It was only in the last 18 months, when his health
and eyesight deteriorated, that he found it difficult to attend Branch meetings.
However, he still remained a good supporter of the Branch and attended most
of our Sunday night social evenings in his wheelchair.
Albert will be sadly missed by all his friends and fellow Association members.
His funeral service was held in the St Nicholas Church at Guisborough on 2nd
February 2006. Our deepest sympathy to all his family.
The following obituary was published in the April 2001 issue of the "Green Howards Gazette".
Mr Norman Ward writes:
Joe Mitchelson died on Monday the 5th January 2001, aged 87 and sadly his
wife died shorly after (5 February 2001), but, not before sending £30 to the
Branch for all to have a drink to his memory. Our deepest sympathy
goes to his family at this very sad occasion. Joe served during the
War of 1939-45, attaining the rank of Sergeant, he always kept in touch with
one of his close friends of the War who lived in Leeds until his death about
five years ago, again a very good attendee at all the Branch meetings until
just over eighteen months ago when his illness prevented him attending.
A good attendance again by the members of the Branch with Tom Curry carrying
the Standard on yet another final parade.
Veronica Porter, his daughter, added;-
"Dad was very proud of having been a Green Howard and attended reunion
dinners and also the Bicentennial parade. He also subscribed to the Green
Howards Gazette and kept every issue."
Donald Moreton writes:
My father was born in Wallsend on Tyne in 1910 and joined the Regiment in 1928.
Despite being invalided out in 1944 he never forgot the Regiment and the bonds
he formed while serving. He was a very proud old Green Howard.
He enjoyed a good and varied social life after WW2, espedally playing golf at Blackmoor Golf Club in Hampshire where he was a member for many years. He was also a life-long supporter of Newcastle United FC and was thus delighted that they are in the Champions League.
The following was published in the April 2008 edition of "The Green Howard"
George Wilson, Hon Sec of the GHA Scarborough Branch writes:
Jim Mulvana of Scarborough, who served with both the 5th and 7th Green Howards in the Second Worldd War. Jim received a special certificate from Field Marshal Montgomery thanking him for his services to the Crown for driving petrol wagons throughout the war. Our sympathy goes to his wife Jacquie and her family.
