ASSOCIATION MEMBERS’ LAST POSTS

Reproduced from The Roussillon Gazette

It is with regret that we have to announce the passing of the following:

R.J.T.Amos 2Lt 1^st Bn(NS) See Obituary

F.Barden 4^th Bn

S.Bishop 5^th Bn

C.Beaumont-Edmonds M.C. Lieut 70^th Bn, 2/5^th Queens R.R.

M.B.Church 2Lt 1^st Bn (NS) See Obituary

R.A.Cunnmgham Captain 1^st Bn See Obituary

LW.Dunkeld M.B.E. Major 1^st Bn, RE Postal Services

E.Erends 5 Queens

G.Grey 70^th Bn

W.King 6^th Bn

D.Livett 1^st Bn

F.H.Lyons M.B.E. Captain 9^th Bn, Int. Corps

W.O’Rourke 4/5^th Bn

R.F.G.Shaw TD Major Guards Armoured, 4/5^th Bn See Obituary

L.F.Smitherman Major (QM) 1^st Bn, 3 Queens, 21 SAS See Obituary

W.Swingler RQMS 1^st Bn, 2^nd Bn, R.Berks See Obituary

J.R.Taylor (Jess) Pte 1^st Bn (Assault Pioneers)

W.Tucker 4^th Bn

2Lt R.J.T.Amos

Dick Amos, who died on 6th November 2008, was educated at Bedford Modern School, where he was Head of House and a 1st XV Rugby player. A fellow Old Boy writes:

“After he left School, he was called up to serve in the Royal Sussex Regiment for two years. During that time he was posted to Benghazi in Libya, and took part in the Royal Tournament. His home was in Horsham for a number of years, where he married and had two children, Jane and David.

He worked in the fashion industry and became a very keen member of Horsham RUFC, playing in the 1^St XV.

Latterly, he moved to Somerset, living in Godney, a small village near Glastonbury. There he continued his rugby career by becoming a referee, and then moving on to teach new referees.

It was while he was living in Godney that his talent for acting was discovered and for several years he was ft star of the local pantomime, Dick is survived by his partner Laurie and his two children.”

Martin Byers Church

Martin Church died after a short illness in November 2008 aged 69.

At prep school it was noticed that he had a good voice and I became a boy chorister at Kings College, Cambridge. In his second ye he sang the solo opening verse of “Once in Royal David’s City” at the Kings College Annual Carol Service which was broadcast live.

He was educated at Eastbourne College and subsequently won a scholarship back to Kings College, Cambridge.

After Cambridge he completed his National Service with TI Royal Sussex Regiment in Gibraltar. Michael Drummond-Brady (a fellow old Eastbournian) recalls:

“I was serving with the First Battalion, The Royal Suss Regiment in Gibraltar in 1958, when a new National Service Subaltern arrived. As soon as I heard he was from Eastbourne I went out of my w to greet him and keep a friendly eye on his progress. He didn’t need me as he settled in at once and was popular with all ranks.

Tall, good looking and very efficient as a Platoon Command it was not long before he was selected as Assistant Adjutant, a ra occurrence for a National Service Officer. The Battalion was very sor when Martin had to leave on completion of service”.

He then entered the business world - starting his career in sales at pharmaceutical manufacturer Procter and Gamble, before joining R P Martin as a money broker, where he spent ten years prior to joining Telerate (a global market data organisation) becoming European MD in the 1990’s. He then joined Cicada as Marketing Consultant. A colleague describes Martin as:

“One of the stellar characters of the market data business, a larger than life figure both in personality and physique. Whilst contributing greatly to Telerate’s business success, he managed to remain popular with his colleagues, both senior and junior - no mean feat”.

He lived with his wife Diane and two sons in Magham Down, East Sussex and was very much “Sussex Man” - despite his global business travels - and remained interested in the fortunes of The Regiment. Indeed the Regimental cap badge was displayed on the front of his funeral Order of Service in Hellingly Church on the 4th December 2008.

(We are indebted to Keith Ross for his care in providing this Obituary)

Captain R.A. Cunningham

Dick Cunningham, a man of very many parts, died far too early on 8th September aged 70 after a painful but gallantly fought illness. Through his talents Dick had influenced and entertained very many people inside the Regiment and in wider civilian life. Dick was born in India and while at school he developed a talent for music (piano and guitar) but instead of heading for the Royal School of Music as his school had hoped, he went to Sandhurst. There his talent for mimicry and stark impudence stood out when after a particularly hilarious Dinner Night several of his fellow officer cadets found themselves in the Academy Guardroom. Quickly donning a Royal Sussex Lieutenant Colonel’s (Gerald Bowser’s) mess kit, Dick paraded the trouble makers, bollocked them and ordered their release. Shortly after, the genuine Academy duty officer appeared ! Showing such form, his commissioning into the Regiment was assured.

Joining 1^st Royal Sussex in Benghazi in 1958, Dick soon teamed up with another entertaining subaltern, Brian Woodbridge; and together they composed humorous and varied songs which they performed on the London cabaret circuit, and on Malta television when the Battalion was stationed there in the 60s. He was in fact a very good officer (outstanding RSO course result), while his extrovert nature sometimes concerned but genuinely impressed his superiors! In Aden while commanding the Recce Platoon he carried out an undercover snatch operation which resulted in his capturing a much wanted trouble maker.

On return to Malta he decided to exercise his talents in a much wider field, and left the Army. He quickly rose to be Managing Director of Brintex, a leading Exhibition firm, and was selected to be the first Chief Executive of the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. Having got that off the ground he set up his own exhibition company and developed the concept of Garden Festivals. These combined his expertise in entertainment and horticulture, and he targeted derelict urban areas surrounded by disadvantaged communities. He presented his concept to Michael Heseltine. A civil servant who was there reported that Dick’s presentation was “stunning”. After a prolonged pause Heseltine simply said.... “We’ve got to do it”. So was born the programme of five Garden Festivals, first in Liverpool and then in Glasgow. In all they attracted 14 million visitors. The legacy of the Festivals enabled cities to rebrand themselves and thereby attract investment and new opportunities for their communities. Latterly he bent his creative talents to property development, converting barns and similar buildings to places of beauty.

Dick’s home life with his wife Jill, who he had met while serving with Junior Leaders at Oswestry, and their four children, centred on their restoration of King John’s Lodge and its garden at Etchmgham, East Sussex.(see below) These were a delight and his pride and joy, to which his family brought him home for his final days. His was a life that touched and improved the lives of so many others, and we extend our deepest sympathy to Jill and his family.

( The Editor in indebted to Dick’s brother Edward, and to Douglas McCully, for their tributes on which this Obituary is based. Their accounts feature many other of Dick’s qualities and escapades, and are held in the Record Office for those interested to read).

Major R.F.G.Shaw T.D.

Dick at camp, 1953/54 (photo Malcolm MacNichol)

Lt Col Malcolm MacNichol writes:

“After a life full of activity, and much enjoyment, Richard (Dick to everyone) Shaw died on 14th February 2009, aged 84. Despite the loss of an eye during childhood, Dick gained a commission in the Army having been called up at 18. He served with the Guards Armoured Division after the Overlord landings, through France, Belgium and Holland and the Rhine crossing. Following de-mob he had a short spell in West Africa, brought to an abrupt end following an incident which brought the wrath of the local Witch Doctor upon him. He was hastily repatriated, and joined his father working on the family farm, Horsegrove, at Rotherfield, raising Sussex cattle, a breed for which he became a Show Judge. He was amongst the first to volunteer for the reformed Territorial Army, and was posted to the Crowborough Drill Hall of C Company 4/5 (Cinque Ports) Bn. Royal Sussex Regt., commanded by Col. R.L.Broad. Following a stint as Bn. MTO, he was 2i/c C Coy, and then OC C Coy, with promotion to Major. He took particular pride in our suffix of Cinque Ports Bn, and was OC our Guard of Honour when our Honorary Colonel, Sir Winston Churchill, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, invited a party to his home at Chartwell. His last years in the TA were as OC HQ Coy. In civilian life, Dick formed his own company after the sale of Horsegrove, working as an Agricultural Contractor based at Flimwell. He was a keen and formidable rugby player, turning out for Crowborough for many years, and when advancing age put a stop to that he took up beagling, a sport he enjoyed right to the end. With his long, loping stride he covered enormous distances tirelessly and seemingly without effort. His other joy, and envy of many of us, was his beautiful 2 litre blown Lagonda of 1930 vintage and with VU 1 as numberplate. He bought her in the late 1940’s and over the years restored her t perfect condition, driving her to special events to the end.

Although he was married thrice, none lasted. His love was Sussex - a short spell living in Cornwall also didn’t last, but it was the only other county for which he had any regard. After his National Service he never left these shores again. A true countryman and gentleman, he was never happier than when supping a good pint at the bar of a Sussex pub, often with a song on his lips, and in the company of his pals”.

Major (QM) L, F. Smitherman

(Chichester 1948)

Len Smitherman was born in Tunbridge Wells in 1924 and attended Skinner’s Grammar School. After ATC and Horne Guard he joined the RAF aged 17 and having passed his Aircrew Aptitude Tests he was, to his sorrow, failed on eyesight. At 18 he joined the Royal West Kents, transferring to the Royal Sussex during basic training.

Colonel John Buckeridge writes:

I first met Len Smitherman in 1943 when he joined our 10th Battalion in Seaton Carew. I was a fairly new 2Lt assigned to help train up soldiers for active service overseas and he was on of the many young soldiers who passed through the sausage machine. I believe he was from Kent, was first badged RWK and he volunteered to be my batman.

In September 1943 we joined a draft of about thirty Royal Sussex Regiment reinforcements (including Tom Gardner) and we sailed from Liverpool in a cramped, old 20,000 ton troop ship called Manna del Pacifico. Half the ship was taken up by King Peter of Yugoslavia and his entourage, a quarter by a draft of WRNS, which was meant to be “Out of Bounds” to the remainder of the ship which was filled to bursting point by British service reinforcements. This led to a couple of very interesting weeks. We did not know where we were going and saw n land until we arrived at Port Said in Egypt when we were told that we were the first convoy to sail through the Mediterranean since the Germans had been driven out of Sicily. We joined the 1st Battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment and then in December 1943 we sailed to Taranto in southern Italy with the 4th lndian Division at the start of that arduous slog up Italy (including Monte Cassino in February an March 1944).

Soon after we arrived in Italy, Len stopped being my batman but he remained in my platoon (13) for many months and we developed a close bond in the active service conditions in which we existed. It was not long before he was promoted and became a Section Leader. He left my platoon in the summer of 1944 and gradually worked his way up the promotion ladder as the battalion fought its way up Italy to the River Rubicon in October 1944 before we moved to Greece until after VE Day in 1945. We both stayed in the Army after WW2 and I continued to follow his career and progress with interest.

After losing touch for some years Len and I started exchanging email messages about Regimental historical details for I know he was very proud of his old Regiment and its activities both during and after the war.

Aden 1965

Les Deacon (ex-Sergeant) writes;

The War Years: Len joined the 1st Bn. Royal Sussex Regiment in Egypt in 1943. In early December, the Regiment was moved to Italy where he took part in the fiercest of close-quarter fighting around Monte Casino. Len was in 13 PT., C Company. His platoon was reduced to only a few men.

After weeks on Snakes Head Ridge (Hill 593) he was evacuated from the line with severe frosbite to the feet. (Together with his wounded PT. Comd. 2/Lt. John Buckeridge and his wounded PT. Sgt Jimmy Parks)

The Regiment lost 12 Officers and 213 men, alone on 1 6thJl 7th Feb 1944. He returned from hospital and fought with

our now exhausted and decimated Regiment from Benevento, Italy northwards until relieved by 78th Div, near the end of March.

He was promoted to L/Cpl. Then Len moved with the Regiment to Greece until his demob from Austria in 1946.

He married Irene Gladys Buss on 7th Dec 1946 at the Tonbridge registry office as a Corporal.

He immediately re-enlisted into the Regiment and travelled with them to Palestine until 1948 as a Sgt. in the Orderly Room.

A daughter Dawn Irene was born on 1st Aug 1949 at Littlehampton. Len was promoted to C/Sgt and stationed at the Depot, Chichester.

The Career Years: Len rejoined the Regiment in Dover, then Tidworth.

His next big move was from Tidworth to Minden with the Regiment in 1954.

A son, Anthony was born on 3rd June 1954 in Minden.

Len then moved with the Regiment from Lingfield to Korea in 1956, reaching ROMS.

During the Regiment’s Gibraltar posting 1957/58, he was promoted to WOl and returned to Shornciiffe in 1959.

In 1960 he was commissioned at Holywood Bks, Northern Ireland.

He then left on his first Officer detachment to the Ghurkas in Nepal, with the family in Calcutta, India until 1962.

His second detachment took him and his family to NATO headquarters Rheindahlen, before returning to the Regiment in Shorncliffe in 1963.

Len’s family then moved to sunny Malta from 1963 until Nov 1965.

During this posting, he went on the Aden and Libya tours, and was promoted to Captain and MTO.

After a spell in Lydd, he moved with the Regiment to Lemgo, where he was Captain QM until 1969.

He was promoted to Major and moved to his last military detachment as the RQM of 21 SAS

(Artist Rifles) in Putney, London. This Regiment remembers him also, as one of the best QM’ S they ever had.

He left the Army in 1970, after 6 cap-badges and 28 Yrs and 9 months with the Colours.

Len “The Pipe” Smitherman: He was from childhood on, a keen footballer. He played for his Bn. And played in goal for the Army. Later Len created, trained and managed a very successful Regimental Football Team, together with CSM Chippy Wood. He was a gentle man, who was large in character and stature. He smoked his pipe from the age of 16 years until the end.

His first concern as an Officer was always dedicated to the livelihood of his men. Len was a dedicated Regimental man, who never forgot all his brothers in arms over the years, regardless of rank or status.

He was known as a brilliant logistician, especially when the pressure on and things went wrong. He carried a photographic memory of Casino and his war-time experiences in his head.

He was a fine Officer and gentleman and his passing, marks a loss for the Regiment and to all those who knew him.

The Civilian Years: After his release from the Army, Len moved straight to Adelaide, Australia with Wife Irene and son Michael.

Len worked in the Adelaide Education Dept Library until his retirement in 1980.

Unsettled he and Irene moved from Australia to New Zealand, to UK, to Canada and back to New Zealand in 1983. His dear wife, Irene Smitherman died in Nelson in 1997.

Len moved down to Waimangaroa, near Westport in 1998.

He spent his last years here, with a cat and a dog, his garden, his memoirs and his Computer. He kept in touch, via his computer with the Regiment,his comrades, friends and family around the world at the age of 83 yrs. He was always a loving and caring, Father and Grandfather.

Len “The Pipe” Smitherman passed away quietly on 15th Sept 2008 in a Christchurch hospital after a short ilhiess. His family was at his bedside.

His ashes were cast to the wind and sea at Nelson, NZ by Dawn Smitherman and the following generations.

Len leaves behind, his son Michael, his daughter Dawn, 4 Grandsons, 1 Granddaughter, 2 Great Grandsons and 1 Great Granddaughter.

William “Bill” Swingler

Bill Swingler was born in 1905 and died at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea on 21 sti January 2009.

Into these nearly 104 years he fitted a very full life , leaving his mark on all with whom he came in contact.

With the toughest imaginable childhood, cast out on the streets by his father, rescued by the NSPCC and fostered, he learnt how to survive from a very early age. Despite never having had a proper education he made the most of his life, for example taking an A-Level in biology in his 60’s.

In 1922 he enlisted in the Royal Sussex, serving with the 1St Battalion in Ireland before being posted to the 2nd Battalion in Singapore. With the 2nd he moved to India and the North West Frontier, engaging in all the activities of the pre war Imperial army; picketing the heights, camel management, coping with plague of locusts, shooting parties, and battalion sports and entertainment of every description. Bill was an excellent shot; in 1928 he won the cup in his junior ranks class and the Grand Aggregate Cup containing 200 Rupees (about £200 ir today’s money), beating two Bisley shots.

In 1930 he returned to UK to commence his 5 years Class A Reserve, but purchased his discharge from the Reserve to re-enlist in the 1st Battalion at Dover! (reflecting on Kipling’s words “You’re droppin’ the pick o the Army, because you don’t ‘elp ‘em remain”!) Promoted Lance Corporal he again purchased his discharge in 1933 to get married.

In 1936 he joined the City of London Regiment (TA) and was embodied into the Royal Berkshires when war broke out. He volunteered for Special Service in Norway in 1940. After fierce fighting around Bodo his unit, No 111 Independent Company, was withdrawn to UK where he rejoined 5 R.Berks. For D-Day the battalion was expanded into a Beach Group 3,000 strong. They consolidated the JUNO beach-head, receiving store and equipment over the beach until Mulberry was created. The battalion then resumed its infantry role pursuing the enemy across North-West Europe, by which time Bill was RQMS and Acting QM as the Q was sick. Approaching the Rhine his vehicle hit a tree, causing injuries to his arms and legs. He refuse evacuation, and during the Rhine crossing he was wounded. After the end of the war in Germany Bill returned home and was discharged in October 1945.

Bill’s granddaughter Tamsin Garland recalls his incredible energy and vitality, and the inspiration he was to others. He was a talented and active sportsman and his frequent quote was “use it or lose it”. Everyone at the Royal Hospital recalls his determination to climb the stairs rather than take the lift and his daily visit to the gym. Sadly his wife Violet had died in 1974; Bill had nursed her devotedly throughout her illness and missed her greatly. Tamsin treasures the memory of her own wedding in 1999, when Bill gave her away. He was already 94 but in the photographs he did not look a day over 75.

Bill’s spirit and determination stayed with him to the end. For the last seven or eight years he battled with cancer refusing to let it get the better of him despite repeated painful surgery. His children, grandchildren and his many friends remember with pleasure a remarkable man. In the final words of the Daily Telegraph’s “Lives Remembered”, his longevity was due to moderation in all things except, perhaps, fighting for King and Country!

Right: Bill receives Her Majesty’s Greetings Card on his 100 Birthday, from General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie Governor of the Royal Hospital

From the previous edition:

W. “Badger” Balcombe Sergeant 7th Bn; 109 (Royal Sussex) LAA Regt, RA (see obituary)

S. Bishop Private 5th Bn

0. Bridger Corporal 4th Bn; 6th Ba. (see obituary)

P. Burton Corporal 1st Bn; SAS (see obituary)

D.E.D.E. Butler 1stBn; REME

W.P.MacG. Cargill Major 1st Bn; Frontier Force Regt, Indian Army (see obituary)

A. Desborough 2nd Bn; Regimental Band

J. Earnes 1st Bn; Regimental Band

T. S. Frowd Lt Col 2nd Bn; RWAFF (see obituary)

J. Hams Corporal 5th Bn

A. Maile 9th Bn; Secretary, The Pinwe Club

J. Pluck Sergeant Depot; 1 Mx

L.J. Smeeth Corporal 4th Bn (see obituary)

J. Sprigg Corporal 1st Bn; Royal Fusiliers

L. Warwick Chichester Branch

L.G.Weston 1st Ba; QUEENS

OWEN BRIDGER

Owen Bridger was for many years the mainstay of the Branch. Barry Cobbold has provided us with an account of Owen’s wartime service written by himself, which is published below; while it is unusual for an individual to write his own obituary we thought it would be of general interest concerning his own wartime service, and of particular interest regarding the service of the 6th Battalion. This is what he said:

“ 49 Reunions

The 6th Battalion The Royal Sussex Regiment was reformed at the outbreak of the Second World War from the newer recruits of the 4th Battalion and made up to strength with two intakes of the first militia.

The first months of the War the Battalion based in 1 had very little training spending all the time guarding RAFBases (Tangmere, Thorney Island, Odiam etc.). The Battalion embarked for France in April /940 and were under canvas atAbancourt, again very little training was carried out because the Battalion came under Line of Communication command working on a bakery and the railways. It was during May after the Germans had invaded the low Countries amid rumours that the Battalion was moving that several members of No. I (Signal) Platoon said that f we returned safely from the War that we would all like to meet and it was decided that our rendezvous would be Brighton Station the first Sunday in June at 1200 hours. Almost immediately after we had made our pledge the Battalion was entrained and moved North after a lot of delays due to enemy bombing We passed through Amiens Station and saw the wreckage of the train that had been carrying the 7th Battalion. Just north of Amiens the railway track was damaged and our train was diverted to a siding at Ailly-s-Moye when the Battalion took up a position in a wood overlooking the village: and then amid the confusion and complete breakdown of communication it would seem the Battalion was forgotten. After 36 hours Lt. Col. Wannop not being able to contact any authority decided to withdraw the Battalion south. I am sure that many of us would not be here today if he had not made that decision. Contact with H. Q. L. of C. near Paris was eventually made and the Battalion was sent to Blain stacking petrol and ammunition that was still entering the country. The Battalion stayed at Blain until June 15th when we were ordered to march the 60 miles to St. Nazire. None of us will forget that march and the frustration when RAF lorry after lorry roared by and they were all empty! We were in position around St. Nazire when the ‘Lancastria’ was bombed and sunk in the harbour. We eventually embarked on the S. S. Floristan and because the ship was so overloaded (it was the last one) is struck a sandbank and was damaged and it took three days to reach Plymouth.

When we arrived on 2 June we were immediately entrained and 48 hours later arrived in Northumberland. It was here that the Battalion was joined by a large contingent from the Devonshire Regiment who were made welcome and quickly integrated into the Battalion. During the Autumn of 1940 the Battalion was in the Cambridge area to guard the airfields and approaches from any enemy airbourne landings; Duxford, Bassingbourn, and Marshalls were some of the airfields we guarded. After the threat of invasion had passed the Battalion got down to serious training when we were stationed at Dunstable, Southwold, Maidenhead Thetford, Shildon, Molton, Crowborough and Alnwick. During all this time the Signal Platoon stayed together as a close knit unit. Only occasionally were new Signallers transferred to the 1st Battalion or the Royal Corps or Signals. Before they left they were always reminded of our pledge made in France.

During May 1944 when we were stationed in A the Battalion was almost disbanded to provide re-enforcements for “D” Day and the Normandy campaign and we were all posted to different Regiments in small parties. So although there was no Royal Sussex Battalion involved in the Normandy campaign there was a lot of us serving in other Regiments.

Somehow we kept in touch during this time so that it was no surprise that on the first Sunday in June 1946 at 1200 hours on Brighton Station that some 20 members were re-united and we have met at the same time, same place every year since then.

It is sad that time has taken its toll and some good friends and comrades are no longer with us and now only ten of us meet every year. We have returned to France on two occasions to mark different anniversaries of our reunions; finding the wood as Ailly-s-Moye and the field at Abancourt where we first made that pledge. All of us that live in Sussex are members of the Regimental Association and are members of the Hastings, Arundel and Midhurst Branches.

If this account stirs memories of any ex-Signal Platoon member or indeed any member from H.Q. Coy. 6th Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment they would always be welcome to join us to talk over old times.”

Roussillon Gazette Editors’ note; Regimental Signallers always were something rather special!

CORPORAL CHARLES BURTON

Charlie Burton died in 2002 and for some reason we missed publishing an Obituary for this remarkable ex-member of the Regiment. Our attention was drawn to this omission by his late Signal Platoon Commander, Captain Jonathan Fletcher; and we are pleased to reproduce his obituary from the Daily Telegraph below. Corporal Burton will be remembered by his fellow signallers and battalion Rugby players in Malta in the middle GO’s:

(The Daily Telegraph - 15th July 2002)

Charlie Burton, who died yesterday (14th July 2002) aged 59, was the tough, high-spirited companion of Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Bt, on the first circumnavigation of the world on its polar axis.

Starting off from Greenwich on September 2 1979, they sailed down the Meridian to Cape Town, then on to the Antarctic where a party of four; Fiennes, Burton, Oliver Shepard plus Fiennes’s wife Ginnie and the family terrier Bothie - were duly deposited.

The team brought with them scientific equipment and several board games; Burton, who claimed to know nothing about chess, was charged with conducting matches with the American, South African and Russian stations by radio

Leaving Lady Fiennes at Borga to maintain radio contact, the three men forged a previously unventured 900-mile route to the Pole. It was a relatively smooth passage.

Using aneroid barometers to map their way, they even had to slow down at one stage to enable their supply plane to find them. After reaching their destination, they headed for the Scott base at McMurdo Sound on the other side of the continent to be greeted by a piper.

As the expedition turned north, the pressures became noticeable. Shepard’s wife asked him to give up; and Burton coped with any strain by marrying his girlfriend “Twink” when the expeditioners halted in Sydney.

When Burton and Fiennes reached the Yukon, Burton was particularly struck by the enormous mosquitoes, which he described as “flying Jack Russells’, He was gratef for the case of whiskey sent up from Tennessee by the Jack Daniels company, though he grumbled that large amounts went down the throats of the thirsty reporters covering the story.

After being driven north, the pair took a 16 ft boat through the Northwest Passage, with Burton at the helm, and headed north until the vessel became stuck in the ice off Ellesmere Island.

They then skied over the glaciers to Base Alert, a grueling experience for Burton when the soles came off his feet, though he suggested they rested only when he fell over and struck his face on a rock.

By then they knew that both French and Norwegian parties were headed in the same direction. With Lady Fiennes established at Base Alert to maintain radio contract, the two men set off on snowmobiles.

Their troubles began to mushroom. A fire at Alert destroyed much of the supplies for which they were waiting. Four hundred and fifty miles from the Pole, the pair found themselves stranded in temperatures of minus 30 degrees with only a week’s supply of food.

On one occasion, Burton clutched on to Fiennes’s snowmobile with frozen hands as it sank into open seawater while his companion rescued some vital pieces of equipment. Since much of their protective clothing was lost, they were driven to sharing a sleeping bag for 24 hours until a new snowmobile was hazardously delivered by a Swiss charter pilot.

Burton, who was expedition cook and radio operator, established during one transmission that Britain was at war; but it was five days before he discovered that it was with Argentina. A freak warm spell prevented them from using the machines properly.

Then, after having to cut their way through successive ice walls, they got on to an ice floe the size of a football field, from which they had to transfer when it collided with another as the waters carried them north. Eventually they arrived at the Pole, celebrating their success ahead of the Norwegians with “a nicely chilled magnum”.

They had become the first people to reach both poles in a single journey of some 52,000 miles.

However, the excitements were not over. Fiennes shot a 12 ft tall polar bear through the ankle, 12 yards from Burton, after it climbed on to their ice floe. As the floe disintegrated into smaller pieces, they became alarmed when the wind carried them back north.

But after three months, they met their ship, which was jammed in the ice between Greenland and Spitzbergen. The expedition had taken them three years and two days by the time it finally retumed to Greenwich.

The son of a commander in the Royal Navy, Charles Robert Burton was born on December 13 1942 and went to Millfield before joining the Royal Sussex Regiment. He came out to start a business in South Africa and, after returning to London, enlisted as a Territorial in the SAS with Fiennes and Shepard as they were planning their expedition.

On returning home, Burton and Fiennes received the Polar Medal, with Antarctic and Arctic clasps, while Shepard received the Arctic clasp. However, Burton was particularly delighted by a Jak cartoon in the London Evening Standard which showed “Twink”, in her curlers, saying on the telephone that he would only sleep in a fridge.

A decade later, Burton and Shepard rang to suggest a second expedition though, this time, on foot and without support. Fiennes protested that it would be impossible, prompting Burton’s standard response: “Shut your mouth, or I’ll smash your teeth”.

When the trio met next day at the Royal Geographical Society, Fiennes pointed out that since neither dogs nor machines could manage the terrain, there was no chance for men. “Balls,” shouted Burton, “Captain Scott was absolutely right in reckoning manpower to be the efficient method. Our journey will prove it.”

Shepard then clinched the idea by saying: If we don’t do the journey, somebody else will.” However, Burton and Shepard eventually pulled out, giving up the pleasures of participation for those of organisation.

Burton later explained that once Fiennes became competitive he would regard any signs of enjoyment as tantamount to mutiny and insist they travel faster. Instead, Fiennes completed the first unsupported crossing of the Antarctic continent with Mike Stroud.

Burton went into the private security business, looking after the Cabinet Office and the Treasury Office, and played much golf in his spare time. He is survived by his wife.

MAJOR W.P.Mac G. CARGILL

Paul Cargill was born at Lucknow, India, on 22nd April 1920, where his father was a Civil Engineer. He was educated at Malvern College, Worcestershire, and his parents returned to England in 1934 eventually settling in Hove. When war broke out Paul enlisted and after training at Eaton Hall was commissioned in the Royal Sussex and seconded to the Frontier Force Regiment in northern India. With the FFR he campaigned in Burma when the Japanese entered the war.

At war’s end he returned to UK and, after marrying Margaret, rejoined the 1st Battalion of his Regiment in Suez. Margaret joined him there in 1951 but after a few months the Egyptians abrogated the Treaty, and together with all the Battalion families they occupied a tent in Hodgson’s Camp, from where the families were evacuated to UK. After serving on with 1 R.Sussex in the Canal Zone and returning home, Paul was seconded to the Parachute Regiment and was promptly sent back to Egypt! Back with the Battalion in Korea, he was appointed to command the Royal Infantry Guard Company (Royal Sussex) and was presented with a Letter of Appreciation by the Adjutant General of the Republic of Korea Army.

On rejoining his family in Gibraltar Paul was disappointed to miss his battalion’s service in Benghazi, but instead he successfully trained and converted the Gibraltar Defence Force into an infantry unit, the Gibraltar Regiment.

When the Battalion returned to Lingfield the Cargills rented a house in Uckfleld, and then after a few months in Northern Treland Paul retired and they bought a large house and grounds in Scotland near Perth with the intention of breeding mink; but these animals had other ideas and the project was abandoned! Paul joined the Prison Service and worked as Assistant Governor at a number of prisons including Dartmoor and Wormwood Scrubs. On retirement the Car-gills settled in Worthing where Paul continued his love of animals with a Dachshund that lived for 16 years. He sadly died on 8th January 2008, and his friends say they miss his dry humour, rye smile and twinkling eye. We offer our sincere condolences to Margaret and his family.

LT COL T.S. FROWD

“Ermie” Frowd was born in 1908 in Swanwick, Hants; the son of a naval officer. As a teenager living in Portsmouth he becameafrdicated Pompey fan.jetaining his,.interestjn The club until his death aged 99 on Christmas Day 2007. Why “Ermie”? - because at some stage in the 20s he played “Ermintrude” in a pantomime - nicknames stuck in those days! (His real name was Trevor).

After Malvern College he went to Sandhurst and in 1929 he was commissioned in the Royal Sussex, serving with our 2nd Battalion on the North-West Frontier of India, and subsequently during the Dunkirk campaign. In the latter he led his platoon, which had become detached, across country; and was one of the last groups to arrive at the Beaches, from where he saw them safely home to England. He served subsequently in North Affica, and with the staff in the Mediterranean area.

Ermie had married Diana in the late 30s and in the SOs they based themselves in Lavant near Chichester, bringing up their children Gerald, Caroline and Patricia.

After service with the Royal West African Frontier Force, Ermie retired in 1958; and the family moved to Sturminster Newton, where he became a Retired Officer at Bovington Camp and filled his life further with Presidency of the local RBL and Chairmanship of the Hinton St Mary Cricket Club, with whom he played into his seventies. After 25 years in Dorset, Diana sadly died and Ermie moved to Eastcombe near Stroud, to be near Caroline and his grandchildren.

We offer our sincere condolences to all his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, by whom he is sorely missed, with his quiet, kindly humour and his fund of stories.

WILLIAM “BADGER” BALCOMBE

After recruit training at Chichester, Badger went to France with 7th Bn, The Royal Sussex Regiment in 1940. On 18th May 1940 the battalion was bombed while entrained in Amiens station and suffered heavily. They detrained and on 20th May took part in the devastating battle with Rommel’s Panzer Division outside Amiens. Armed with rifles and 50 rounds per man and a few Brens and Boyes Anti Tank rifles, the 7th Battalion held up the Germans for 24 hours before being over-run. 140 were killed; Badger was among the 197 that escaped back to UK. There they were reconstituted into 109 (Royal Sussex) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. The regiment went to North West Europe after D-Day and Badger attained the rank of Sergeant.

Badger, whose home was in Chailey, was a loyal member of our Lewes Branch and of the 7th Battalion Old Comrades. He was quite a character, always greeting one with a ready smile. He was a keen gardener, supplying his friends and neighbours with fresh vegetables; and being so popular he will be sadly missed by alt who knew him. No one yet has been able to tell us why he was nicknamed “Badger”! Any offers?

(The Editor is indebted to Tony Verth, late 7th Battalion, for this obituary)

JOHN SMEETH

John was born on Hayling Island in 1918, the son of a shepherd. How then did John become Royal Sussex and not Royal Hampshire? Because shortly after, his father became a shepherd on the Goodwood Estate and John grew up in West Sussex.

After leaving school at 14 John got a job at Irene garage in Westergate near Chichester and soon after he learnt to drive, passing his test in 1938. In 1939 he joined our 4th Battalion (TA) and in March 1940 went with the 4th to France as part of 133(Royal Sussex) Brigade. During the passage he acted as escort to his CO, “Bolo” Whistler and to the Brigade Commander, Brigadier Whitty.

During the retreat to Dunkirk, John had the misfortune to be captured by the Germans. He spent the War in Germany and Poland, working in coal mines and factories, often poorly treated and suffering numerous illnesses. But during this period he kept a diary of 40 pages and several hundred words. He was liberated by 7th Armoured Division at Fallingbostel on 21st April 1945 and flew home in a Dakota, complete with his diaries. During his time as a POW he was promoted Corporal.

John had met his future wife Molly before the War and they were married in June 1945. They spent their married life in Chichester, raising a family, with John having a number ofjobs in Chichester and Bognor Regis. When he retired in 1980 John took on what he made a full time job as Welfare Officer of the Chichester Branch of our Regimental Association. He was always out and about visiting our old soldiers and their widows. His wife supported him in this work and when at last he had to give it up the Chichester Branch presented him with a painting, especially commissioned, by Charles Stadden.

When John’s wife died in 2001 he moved into Glebe House, Southbourne, where he lived comfortably until 4th May this year (2008) when he sat down to read his paper, closed his eyes, and left us. No fuss, no drama, just the way he would have wanted to have gone.

To quote his son Nigel:

“Loving, caring, devoted and always willing to help other people. He rarely moaned and always had a smile and a cheery word. In the introduction to his war memoirs Dad said simply; ‘during my time as a prisoner of war I simply tried to do what seemed right each day, as each day came along’. An excellent motto for us all, and I think he achieved that, not just during the war, but throughout his lifetime; “Farewell old soldier!”.

(The Editor is indebted to Nigel Smeeth for the notes on which this Obituary is based)

These Last Posts are reproduced from the ROUSSILLON GAZETTE Winter 2008 Edition