The old guard passes : January-March 2023

We mark the passing of those who have served this country. Contributions from comrades and relatives welcome. Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

BACKHOUSE Major Jonathan de la Condamine Backhouse Jan 2023

BLANCHARDE Sqn Ldr Brian John Heenry Blancharde died 31 Dec 2 aged 89

BOCEK Emil Boceck 25 Feb 1923 - 25 March 2023 Escaped Czechoslovakia 1939 aged 16. Joined Free Czechs in France.Transfred to RAF 312 Sqn mechanic. Applied for pilot training.310 Sqn flying Spitfires escorting bombers. Post war returned to Brno. After fall of communism made honorary General. Letter from King Chares on 100th birthday

BROADBENT Captain Peter Reginald Broadbent RN OBE died 17 March 2023 aged 89

BROWN Flt Sgt Peter Brown 1926- March 2023.. Born Jamaica. Travelled to UK, RAFVR 1943. Radio operator, air gunner, Lancaster. Later MoD

BRUCE Lt Col Lady Martha Veronica Bruce OBE, TD 7 November 1921 - 22 January 2023 ATS AA London.i/c WRAC Bn perth (with 51st Highland Division) Later prison governor

CRAWFORD Col Jach Crawford died 4 March 2023 aged 93. Royal Engineers

EHRMANN RalphRudolf Mathias "Airman" Ehrmann 8 March 1925 - 10 Jan 2023 Born Leipzig. British citizen 1939. RAFVR Bomb aimer - Navigator

CROSS Gp Capt William Michael Cross died 9 Nov 22 aged 80

FARLEY SUTTON Capt Colin David Farley Sutton RN died 15 Jan 23 aged 91

FORBES OF CORSE Major Sir Andrew Forbes of Corse died 8 March 23 aged 77

FRANEY Flt Lt John Edward Franey DFC and Bar 1 March 1922 - 10 November 2022 Trained on Welingtons as navigator 100 Sqn 30 missions Lancasters NW Euope to Italy (first DFC) 105 Sqn Pathfinder Mosquitoes 72 missions. D-Day marking . Final mission Battle of the Bukge. 1945 2nd DFC. One of few survivors of 100+ missions

GIBB Col Francis Farquharson Gibbs CBE died 11 Jan 23 aged 81 Royal Scots

GOAD Brig Kevin Goad CBE RAOCdied 22 March 23 

GUNNING Capt John Pierce Gunning RN died 6 March 23 aged 89

HAYES Lt Cdr Francis Anthony Murray Hayes

HOOPER Ralph Spenser Hooper OBE 30 Jan 1926 - 12 Dec 22 Aeronautical Engineer - Hawker Hunter P1127 (Harrier prototype) Hawk

HOPE John Obre Hope died 17 Nov 22 aged 81. Army

KNIGHT Air Chief Marshall Sir Michael William Patrick  Knight KCB, AFC 23 Novemner 193 - 28 Nov 22 (later Flying Officer RAFVR) Tranport Command, Bomber Command Hastings, Canberra 249 Sqn c/o 32 Sqn. Singapore, NATO, C/o RAF Laarbruch. Finally UK MilRep NATOCdr 1 Gp - Vulcan raid on Falklands Op Black Buck 

MARSHALL Wing Cdr Ian Marshall died 5 Jan 23 201 Sqn and 38 Sqn

MIECZKOWSKI Major Zbigniew Leon Mieczkowski 22 June 1922 - 19 Dec 2022 evacuated from France Op Aerial Polish 1st Armoured Division . Normandy end July 44 Op Totalize (wounded) Falaise Pocket Polish Cross of Valour. Liberation of Oberlangen concentration camp (Warsaw uprising prisoners)

MITCHELL Wing Cdr Neil Mitchell MBE died 6 March 23 aged 74

MURRAY BROWN Col David Andrew Robert Murray Brown Queens Royal Irish Hussars died 8 Feb 23

O'NEIL Major Terence O'Neil Royal Artillery, Royal Corps of Transport Germany (BAOR Heavyweight Champion) Later founded security firms

PEASE Flg Off Guy Edward Chaloner Pease.MBE RAF flying instructor USA, 268 Sqn shot down over France. Escaped. Recaptured, Stalag Luft III. Westward march. Escaped from Russian liberators and reached Americans on Elbe

PIERSON Cp Capt Michael John Walgate Pierson

POULTER Captain Anthony Mervyn Poulter RN OBE died 10 March 23 

RAWBONE Rr Adm Alfred Raymond ( Ray)  Rawbone CB, AFC 19 April 1923 -12 March 23 aged 99 Joined RN 1942tem sub lt (air) RFVR 809 NAS HMS Stalker Mediterranean, Burma, Sumatra, Malaya, Singapore 117 Optnl sorties . 736 Sqn ic Fleet Air Arm jet training . Navigator HMS Redpole. c/o 897 NAS (seahawks, Op Musketeer Suez) HMS Eagle. Cdr HMS Lock Killisport Cdr (air) RNAS Lossiemouth, HMS Ark Royal. Flag OIfficer Naval Air Command. c/o RNAS Yeovilton. c/o HMS Kentt. DACS (ops) to NATO Saceur

RIXON Col Michael Edward Chaston Rixon died 17 Nov 22 aged 91

ROBERTS Brigadier Frank Roberts died 9 Jan 23 aged 83

ROBERTS Maj Gen Sir Sebastian John Lechmere Roberts KCVO OBE 7 Jan 1954 - 9 March 23 Irish Guards Op Agila Rhodesia Cos 4 Armoured Bgde Germany MA to 2 CGS's. Ist Irish Guards i/c N Ireland . Wrote The Military Covenant. Dir of PR (Army) GOC London District, MG Household Divn RCDS CoS

ROBINSON Captain (QM) Robert (Bob) James Robinson DCM 22 March 1923 - 2 November 2022 1st Bn Royal Irish Fusiliers.Morocco, Tunisia, (wounded) Sicily (wounded) Italy Gothic Line as a Sgt led a patrol encountered a company, attacked, wounded, evacuated his men (DCM) CSM at 21. Commissioned Berlin and Kenya

SCRASE-DICKINS Major Mark Frederick Hakon Scrase-Dickins CMG 31 May 1936 - 10 November 2022 Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Commissioned into 1 Rifle Brigade. (3rd Bn Royal Green Jackets) Malaya MiD, Aden. A-de-C CIGS Borneo.India. Hong Kong, Geemany. Transfered to SIS.Laos, Oman, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Kuwait. Controller UK

SHEPPARD Maj Gen Peter Sheppard CB, CBE died 22 Feb 23

SUTTON Captain Colin David Farley Sutton RN died 15 Jan 23 aged 91

TARVER Col Mark Ransom Tarver OBE died 15 March 23 aged 84

TIDY Sgt Bill Tidy MBE 9 Oct 1933- 11 March 2023 Royal Engrs German, Korea, Japan. Later cartoonist

VIALOU-CLARK Col Harry Vialou-Clark MBE died 2 March 23

VICKERY Col Michael (Mike) Jon Howorth Vickery OBE 15 June 1947 - 13 Dec 22.14th/20th King's Hussars Germany Northern Ireland, Shrivenham, led his tank regt in Op Desert Storm (4AB)  regt destroyed 50+ Iraqi tanks MoD Op requiremnts 

WHITELEY Major Geoffery Whitely RM died 10 Nov 22 aged 85

WILSON Cdr Rosie Wilson OBE died 19 Jan 23