The old guard passes - July - December 2025

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

This is the last "Old guard" listing for the foreseeable future although there may be occasional special features

ADAIR Professor John Adair – Led military leadership doctrine; former Scots Guards officer (National Service)18 May 1934 - 1 November 2025.

BATHFELTON Monty (Feltz) Felton DFC Navigator 6 Nov 1923 – 15 Oct 2025 32 missions over NW Europe. 10 Sqn Halifaxes "special crew"URST Adm of the Fleet Sir David Benjamin Bathurst GCB 27 May 1936 - 12 Oct 25 HMS Bulwark (Suez) , HMS Sturdy HMS Takent (submarines) HMS Wollaston off Algeria, Malta, Israel, Cyprus Fleet Air Arm 820 Sqn HMS Eagle 2 i/c HMS Norfolk (on which King Charles served) HMS Adroane Cdr 5th Frigate Sqn Director Naval Air Warfar time of Falklands Flag Officer 2nd Flotilla West Indies (invasion of Grenada) C-in-C Fleet VCDS First Sea Lord/CNS Last chief of staff advanced to 5 star

BITTLES Brig William James Bittles OBEdied 24 Oct 25 aged 89 Royal Artillery

BRIGHTY (Anthony) David Brighty CMG, CVO 7 February 1939 – 28 Oct 25 Diplomat

BROOK Maurice Brook OBE 19 Oct 1924 – 20 Set 25 RAF VR Navigator 625 Sqn 15 missions NW Europe (inc V" factory) plus Op Manna (last survivor)

BROWNE Sqn Ldr William Norman Browne DC QCVS 20 Aug 1947 - 24 July 25 Navigator 893 Sqn Sea Vixen HMS Hermes 43 Sqn Phantom (flew Goose Bay to RAF Greenham Common in record time to celebrate 60th anniversary of Alcock and Brown with Sqn Ldr Tony Allcock) RAF Wildenrath. 16 Sqn Bucaneers. RAF Laarbruch. 208 Sqn Gulf War guided 10 Paveways from Tornados and one direct bombing NATO, RAF Lossiemouth training on Tornados. Later RAFA RBL

BUSK Major General Leslie Busk

CAMPBELL Walter Menzies 'Ming' Lord Campbell of PittenweemCH,KG, KC 22 May 1941 - 26 Sept 25 Patron UK Defence Forum UK Record holder 4x100 m (Tokyo Olympics 100m record. MP for NE Fife,Defence spokesman, HCDC Leader of Liberal Democrats

CHAMBERS Major Christopher 'Kit' Chambers KSLI died 4 Sept 25

CHRISTIE Renfrew Leslie Christie 11 Sept 49 - 21 Dec 25 Contributor to Defence Viewpoints. Revealed S Africa nuclear weapons programme (6 devices dismantled by Mandela Govt) Arrested on terrorism charges, tortured confession. Read out by judge in open court revealing programme and how to sabotage it. Sentenced to 10 years, some on Death Row

COLERIDGE Mafor Lord William Duke Coleridge 18 June 1937 - 19 November 2025 2nd Bn Coldstream Guards Germany, Kenya, Adan, Radfahan, 2ic Guards Oarachute Company, Malaya, Hong Kong, Norway, Finland, Kenya, N Ireland, Cyprus, Kenya

FENWICK Major Charles XS Fenwick LVO died 17 Nov 25 aged 79 Grenadir Guards Extra Equerry to HRH Duke of Edinburgh

FOAKES Col Stephen Foakes TD died 8 Dec 25 aged 75

GODWIN Captain Elizabeth 'Lizzie' Helen Godwin 7 Feb 1997 – 5 Sept 25 first woman commissioned into Life Guards. Sovereign's Escort King's Coronation and HM Queen Elizabeth funeral

GRESHAM Cdr Brian Gresham RN, OBE died 7 Aug 25 aged 97
GURNEY WO 1st Class Peter Edwin Spencer Gurney MBE, GM and bar 12 December 1931 – 19 September 25 RAOC bomb disposal N Ireland Later Metropolitan Police bomb disposal inc attack on 10 Downing St
HARRIS Captain Edward 'Ned' Gordon Charles Harris 20 Aug 1985 – 26 Aug 25 Coldstream Guards (later NCO Ukranian International Legion where lost a leg) 2i/c and Ops Officer 2 Company, Afghanistan

HASELL Captain Roland Hasell RN died 21 Oct 25 aged 87

HENRY Wren Ruth June (later Bourne) Legion d'Honneur 2June 1926 – 17 June 25 Bletchley Park (Eastcote, Stanmore out stations) Bombe operator

LEE Captain Tim Lee

MATTHEWS George Rex 'Tex' Matthews MM 11 Jan 1933 – 4 October 25 Grenadier Guards (Cyprus, Borneo) became G Sqn 22 SAS squadron sgt major (later Major in Oman Special Forces) Dhofar. Brixmis mission to Soviet forces in E Germany

MCCLUSKEY Wing Cdr Roy McCluskey AFC ied 1 Nov 25 aged 86

O'NEILL Hugh Detmar Thomas O'Neill (later 3rd Baron Rathcavan) 14 June 1939 – 11 Nov 25 Commissioned Irish Guards, Cyprus. Windsor Castle Singapore

PIGGOTT Captain David Pggott RN died 15 Oct 25 aged 79

POLLOCK Flt Lt Alan Richard Pollock 1 March 1936 - 1 July 25 26 Sqn Germany, Aden 1 Sqn. Protesting defence cuts, first jet fighter pilot to fly throughTower Bridge invalided out of RAF

PRESTON Brig Roger St Clair Preston CBE died 5 Oct 25 aged 89

ROBINSON Col (RM) Nichoas Michael Robinson died 7 Oct 2025 aged 78

ROUSE Col Adrian Dermot Rouse MBE died 3 July 25 aged 99 Roal Warwickshires, Devon and Dorset Regt India, Kenya, Uganda, Cyprus, Borneo

RUTLEDGE Maj Gen Malcolm John Rutledge CB OBE died 26 Oct 25

SPICKMAN Col Robert Anthony (Tony) Spickman died 16 Oct 25 aged 94 Royal Artillery

THORP Geoff Thorp RAF died 4 Nov 25

TOD Vice Adm Sir Jonathan James Richard Tod CBE 26 March 1939 – 16 Sept 25 RNAS Scimitar, Buccaneer, Sea Venom HMS Hermes HMS Ark Royal Hawker Hunter. Bombed Torrey Canyon. c/o HMS Brighton . Cabinet Office Intelligence warnings about Falkland Islands ignored c/o HMS Fife c/o HMS Illustrious Flag Officer, Portsmouth ACDS (Policy and Nuclear) Dep C in C Fleet oversaw PJHQ

YOUNG Cdr Anthony Charles (Joe) Young OBE died 9 Oct 25 aged 93