George Baker on Fri 5 Sep 2003, aged 89, in
hospital. Universally known as ‘Charlie Baker of the
Band’ he served with the 1st, 2nd and 4th Bns. CBOTB
was a regular correspondent with jokes, quiz questions
and news of former Bandsmen. His father served with the
Norfolks, a POW in 1914, and became a Sgt in the Norfolk
Home Guard. One of 15 children, George joined 2 R
Norfolk in 1936 and served with them and with the 1st Bn
for 22 years in Aldershot, India, Gibraltar and Germany.
At the end of WW2 the bands were reformed and the 2nd Bn
band toured Italy before being posted to Colchester. At
the 1948 wedding of Major Hubert Holden MC and Miss
Elizabeth Herbert, The Regimental Band lent 4 trumpeters
and 4 trombonists. Supported by a tympanist they sounded
2 most impressive fanfares from the balcony under the
West window. George was one of the trumpeters and each
player was presented with a fountain pen. Then it was by
sea to Hong Kong and retirement as a Sgt. George then
worked the GPO and joined 4 R Norfolk, and served with
them from 1959 to 1966, eventually being appointed WO1
Bandmaster, a position held until the axe fell on the
TA. After helping to form the Royal British Legion Band
and becoming their BM, George finally retired to listen
to Band Music.
On a most appropriate warm ‘Indian Summer’ late
September afternoon in 2003 the Regiment paid its last
respects to Charlie in a packed chapel at St Faiths. His
last journey detoured by Britannia Barracks! Present
were former colleagues of his pre-war Band Service,
along with some from the 4th Bn as well as those who
just wanted to be there. His coffin, draped with the
Union Flag, bearing a No 1 hat with Norfolk badge, his
belt and medals, was borne by his sons Mark and Edmund,
grandson Timothy and great-grandson Philip, all wearing
Royal Norfolk ties.
Rarely has Norfolk Editor heard such lusty singing at St
Faiths. For this legendary man of music it was
accompanied in splendid style by the uniformed Cawston
Band, with whom Charlie learned to play the cornet at
the age of 10 in 1924.
His daughter Jennifer read a poem to this very popular
man:
‘Special
people touch our lives,
in everything they do,
and leave us changed
long after they have gone.
The gifts
they gave us
can become
a part of who we are
a legacy of beauty that lives on.’
David
Woodrow played Last Post and Reveille. Charlie is
survived by his widow Joan, whom he married in 1942,
children Jennifer, Mark and Edmund, many grandchildren
and great grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by a
daughter, Margaret, tragically killed in an accident at
the age of 19. JLR
B&C 101 |
David Bissett, suddenly,
in Sep 03, aged 32, son of A (Norfolk Coy) 6 R Anglian
Sgt Gwyneth Bissett. The music from ‘Chariots of Fire’
introduced the funeral service at Sprowston Church. The
Regt was represented by A (Norfolk and Suffolk Coy),
East of England Regt Chief Clerk Viv Warder and PSAO
Capt Tam Steele, TA Centre Caretaker Nancy Barnard, Maj
and Mrs John L Raybould.
B&C 101
|
Joe
Bullen on 21 Apr 2003. He served with the
4th Bn.
B&C 101
|
Mrs Emily Burton,
peacefully in Torbay Hospital, on 20 Jun 2003. Her
husband, Lt Col Reginald Burton, died in Oct 2003.
B&C 101
|
Lt
Col Reginald Stewart
Merceron Burton on 12 Oct 2003 aged 87,
in Devon. His service commenced as an SRO in 1937,
attached to the 1st Bn Yorks and Lancs then, in
1938, he was posted to 1st Bn Gordon Highlanders. Reggie
served with The Royal Norfolk 1st Bn 1939-41 and
1948-49, 2nd Bn 1939 and 1946-47, 4th Bn 1941-45 as
a PoW. After Staff College in 1949, where he qualified
psc, Reggie served 1950-52 as Bde Major with 99
Gurkha Bde in N Malaya, where he was Mentioned in
Despatches. From 1953-56 he was at RMCS (The Royal
Military College of Science). A number of Staff
Appointments followed; TSO 2 in Woolwich and Ottowa, TSO
1 Ordnance Board 1962-64 and RARDE 1964-69. Reggie
retired in 1969 after 32 years of service. He wrote a
book, ‘Railway of Hell’, in the Pen and Sword
series, of his Japanese PoW experiences of war, capture
and forced labour. ‘He vividly yet calmly and with
great dignity, describes the horror of captivity at the
hands of the Japanese.’ ISBN 0-85052-872-0. He was
predeceased by his wife Emily in Jun 2003. JLR
B&C 101 |
Capt
Tom A Carter
of cancer, on 25 Feb 2002. Tom was the son of Dr Hermann
Kantorowicz, a distinguished academic, and the following
account is by his brother, Frank. Tom was educated at
the Perse School, Cambridge and served with the R
Norfolk Regt in Burma and India. After taking his degree
in Modern Languages he taught for a year at Besancon and
then for 12 years at Clifton College. In 1962 he joined
the foundation staff at the Kurt Hahn inspired Atlantic
College in S Wales as head of their language department.
There, he established the first ‘language laboratory’
in a British School. Tom sparked the idea which grew
into the international Baccalaureate, with which he was
involved for over 30 years, for 5 of which he was
Chairman of the Board. There are now over 700
participating schools in every corner of the globe. For
20 years he was a Senior Lecturer at Southampton
University. In retirement he continued a lifelong
interest in the underprivileged and worked tirelessly
for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau and the Southampton
Unemployed Centre. He is survived by his wife Veronica,
3 children and 4 grandchildren.
Sent by Keith McDougall - from the Gonville and Cauis
Annual Report, Cambs University.
B&C 101 |
|
 WO2
Tommy Gilbert Catlin MM
of Hatfield in Apr 2003, aged 83. Enlisting at Nelson
Barracks in Jun 1940 he joined the 1st Bn in Sep 1940,
aged 20. He was quickly promoted to CSM, one of the
youngest. Tommy was not a tall man but what he lacked in
height was made up in his care and concern for his men.
He was well respected, conscientious, and a very good
soldier. Brisk and alert in manner, he was always
bright, cheerful and very helpful.
Tommy landed with 1 R Norfolk on D-Day, 6 Jun 1944, on
the Normandy beaches, fought with the Bn in front of
Caen and moved forward with his Coy for the closing
stages of the campaign in Normandy. To counter the
breakout in Normandy, the enemy had concentrated the
major part of its force in the centre and eastern part
of the Allied Front, to which 1 R Norfolk moved in Aug.
On 6 Aug 1944 1 R Norfolk took over a position held by
3rd Bn The Monmouthshire Regt. The takeover was almost
complete when at 5.30 pm heavy shelling occurred at the
rear of the Bn.
Just before 6 pm the enemy were seen approaching. Tommy
was CSM of C Coy, on the right flank. The battle raged
for 3 hours. By 8.30 pm the coy, normally more than 100
strong, was down to 35 all ranks yet fighting went on
until well after 10 pm. Tommy was badly wounded in this
action. For ‘His sense of responsibility, personal
courage and leadership’ in this action, Tommy was
awarded the MM, pinned on by Monty. (See below. Ed.)
He was hospitalised in France then in Worcester and
Newquay. When recovered, Tommy went to A Coy in the
Spring of 1945 at the Norwich Depot, serving in Ludham.
Subsequently transferred, with others, to 2nd Bn The
Royal Warwickshire Regt. In Sep 1945 he was appointed
CSM of D Coy with whom he served in Belgium, Jerusalem
and Egypt until demobilisation in Aug 1946. Tommy was an
exemplary soldier, extremely capable and an outstanding
man of proven ability in organisation and
administration. His family held him in high regard but,
unfortunately, his wife pre-deceased him, a loss he
found hard to bear. (Nevertheless, he wrote the B&C
100 Jun 03 obituary for James Driscoll. Ed.)
A staunch supporter of the London Branch, Tommy was a
regular attender at the Association Dinners held in
Norwich. He attended the Regimental Association Dinner in
Sep 02 and was photographed with London Branch
members. That photograph was in B&C 99 Dec 02.
Tommy, pre-deceased by his wife in 2002, is survived by
his son Max.
At Tommy’s funeral service at St Mary’s in South
Mimms on 10 Apr 03, a Guard of Honour of his comrades
from the 1st Bn paid their last respects to a great
friend, a trusted comrade and a good man. JLR
and Capt John Lincoln MC Tommy’s
citation for his MM, from History of the Norfolk
Regt 1939-1945, follows:
5778593 Company Sergeant Major T Catlin, Military Medal
(awarded for Bravery in the Field and presented by
General, later Field Marshal, Bernard Montgomery).
On 6 Aug 1944, during a heavy attack on the battalion
position by elements of the 10th SS Panzer Division, the
company HQ was wiped out with the exception of this
warrant officer. Three tanks had penetrated the company
position, one of which was causing much damage and
casualties to the company. CSM Catlin appreciated, quite
rightly, that this tank, a Tiger, must be destroyed,
else a deep wedge would be driven into the battalion
position. Alone, he remained in the company HQ area,
passing the necessary orders, and then he saw one of our
tanks moving up to engage.
Immediately, CSM Catlin left his fire position, ran
across to the friendly tank, all the while under small
arms fire, and jumped on it to give the exact location
of the Tiger. As he was talking to the tank commander
they received a direct hit and the CSM was badly
wounded. He was brought back to the RAP but not before
he had passed through Bn HQ to see the Commanding
Officer and give him the situation in his company area.
This warrant officer did wonders throughout. His sense
of responsibility, personal courage and leadership were
of the highest order. His services to the battalion
during this attack can hardly be equalled in this
campaign.’
(In 1944 Tommy Catlin was but 24 years of age. We last
saw him in Norfolk at the Regimental Association Dinner in Sep 02
when he was photographed with the London Branch. That
photograph was in B&C 99 Dec 02.
His own comments concerning his 1944 deeds, in ‘Thank
God and the Infantry’ by Capt John Lincoln MC,
were: ‘I jumped on one of the tanks of the Forfar and
Fife Yeomanry and was in the process of giving details
when the tank received a direct hit and I was blown off,
receiving a shrapnel wound in the abdomen. A short while
after this we lost our Bren Gun Carrier, blown up by an
88mm shell, losing our reserve ammunition and stores and
once again I was hit by shrapnel.’ After surgery at a
Field General Hospital Tommy was flown back to England
and hospital. ‘To me personally, just a wartime
soldier, it was an honour to have served in the Regt
with great people from all walks of life.’ Ed.)
B&C 101
|
Maj Brian E Dillon MBE on 14 Aug 2003, aged 84. Brian
was born on 11 May 1919, grandson of Col Godfrey Massey,
who commanded a Bn of the Regt in South Africa in the
Boer War. After the death of his father, a distinguished
naval officer, the family moved from Bosham, Sussex, to
Norfolk, where Brian continued his love of sailing in
the North Norfolk rivers and tidal waters. He was
educated at Repton and after attending the Royal
Military Academy Sandhurst was commissioned into the
Regiment and joined the 2nd Bn, prior to their moving to
France to join the BEF in 1939. In the strange way that
fate plays a part in our lives, Brian broke a leg in a
motor cycle accident and was evacuated back to the
United Kingdom, thus escaping the subsequent defeat and
captivity experienced by so many members of that great
Bn. After recovery, Brian was posted to 1 Armoured Div
in the Middle East. After taking part in the early
desert battles before El Alamein, he was introduced to
David Stirling and Brian’s life changed dramatically,
becoming a founder member of the famous Special Air
Service Regiment (SAS). His initial operation to
Benghazi, some 800 miles from their base, was ill-fated
as their operational plan had been compromised by faulty
cipher procedures by one of our Allies. The subsequent
withdrawal was fraught with difficulties and Brian was
one of the few members of his Squadron to return to
their base. Following the end of the War in North
Africa, Brian was seconded to SOE (the Special
Operations Executive) and parachuted into Greece, where
he was to operate behind the enemy lines for the next 18
months. This obituary is too short to chronicle Brian
Dillon’s exploits and the contribution he made to the
ultimate defeat of the German occupation of that
country. He was personally involved in sabotage
operations, ambushing and capturing the enemy, arranging
airdrops of ammunition and material for Greek partisans
and the rescue and repatriation of British and Allied
airmen. He had to contend with betrayal and German
atrocities against the local people. The end of the
conflict did not bring any relaxation. The subsequent
Greek civil war, in many ways was even more brutal,
involved Brian Dillon more closely, but in the end, by
his efforts, and those of his international
Commander, with their Greek patriots, they emerged
victorious and spared Greece from communist
dictatorship. I have known of gallantry awards being
given to acts of heroism which do not match the
individual bravery shown by Brian Dillon over this
protracted period of intense operations. His outstanding
service should have been more appropriately recognised.
In 1941 Miriam Preston, with her scholastic background
and fluency in Greek and German, started to work for the
British Embassy in Athens and subsequently in Cairo
where she worked for the Greek section of MI6. She
became aware of this SOE agent Brian Dillon through her
work and met him when he came down from the mountains.
They were married in Cairo Cathedral in 1945. Post war
regimental life for the Dillons followed a familiar
pattern. A return to Greece, BAOR and Hong Kong with the
1st Bn, and as the last Commanding Officer of the
Regimental Depot in Norwich when RSM Fitt gave him
prominent assistance. The children Tipi and Roger made
their appearance during these years. Retirement followed
and Brian entered the Brewing Industry, managing
breweries in Kings Lynn and Ely for Morgans and Stewart
and Pattinson. However, the lure of the sea was not far
away; Norfolk Nip was purchased and accompanied by their
friends they cruised widely, with frequent voyages to
the Mediterranean. The last and very happy berth was at
Walberswick, where Norfolk Nip was moored on the River
Blyth. Brian and Miriam spent many contented years in
final retirement whilst playing their part in every
activity in village life, particularly with the Royal
British Legion. Another gallant and distinguished
soldier departs. He dared and he won. JBD
B&C 101 Extra entry
in B&C 102 Jun 04
The Britannia No 28 Aug 1946 reported: ‘The 4th Bn
departed Morley Hall Camp (formerly an Anglo-American
hospital) via Wymondham Station for Greece in May 1946.
They were posted to Patras, Greece, with CO Lt Col RP
Freeman-Taylor and OC A Coy Maj BE Dillon MBE.’ The
Britannia No 30 Aug 1947 recorded that Brian was
welcomed to the 1st Bn in Detmold and that ‘Shooting
was very much to the fore during the winter and proved a
profitable pastime for the families. Capt Brian E Dillon
brought in the odd roebuck. ‘ In 1955 Brian was Adjt
to 4 R Norfolk.
B&C 102
|
Mrs Pat Hallett
on 24 Oct 2003, wife of Col
JNR ‘Nick’ Hallett MBE, who died in Mar 2000. In
a packed church at Lyng the Regt were represented by Gen
Jack Dye, Lt Col Adrian Robertson, Capt John Berney,
Majors Tony Ferrier & John Raybould and Mrs Robin
Eaton on behalf of Maj Tom Eaton. Born in Egypt, Pat
trained as a ballet dancer and in WW2 organised dances
for troops, later joining ENSA. She continued dancing
after the Peace but stopped to become an Army Wife when
she married Nick in 1946. On moving to Lyng, Pat pursued
many interests, including SSAFA, early history and
gardening. The Old Rectory garden is a testament to her
enthusiasm ‘the nearest thing this side of Norwich to
Paradise.’ Pre-deceased by her son Anthony, Pat is
survived by her daughter Nicolette. JLR
B&C 101
|
Further to the inadequate B&C
99 Dec 02 obituary:
Capt Arthur Hammond
OBE, very suddenly on 21 Aug 2002, aged 79.
Arthur, born in 1923, was called up in 1942. After
training at Britannia Barracks he transferred to the
Royal Engineers before being commissioned in 1943 and
posted to 7 R Norfolk. Serving in Normandy he was
injured and captured on 8 Aug 1944 during the battle for
Orne bridgehead against 10th SS Panzer Division.
Released on the liberation of Paris in September, he was
in hospital until Dec 1945 then posted as a Staff
Captain with T Force at Rhine Army HQ. Following demob
in Sep 1947 he spent 5 years with an Australian buying
mission in London then qualified as a political agent
with the Conservative and Unionist Central Office. From
1954 to 1968 he was Agent in Deptford, Harrow East and
Central Office and held various appointments as
Organising Secretary. Arthur then became a Personnel
Manager and then a Recruitment Consultant in the City of
London until retirement in 1987. He was a Freeman of the
City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company
of Woolmen, Master 1987-88. Arthur was a man of many
parts and another aspect of his life of service was with
the Special Constabulary. He was attested as a Special
Constable at Cannon Row Police Station in 1958 and
progressed through the ranks to reach the rank of Chief
Commandant, Metropolitan Special Constabulary, a post he
held for 20 years until retirement in 1987. For ‘Services
to Metropolitan Special Constabulary’ Arthur was made
an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. He was
also a Commander of the Most Venerable Order of St John
of Jerusalem. The HAC journal records Arthur as ‘very
active in the Association in his maverick, debonair way.
A man of charm, impeccable manners and spirited wit.
Teetotal withal. We salute the memory of a notable
comrade.’ Arthur, a true gentleman of the Old School,
latterly of Roughton, Norfolk, is survived by his sister
Noel Palmer. JLR
B&C
101 |
22221077 Gordon Arthur Kellett,
suddenly at home on 24 Jun 2003, after much suffering,
aged 70 years. He was a Bandsman with The Royal Norfolk
Regt. Gordon is survived by his widow Joanne, daughter
Caroline, grandchildren Samantha, Danielle and
great-grandchildren Tegan and Jacob.
Charlie Baker, JLR and with acknowledgements to the
EDP
B&C 101
|
|
 Alf E
Pleasance on 4 Oct 2003 aged 84. He
served with 4 R Norfolk in WW2 and was captured in
Singapore.
Alf was on the 4 R Norfolk OCA Committee and had been
Chairman. In addition he was a member of FEPOW.
4 R Norfolk Members attended the funeral and a
Regimental Poppy Wreath was laid.
Alf is survived by his widow Grace. John Housego
B&C 101
|
 Lt JA Reed
KIA Arnhem, 4 Oct 1944 aged 26.
The headstone photograph, left,
was sent by our regular correspondent, former 2nd Bn MT
Sgt, Mr LC Dale. He says: ‘He must have been
attached to the Airborne. Everyone at Arnhem was a hero.’ Has anyone
more information on Lt Reed?
B&C 101
|
|
|
WO2 Richard
Richardson on 15 Jul 2003, aged 74. Dick
served with 1 Royal Norfolk 1946-48 in Germany during
the Berlin airlift. He later joined 4 Royal Norfolk TA,
serving with D Coy at Dereham and on promotion to CSM
transferred to B Coy at King’s Lynn, 1953-65. Dick is
survived by his widow Penelope, whom he met on Berlin,
sons Richard and Francis and daughter June. The funeral
service was held in Fakenham Church where Dick was
buried and a Regimental Wreath was laid. Attending were
former 4th Bn comrades Alex Barr, Brian Dye, Maurice
Eke, John Housego and life-long friend, C
Snowling. CE Snowling
B&C 101 |
 5769335 LCpl Alfred Smith
of Cowfold, W Sussex, on 12 Jun 2003 after a short
illness, aged 95.
Alfred joined the Norfolk Regiment at Britannia Barracks
on 28 Jul 1927 and was posted with C Coy of the 1st Bn
to China on 29 September 1928. His tour in India
commenced on 14 November 1928.
After a transfer to HQ as a signaller, where he became
proficient in morse and semaphore, he returned to the UK
on 5 Feb 1935 to take an Army Vocational Course at
Aldershot in French Polishing.
Alfred was demobbed in August of that year.
After Dunkirk, he was called up from the Reserve and
spent some time with the Regiment at various locations.His son-in-law Alan wrote in June
2003:
‘Only last week, Dad received his copy of the June
2003 issue of the Britannia & Castle. We read it
together whist he lay in his hospital bed. To the end he
remained as sharp as ever, and we consider his long life
and alertness was a lot to do with his time spent in the
Regiment, for he was very regimented in his ways and
always wished to turn out smartly. The family viewed his
pictures on the web site today and the page is certainly
a tribute to this very honest man.‘
Alfred featured in B&C 91 Dec 98 ‘Oldest Recruit
Beaten’ and in B&C 92 Jun 99 ‘Oldest Recruits
Fight It Out’. Some of his photographs of Shanghai and
India appear on this site - Alfred Smith Shanghai 1927 and onwards.
The funeral was held at the City of London Crematorium,
close to where Alfred lived in Forest Gate before moving
to sheltered accommodation in Sussex, near his elder
daughter. He is survived by daughters Maureen and Coral.
JLR and Alan White
B&C 101
|
Pte Len Stock
in Fareham, Hampshire in 2001. Born in 1929, Len served
with the Royal Norfolks in the 1950s. He met his wife,
Irene Baker, who pre-deceased him in 1957, at Britannia
Barracks. Len is survived by his children Linda, Susan
and Richard. Steve Want
B&C 102
|
John Hezikiah Want
in 1989. Born in Norwich in 1920, John was wounded in
Crete while serving with The Royal Norfolks. Later, he
was a shoe operative in Norwich. He married, first,
Doris Baker, a former ATS, who died in 1957. His second
wife, Doris Armiger, pre-deceased him in 1979. John is
survived by his children Steve (now Postmaster in
Dereham), Terry, David, Andrew, John and
Dale. Steve Want
B&C 102
|
14187228 Pte FM Ward, 2 Royal
Norfolk, of diphtheria, in Kalyan Camp hospital, India,
on 15 Aug 1947. He was due to leave India on 17 Aug
aboard The Georgic with his Bn. Pte Ward was buried in
Sewri Cemetery, Bombay and later re-interred in Kirkee
War Cemetery, Poona. (See the Georgic
Association page and p 12 The Britannia No 31 Feb
1948. Ed)
B&C 102
|
22676636 Anthony West, of
South Creake, Fakenham on 27 May 2003, aged 69. Tony was
born in South Creake leaving it only to meet his
National Service commitment. He was called up with
Intake 10 on 17 July 1952 and joined Knowland Platoon at
Britannia Barracks. The medal for ‘Best Shot (LMG)’
was awarded to him on the Passing Out Parade in August
1952. Posted to the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong he joined
the MMG Platoon as a carrier driver. Some will remember
when, at Sai Kung, an excess of zeal led Tony to give
his carrier a full bath when a mere wash down at the
water's edge was intended!
Tony was initially berthed onto the Empire Windrush to
return to the UK and demob but this was changed.
Whatever his initial reaction he doubtless came to
realise that ‘Lady Luck’ had dealt him a good hand
when he learned that the Windrush had caught fire off
Algiers and had been abandoned with some loss of life.
Once back in UK he completed his service with 4 R
Norfolk, met and married Myra, also of South Creake.
Tony’s calling was as a lorry driver. He retained his
interest in football, which in his earlier days he had
played for the village. His additional hobbies were
gardening and Country and Western music.
St Mary’s Church, at South Creake, was crowded for his
funeral on 4 June 2003. As a final salute eight members
of his old MMG Platoon formed a Guard of Honour.
Tony leaves a wife Myra, daughter Kim and grandchildren
Kelly and Jamie.
John Denny
B&C 101 and expanded in B&C
102 |
|
B&C Norfolk E