Sgt Amys, cook with the 4th Battalion, on 1 April 1997.

S Ashby, 1st Battalion, in 1997. A member of the band he was Bandmaster of King’s Lynn Band for 20 years.

WO2 George S Buckenham of Sandy Lane, South Wooton, King’s Lynn in late February 1996, aged 81. Born in March 1915 George served for 25 years with the Norfolk Regt, the 1st, 2nd and 5th Bns of the Royal Norfolk Regt and 1st Bn The Northern Rhodesia Reg. Enlisting in February 1933, interspersed with service in the UK, he served in India 1936-1940, was a FEPOW 1942-1945 and concluded his service in Germany 1957-8. With the Northern Rhodesia Regt he went to Kenya, Tanganyika, Singapore and Malaya between 1950-57. Maj Tony Ferrier represented the Regiment at the funeral. He is survived by his widow.

Bumps Carston, ex-5th Bn, at Suncourt Nursing Home, Sheringham, in 1997.

James Gordon Clough on 22 January 1997, aged 78. A Yorkshireman, Jim joined the Royal Norfolk Regt in 1936. Posted during the war to Africa and seconded to a West African Bn he served with them in Burma as WO1 (RSM). Following the war he was a PSI with the 4th Bn The Royal Norfolk Regt moving to the 1st Bn in 1953 where he was CSM Support Coy in Hong Kong, Colchester and Cyprus. Moving to the Quartermaster’s Department he was appointed RQMS with the 1st Bn at Iserlohn, BAOR. Jim returned to the UK in 1959 to serve as RQMS at Depot East Anglian Bde, Bury St Edmunds until leaving the army in 1962.    John Denny

Bernard Field, 4th Battalion, on 29 January 1997.

Mrs Fowler, in 1997, wife of RSM Mick Fowler.

Mrs LG Gotts of 15 War Memorial Cottages, Mousehold Lane, Norwich in March 1997. She had been a resident for a long time.

Capt Erik A Gray on 18 June 1996 aged 72. He enlisted in the Middlesex Regt at the age of 18 and later transferred to the Queens Royal Regt then to the Royal Norfolk Regt. Erik was commissioned in 1944 following heavy losses among infantry subalterns in the early battles. A former colleague described him, 'At the time he was 20 years old - upright, handsome and every inch a soldier. After victory he stayed on in the army of occupation until leaving the army in 1948. He became a Civil Servant within the Home Office, retiring as Principal in the Immigration Branch. In retirement he was active in matters of welfare for ex-soldiers, particularly those of the Royal Norfolk Regt. His efforts often resulted in pensions being awarded and in one case the award of an MBE. Interested in Genealogy he became an acknowledged authority on army history and was always of great assistance to researchers into military matters. He will be greatly missed.'
From the Queens Royal Surrey Association Newsletter, courtesy of Mr WT Oliver.

John Gregory on 4 December 1996. A member of the London Branch, born in Newport, Wales, he served with the 6th Bn in the Middle East and Malaya. John was a POW 15 February 1942 to 21 October 1945. He is survived by his widow Astrid.    Bill Seymour and Mark Gregory (grandson)

Ray Head on 20 November 1996. 'Ray' Head was a member of the London Branch and served with the 70th Bn, a Young Soldiers Battalion formed after the Battle of Britain.    Bill Seymour

WJ 'Dutchie' Holland, of New Costessey in 1997, PSI to 4th Bn at A Coy in Great Yarmouth and to C Coy in Wymondham. The Norwich Branch Standard was carried at his funeral by Paul Boxall and Ted Shepherd.
Dutchie was ex-Queens and served with 2 Royal Norfolk in India with Gordon Spong. (Gordon reckons he must have had boy service too for Dutchie spent 24 years in uniform, commencing with RAF training to be a Rear Gunner.)
He served in BAOR from 1948, through the Berlin air lift, until 1951. Then Dutchie went with the Regt to Korea from Aug 51 until Sep 52 and on to Hong Kong until a posting to Colchester in 1954. He met Evelyn in 1955 at a dance in the WOs and Sgts Club, of which Evelyn’s father was an honorary member, having served in the Norfolk Regt from 1906-1926. Six weeks after they were married Dutchie went to Cyprus in 1955. A brief accompanied posting to Germany was followed by 5 years away from the Regt, 2 years as PSI in Great Yarmouth then 3 in Chatham with the Royal Engineers. Aden followed: 'It was great out there and apart from the troubles we enjoyed the life'. It was in Britannia Barracks that Dutchie concluded his service in 1967. He is survived by his widow and son.    Gordon Spong and Evelyn Holland

Cpl Cyril Cooper King of Stanway, Colchester on 31 October 1996 after suffering two strokes. A strong supporter of the Regimental Association, Cyril was immensely proud of his Regimental Service 1933-1942 with the Norfolk Regt and the Royal Norfolk Regt, often talking of his Army days and of his time in India. He is survived by his widow Alice. W Reeve

Douglas Peak, 4th Battalion, in December 1996.

Bill Priest, 42 East Lancashire Regt, in February 1996. A good friend of the Norfolk Dunkirk Veterans. After the Massacre at Le Paradis on 27 May 1940, it was not until 1970 that a wall tablet was inserted into the barn where the 97 Royal Norfolk prisoners were shot. Bert Pooley and Bill O’Callaghan were the only survivors. Before Bill O’Callaghan died he visited Le Paradis with Bill Priest and wished for a more fitting memorial to his comrades. Bill Priest was instrumental in the erection of a fine memorial near the church in Lestrem in 1978. 'It was a struggle', said Bill. Bert Pooley died in 1982 and his ashes were buried in Le Paradis War cemetery despite much bureaucracy - the scattering of ashes in France is forbidden! There is now a third memorial in Le Paradis, erected in 1991. 'Bill O’Callaghan would have been astounded,' said Bill Priest. And in 1994 a stone memorial was erected by the local people at the corner of the Community Centre in honour of the Royal Scots and the Royal Norfolks.    JLR

Bob Schofield, 4th Battalion, of Plumstead Road, Norwich, on 16 December 1996. A 4th Bn Association stalwart he had been ill for most of the year. We will miss him. Ray Pillar

WD Smith, HQ Coy, 4th Battalion, of Unthank Road, Norwich on 25 January 1997, aged 83.

LCpl Aubrey W Thompson in 1997. He joined the 1st Bn midway through the Normandy campaign and was the Company Clerk with A Coy.    TGC

Reg Underwood in August 1996. One of the loyal founder members of the Gorleston and Great Yarmouth District Branch, Reg was a National Serviceman who was proud to have served his time with the Royal Norfolk Regt. His hobby was collecting Army memorabilia, especially relating to the Royal Norfolk Regt. He eventually turned his garage into a private museum, such was the extent of his collection. After his death, his wife Dorothy contacted the Muckleburgh Collection with a view to donating Reg’s extensive collection to them. Their representative was only too pleased to accept the complete collection which they intend to display in 1998. It will be dedicated to the memory of Reg Underwood.    Ray Pillar

Harry Wise on 23 December 1996, a member of the London Branch.    Bill Seymour

George Wyatt aged 77 of Streatham Vale, London, at St Thomas’ Hospital, London on 6 February 1997. With Bert 'Chalky' White and Bill Holden, George set up a 10 day visit to the sites of the Bates and Jamieson VC awards. He is survived by his widow, son and daughter.    Graham Rogers
(Graham served with 223 Fd Ambulance in support of 1 Royal Norfolk, then 2 Warwicks then 2 Kings Shropshires and had met George on a train from Cherbourg to Caen in about 1977.)