Les died on 24 July 1999, aged 77.

Cpl LS Taplin
Cpl LS Taplin

He enlisted on 21 May 1942 and was posted to the 54th Training Regiment at Perham Down. After training, he was posted to the GHQ Liaison Regiment. He remained with them until joining the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars in 1943.

He landed with the Regiment in Normandy on D+3.

He was a member of the Reconnaissance Troop and took part in the campaign through France, Holland and Germany, including the relief of Stalag XIB of which the redoubtable RSM Lord, Grenadier Guards, was in charge; finishing in Berlin, where he took part in the victory parade.

He was a much-respected member of Recce Troop. He was cheerful, loyal and a thoroughly nice chap.

He transferred to the ACC in May 1946 and took his discharge in March 1947.

When he took up various employments, until settling with Carless, Capel and Leonard, who dealt in petroleum products. He started as a representative and finished as a sales manager. He thoroughly enjoyed his work but had to retire at the age of 57 due to advancing multiple sclerosis. It started when he was aged 45.

He met Audrey at Carless, Capel and Leonard, and they married in 1961. On holiday in Cyprus in 1981, he discovered that ‘A’ Squadron, the ‘Duke of Edinburgh Squadron’, was stationed in Nicosia. He spent a marvellous day with them and was royally entertained.

Although Les suffered from multiple sclerosis for many years, this did not stop him from attending Regimental Reunions and weekends with the Regiment. He was a loyal and supportive member of the Regimental Association, and proud to have been an 8th Hussar.

Related topics

  1. A short history of The 8th Hussars
  2. Timeline: North-West Europe 1944-45
  3. Article: The Liberation of Stalag XIb