Taffy died on 18 January 2012, aged 84.
He enlisted at Wrexham (his home town) on 22 September 1949. He did his training at Catterick with the 17th/21st Lancers, joining the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars in January 1950 at Leicester East Airfield and moving to Tidworth in the spring of 1950.
He sailed from Southampton with the Regiment for Korea on 10th Oct 1950, arriving at Pusan being greeted by a Black American Army Band playing “Baby it’s cold outside” – and it was! On 14 Nov 1950, he was hospitalised in Japan from 5 Dec 1951 until 12 Dec 1951.
He was in ‘C’ Squadron and took part in the Battle of the Imjin. He sailed home with the Regiment to Liverpool on 15 Jan 1952. After some leave, he married Agnes on 2 Feb 1952.
He was on the advance party to Luneburg leaving on 21 Mar 1952. He returned to the UK on 11 Sep 1952 on posting to FVRDE Chertsey as a driver AFV. He took part in boxing and football for the Regiment. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 1 Dec 1953. He was released to the reserve on 21 Sep 1954 going to live in Leicester, Agnes’s home town.
In civilian life, he worked for British Gas for 6 years and 24 years for Ansell’s brewery, and finally as a Hygiene Supervisor for R.F Brookes. He retired in 1992 and enjoyed gardening. They had three children, David, Rexley and Elwyn.
He was a founder member of the Leicester Troop and was always good company with a fund of stories.
