My father, 2699055 ex-Sgt John Skilbeck late the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars died of liver cancer on 27 March 1998. He was 79.
My dad joined the Army shortly after the outbreak of World War Two, joining the Scots Guards, soon after passing out of basic training he joined the Guards Reconnaissance. On the D-Day landings, he joined the Staffordshire Yeomanry with whom he saw out the rest of the war.
At the end of the war, the Yeomanry went back to the UK as a TA Regiment and dad joined the 8th Hussars and remained with the Regiment until he left the Army on 24 March 1953.
He was always proud of his military service with the Regiment and in his later years, he joined the Regimental Association attending the reunions whenever he could. My dad was a great inspiration to me when I joined the Regular Army, particularly during my basic training.
After leaving the Army he eventually trained as a male nurse and his gentle but firm nature made him very popular with colleagues and patients alike. During his spare time, he was devoted to his horses and dogs (English springer spaniels) and showed both with great success, qualifying for both the Horse of the Year Show and Crufts.
My mother Silvia my brother Wolfy, my sister Joyce, myself and his four grandchildren, Sian, Tiffany, Anita and Martin all miss him. My hometown of Easingwold in North Yorkshire has lost another of its characters, also.
Seymor Skilbeck
