Bill died on Christmas Eve 2006, aged 75.
He enlisted at Chatham on 5 May 1949 on 5 May 1949 on a 5 and 7 engagement.
After training, he joined the 14th/20th Hussars and spent 28 days in Germany before being posted to the RAC Depot, prior to embarking for Korea on 9 January 1951.
The reason he did not sail with the 8th Hussars on the Empire Fowey was that he was a few months too young.
He arrived at Kure (the Japanese Base Depot) on 12 February 1951 and joined ‘C’ Squadron, The 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars on 22 March 1951 while they were at Anyang. He took part in the Battle of The Imjin as the driver of the squadron scout car.
On 4 July 1951, he was posted back to the Japanese Base Depot, returning to ‘C’ Squadron on 18 September 1951.
He did not return to the UK with the Regiment on the MV Georgic, but sailed from Korea on 21 January 1953, arriving in the UK one month later. He returned to the Regiment in Luneburg on 28 April 1952, where he continued to serve in ‘C’ Squadron.
He returned to Bovington for Discharge on 25 March 1954, which he took on 4 May 1954, having seven years to serve on the Reserve.
He married Rowena on 24 July 1954. Ashley was born in April 1955, Paul in March 1957 and Lorraine in August 1962. On return to civilian life, he worked for Kemsley Paper and in various other jobs. Failing to really settle into civilian life, having done five years and 273 days on the Reserve, Bill decided to finish his Reserve actually serving.
He re-enlisted at Catterick on 2 February 1960 to serve one year and 92 days He was posted to the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars, then stationed at Hohne, BAOR.
He did his initial four months of service with the 3 DGs and the 4th/7th DGs, joining A Squadron QRIH in Hohne on 4 January 1960. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 1 October 1960.
He was posted back to the RAC Depot on 29 March 1961 for release and took his discharge on 4 May 1961, owing to the fact that no Married Quarters were available in Aden.
Taking on various factory based jobs, he retired at 65 and shortly afterwards started work in an off-licence in Maidstone.
This worked well for a few years, but ill-health set in and his last seven to eight years were ones of ill-health.
He was a member of the Regimental Association but only attended one or two dinners. He did turn up at a Balaclava Troop Dinner and together with Willie Stewart attended several Cenotaph parades.
