‘Errol’ died on 23 August 1999.
He joined the Junior Leaders’ Regiment at Bovington in July 1956. On passing out in May 1958, he joined the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars, then stationed at Wyvern Barracks, Lüneburg. He, along with the rest of the Regiment, soon after moved to Hohne to amalgamate with the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.
He had joined the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars at a very good time, as they were due to enjoy tours in the Middle and Far East as an armoured car regiment. It had been 10 years since the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars were an armoured car regiment in Malaya. Through a series of courses, Errol, now in ‘B’ Squadron, soon became a highly qualified soldier, and by April 1960 was a Lance Corporal. At the time he passed the RAC wireless instructor’s course at Bovington. He moved with the Regiment to Aden on Balaklava Day 1961 as a member of ‘B’ Squadron and was now a Corporal.
During this time he attended a life-saving course in Cyprus and received a medallion, a cross and an award of merit. In 1962, still with 2nd Troop ‘B’ Squadron, he flew on the advance party from Aden to Singapore to what soon was to be an eventful tour in Malaya/Malaysia and Borneo. He was fortunate enough to pick up three campaign medals with them, GSM Brunei, GSM Borneo and GSM Malaysian Peninsula. He embarked with ‘B’ Squadron on Tiger on 12 December 1962 from Singapore for Brunei, remaining in Brunei until 2 March 1963 when, with the rest of the squadron, he returned to Singapore.
In July he moved to Sarawak with the squadron, remaining there until 20 December 1963. He then returned to the UK for a SAS course, returning to the squadron in Ipoh in February 1964. He returned to the UK with the Regiment in November 1964. After some leave, the Regiment moved to BAOR. He served the whole tour in Wolfenbüttel, now being in SHQ Troop as the signal Sergeant. He was promoted to Sergeant in April 1965 and later troop Sergeant of 4th Troop.
In May 1967 he was posted to the Junior Leaders’ Regiment at Bovington, and remained there until returning to the Regiment in July 1970, then stationed at Bovington and Lulworth, as a Staff Sergeant. At the end of July, he moved with the advance party to Paderborn, where the Regiment was to stay for nine years.
He became the signals, Staff Sergeant, in RHQ. In 1972 he became SQMS C&S Squadron and turned up as the writer of this obituary’s echelon in a scout car. Other SQMSs made do with a Land Rover.
In 1974 he joined Tech Troop as tech Staff Sergeant. He was appointed TQMS in January 1975 an appointment he held until June 1978.
He was awarded the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977. It was at this time that he failed to enamour his Squadron Leader of his reluctance to take part in the rigorous PT programme organised by the said Squadron Leader. It was at this time also that he started his away periods!
He was commissioned in May 1979 and became the Tech QM, remaining in this post until November 1984 when he was posted to 2 Armd Delivery Squadron. He was promoted to Major in May 1987. In August 1990 he was posted to the MOD (ACDS-CIS) as a Lieutenant Colonel, where he remained until his discharge in March 1995.
