Cliff Jones joined the 4th Hussars in 1946 at Villa Opicina, near Trieste, having served throughout the war with the Derbyshire Yeomanry, including their campaigns with 6th Armoured Division in North Africa and Italy.
He was Mentioned in Despatches in September 1943. His operational experience together with his most agreeable qualities of leadership and steadfastness were therefore of great value to the Regiment at a time when many of the wartime 4th Hussar officers were leaving to return to civilian life.
Soon after amalgamation he went off to Malaya again and served for several years with the Federation Armoured Car Regiment. It was towards the end of his tour there that the Regiment was itself deployed in Malaysia and he and his family were delighted to see all their Regimental friends.
After returning from Malaya Cliff served as DAQMG on the Headquarters of 3 Division at Bulford, where he showed what an excellent staff officer he was. Indeed it was a disappointment to many of his friends that he did not get the promotion he deserved. He would have made the most effective AQMG.
For his next and final military appointment, Cliff went to run the Regiment’s Home HQ in Northern Ireland, where once again his benevolent style, concern for individuals and sheer thoroughness showed how conscientiously and effectively he carried out his duties and looked after the Regiment’s interest.
These qualities were further evident in his command of squadrons both during the so-called Malayan Emergency, during which the 4th Hussars served in various parts of Malaya from 1948 to 1951 – he was again Mentioned in Despatches in 1951 – and at Tidworth and Hohne during the mid and latter 1950s, indeed until 1958 when the 4th Hussars and 8th Hussars amalgamated to form the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars.
Cliff Jones was an excellent squadron leader – good-humoured, considerate, efficient and wise. He was exceptionally good at dealing with people, always patient, understanding and fair. His squadron was invariably both competent and content.
Retiring in 1968 Cliff and his family moved to Compton Chamberlayne, near Salisbury, where apart from his work for charity and with an accountancy firm, Cliff was for many years a churchwarden, greatly increasing his circle of friends and admirers and doing work which was enormously valued.
Indeed all those who knew Cliff liked and respected him. He is essentially a kind man. He was proud to have served for so long with the 4th Hussars and Irish Hussars and took great pleasure from the idiosyncrasies of his fellow officers.
Cliff was honest, loyal, good-natured and compassionate. He was devoted to his family and friends. His dedication to serving the Regiment was absolute. He was a model of what an officer of the British Army should be.
He died on 13 November 2002 and at his funeral service and the gathering afterwards were innumerable friends. The large Regimental contingent showed in what affection and admiration he was held. Our sympathy, thoughts and gratitude rest with his family.
