Christopher, born on the shores of Lough Derg, left Ireland in the 1950s for England to learn boatbuilding in Southampton. When he got there he realised that most young men of his age were in the army due to National Service.

Maj C Waller

He, being an Irishman, didn’t have to join up but he thought it would be a way to meet people, so he joined an Irish Regiment (8th Hussars) and soon realised he was sailing, playing rugby, skiing and riding for the army and being paid for it! At the same time, of course, acquiring initial training for tanks in Germany and later armoured car operations in Aden and Malaysia.

Outside soldiering, he was indeed an avid sailor excelling in the larger boats, requisitioned from the Germans after the war, racing on the Baltic, but perhaps his greatest strength was as a horseman where he was outstanding.

He often rode taking out excited young horses to help their less accomplished owners participate in the show jumping ring, and eventing, including designing and building competition courses. His help and advice to his fellow less experienced officers trying to school rough German remounts were always much sought after.

Many believed there was little doubt that at the time he was acknowledged as the best in the world of showjumping in the British Army.

After the Regiment’s return from Malaysia, he served briefly in Paderborn before returning to the UK first as an instructor at the Junior Leaders Regiment followed by an attachment with the North Irish Horse. He finally played an important role in officer training in Shropshire, before completing his service with army recruiting in Yorkshire.

In 1970 he decided to leave the army and switch to farming taking on a farm on the Welsh Dee where he and his family spent forty years before finally retiring to his childhood home on the shores of Lough Derg.

At heart, Christopher was a true countryman. He was an exceptional fly fisherman and was frequently invited to fish on the many rivers of Ireland and Britain including the Welsh and Scottish Dees, Spey, Helmsdale and Blackwater. He was also an outstanding shot, known for “the most amount of birds with the least amount of cartridges”, and was often sought after to take part in many great shoots across Ireland, Scotland and Wales both for his shooting prowess and for his great company.

His many friends will much miss Christopher both in his old regiment and by his extensive sporting fraternity but our thoughts at this time go out to his wife Peggy and his devoted extended family.

Maj C. Waller died on the 30th of September 2022. He served with 8H/QRIH from 1954-80.

Related topics

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  2. A short history of The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars
  3. Timeline: Malaya and Borneo 1962-64