Douglas Payne was born in Northern Ireland and enlisted in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1937.
He went with his Regiment to France and was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. He joined the Reconnaissance Corps on its formation and was subsequently posted to the 5th Reconnaissance Regiment.
He went with the Regiment to India and returned with it to PAI Force in 1943.
He was captured in the very early stages of the Italian Campaign and spent two years as a PoW, initially in Italy and subsequently in Germany.
On his release, he re-joined the Reconnaissance Corps, which by then had become part of the Royal Armoured Corps and was posted to the Middle East where he joined the 3rd Hussars in Palestine.
By the time the Regiment returned to BAOR he was a WO2.
In 1952 he was posted to the North Somerset Yeomanry, who at that time was part of the 16th Airborne Division and whose permanent staff were provided by 3H.
While with the NSY he was promoted to the rank of Regimental Sergeant Major.
He was appointed to a Short Service Commission on the General List in 1954 and thereafter he served in Cyprus and with the Singapore Guard Company.
He was appointed to a Quartermaster’s Commission as a Captain in 1963 and in 1966 spent a year as Quartermaster of the Warwickshire and Worcestershire Yeomanry.
He returned to the Queen’s Own Hussars as a quartermaster in 1967. While serving in 5 Division he was described by the Divisional Commander as the best quartermaster in the Division.
Douglas retired at the end of 1974. He lived in Taunton and died in 1999.
