Ted died on 27 June 2004, aged 96.
He first served in the Armed Forces in March 1925, when he spent five months with the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment, before transferring to the Cavalry of the Line.
After four months at the Cavalry Depot, Canterbury, where he passed his Third and Second Class Certificates, he joined the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars at York where he continued riding school and general cavalry training.
He moved with the Regiment to Wiesbaden in December 1926, where he married Milly on 27 July 1929.
In May 1928 he started up the ladder in the clerical world, passing his first course and gaining promotion to unpaid lance corporal, getting paid for it three months later.
In September 1929 Ted, together with the rest of the Regiment, moved back to England and took up residence in Beaumont Barracks, Aldershot, where he passed his 1st Class Certificate of Education. He was appointed Orderly Room Corporal in October 1930 and promoted to sergeant in July 1931. On 13 June 1932 his son Peter was born.
In October 1931 the Regiment moved to Hounslow where in August 1933 he was promoted to SQMS (ORS).
In December 1933 the Regiment moved to Cairo and took up residence in Main Barracks Abassia. He won the Wooden Spoon in the 1934 Mussenden Cup. He served in Palestine with the Regiment from June to November 1936, earning his first medal. In August 1938 he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class Two (ORQMS). Robin was born in December 1938.
In September 1940 he transferred to the RAOC with the rank of second lieutenant, remaining in Egypt. In May 1941 he was posted to the 2nd Echelon as a staff captain. During this time he spent a short period in Iraq.
In July 1942 he sailed for the UK. From January to March 1943 he was on various courses. In April 1943 he was posted as an instructor to the REME Officers’ Training Centre, remaining there until July 1945. He then moved to the War Office in various staff jobs, including with DRAC.
In October 1947 he was posted to East Africa, where he worked in the Ordnance Branch of East Africa Command. He returned to the UK in October 1950 and was employed at 42 OSD Moreton-on-Lugg.
In October 1953 he returned to the Middle East to run the Stores Section at 2 Base Workshops. In September 1955 he returned to the UK and commanded the Central Ordnance Depot at Wembley. He was discharged in August 1956. He then purchased a property at Ashtead, Surrey and took employment with the Ordnance Survey located at Chessington.
When the Ordnance Survey re-located to Southampton, he purchased a property in New Milton, Hampshire and continued to work for them until his complete retirement in 1972. He enjoyed his retirement in Hampshire until the death of Milly in 1981 when he moved to Wickford, Essex to be near his family.
Ted’s funeral on 9 July 2004 was led by the Padre to the Royal British Legion and the Legion Standard Bearer. Attended by his family and friends with the Union flag on the coffin and The 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars flag on display in the Chapel.
The service included the Last Post and Reveille and The 8th Hussars Recessional was delivered by Major Bob Smith, one of two ex-members of the Regiment present.
