After a military life of considerable variety Malcolm Marwood, who died on 14th November 1989, became an 8th Hussar in 1946, transferring from the Green Howards with whom he had served off and on since leaving school.
Born of a Yorkshire family in 1918 Malcolm Ballinger Marwood joined the Territorial Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of the Green Howards in 1937, and on the outbreak of WWII found himself posted to the 2nd Battalion in India.
He stayed in that theatre until the end of 1944 being transferred for a time to the 25th Dragoons (RAC), seeing action in Burma and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Returning to the UK on the grounds of ‘long service overseas’, he instructed at the 52 Training Regiment RAC until, after a brief spell with the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards, he finally was transferred to the 8th Hussars in Lingen.
By the time of the Korean War Malcolm had effectively absorbed the specialities of the Royal Armoured Corps and, with his practical ability and instinctive feeling for things mechanical, made himself a valuable and knowledgeable member to have in an armoured regiment.
This aptitude was fully reinforced by attending a Technical Adjutant’s course, and it was in that capacity that he embarked with the Regiment for Korea late in 1950.
His abilities were widely recognised, and he did particularly valuable service at the Reinforcement Depot preparing crews and vehicles for the battles ahead.
He returned with the Regiment a year later and was posted to Catterick, not far from his home.
As a true Yorkshire man he enjoyed exercising his forthright manner which, with an impish sense of humour, he used to the full to prick pomposity and conceit whenever it occurred.
He excelled at encouraging others and either at the Training Regiment or later, as a very senior Adjutant to Lieut – Colonel Pat de Clermont in Luneburg, his wit and commonsense were exercised to the benefit of all.
But he was never happier than in his native county and in 1955 had the great satisfaction of being sent as Training Major to the Yorkshire Hussars, a task which he carried out with his customary energy and enthusiasm until shortly before he retired in 1958.
There followed nearly three rewarding and active years as Agent to Lord St Oswald (who, as Rowland Winn, had served in the 8th Hussars from 1943 to 1946 and who had rejoined the Regiment on his own initiative for the Korean campaign) at Nostell Priory, where he also helped with political matters.
From Nostell he turned his energies to teaching Latin, mathematics and games at his old preparatory school, but gave that upon the death of his first wife, June, and devoted his time to furthering the work and products of blind people through the Buy from the Blind Guild.
He bore his last illness with great courage and humour, determined to lead as normal a life as possible and make the best of everything.
