Major Richard Stuart Roffey joined the 8th Hussars in January 1940 in Egypt. He went straight out to the Western Desert where he joined H.Q. Squadron. He was captured with R.H.Q. at the Battle of Sidi Rezegh in November 1941 and did not emerge from captivity in Italy until 1944, rejoining the Regiment at Leicester in 1947.
He went out with the Regiment to Korea and back again in Germany, commanded ‘A’ Squadron until 1956 when he became P.R.I.
In 1957 he went to the Gunnery School as second-in-command. He left the Regiment on amalgamation under the voluntary retirement scheme.
Richard was known and liked by every member of the Regiment. He was full of common sense, suffered fools kindly but never gladly and from the time of his return until amalgamation was one of the mainstays of the Regiment, particularly during our nine years in Germany. His sound advice was sought by many people and the generous hospitality of his house in Luneburg was a byword.
When he left in 1958 he went to Dorset and became a highly successful chicken farmer. Shortly afterwards he became ill and was found to be suffering from leukaemia. This with all its attendant worries he bore with his usual courage and with great fortitude.
After suffering serious burns in an accident on his farm in 1961 he amazed his doctors by making a good recovery through sheer determination. He died suddenly on 1st September 1962, at home.
