‘Shadey’ died on 16 June 2004, aged 80.
He enlisted in London on 22 June 1944 and did his initial training with the 52 Training Regiment. He was posted to the 25th Dragoons at that time serving in India.
In 1947 he was employed at 7th Armd Brigade and rose to the dizzy heights of acting paid lance corporal, but only for six months, when he was demoted.
He got his stripe back again in September 1948. At this time he was allotted to the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars but continued to be employed at 7th Armd Brigade.
He married Erika on 18 March 1950, and Kathleen was born on 27 April 1951.
On 2 February 1955, he joined the 8th Hussars as a corporal. The 8th Hussars were now stationed in Wyvern Barracks, Lüneburg. He was promoted to sergeant on arrival and was appointed provost sergeant. A case of poacher turned gamekeeper.
Shadey kept provost sergeants, on their toes during his first five years of service.
Bernard was born on 7 June 1955. He was hospitalised in the UK in April 1958, returning to the Regiment in June. He remained with the Regiment on amalgamation.
He was posted to Rheindahlen Garrison in June 1961, and in February 1962 he was posted to the RAC Supplementary List. He continued to be employed at Rheindahlen until his discharge to the Reserve on 12 September 1968.
Shadey was a loyal, very smart and amusing character, and a very good singer. He joined the Regimental Association in 1989 and remained a loyal and supportive member until his death.
On joining civilian life he stayed in JHQ Rheindahlen Garrison and worked as an assistant manager in Buschhof Naafi from October 1968 until February 1985, when health problems overtook him.
He was still capable of doing his hobbies cycling, gardening, little house redecoration and travelling every now and again to his favourite island Mallorca, but not for long because of further health problems. He was housebound or in and out of the hospital.
Although life was quite tough for him, his strong Catholic faith and care from his life companion Elisabeth, who lived with him since 1968, never let him lose his sense of humour or his amusing character.
His last wish was that Father Boyd (Irish, aged 88, still working in JHQ) should bury his ashes in his late wife Erika’s grave in JHQ Cemetery Rheindahlen, which was fulfilled.
