Ken died on 5 September 2007, aged 82.
He enlisted at Wolverhampton on 23 March 1949, having prior to this worked as a miner. He was a little older than most others who joined at this time; not only that he had a wife Eva and a daughter Carol.
He joined the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars at Leicester East Airfield in mid-1949. He was posted to ‘C’ Squadron when it was reformed prior to moving to Tidworth in April 1950. Gary was born on 29 September 1950.
Ken sailed with the Regiment to Korea on the Empire Fowey on 11 October 1950 for Pusan, arriving on 14 November 1950. He took part in the Battle of the Imjin and was in 4th Troop, commanded by John Hurst.
He returned to the UK on the MV Georgic, sailing from Pusan on 15 December 1951 and arriving at Liverpool on 15 January 1952. He had been appointed Lance Corporal on 11 January 1952.
He transferred to the Reserve on 13 August 1952 and returned to his old job as a miner, but after losing a friend in a fall at the mines, he realised he had made a mistake and rejoined on 27 November 1953. He was posted to 66 Training Regiment, returning to ‘C’ Squadron, 8th Hussars on 24 March 1954.
On 12 July 1954 Eva, Carol and Gary joined him in Luneburg. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 11 August 1954. Keith was born on 5 December 1954.
He was promoted to Corporal on 14 July 1955. He attended an NBC course in the UK from 11-29 March 1956. He was awarded his ACE II on 27 November 1956. Kevin was born on 8 December 1957.
Ken was now in HQ Squadron. On amalgamation with the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, he joined the Regiment, the Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars. He was on the rear party when the Regiment returned to the UK (Tidworth), rejoining the Regiment on 30 June 1961, to join the Quartermaster’s Troop.
On 9 October 1961, he flew to Aden on the Advance party. On 4 September 1962, he was posted to the RAC Depot. He returned to the Regiment in Wolfenbuttel on 22 December 1964.
He was promoted to Sergeant on the 1st of July 1966. He was now back in the Quartermaster’s Troop and remained with it on the move of the Regiment to Perham Down, but transferred to QM Non-Tech on the move to Bovington. Promotion to Staff Sergeant same on 25 August 1970, as SQMS ‘OP UNION’.
On 13 August 1973 he went onto the Long Service List and was posted to the Sennelager Training Centre, leaving there on 28 January 1975 for HQ Aldershot Garrison and taking his discharge from there on 30 September 1977, when he returned to Burton-on-Trent, where he took employment with Dracklow Power Station on the security side.
Ken was a loyal, cheerful Irish Hussar who always did his best for the Regiment, mostly in the administrative role, except for his time in Korea and especially at the Imjin Battle.
He was a vociferous supporter of the Regimental Football Team and was banned from the touchline on many occasions by a variety of referees.
Unfortunately, he did not attend Regimental reunions but did join the Regimental Association in March 1990.
Eva died on 24 February 2005. Kevin, following tradition, joined The Irish Hussars in February 1978 and left in March 1986.
