Ernie Toms, who died on 20 August 1990, was brought up in Cheltenham becoming Assistant Manager in a well-known grocer in the town, while his hobby was Scouting.
He quickly rose to Scoutmaster but felt an overwhelming desire to do something about the world, so he joined the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars in 1939, taking some of his fellow Scouts with him.
By nature, Ernie was a gentleman’s gentleman and joined the elite band of officers’ servants in ‘H’ Squadron.
In the Middle East, he was an echelon driver and served on the tanks throughout the 1944 campaign.
On the RGH disbandment, he went to the 8th KRI Hussars with the Cheltenham draft, when he saw service in North Africa, Cyprus and Europe, driving Staff Cars for RHQ.
Demobbed in 1946 he returned to the grocery trade where he was a courteous and well-liked manager to the county folk of Cirencester.
