To The Green Fields Beyond - 1 RTR Members Who Have Passed On

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

There is an old Egyptian saying that if you continue to speak the names of the dead, they will never be forgotten

John Acton Brown	I was in Johns troop in Cyprus when he was killed. We were all meant to go out for a night in Larnaca but decided not to. Harry Robinson and myself had a patrol at about 6 am the following morning and we were awoke by an SBA copper at about 4.30am asking us to identify a body. Jeff Robinson actually went to identify him from Pergamos and Harry and I did our patrol we returned via the main road into Ayios Nikolaos and saw with our own eyes what was left of the car that John had been driving. Kev Warcup.
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Phil Baines Friday 8th June 2007	Dave Barkley	Mal Barnsley Tuesday 30th October 2007 this was taken in Sep 05 it was in Scarborough at the Newcastle Packet)	Major General Ian Baker CBE 28 July 2005
Ron Beckett (ATO) SSgt Ron Beckett was killed on 30th August 1973 attempting a bomb defusal at Tullyhoman Post Office, near Pettigoe, Co Fermanagh. He was 36 years of age.	"Barney" Beddows Motor Bike Accident July 2008	Nigel Biles	General Sir Jeremy Blacker 17th March 2005
Ged Brady Accidental Death 27 March 1969 on Soltau. Buried in Limmer Cemetery Hannover	Rupert Brookshaw 21.11.57 - 20.7.90
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Dean Chappell Accidental Death On a building site - Burnley	Brian Clapham	Nobby Clarkson (Centre)	Bryan Criddle & Jason. Murdered by PIRA
Brigadier Tony Crook 24th April 2005	Dave Cummings
Lt Col Tony Cornish June 2005 (See letter right)	Lt Col (QM) Tony Cornish, BEM Several of your readers will know that my father, Lt Col (QM) Tony Cornish BEM, died last June, after a long illness. Tony’s funeral was well attended by serving and former members of the Regiment, and I would like on behalf of my mother Joan, my brothers and all of Tony’s family to thank them. It was a pleasure to see Tony’s oldest and youngest friends: those who had joined the Regiment with him in 1947 (at last I know where the nickname ‘Butch’ came from); those who had served with him at various points in his long career in the Regiment; and those with whom I too was lucky enough to serve in the First in the 1980s. I should also like to thank the Regimental Colonel and the Adjutant of the First for their help, and particularly Alan Laybourn and all at the 8 th RTR Association for their kindness and support. Tony always took great pride in the professionalism of the Regiment; in his view, what mattered in the RTR was not who you are or where you are from, but what you can do, and how well. He was as happy in the company of the newest Trooper, as the most distinguished Field Marshal. He was even, on occasion, known to be civil to Subalterns. And so he would have been delighted to see the range of ranks represented at his funeral, and even more delighted to know that in the end rank didn’t really matter; those who could join us on the day did so because they were friends. We had hoped that Tony’s funeral would be both a family event, as well as having a Regimental character. We achieved that aim so well that it was difficult to see where ‘family’ stopped and ‘Regiment’ began. If any of your readers have memories of their service with Tony, I would be delighted to hear from them. Yours sincerely, Professor Paul Cornish. Address is in Tank magazine. Page 50. Letter in Tank Magazine March 2006 From Paul Cornish (1 RTR 1983-1989)
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Joe Daley 22 Feb 1969 on Soltau Buried in Limmer Cemetery Hannover next to Ged Brady	Les Dinning Ex 1 RTR Desert Rat 6 April 2005	Alan Dixon 15 June 2008	Gary Dobson 29th June 2009

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Lyn Farrell. Beloved wife of Gordon and a dear friend to us all 29th June 2010	Dave Flett 10th September 2004	Joe Flood	Joe Frankel Flying accident after leaving Army
Jack Frost 10th July 2005
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Mick Gashe June 2009	Ronald George Surname: GEORGE Forenames: Ronald Albert Rank: LCpl Service: Army Service Number: 24086481 Regiment/Corps: RTR Place of Birth/Home Town: Berlin West Germany Date of Birth: 26 June 1949 Age 22 Date of Death: 17 December 1971 Cemetery Name: Tidworth Military Cemetery Cemetery Address: Tidworth Hants Grave Row: H Grave Number: 112	Taff Glover Aged 26 - 11/11/1980	"Joe" Gotobed 6th September 2005

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Graham Hesketh KIA 28 December 2007	Sergeant Graham Hesketh, from 2nd Battalion The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, was killed in action following an attack on UK forces in Basra southern Iraq on Thursday 28 December 2006. Graham joined the British Army at the age of 17 in 1989 and served with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment in Germany for three years. He left the Army in 1992, but rejoined in March 1995 to serve with 1st Battalion The King’s Regiment, and was promoted to Lance Corporal the following year. He was promoted to Corporal in July 2002 and posted to the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick where he was an instructor to infantry recruits. He returned to his Battalion and was promoted to Sergeant in January 2005. The King’s Regiment merged into The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment on 1 July 2006 and he deployed to Iraq with the 2nd Battalion on 11 November 2006, serving as a Platoon Sergeant.	Geordie Hopkinson
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Marc Johnson July 2009
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Mick Kay Status: Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), Killed by: Irish Republican Army (IRA). Killed by remote controlled bomb, hidden in parked car, detonated when Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) patrol passed, outside Courthouse, Downshire Road, Newry, County Down. 3 April 1985	SSgt Fred Kirkham January 2006 (see note below lists)

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Stan Lewis	Cpl John Limbert October 2004	Roger Litchfield 21 December 2007	Chris Lowton 1983 Seen here in Herford in 1982 with Blink Ward
Chris Lowton's Grave (image: Woggy Walker) (click to enlarge)	Geoff Lumsden 6 December 1997
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Kev Madden 30th November 2009	Brigadier John Masters CO 1961 - 1963 3 May 2010 aged 89	Joe McCartney Joe was a very good friend to me - bless you mate	Jock McLaren 3 RTR from May 1952 - 1954(ish) then 1 RTR until 1975 QM Tech all the way. Passed away on the 6th April 2007 age 78 years.
Dean Middleditch	Jimmy Morgan February 2009	Pete Moon October 1999 (see note below lists)

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Mike Newton BEM died sometime 1980's	Dave Nicholls June 2003

O/P/Q
Geordie Park

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Dennis Richardson 21 June 2008	Captain Robertson-Fox KIA Aden Jan 1966

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Ian Sanderson 11 February 2008	Billy Scott	Peter Scott Sunday 12th August 2007	Tpr Des Shallow RTA Honnington
Steve Smith Murdered in Hannover PIRA Car Bomb Enlarge - Bovington Memorial	Mick Staff December 1980	Dave Steele April 2001

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Wayne (Black Tat) Tattersall 18th November 2008	Ralph "Ginge" Taylor	Billy Troughear C Sqn	Dave Turner 15th September 2009

U/V

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Derek Wapshott April 2002	Cpl "Blink" Ward 1984	Bill Wells 28th April 2010

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Pete Young May 1960 - December 2001

SSgt Fred Kirkham entered "The Green Fields Beyond" in January 2006 at Scarborough. He left behind his wife Sylv and their three surviving sons, Gary, Andrew & Kevin. Those who knew the family will be aware that their eldest son, Mark, died many years ago in a traffic accident whilst Fred was serving the Regiment as a superb Recruiting Sgt in Scarborough. Fred's innate ability to "talk himself related" within minutes of him meeting perfect strangers led to him spending the last 5 years of his 27 1/2 years service in the Scarborough Recruiting office. Prior to that he had been a Recruiting Sgt on Merseyside and for a brief period in Lancashire. Fred was a Yorkshireman to the bone and his ready and at times quite appalling sense of humour, led him to declare, when the Regiment recruiting solely from Liverpool, that "the Regiment was manned by scousers and led by British Officer's and NCO's". Fred was the first to admit that the scousers ready and lightning quick wit made him feel at home. During his time with the Regiment, from 1950 to 1978, Fred saw active service in Suez and Korea (1952 - 53). Fred received a belated GSM for the latter service a few years before he died. Amongst his many postings were Catterick, as a Gnry Instr when 1 RTR was responsible for the RAC Training Regiment, and Northern Ireland, 1974 - 1978 plus 3 tours in Germany, 1951-52, 1960-65 and 1969-70. 1 RTR owe Fred a great debt, as I say he was a great character and a staunch member of the Regiment to his dying day. I am proud to say Fred was my friend for 40 years both during our service and during the many years since our leaving the Regiment, a true example of Regimental spirit. If anyone should be on the Regiment's Role of Honour it is SSgt Fred Kirkham, who, in his mind, never actually retired from his long and honourable service with 1 RTR. Peter Morrison.

Pete Moon: An horrific crash involving eight Lancashire people has left an army veteran dead. The stunned family of Peter Moon from Leyland are today coming to terms with his death in a devastating road accident. Mr Moon, 48, of Alder Close, died instantly when his car smashed head-on into two other vehicles on Schleswig Way, Leyland at 10.40am on Saturday. Today his heartbroken daughter Gillian and ex-wife Christine described the terrible shock of losing him. Christine said: "I didn't want to believe it was him until I went and saw the body. It was such a shock. I just don't know what to say." It is thought that Mr Moon may have passed out at the wheel of his red Rover 114, possibly after suffering a heart attack. A post mortem examination is being conducted to establish what happened. He veered into oncoming traffic hitting a Renault Clio and a Range Rover, sending the Clio spinning off the road. The Clio was driven by John Strange from Riversedge Road, Leyland and contained his wife Denise and three children. Mrs Strange sustained broken ribs and the rest of the family were treated for shock, cuts and bruises. Driver of the Range Rover Wendy Sharrock, 39, from Lydiate Lane, Eccleston, was treated for shock and her two-year-old daughter sustained bruising. Mr Moon was a keen fisherman who had served 19 years in the Tank Regiment but was retired. He had won campaign medals for Cyprus and Northern Ireland. Daughter Gillian described her dad as an caring animal lover, whose military discipline shone through even after retirement from the forces. She said: "He was always there when I needed him. He was a great support. He would help anybody. He got on well with people and would help them if he could. "He was fond of animals, especially cats. He was definitely a cat man. And he really enjoyed fishing." "He was an army man, he still had army habits. When he walked you could see the march was still there and his clothes always had to be a certain way. And he had quite a loud voice. He was good fun." Despite their loss, the Moon family were still thinking today about the other people hurt in the crash. Ex-wife Christine said: "I just feel so sorry for the people in the other cars, that they were involved and got hurt. I am glad they are all right." Insp Clive Cope of Lancashire police said: "The accident happened when a Rover 114 was travelling along Schleswig Way towards Buxton when the vehicle, for no apparent reason, veered on to the opposite side of the road." - From Chris Moon.

Actor Peter O'Toole said that "at our age we say goodbye to more friends than we make"