RSM. Christopher Frost – died 8th December 1972

Died at the Royal Military Hospital, Woolwich. Enlisted into DCLI on 24th October 1953. He was promoted to substantive Sgt. in October 1955 and served with the Bn. in Jamaica and Osnabruck and after amalgamation with 1 SCLI and (TA) Bn’s of the Regiment. In 1969 he was appointed RSM of 1 LI and served with that Bn. in BAOR and Northern Ireland before returning in 1971 to assist in the raising of the 6th. Bn. LI. (Volunteers) at Bath.

Cpl Colin Lavers – died Thursday 9th December 1971 aged 26

He joined the Battalion in 1967 and was posted to B Company where he served as a rifleman. In February 1968 he joined the Bn Orderly Room and became a clerk. He was a keen all round sportsman and represented the Bn at football. He died as a result of a road traffic accident in the Warminster area of Wiltshire and received injuries from which he did not recover.

24080960 Pte Peter G P Storror – died 5th August 1969

He was killed in Kenya in a traffic accident while driving from Mombasa to Nanuki. He had served in Gravesend, Aden, Norway & Northern Ireland.

WO1 George Fairless (known as fearless Freddie) – died Saturday 9th November 1968 aged 55

He served as a glider pilot during WW2 and took part in the Arnhem operations and had to swim the Neder Rhine to make his escape. After the war in 1948 he enlisted into the DCLI serving in 1DCLI. He was promoted through the ranks to WO1 RSM. In 1961 he was posted from Plasterdown Army Camp near Tavistock in Devon, to the Regimental Depot, Bodmin as RSM. This appointment was only for a period of approximately 5 months until the closure of the Depot on the 1st April 1962, after which he then retired from the Army.

Major Peter Frederick Gooch P/358950 – died 3rd September 1967

Bn. 1925. Missing believed killed whilst on active service on 3/09/1967 when the helicopter in which he, with others, was on an operational flight to a place some 200 miles east of Aden, was shot down. He was born in Kenya and educated there and in Taunton. He enlisted in the Kenya Regt. in January 1944 and served in Mauritius rising to the rank of Sgt. In 1945 he passed his OCTU course at Njoro being selected for the “Belt of Honour”. In 1947 he was accepted for a regular commission in the Som LI. but did not join till 1949 when he was posted to L.I.B.T.C. He later joined the 1st Bn. serving in B.A.O.R. and Malaya. In 1953 he was seconded to K.A.R. He married in 1955 and in 1958 he returned to the 1st Bn. this time at Warminster where they were Demonstration Bn. During the time of amalgamation he took up a staff appointment at HQ Wessex Command returning to the LI Brigade in 1961 for a tour with the DLI. in B.A.O.R. and UK. This was followed by a further staff appointment at the School of Infantry and MOD A.F.D.12. In February 1966 he volunteered for service with the South Arabian Federal Regular Army. His last appointment was as G.S.O. II G.H.Q. South Arabian Army.

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 23 JANUARY 1968.

Cpl. “Yorkie” Hewitt – died 1967

Killed in Land Rover accident at Gravesend.

Cpl. Anthony Greenslade – died 20th October 1966

He joined DCLI to do his NS Service and became a PT. enthusiast with 1 SCLI. He married in Gibraltar, he was then posted to The Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury. Early in 1966 his military career was prematurely ended by his discharge on medical grounds.

23709939 Cpl. Leonard William Roy Collings – died 9th September 1966 aged 26yrs

Died while on active service, when his vehicle ran over a mine near Nukeiras, 100 miles from Aden. Serving with B Company 1 SCLI.

24078593 Pte. Leonard Edward Oakley – died 11th July 1966 aged 18yrs

Died at Khormaksar Beach Hospital, Aden, from injuries sustained on active service. He had only recently joined the Bn. from the LI Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury. Fatally injured by explosion of a terrorist grenade thrown at a mobile patrol of which he was a member in Sheikh Othman. Serving with A Company 1 SCLI.

Maj. Robert James Briscoe – died 29th June 1965 aged 39yrs

He died at St. Andrews Hospital, Northampton. First commissioned in 1948 he then obtained a short service commission in 1949. He served on secondment with the Special Police Forces in Eritrea, and also with the Ox and Bucks. He also served at this period with the KSLI. He was appointed to Regular commission into the DCLI in 1953 and served with 1 DCLI He also served on the staff in Germany and with HQ. Near East Land Forces in Cyprus. In October 1963 he was posted to 1 SCLI in Berlin as a Coy. Commander, he served in that post until October 1964. He retired from the army on medical grounds on 29th May 1965.

Pte. Robert John Linton – died 25th July 1964 aged 20

Died at New West End Hospital, Spandau, Berlin. Joined LI. Brigade in 1959 as a Junior Bugler, after 6 months at Depot posted to Depot of SCLI. In 1961 he joined the Bn. in Gibraltar as a Bugler, serving later with Assault Pioneer Platoon in Gibraltar and later Berlin.

455015 Captain Robin Christopher Edwards – died 30th April 1964 aged 27yrs

Killed in Action in the Aden Protectorate. Commissioned into DCLI in December 1957. Served in Osnabruck with 1 DCLI and then on amalgamation with 1 SCLI, until appointed Training Subaltern at the Regimental Depot, Bodmin and then to the LI. Brigade Depot. He later volunteered for duty with the SAS. Whilst training for this duty he contracted Poliomyelitis. He however made a remarkable recovery and was able to continue serving with the SAS. He was serving with the SAS when killed.

Thomas Charles Bradley – died 12th March 1964 aged 32yrs

Rank Cpl. The death took place at his married quarters in Shrewsbury. Enlisted into DCLI and served in East Africa, Jamaica, Bermuda and two tours in BAOR. After the amalgamation returned to UK then moved with the Bn. to Gibraltar. In 1962 he was posted to LI. Depot Shrewsbury, Junior Soldiers Company as a Band Instructor.

Remembered by Don Chapman in July 2011.

Sadly Tom Bradley died, oh so many years ago now. He went to Shrewsbury in charge of the boys and on a trip to I believe, Northumberland he picked up a nasty virus which took his life. Apart from being a fantastic musician he was a lovely, lovely, gentle giant of a man.

Cpl. Leslie Garth Rollings Bn. 1932 – died 25th December 1953 aged 31yrs

Died at Queen Alexandra’s Hospital, Millbank, London. He was born in Pont, Lanteglos, Fowey and enlisted into the DCLI in 1952. Apart from a short tour with 1st Bn. DCLI in B.A.O.R. the greater part of his service consisted of Depot life. He served in the Depots SCLI, KOYLI, and finally at the LI Brigade Depot. He was a member of the QM’s staff and also a MT Cpl. and Depot CO’s driver. His funeral at Lanteglos Parish Church was attended by a bearer party from the LI Brigade Depot, Shrewsbury under Sgt. Basham and by Lt Col. E.E.Fry, Maj. A.R.Croucher, Lt. (QM) J. Passmore, Sgt. Bright and Cpl. Brown. Last Post and Reveille were sounded by Cpl’s Archer and Delamere. Cpl. Rollings leaves a widow and two small sons.

Sgt. Ronald Phillip Perrett – died 9th July 1963 aged 36yrs

SCLI. He died at the British Military Hospital, Tidworth. Prior to his death he was attached to the Army School of Civil Defence at Devizes. (No other details given in the Light Bob)

C/Sgt. Alfred Ellis – died 10th February 1963 aged 36yrs

Died following a road traffic accident in Cyrenaica. Buried at Benghazi Military Cemetery. Enlisted in October 1944 as a gunner. Joined 1 Som. LI. in 1946 who were then stationed in Deolali, India. Left India in advance of the Bn. and returned to the Depot in Taunton. He received his first promotions whilst serving at the Depot. He was promoted to Signals Sgt. in 1953 and was posted to 1st. African Rifles with whom he served until 1956 when he rejoined 1 Som. LI. in Plymouth. He was in A Coy. when the Bn. went to Malta & Cyprus. Later he was posted to Warminster and whilst there he became a Technical Sgt. Following amalgamation he was promoted to C/Sgt. in 1960. Shortly after his promotion he joined A Coy. 1 SCLI and went with the Bn. to Gibraltar. A Coy. was the first Coy. to go to Tobruk and it was he who laid the foundations for the Administration of the Tobruk Coy. which was described as a difficult and exacting job.

23682898 Pte. Colin R. Luke – died June 1962 aged 21yrs

Went missing on the 16th June 1962, and was presumed to have drowned. He was serving with 1 SCLI in Gibraltar at the time.

Major (QM) Matthew Scott – died 24th September 1961 aged 51yrs

Died whilst serving at HQ B.A.O.R. “Michael” as he was known, enlisted into SOM LI in the early ’30s. Rising to the rank of WO2 he was granted an Emergency Commission. Later after holding a Short Service Commission as Capt. (QM) he was granted a Regular Commission in 1950 and promoted Maj. (QM) in 1956. He served as QM to SOM LI (TA) and in early 1959 appointed QM at the Depot, Taunton until its closure. He was then posted to HQ B.O.A.R. in an E.R.E. appointment. At his funeral Major JMS Thain represented the Regiment.

2nd Lt. Roger Charles Dene Williams – died 5th July 1960 aged 19yrs

Died in an air crash at Putlos, a training area on the Baltic coast near Lubeck. He was educated at Radley and entered Mons O.C.S soon after leaving school. He was commissioned on a short service engagement into the SCLI in February 1960 joining the Bn. on the 27th of that month. He was the eldest son of Mr. & Mrs. Claude Williams of Chichester, Sussex. The family had close connections with DCLI, his uncle being Lt Col Dene and his grandfather Col Dene who had commanded the 1st Bn. Following his arrival to the Bn, he quickly showed himself to be a man of ability and charm, making friends very quickly and entering into the life of the Regt. He was a member of the victorious seven-a-side Rugby team and showed himself to be a most knowledgeable. Following his death he was buried with full military honours at Limmer Cemetery, Hannover. His parents and younger brother Simon being in attendance.