The Somerset & Cornwall Light Infantry
6 October 1959 - 10 July 1968
Osnabruck 1959/61
Plymouth Sept/61
Gibraltar/Tobruk 1961/63
Berlin 1963/65
Gravesend 1965/68
Gus, as he was known to all, enlisted in to the SCLI in June 1962. Following his training at the KOYLI Depot in Pontefract he was posted to I SCLI in Gibraltar.
He served for most of his service in a rifle company apart from a spell as a Regt. Policeman. During his service he served in Tobruk, Berlin, Gravesend, Canada, Norway, Aden, Kenya, Lemgo, Northern Ireland and Colchester. He retired from the Army after 15 years in August 1977. During his service he was awarded the GSM with clasps for Aden, South Arabia and Northern Ireland.
Predeceased by his wife, his funeral service took place on Tuesday 4th November at Telford Crematorium. It was well attended by his family, friends and former colleagues from the Regiment, and two Buglers from the Buglers Association.
He was commissioned in to the SOM LI in August 1958, serving initially as a platoon commander with 1 SOM LI at Warminster, Wiltshire.
Following the formation of the SCLI, he was posted to the Regt Depot at Bodmin as a training subaltern. In 1961 he commenced an attachment with the 2nd Bn the Parachute Regt.
He served with the Bn in Cyprus, Kuwait, and Aldershot during which time he was promoted to Capt. He returned to 1 SCLI in 1963 who were stationed in Berlin. Later postings were to Gravesend and Aden. Following the formation of the Light Infantry in 1968 he served in Northern Ireland, Lemgo and Belize with further promotion to Maj and becoming a company commander. In 1977 he was posted to 2 LI in Lemgo as a coy comd and later a further posting to Northern Ireland. His final posting was to the LI Depot as Shrewsbury where he served as the 2ic. His funeral service to place at All Saints Church, Swallowfield, Reading on Tuesday 11th November. It was attended by his family, friends and former fellow officers. Our condolences go to his wife Julia and family.
Gary enlisted in to the SCLI in June 1965 and following his training at the Light Infantry Depot at Shrewsbury he was posted to 1SCLI in Gravesend.
He initially served in a rifle company becoming a platoon signaller, before moving to the signal platoon where he spent most of his service as the CO’s signaller and driver. During the course of his service he served in Aden, Kenya, Lemgo, Northern Ireland, and a period of a fortnight in Belgium.
He retired from the Army in 1974. During his service he was awarded the GSM with clasp’s for South Arabia and Northern Ireland.
His funeral service took place on Wednesday 27th August at Gwent Crematorium, South Wales, and was attended by his family, friends and former colleagues from the Regiment.
Our condolences go to his wife Joy and family.
Barry’s service number shows that he enlisted in the Army in the late 1950s. He served in both the SCLI and 1LI.
By the time the SCLI deployed to Aden he had obtained the rank of Cpl. and was on the advanced party. He would therefore have been awarded the GSM with the clasp for South Arabia, and possibly other awards for his later service.
He served as a bandsman in both the SCLI and 1LI.
Bryan, as he was always known, enlisted as a regular soldier into the Somerset and Cornwall Light Infantry on the 26th May 1960. On completion of his training at the Regimental Depot at Bodmin, he remained at the Depot and was employed as a QM’s clerk. After a short while he was promoted to L/Cpl and was moved to the Orderly Room, again working as a clerk. He remained at Bodmin until early 1962 when he was posted to the KOYLI Depot at Pontefract. He was again employed as a Orderly Room clerk. By this time he had received further promotion to Cpl. He had a further posting at the beginning of 1963 to the Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury and again employment as a Orderly Room Clerk.
He retired from the Army on the 25 May 1963 returning to his home in Chard. He almost immediately applied for and was accepted by the Somerset and Bath Constabulary. He served in the said police force, which in 1974 became the Avon and Somerset Constabulary, for 30 years, rising in rank to Superintendent and head of the Road Traffic Division. On retirement in 1993 he took employment with the Ambulance Service. He was engaged with patient transport until retirement in 2003 at the age of 65. It was his wish that following his death there would not be a conventional funeral. It was purely a private cremation with no one present and took place on Thursday 17th April. Our condolences go to his wife Margaret and family.
Tony, known throughout the Regt as Nobby, enlisted as a regular soldier into the Somerset Light Infantry on the 8th of January 1959. Following training at the Regt. Depot in Taunton, he was posted to 1SOM LI in Knook Camp at Warminster where the Bn carried out the duties of the Infantry’s Demonstration Bn. Following amalgamation later in the year he was posted with the Bn to Osnabruck, West Germany, where within a short space of time he was promoted to L/Cpl and then as a Section Cpl with A Company. He remained with A Coy until October 1962 in Gibraltar when he moved to the Anti Tank Pltn as a Cpl. He remained as such until 1964 when he was promoted to Pltn Sjt with C Coy. The Bn was now stationed in Berlin. He later moved to the Families Office. In November 1965 he was posted to Redruth, Cornwall as a Recruiting Sjt also covering the Bodmin area. In late 1968 he rejoined 1SCLI in Gravesend at the time it became 1LI. From August 1968 until May 1971, he had two tours of duty in Northern Ireland and a posting to Lemgo, West Germany, serving during this time as a Pltn Sjt with B Coy and then as Mortar Pltn Sjt. From May 71 until June 1975 he was a recruiting Sjt in County Durham. He returned to 1LI in Canada in July 1975 and. was posted as CQMS HQ Coy. This was a post he held with HQ Coy until mid 1977, when he moved to B Coy, again as CQMS. During the previous two years the Bn had postings to Colchester, another tour of Northern Ireland and were now stationed in Hong Kong. In January 1978 the Bn returned to the UK and was stationed in Tidworth, Wiltshire. He remained as CQMS with B Coy until February 1979, when he moved for his final posting as a C/Sjt to Taunton as Recruiting Sjt.
He retired from the Army in June 1982 having completed 23 1/2 years of service. During this time he was awarded the GSM with clasp for Northern Ireland and the LS&GC Medal. He settled in Taunton and in civilian life he first worked as a store keeper for the Jnr Leaders Bn at Norton Manor Camp, then from August 1983 until his retirement in 2002, at the Hydrographic Office, MOD, Taunton. His funeral was held at Taunton Crematorium on Tuesday 25 March and was attended by his family friends and a huge gathering of former Army colleagues. Their was also a Regimental Bugler and four Standard Bearers in attendance. Our condolences go to his wife Joan and family.
Peter was called up for National Service into the Somerset Light Infantry on the 19th October 1956. In January 1957 he changed his enlistment and become a regular soldier. Following his training at the Regt Depot in Taunton he was to remain there in a training capacity. It was not long before he received his first promotion to L/Cpl and within a very short time with further enhancement to Cpl. Later in 1957 he was posted to the Junior Leaders Bn in Shrewsbury and then to the KOYLI Depot. In both of the postings he was employed as a Training Cpl. In early 1958 he was posted to the 1 SOM LI in Plymouth where he joined C Company as a Section Cpl. Later that year the Bn moved to Knook Camp at Warminster where it became the Infantry’s Demonstration Bn. Peter remained with C Coy. The amalgamation took place in 1959 and the Bn moved to Osnabruck, West Germany. He remained at Warminster as attached personnel before further promotion to Sjt and a posting to Bristol as a Recruiting Sjt. In 1963 he was posted to 1SCLI in Osnabruck and employed as a Pltn Sjt. In 1964 the Bn moved to Berlin where he took on the post of Intelligence Sjt. This was a post he held for several years including when the Bn moved to Gravesend and for the Operational Tour in Aden.
For his service in Aden not only did he receive the GSM South Arabia Medal, he also had an Oak Leaf Clasp attached which was awarded for the Queens Commendation for Gallantry. Following the Bn’s return to Gravesend he was shortly afterwards promoted to C/Sjt. In 1967 he was posted to the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst as a Training Sjt. In April 1969 whilst still at Sandhurst, he retired from Army on compassionate grounds. He settled in Worle, Weston-super-Mare.
In civilian life he worked as a TV engineer initially and later in the revenue dept of North Somerset Council. His final employment before retiring was as an Inspector in Corporate Services. His funeral took place on the 4th March at St Martins Church, Worle, and was well attended by his family, friends and former colleagues from the Regt. Taunton Branch Standard Bearer was also in Attendance. Our condolence go to his wife Patricia and family.
Stanley enlisted into the Infantry Junior Leaders on the 2nd January 1964. Following training at their Depot in Oswestry and further training at the Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury, he was posted to 1SCLI in Berlin where he initially served as a rifleman. Later he moved to Support Coy with whom most of his service took place. He returned with the Bn from Berlin to Gravesend and shortly afterwards to Aden on a six-month emergency tour, afterwards returning to Gravesend. Following the formation of !LI in 1968, there followed shortly afterwards a two-year tour of Northern Ireland with the Bn based at Ballykinler. From there it moved to Lemgo, West Germany, from where during the four years it was stationed there, the Bn had three deployments to Northern Ireland at the time of ‘The Troubles’. He served continually with 1LI until he left the Army in June 1988. During this time it was posted to Colchester, Belize, Hong Kong, Tidworth, Cyprus, Munster West Germany, Blackpool, It also had five further deployments to Northern Ireland, It was on the fifth deployment to Omagh in 1988 that he retired. For his Military Service he was awarded the GSM with clasps for South Arabia and Northern Ireland. After leaving the Army he became a Publican in the Hereford area. He died in Thailand and his funeral service and cremation took place shortly after his death. Our condolences go to his his daughter Karen.
Philip initially served in the Somerset Light Infantry (TA) from 12th May 1964 until he enlisted into the SCLI on the 8th December 1964. Following his training at the LI Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury, he was posted to 1SCLI in Berlin, West Germany, where he served as a rifleman in C Coy. He remained in C Coy for his entire service, with postings to Gravesend, Aden for a six-month emergency tour before retuning to Gravesend. Following the Bn becoming 1LI in 1968, it shortly afterwards moved on a two-year tour of Northern Ireland based at Ballykinler. It was from here that he left the Army in November 1969. For his Military Service he was awarded the GSM with clasp for South Arabia. He took up residence in the Wellington area of Somerset and changed his surname to Payne-Jones. In 2011 he moved to the Scottish Border town of Duns which is where his funeral service took place on the 6th January 2025. As per his wishes his partner was the only person present, accompanied by his dog.