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
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.
John Oswald Morgan was commissioned into the Somerset Light Infantry on the 21st December 1958 serving as a 2nd Lt and Pltn Commander with a Rifle Coy. In 1959 following amalgamation he continued in his position in the 1SCLI. In late 1960 he moved to Bn HQ as the Intelligence Officer. In 1961 he was appointed ADC to the Col of the Regt, a post he held for several years before as a Lt moving back to 1SCLI. at Gravesend. In 1966 he went with the Bn to Aden for a six-month emergency tour after which the Bn returned to Gravesend. He was shortly afterwards promoted to Capt. and through 1968-69 served as a Capt. at the Staff College. In June 1969 he was promoted to Major and became a GSO2 Ops/Int on the South West District. In 1972 he returned to what was now 1LI, who where stationed in Lemgo, West Germany, as a Coy Commander. This was followed by tours in Northern Ireland before an 18-month posting as GSO2 SD BAOR at Rheindahlen, West Germany. In 1976 he returned to 1LI based in Hing Kong, as 2i/c of the Bn. In June 1977 he had his final posting, again as a GSO2 IE (A) 3 Insp.
He retired from the Army in October 1979 and returned to his home in London, where in civilian life he became a stockbroker. For his Military Service he was awarded the GSM with clasps for South Arabia and Northern Ireland. Pre-deceased by his wife, his funeral took place on the 3rd February 2025 at Putney Vale Crematorium. Present was his family, friends and former colleagues.
Graham enlisted in January 1961 into the Junior Leaders Battalion at their Depot in Oswestry and trained as an Infantry Soldier. On completion of his training he was posted in October 1962 to 1SCLI in Gibraltar were he served as a cook. In 1963 the Bn moved to Berlin where he initially continued as a cook before being transferred to the Orderly Room as a clerk. The Bn moved back to the UK in 1965 and was stationed in Gravesend, where he continued employment as a clerk and received his first promotion to L/Cpl. In 1966 the Bn was posted on a six-month emergency tour to Aden returning later in the year to Gravesend, from where he was posted to the Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury as the Training Coy clerk and promotion to Cpl. In August 1969 he was posted back to 1LI who where stationed in Ballykinler, Northern Ireland and resumed duties as an Orderly Room clerk. In 1970 the Bn moved to Lemgo, West Germany where he continued as a Orderly Room clerk with further promotion to Sjt. In August 1971 he was posted to the Royal Green Jackets Depot at Winchester as their Orderly Room Clerk. He remained with the RGJ’s until 1973 when he returned back to 1LI, serving with the Bn in Lemgo, Winchester and Hong Kong with further promotion to C/Sjt and title of Chief Clerk. In January 1978 he had a further posting to the Military Record Office in Exeter working with the documents team and promotion to WO2. In 1982 he had his final posting now in the rank of WO1 to the RGJ depot at Winchester as the Superintendent Clerk.
He retired from the Army in March 1984 and returned to his home in Exeter. During his service he received the General Service Medal with clasps for South Arabia and Northern Ireland and the LS&GC Medal. In civilian life he first took employment with the Post Office and several years later took on the role of a taxi driver. His funeral service took place on Monday 6th January 2025 at the Exeter & Devon Crematorium. It was well attended by his wife and family, friends and former military colleagues, there was also a bugler in attendance. Our condolences go to his wife Vickey and family.
Robert enlisted into the SCLI in 1965 and following training at the Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury he was posted to 1SCLI in Berlin where he served as a Rifleman in B Company. Later in the year the Battalion moved to Gravesend and in 1966 it was posted on a six-month emergency tour to Aden. As a result Robert was awarded the General Service Medal with clasp South Arabia. He served on into 1LI following the formation of the regiment and finally retired from the Army when the Bn was stationed in Lemgo, West Germany in 1972. During his entire service he served in B Coy. He returned to his home in Bath. He later suffered from Biles disease which resulted in him being bedridden for some time prior to his death. As was his wishes there was no funeral, just a cremation, which took place on Friday 27th December, with his ashes interred in Haycombe Cemetery, Bath. Our condolences go to his wife Patricia and family.
Eddie, as he was known, enlisted into the SCLI on the 18th January 1968. After training at the Light Infantry Brigade Depot at Shrewsbury, he was posted in March 1968 to 1SCLI in Gravesend where he served initially in a Rifle Company. In July 1968 the Bn became 1LI and in August it was posted for a two year tour to Ballykinler, Northern Ireland. He moved to the Anti-Tank Pltn where he served for the duration of the tour. In 1970 the Bn was posted to Lemgo, West Germany where he changed employment again moving to the M.T. Pltn with whom he remained for the entire time at Lemgo and at Colchester in 1974. During this period he had three further operational tours to Northern Ireland. In 1975 he was posted as a recruiter to the Light Infantry Office at Taunton. In 1978 he returned to the Bn at Tidworth as a L/Cpl, again serving with M.T. He had one further tour to Northern Ireland before retiring from the Army in January 1980. For his duties in Northern Ireland he was awarded the GSM. He took up residence with his wife in Northolt, Middlesex. His main employment was as a HGV Lorry driver. As was his wishes he was cremated without anyone being present, the date of his cremation is not known. Our condolences go to his wife and family..
Mel as he was known, enlisted into the SCLI on the 19 November 1962. Following his initial training at the KOYLI Regimental Depot at Pontefract he was posted in early January 1963 to 1SCLI in Gibraltar where he served in a Rifle Company. He was to later serve with the Bn in Tobruk, Berlin, Gravesend and Aden for which he was awarded the GSM South Arabia Medal. Returning to Gravesend where he remained until 1968 when the Bn became 1LI. Shortly afterwards the Bn deployed to Ballykinler Northern Ireland where he the served as a L/Cpl in the Mortar Pltn. The Bn was posted to Lemgo, West Germany in May 1970 and in March 1971 until July of that year was deployed to Belfast, Northern Ireland on an Emergency Tour, for which he was awarded the bar for Norther Ireland added to his GSM The Bn returned to Lemgo from where Mel retired from the Army in November 1971. He returned to his home in Hartlepool and took employment in the metal industry as a turner in vertical and horizontal boring. His funeral took place on Friday 20th September at Stranton Crematorium, Hartlepool, and was well attended by his family, friends and former Army colleagues. There was also a bugler and seven standard bearers in attendance. Our condolences go to his wife Agnes and family.