9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2005 - Page 0076
Image details
| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2005 |
| Transcription |
74 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) to the River Dyle, and from there fought a covering action back towards Dunkirk. The troops fought a series of small but intense actions, often centred around the Reserved Demolitions on the carious lines of defence along the waterways of France and Belgium. In his dispatches, Lord Gort wrote that without the 12th Lancers only a small part of the BEF would have reached the coast and Dunkirk. Bruce was awarded the MC as he ‘repeatedly acquired valuable information on patrol....by fearless manoeuvring of his troop covered the withdrawal of a column of our lorries and guns in the face of fire’ from four enemy tanks. In that phase of the fighting Lord Gort made 31 awards of which twelve went to members of the Regiment. Bruce himselfboarded a ship for England on 31st May. After a period of retraining and re-equipping, the 12th arrived in Egypt in late 1941 and in January the next year was in action against the Afrika corps as Rommel counter attacked eastwards. On the 25th January 1942, Bruce was in command of a half squadron in support of the 6th Rajputana Rifles near M’sus in Libya, when the rapid German advance left the Rifles and one hundred Pioneers eXposed without transport. In the words of the citation for a Bar to his MC ‘Captain BMH Shand handled his small force with great skill and coolness under heavy fire, and not only was he largely responsible for the successful withdrawal of the Rajputana Rifles, but also succeed- ed in organising the evacuation of some 20 armoured cars and the Pioneers who would undoubtedly have fallen into enemy hands. Throughout the operations in Libya Captain Shand has constantly proved himself as a cavalry leader of the first order’. Bruce commanded the C Squadron through the three days of fiervce fighting at Knightsbridge where the Regiment were tasked to cut the enemy’s lines of communications. In the aftermath of the Battle of Alamein, Bruce’s squadron led the advance towards Mersa Matruh where they ran into a large column of vehicles on the escarpment. By the time they were identified as enemy, he was under fire, his vehicle hit and set ablaze. His operator Sgt Francis was killed and then his driver Corporal Plant. He himself was wounded in the face and the knee and was taken prisoner. After treatment in Greece, he was moved to Spangenburg Castle, near Kassel, until the closing stages of the war. In the final confused days, he escaped and reached the advancing American Forces. In 1946 he declined the chance to continue an army career and embarked on civilian life. His main involvement was in the West End wine marchants Block, Grey and Block, but his pas- sions were horses and hunting. He was Master of the Southdown Foxhounds from 1956 to 1975. He was also Exon and later Adjutant and Clerk to the Cheque of the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard, and a Deputy Lieutenant for Sussex. In his retirement he wrote a slim volume of his wartime mem- oirs entitled ‘Previous Engagements’ that stands as a classic record of the armoured car soldier at war, full of the humour that endeared him to so many. In 1946 he married Rosalind Cubbit, the daughter of the 3rd Lord Ashcombe, who predeceased him in 1994. He is survived by his son Mark and two daughters Camilla and Annabel. Major Jim Thornton ‘Whistling Jim’ Thornton joined the 9th Lancers in Palestine and left the 9th/12th Lancers in Northern Ireland in 1977, after nearly 32 years service. He was a Gunnery King both at Hohne and Lulworth. He went on to be Senior Instructor at Hohne, and to command Command Squadron, and Admin and HQ Squadrons in the Regiment. A very special kind of man, he was loved and respected by all ranks and our greatest sympathy goes to his widow Dot. Andy Bell has written this poignant vignette of a fine man: Whistling Jim, as he was affectionately known in command squadron, was a warm and generous individual. His greatest asset was the ability to listen and help others with their prob- lems. This was greatly appreciated by those under his com- mand. He had a marvellous sense of humour and great strength of character. Unfortunately, like myself, he smoked many ciga- rettes. We were both on 60 a day and one day we decided enough was enough. We had to stop the filthy habit. Plans were drawn up and pipes were purchased along with two tins of St Bruno cigarettes were dispensed with and pipes filled to the brim. We both felt that we had achieved our ambition to quit smoking cigarettes. A few days after this wonderful event, I called round to see Jim and Dot and enquired of Dot how he was getting along with his new habit. She told me that he complained that the bowl of his pipe was getting too hot and that he had got through three tins of St Bruno. The house was full of pipe ash. A dear friend, he will be sadly missed by all who came in con- tact with him. AB Mr Tom Squirrell, ‘Old Dusty Boots’ Tom Squirrell died at his home in Perth, Western Australia on the 2nd December 2005. Tom was born in Peckham, London in 1920. He enlisted into the Royal Artillery in 1936, trans- ferring to the 12th Royal Lancers in 1938. He saw service with the Regiment in Europe, Middle East and North Africa. He completed his war service in 1946, and married Kath, set- tling down to enjoy civilian life. In 1954, Tom decided he had enough of civilian life and re-enlisted in 1954. He rejoined the Regiment in Crookham. Tom held many jobs in the administration, including Ration Stores MT and finally, the PRI. He completed his service in 1968, and with Kath, took over a general service store and post office in Caterham. Four years later, he successfully applied for a life in Australia. A great character and a staunch member of the Sgts Mess, he, with |
| Title |