9th-12th-Lancers - Year 1986 - Page 0076
Image details
| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 1986 |
| Transcription |
THE9TH/iZTH ROYAL LANCFRS REGIMENTAL JOURNAL Obituaries I“. & 0th Prion-Palmer. 0.8.0. Otho Prior-Palmer was boat in 1897. He was educated at Wellington and Sandhurst. and he joined the 9th Lan- cers. in France. in ms. (it wu then that he acquired the nick-name "Min- now" which remained with him for the rest of his life.) He saw service with the Regiment until the end of the First World War. which he came through unscathed. In years that followed. the Ninth was frequently on the move. For a time it formed part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. and did a spell in lrelsnd during ”the troubles". Later it went to the Middle East. which entailed moves between Palestine and Egypt and back again. as problems developed in one or other of those countries. At the begin- ning of 1927. the Regiment went to India where it remained for six years before returning to the U.K. For much of this period Minnow was with the Regiment; things seldom scan- ed dull when he was around. It may not be may for praent serving officers to realise that, only a few years before the start of the Second World War. most of the regular cavalry regi- ments still had their full complement of horses. Amazingly. it was expected that mounted troops would have a part to play in confronting the mechanized mil- itary might of Germany. However. this astonishing miscalculation on the part of the higher command had the inciden- tal effect of providing young cavalry of- ficers with a very pleasant life. During these years. and wherever a regiment happened to be, there were usually plenty of opportunities for of- fioers to hunt or play polo, to take part in point«t0<point races. show jumping etc. Minnow was an exceptionally good horseman and an effective polo-player. He was brilliant across country and on the race-course — he won the Fox» Hunts: Steeplechase at Aintree in 1937 and 1938 on a horse called “O‘Bell”. and came second in 1939, when the same horse was then 15 years oldl He took part in almost every form of sport including sailing, at which he excelled. and ski-ins. which he was still enjoying the winter before he died. He was by nature competitive and, it has to be admitted, regarded many of his contemporaries as rivals. But he wentoutothitwaytoenooungeyoung— er officers to take part in his many act- ivities, and flied to help them to acquire the skills with which he was so well endowed. When war broke out. the Regiment was at Tidworth. and Minnow was hand-in-Command. However, exper- ienced officers of his seniority were much in demand, and he was posted to take command of the 2nd Northamp- tonshire Yeomanry. In 1942 he was appointed commander of the 30th Ann- oared Brigade: five months later he was ordued to take over the 29th Arm- oured Brigade in North Africa. From 1943 he took part in the campaign in Italy as Commander of the 7th Arm- oured Brigade. with which he remained until the end of hostilities in Europe. In 1905 he was awarded the D.S.0. The year 1945 saw the start ofa new phase in Mlnnow's cases: he was eheteti by an immense maiorlty. Member of Parliament for the Worthing Division of Sussex. He applied himself to these new responsibilities with his custom- ary energy and enthusiasm. Although amlnisterialpostdidnotcomehisway, he became chairman of two important Committees of the House and. in 1959. hewaskniahtedinreconitionofhls services. Mlnnow died at the age of 89. The last years of his full and active life were spent at his home in Devonshire. Doing this time he took partinslar pleasure in the brilliant success at Badminton and at Horse Trials Events elsewhere of his niece Lucinda. the daughter of Errol] to whom he was devoted. The two bro~ thers had been a formidable combination during the years that they served tog- ether! Minnow was. latterly. the last surviv- lna 9th Lancer Officer to have served in both World Wars. He was well fitted by his personality, his courage and his achievements to have been the link between past and present generations. (Iii-It. |
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