Helmand Cup competition

Scribe: LCpl Rumsby

Wednesday 26th October saw Helmand Company, 8 Training Battalion, commemorate the 8th anniversary of the handover of Camp Bastion with its inaugural Helmand Cup competition.

Over 3,000 British troops arrived in Helmand Province in April 2006, initially to help reconstruction efforts. Based out of Camp Bastion, this was a strategically located area close to the provincial capital Lashkar-Gah. Camp Bastion grew into a military fortress that eventually became home to 28,000 soldiers.

MoD Lyneham’s unique ties to Helmand Province began in Spring 2007. Over a five-year period, the local market town of Wootton Bassett gained international media attention as it marked the repatriations of 355 service personnel who lost their lives in the line of duty. Carefully orchestrated by the local Royal British Legion branch, hundreds, then latterly thousands, turned out to pay their respects. This informal tradition continued up until the 167th and final repatriation in August 2011. As an “enduring symbol of the nation’s admiration and gratitude”, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II granted the title ‘Royal Wootton Bassett’; the first English town in more than a century to receive this designation.

Following a service of remembrance, Helmand Company undertook an arduous Gun Run, with 5 Platoon being crowned overall winners. We thoroughly enjoyed the Helmand Cup event as it served as a reminder of what it means to serve in the British Army; whilst also giving us an opportunity to pay our respects to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Op HERRICK.

Obituaries

Staff Sergeant (Retired) Anthony (Tony) Morris William Neave, 24083485

Anthony (Tony) Morris William Neave was raised as an Orphan, with his siblings, in various foster homes in Liverpool. He joined the Army at 18 years of age and enlisted into the REME as a Vehicle Mechanic. Originally as a ‘H’ Mech and later as a ‘U’ Mech.

He met his Wife of 49 years, Susan Neave, while stationed in Shoeburyness and went onto have two Sons. Anthony born in Berlin in 1976 went onto become an ASM in the REME and Christopher, born in Hanover 3 years later went onto become an Electrical Engineer in industry, but sadly also passed away in September 2022.

Soon after discharge from the services in 1988 Tony was diagnosed with a medical issue from service life, which resulted in him being registered disabled and receiving a war pension. He did continue to work in various ways including setting up and administering an online REME contacts page. He remained in contact with a number of REME friends including Phil Veitch and Pete Hutchinson. He is also survived by his four Grandchildren one of whom is serving in the Royal Navy as a Weapons Engineer.

DoD: 17th December 2022

Enlisted: February 1966

Discharged: October 1988

Trade: VM

Op Tours: Op BANNER (Five tours) & UNFICYP (One tour). Postings: Shoeburyness, Berlin, Hohne, Bordon, Waterbeach, Falkland Islands, Osnabruck, Cyprus, NI and Nuneaton.

Woolwich, for Military Cadre and Electro-Medical training. It was from here that he was detached to the Red Sands Fort in the Thames Estuary for maintenance of the No.10 Predictor/Tracker and 3.7” Gun Control Equipment.

In August 1955 he embarked on troopship HMT Lancashire to Singapore on posting to REME District Workshop in Ayer Rajah Road and subsequently to 1 Singapore Regt RA LAD. Later he was attached to CMED (Command Medical Equipment Depot) RAMC, in Pasar Panjang. He recalls in his Army bio ‘ these were the most enjoyable three years of my young Army life for work and play, with the diversity of peoples, cultures, and camaraderie of thirty British Other Ranks (BORs) serving amongst 350 Malay soldiers on Blakang Mati, a selfcontained tropical island off the coast of Singapore (now a resort island renamed Sentosa)’. Malcolm has many pictures and told many stories of his time spent in Singapore and Malaya.

He returned to the UK on board the troopship Empire Fowey in 1958. He was taken on strength of REME Depot in Arborfield and granted nine weeks paid leave before being posted to the School of AntiAircraft Artillery at Manorbier in South Wales. It was in Carmarthen that he met and married his lovely Wife Anne in 1960.

After training on the Guided Weapons Thunderbird ‘Red Shoes’ Missile at Arborfield he went back to Manorbier to work on the Thunderbird SAGW Missile System for the Royal Artillery.

In 1962, Malcolm was selected for Artificer training (Electronic Control) and completed the course in Bordon and Arborfield in 1964. Postings then followed to 7 Armoured Workshop REME in BAOR at Fallingbostel and then to REME Wing Trials Establishment RA (TERA) in Anglesey as Assistant to the EME GW. The work involved reporting on REME aspects of live firing trials of SAGW2 missiles. In 1971 he went back to the School of Electronic Engineering (SEE) in Arborfield and after completing a Guided Weapons Surface to Air Rapier Course at BAC Stevenage, served at SEE as an Instructor on Rapier and Swingfire anti-tank missile systems and was later appointed Chief Planner in the Course Planning Department. During this time he also attended A1 and A2 day release courses at Reading Technical College and was awarded a Higher National Certificate in Electronic Engineering in 1974.

Former WO1 (ASM) Malcolm George Heppolette

Scribe: John Worrall, Secretary REME Association, Arborfield and District Branch

It is with deep regret that I have to inform you of the death of former WO1 (ASM) Malcolm George Heppolette who passed away on 3 December 2022 after a battle with cancer, which lasted long past the medical prognosis.

Malcolm was born on 18 September 1935 and joined the Army in February 1951 at the Army Apprentices School in Chepstow, intake 51A, aged 15, where he trained for three years as a Soldier and an Electrician CE, AA & CA (Control Equipment, Anti-Aircraft and Coastal Artillery). On completion of his training, he was posted to 5 Training Battalion REME in Arborfield for further equipment training and trade upgrading to Electronics CEM (AA & CA). Postings then followed to 1 AA Group Workshop REME,

Malcolm was a keen sportsman from his early days at Chepstow, playing Hockey and Squash throughout his Army life. At Hockey, he represented the Corps, BAOR, the County team of ‘Anglesey and Caernarvon’, and then North Wales; not to mention the unit teams of every unit he served with. At one time this led to a written comment by his SO2 in Arborfield which stated ‘while performing his military duties with his usual calm efficiency there is no doubt his spiritual home will always remain the Hockey pitch!’

In 1975 he was promoted to Warrant Officer Class 1 (Artificer Sergeant Major).

In April 1976 he was posted to Weapons Branch, REME Support Group, Woolwich, as the adviser on the maintainability of electromedical equipment for the Army. At this time Malcolm was on a Limited Continuance engagement and after receiving an offer of civilian employment from Racal-Milgo Ltd in Reading, he left the Army in October that year after 25 years’ service.

About his Army service Malcolm, writes in his bio, ‘Did I enjoy every minute? probably not, but pretty much. It certainly set me up for a very successful second career of 20 years in high technology international sales of data communications equipment and systems with Racal-Milgo Ltd; RacalChubb Security Systems Ltd; and finally Racal-Datacom Ltd; six years of which was as the resident manager in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for sales of computer network systems to the banks, the oil company, and private establishments, around the kingdom’.

On retiring from full time work with Racal-Datacom in 1996, he continued keeping busy through a variety of part time work; finally ending his working life of 65 years after being employed as the Pictorial Archivist at the REME Museum in Arborfield for five years until the museum moved to Wiltshire in 2015.

Always a family man, he will be greatly missed by his beloved Wife of 62 years Anne, his loving family of three children, 10 Grandchildren and 9 Great Grandchildren, and his friends in the Corps and outside it.

SSgt (Retd) Chris Dennis

Scribe: Mike Dennis

Dad finally lost his battle with cancer on Monday 23rd January 2023.

Dad was born 29th July 1950 and was a proud member of REME from joining as a Boy Soldier in 1965 and passing out from A Company, Carlisle (Hadrian’s Camp) in August 1968.

He ended his Army service in 1991, having attained the rank of Staff Sergeant, but continued to serve Queen and Country by becoming the Force Armourer to West Mercia Police, where he remained until his final retirement in 2017.

He continued his links with the Armourers by being a longstanding member of the Armourer’s Association, serving as both Association Secretary for a number of years, before finally becoming President, a post he held until his death.

Death Notices

BIRD – Former Cpl (Acting Sgt) Stuart Alan bird passed away on 02 February 2023 aged 47, after a long battle with cancer. Dates of service 1993-2007.

BRADE – Former SSgt Norman Brade passed away on 30 December 2022 aged 89. Dates of service 1951-1961.

BUSH – Capt (Retd) Colin Albert Bush MBE passed away on October 2022 aged 78. Dates of service 1959-1984.

NEAVE – Former SSgt Anthony (Tony) Morris William Neave passed away on 17 December 2022 aged 74. Dates of service 19661988.

Death Notice Requirements

In order to publish a death notice we require the following information: Surname, first name, rank, full date of death, ages and dates of service. An obituary with additional career and life information is welcome. To inform us of the death, please contact Ms Bev Bate, Corps Welfare Manager on ( 07936 902415 or  welfare@remecharity.org