SPUD TAYLOR

WELL DONE ALEC.THAT WAS A FINE TRIBUTE TO YOUR DAD,I,M SURE MANY WILL ENJOY GOING THROUGH THE CATALOUGE OF PHOTO,S.WILST MANY OF THE FACES ARE RECOGNISABLE THE NAMES TO GO WITH THEM ARE NOT.HOWEVER I,M SURE OTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO.THE PICTURES IN PART 2 ARE MAINLY OF THE DEPATURE OF RSM KEN FREEMANTLE FROM BAHRAIN IN 1961.THE COLOURS AGAIN WERE BAHRAIN MOST LIKELY 64
THE RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND IN PT7 WOULD BE JERUSALEM 58,WE WERE IN JORDAN AT THE TIME.
THE COLOUR PHOTO,S WERE THE UN TOUR OF 72.LAURIE ASHBRIDGE-CHARLIE KNOX--THE GROUP INCLUDE BRIAN KEELING TUG WILSON,CHARLIE KNOX,DON BICKLE,DAVE TASKER?,PETE COSGROVE,
PT8 INCLUDES A PHOTO OF RSM MICK BONNER,WITH GENERAL PREM CHAND IC UN TROOPS.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS GUYS OUT THERE WHO WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE PHOTO,S BUT UNABLE TO COMMENT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN,T JOIN THE CLUB.THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF MEMBERS WHO HAVE NOT JOINED THE FORUM.SO WHILE THE COMMENTS MAY BE FEW,YOU WILL SEE THE NUMBER OF VISITS GO UP.
MY CONDOLENCES TO YOUR FAMILY ON YOUR LOSS,AS I HAVE SAID SPUD WAS A STALWART OF 3 PARA AND MANY WILL HAVE FOND MEMORIES WHILST SERVING WITH HIM, DOUG RODGERS

Thanks for that Doug, am collating the information you added alongside the photos I have here, some of the faces I remember from my youth just the names escape me, I remember Don Bickle very well and vaguely Tug Wilson from the mess families lunches, Ted Heath was my godfather and my selection officer at Corsham when I joined up and dad's best mate

I notice Charlie Altus(CSM C Coy) in one of the pictures he who escaped from the Germans and went East and joined up with the Russian forces for the rest of the war,and the subaltern carrying the Regimental colour(on the right) in Bahrain is Hew Pike who later commanded 3 Para in the Falklands,didn't he forget to lower the colour when going into the church,and get the crown knocked off the colour by the ceiling fan?!!.And yes you are right Duggy,that was RSM Freemantal being towed out of the Bn Lines on the first tour of Bahrain,and as you say lots of faces recognized but the old grey cells not working to well these days.
It's great you have all those photos Alex to bring back parts of your dads life that you didn't see at the time.I am so sorry for your familys sad loss.

Utrinque Paratus
Tug.

Alec Condolences to you and the family on the sad loss of your Dad. Like Doug and Tug I knew Spud for a few years and the photos are great lots of memorys there!

Nick.

HI ALEC
CONDOLENCES ON YOUR LOSS
WHAT A GREAT SET OF PHOTO'S.
I WAS IN 3 PARA SIGS FROM 58/64 AND RECOGNISE YOUR DAD.
IN PART 8 4th PHOTO DOWN LOOKS LIKE YOUR DAD WITH DODIE BELL
IN PART 7 LAD IN WHITE SHORTS AND STARTLED FACE LOOKS LIKE LAURIE ASHBRIDGE.
I SERVED WITH BOTH OF THEM IN THE SIGS PLTN

CHEERS
DOUG WILKINSON

Alec,

Although late please accept my deepest condolences. Some great photos that brought back a lot of memories of Bahrain, Cyprus etc.

Lawrie Ashbridge