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You too can have your photographs added here! 

From Brigadier Gage Williams

Tribute to his Father and the William's Family

I have attached a picture of Colonel Toots Williams, his two sons Maj Gen Peter Williams (late Coldm Gds) and myself Brigadier Gage Williams and his grandson OCdt Merlin Hanbury-Tenison in Aug 05 at Sandhurst. Merlin is now a 2Lt serving with the Light Dragoons in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Three weeks ago he and his Scimitar (a vehicle older than any person in the Light Dragoons) were blown up on an ATk mine. Bits of the Scimitar went 500 yds. All three of the crew stepped out unscathed to the amazement of all, including the ATO, who saw the vehicle. The Scimitar was lifted 15 feet into the air.

Toots Williams is in fine fettle and enjoyed attending the Freedom of Bodmin last week. He gave up fishing for salmon this year and shooting last year - not bad for someone who is now 87. He lives at Fradd's Meadow, St Tudy, Bodmin should anyone wish to write to him. He has a phenomenal memory for names and events. He joined 1 DCLI in Lahore from Sandhurst in 1939: went with the battalion as part of an Indian Brigade by road from Lahore to N Africa via the Iraqi rebellion in 1941/42; arrived in N Africa where the battalion was overrun by Romme's Panzer Corps; put in the bag; escaped after 18 months from a camp in N Italy getting back to UK shortly before D Day. Went with 1 DCLI to Palestine; seconded to Kings African Rifles for Somaliland and Kenya - 1946/48; seconded to 2/10 Gurkhas 48/51 serving in HK and Malaya; A Co 1 DCLI in Minden ~52/53; A Co Bermuda 53/54; Training Major Bodmin 54/57; A Co 1 DCLI Osnabruck 57/58; CO Depot Bodmin and DCLI TA 59/64; CO HK Military Service Corps 64/67.

In all that time, he was only on the staff for 6 months and commanded at company level for over 18 years. Boxed for the Army (south paw breaking his wrist three times), played Rugby at various levels until his late 30s.

Colonel Toots Williams grandson - Centre OCdt Merlin Hanbury-Tenison at Sandhurst Aug 5th 2007
Left to right - Maj Gen Peter Williams (late Coldm Gds) - OCdt Merlin Hanbury-Tenison - Colonel Toots Williams - Brigadier Gage Williams
Passing out Parade at Sandhurst RMA - Aug 5th 2007
Passing out Parade at Sandhurst RMA - Aug 5th 2007

Derek Lovemore remembers with pride his service with the DCLI and sends the following hoping it will stir memories for others.

22935157 Derek JK Lovemore (Cpl) - N/S Intake 5/11/1953 Bodmin/Crownhill Barracks Plymouth - Empire Clyde ex Liverpool March 1954 - Prospect Barracks Hamilton Bermuda March 1954 to November 1955 - Returned Heathrow via Gander Newfoundland on Boeing Stratocruiser - Demobbed Bodmin 4th November 1955 - Gloucestershire Regiment (Territorial) Pte – about 3 years until 1958

3 Platoon - Bermuda

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4 Platoon - Bermuda

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A Company - Bermuda

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2nd Bn. DCLI Signal Section Gibraltar 1934

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I found the upper photograph on your website of 2nd Battalion DCLI Signal Section Gibraltar 1934 which includes my father, front row – far left. He is also front row – far left in the attached photograph taken at Aldershot in 1937. The sport looks like some form of jousting from the heavy body padding and gloves and face masks. The ‘rifles’ are long barrelled with no firing mechanism and blunt discs on the barrels. There is no identification of the personnel although there are seventeen participants and four taking the photo opportunity. - David Mynott

1936 Dominica Cup Medal (Shooting Team) awarded to Walter George Mynott

Guard assembled for Coronation of King George V1 - 4th from right,second row.

Major Walter George Mynott died on 30th September 2000 aged 86.

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Radio Detachment moving to support 1ARU and 7RAR in July 1967. L-R Graeme Roberts, David Mynott, John Crook, and John Agnew. Photo supplied by Kevin Schmitt [1967] Nui Dat, Phouc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. This province is on the coast about 70 miles from Saigon. It is now known as Vung Tau/Baria Province. Vung Tau used to be known as Cap St Jacques during the French colonial years. It is interesting that Walter Mynott started his army career in a signals section with DCLI and his son David in a Signal Squadron of the Australian Army.

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1895 at the Bodmin Depot of Sergeant Major Richard Best surrounded by a group of sergeants

Photograph courtesy of David Best

RBest1895.jpg (452507 bytes)Back row, l to r: Small, Perring, Harman (?), Ovenden, Collins, Smith, Mayled (?)
Front row, l to r, Roberts, Smith, Best, Whitehorn, Willing Seated, foreground l to r, Hartnell, Buscumb

Photographs of B. Coy. 4/5 Battalion Drill Hall in Falmouth

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Photographs courtesy of Philip Lanc

Brunssum War Cemetery, Holland

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Photographs courtesy of Norbert Rosin and Douglas Bentley

Pte. D. G. Bennett, 5 D.C.L.I.

View Pictures Here

Pictures of Pte. D. G. Bennett, his grave as it appeared at the time of his death and his last letter home. Pte. Bennett rests in the Brunssum War Cemetery shown above.

Photographs courtesy of Norbert Rosin and Douglas Bentley

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Richard Ringshaw writes: I served with the O.B.L.I from 1945 until we merged with the D.C.L.I this picture would have been taken at around the time of the merge I am hoping that someone out there can put a date to it. I myself am 4th from the left of the 3rd row down.

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T. Brown of Birmingham, 5435229, DCLI 1930-1945 as a POW in Camp 194?

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Ernest Arthur Theodore BRADLEY 1899-1959. Joined DCLI circa 1917. Suffered mustard gas burns and treated at a London hospital. Later posted to Dublin. Group photo shows him 2nd from left in back row. Submitted by his son, Mr. A. C. Bradley of Malmesbury, Wilts. 

Comments I have received on group photo:

This is truly a Commonwealth effort, but I don't know what No. 1 Squad is (perhaps something to do with HQ 4th Army on the Somme). There are 5 Australians in the group (in the Aussie hats, of course), and 2 Kiwis (in the lemonsqueezers). 

Top Row L to R - L/cpl Royal Irish Rifles, DCLI, Royal Fusiliers, Coldstream Guards
Second Row L/R - Australian Sgt, Australian, Australian Sgt, Australian Cpl, A big guess 14th Royal Irish Rifles (Clover leaf?), NZ L/cpl
Third Row L /R - DCLI Officer, Hampshire Regiment, Royal Warwick shire Regiment Officer, NZ L/cpl, Royal Irish Rifles (Shape of harp?)
Bottom L/R - Australian Sgt., Sgt Probably Royal Irish Rifles again (note black buttons)


Cornishmen in Korea

This picture first appeared in the Cornwall Gazette in 1953.

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Mr Geoffrey Tremain (who can be seen in the front row) veteran of Korea has made it available by sending to webmaster to scan. It would be good to trace these soldiers.


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32nd Intake 1956/57

New pic not seen before of DCLI 32nd Intake's Passing Out Parade at Victoria Barracks Bodmin possibly late 1956/57 - picture supplied by Cpl. Mike Brown who you see as the very smart right marker.He joined as a National Serviceman with the 19th Intake on the 8th April 1954 and remained at Bodmin until March 1957 when he transferred to the Royal Army Pay Corps and served until 1976.

Click image to enlarge this view - (Picture supplied by Mike Brown)

34th Intake 1956/57

Another picture which may be of interest - The Passing Out of the 34th Intake 1956/57 and the names I know are the staff from the left Cpl Mike Brown, Cpl Roy Bradley, Sgt (Widgy) Turner, Lt Peters-Dickie, Cpl Alec Endean (went on to join the Small Arms School Corps at Hythe) and Cpl Eddie Gardner.


For those of you that remember RSM Joe Knowles

Copyright of Picture - www.lightinfantry.org.uk - click to enlarge
Back row L to R : ?, Cpl Eddie Gardiner, ?, ?, ?, LCpl Mike Brown, ?, Cpl Burgess, ?, Cpl G Edwards
Mid row: ?, Cpl Patterson, ?, ?, Cpl Curly Race, Les Rawlings, ?, ?, ?, Ivor Davies
Front Row : - Cpl Harry Eaton. Cpl John Stead, Cpl Roy Bradley,, RSM Joe Knowles, Major John Howard, ?, Cpl Percy Rider, Cpl Glyn Chilcott

As Joe Knowles was RSM Before Harold Royffe at the Depot and Ivan Davies looks like either a L/Cpl or Pte it would be about 1955 time or possibly 1954. Ivan was a Sgt in 1957
The photograph … is of permanent Staff and Cpl. Mess (1954 or 1955 approx) taken at Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry Training Depot “Victoria Barracks, Bodmin”. Joe Knowles was Tech QM as Capt in Osnabruck, Stanley Pine who was RSM at Bodmin before Joe Knowles was Capt QM then Major.
With thanks to"Brains of Troon" for details above and Mike Brown the very tall soldier in the back row.

 

 

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