2nd Battalion

Description: John Boothby

Born in 1941, John enlisted at the East Anglian Regimental Depot in Bury St Edmunds in 1960, from where he joined 2nd East Anglian Regiment and moved to Osnabruck in 1961. He was on parade the following year when HRH Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, presented the Battalion with their new Colours.

John was an exceptional shot and was on the Battalion Shooting Team when they competed in the Prix Le Clerc competition in 1962 when the trophies were awarded by General Hans Speidel, former Chief of Staff to Generalfeldmarschall Erwin Rommel. In 1964, upon the creation of the Royal Anglian Regiment John made the obvious choice to join the 2nd Battalion, the Poachers, being from Lincolnshire. John served in Episkopi, Cyprus, and was especially proud of his time in Recce Platoon when he was a Corporal.