Captain Tim Simmons, who served in the Essex Regiment in the early 1950s, died on 5 December 2021 at the age of 91.

William Lyle Simmons was born in Wanstead, then part of Essex, on 10 March 1930. He acquired the nickname Tim when a very young boy – he used to career around the family garden in his pedal car at high speed, reminding his parents of the famous racing driver Tim Burkin. The name stayed with him for the rest of his life!

He grew up in Essex, attending Brentwood School, and then gained a place at Sandhurst. From there he was commissioned into the Essex Regiment on 9 February 1951, joining the 1st Battalion in Minden as a Platoon Commander in B Company. The Battalion subsequently moved to Luneburg, and Tim joined the Mortar Platoon (then armed with 3-inch mortars). 1st Essex returned to Warley briefly in May 1953 before embarking for Korea in a troopship in July. During that interlude a detachment of the Battalion participated in the Queen’s Coronation. Tim was selected to carry the Regimental Colour, it rained pretty well all day, and he forever remembered the Colour getting heavier and heavier!

Before the Battalion arrived in Korea the Armistice had been agreed. Tim and his Mortar Platoon had therefore to contend with a long period of boredom, ready for anything yet with nothing happening, throughout the harsh Korean winter. Things looked up when he was seconded to the Infantry Base Depot in Japan, where his responsibilities involved the provision of ‘R and R’ facilities for the troops. He learnt to sail, fell in love with the sport, and maintained a deep interest in it for most of the rest of his life, later owning a 40-foot yacht which he sailed in English and continental waters.

1st Essex moved to Hong Kong in August 1954, remaining there until late 1956 when they returned to UK by troopship round the Cape to avoid the newly ‘nationalised’ Suez Canal. Very quickly they moved on to Dortmund. Tim spent part of his time in Hong Kong as GSO3 at Brigade HQ.

He had been very much an athlete while serving with the Battalion, but sadly badly damaged his Achilles tendon while hurdling. This meant that he spent quite some time ‘desk bound’ as Assistant Adjutant, which was not entirely to his taste. Accordingly, he decided to retire on 3 June 1957.

Tim then joined the family business of Harmer & Simmons, which had been founded in 1927 and provided power supplies to the telecomms industry and other users. He worked there until the business was sold in the 1990s.

In addition to his sailing activities, Tim loved shooting, only giving up in his late 80s, and horse racing. He owned a number of horses in partnership with friends; while they may not have been the fastest, they gave him great pleasure. He remained an avid supporter of West Ham football club until the end.

Tim never forgot his Essex roots and his service in the Essex Regiment. He was made a Deputy Lieutenant of the county in 1992, serving 3 Lord Lieutenants, and was Secretary of the prestigious Essex Club for many years. When the Essex Regiment Museum was formally established as a charity, in 1994, he became Chairman of the Trustees and wisely guided matters until handing over at the age of 80 in 2010.

Tim died peacefully from a chest infection, after a very short illness, with his wife of 56 years, Jytte, and their daughters Anne-Marie and Camilla, at his side. His funeral took place in St Nicholas’ Church, Elmdon (where he and Jytte had settled a few years ago) on 21 December 2021.

Brigadier Peter Sincock represented the Regiment, and Major Peter Williamson represented the Essex Regiment Museum. The dominant theme was one of a gentleman, a family man, someone quiet and undemonstrative who was nevertheless always there to give sage advice. As his successor as Mortar Platoon Commander said ‘He was small of stature but he had the personality of a giant’. We would do well to emulate him.

PHW