John Dymoke was born on the 1st September 1926, in Norwich. John was christened John Lindley Marmion, names which spoke strongly of his family history. The Marmions and Dymokes have owned Scrivelsby, John’s estate, since arriving from Normandy with William the Conqueror in 1066. The family enjoyed the privilege of acting as Champions to the Duke of Normandy.

The Champion was required to ride in full amour into Westminster Hall during the coronation banquet, escorted by the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable, all in full dress, robes and coronets, and await the challenge to all comers. The King himself could not fight in single combat against anyone except an equal. This trial by combat remained purely ceremonial and had a central place in the coronation banquet. John was the 34th Champion in direct line and carried the Union Standard at the coronation in 1953.

In 1944 John was called up and commissioned into the regiments of the Lincolns and the Royal Anglians. He served in Sumatra and Malaysia during the Communist insurrection. He attended Staff College in 1957 and was Chief Instructor at Sandhurst from 1961 to 1964. He commanded the 3rd Battalion the Royal Anglian Regiment from 1966-1969, seeing action in Aden. At his memorial service in Lincoln Cathedral in May 2015 his contemporaries remembered him as a thoroughly professional Commanding officer, fair and just but a stickler for discipline, particularly in his appointment as Adjutant. It has to be said that Subalterns reacted very quickly to John’s remarks.

On his Grandfather’s death in 1946 John inherited Scrivelsby Estate. The Estate was run down at this stage and John and Sue decided to demolish the main house and convert the Gatehouse into the “Court” as it is today.

While running the Estate he had many outside interests. He was an Independent District Councillor for 24 years, High Sheriff, Master of the Grocers Livery Company, and Vice Lord–Lieutenant of Lincolnshire. As a firm believer in education, he was chairman of the governors of the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Horncastle. He started the East Lincs Area, fund raising for the Cathedral. But the Estate was always number one in his life and he cared for everyone that lived and worked on the Estate. John Dymoke is succeeded by his wife Susan and his three sons. Interestingly, Francis his eldest son, will not be officially appointed as the ‘Sovereign’s Champion’ until the next coronation.

A Tribute given by his friend and brother officer
Brig Michael Aris CBE DL at the Thanksgiving Service in Lincoln Cathedral 27th May 2015:

Lieutenant Colonel John Dymoke died, aged 88, at Scrivelsby Court in Lincolnshire on 21st March 2015.

Colonel Dymoke joined the Army in 1944 and was commissioned into the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment, the 10th of Foot, in 1946.
I believe that he could best be described as one of the old type of dedicated Regimental Officers who, sadly have now largely faded away.

He was also the Hereditary Sovereign’s Champion. An appointment which has been in the family since 1066. Colonel Dymoke inherited the role on his Grandfather’s death and subsequently was the Queen’s Champion in 1953 at the Coronation of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

He had a strong and firm personality and at times could be somewhat abrupt, but these were always ‘April showers’ and he forgave and forgot just as quickly. He was underneath a warm and generous person.

Colonel Dymoke was also a Lincolnshire soldier through and through and most importantly he completely understood and respected the soldiers he was privileged to command.

On joining the Regiment in 1955 I remember that I was told by the Regimental Secretary that John Dymoke was the epitome of the type of Officer one should attempt to emulate.

He served in Jakarta, Egypt, Germany and Malaya. He attended the Staff College at Camberley and after a Grade 2 staff appointment with SHAPE, for his outstanding work he was awarded the MBE. He then returned as a Rifle Company Commander to the newly amalgamated 2nd Bn the East Anglian Regiment, initially at Watchet and latterly in Osnabruck.

Colonel Dymoke possessed a quick, imaginative mind and a caring and understanding nature towards his soldiers. He was also an excellent trainer of both Officers and soldiers alike. He set himself extremely high standards and expected similar results from others.
In Osnabruck, I remember that his Company was given the most exacting task in the Battalion operational battle plan. This plan was tested in various exacting ways and found to be sound.

On moving to Sandhurst to assume the prestigious appointment as Chief Instructor, where he was responsible for the training of Officer Cadets, he left behind, a happy, highly trained and motivated Company ready and able to take on anything which it was asked to do.

The highest point in an Officer’s career is to be selected for command and in November 1966 John was given command of 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. He took up this appointment whilst the Battalion was on an emergency operational tour in Aden before our final withdrawal.

Colonel Dymoke’s leadership skills were soon tested to the full as a United Nations delegation was trapped in Al Mansoura Prison in Aden and had to be rescued by means of a Battalion operation.
This operation was meticulously planned and executed and was a total success. How this was carried out was used as a model for future operations of this type.

Of course there are numerous amusing Regimental anecdotes about him whilst he was in command but a most amusing one occurred when he took the Battalion to Iceland on a NATO training exercise.

There, a small faction objected to these exercises one of whom was Dr Skuli Thoroddsen. He knew that Colonel Dymoke was the Queen’s Champion and quite seriously challenged him to a dual with either sword or pistol. When told of this the CO merely asked how tall Thoroddsen was! Of course this incident was reported with great amusement in various English and Icelandic newspapers.
The matter was eventually settled through the Foreign Office. However the Dr was not to be appeased and proceeded to bomb the camp with bags of flour flung from his private plane.

Throughout his time in command Colonel Dymoke was highly respected and took great pains to know every soldier in his Battalion. He never deviated from those standards and qualities of leadership which he had developed over the years.
He always put his Battalion first and sought to do what was best for them.

He should be very proud of all that he achieved whilst in command of 3 Royal Anglian.

After command Colonel Dymoke retired to his home in Lincolnshire. The great love of his life was his estate where he started to farm and he also became deeply involved in both local matters and a London Livery Company, the Grocers’.

He was a District Councillor for 24 years and Chairman of the local Grammar School Governors. He became High Sheriff of Lincolnshire in 1976, Master of the Grocers’ in 1977 and Vice-Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire from 1991 until 2001. Throughout, he constantly worked to raise funds for Lincoln Cathedral.

But he always kept in close touch with his many friends in the Royal Anglian Regiment and gave us considerable help and advice.
I could not end without mentioning the marvellous support he continuously received throughout his career from his wife, Sue. She was a most popular person and a tower of strength.

In sum Colonel Dymoke was a highly motivated Regimental Soldier. A natural leader who possessed a sharp, enquiring and imaginative mind.

Above all he was a modest man, kind and generous and always put the needs of his soldiers first.

It has been an honour for me to know him as a loyal friend and I will always remember him with great affection. I count myself very fortunate to have served with him.

He is survived by his wife, Sue and his three sons, Francis, Philip and Charles.