Obituary for Major Richard George Wilson MBE

Richard Wilson, who died in early August 2016, served in the Suffolk, East Anglian and Royal Anglian Regiments from his commissioning in 1952, until his retirement from the Army in 1977. During this time, which was one of recession from Empire and of Cold War – with progressive reductions in the size of the Army and amalgamations of regiments – he saw a wide variety of service. This included service in Malaya (Emergency), Trieste (Occupation), Berlin (Cold War), Aden, twice, (Emergency), and Libya (Occupation).

Then there periods when he was stationed in England. Notably there were times spent in Suffolk, such as the period at the start of the 1960’s when he was the adjutant at the Suffolk Regiment Depot at Bury St Edmunds. Here he could indulge his great love of National Racing and of the Point to Point scene in East Anglia. It was this scenario that was to lead to his shared enthusiasm for racing with Rachel Bagnell, to whom he married in 1964.

Richard was essentially a very good regimental officer in both regular and territorial units, and was loved and respected as such. He was, unusually, adjutant to ne less than three different commanding officers, and saw service as both platoon and company commander on four emergency tours – in Malaya, Cyprus and Aden.

It was his qualities of trustworthiness, reliability and steady responsibility that led to his substantial contribution to the local community around his home near Shoreham in Norfolk during the years after he retired, and right up to his death forty years later. This included twenty eight years as Divisional Secretary and Case Officer for SSAFA, covering the Attleborough and Thetford areas. An estimated eight hundred families helped, and rewarded by a richly deserved award of the MBE in 2005.

He combined this with twenty years involvement with the Great Hockham Parish Council as Chair, Clerk and Councillor. Next, and of special importance to Richard, his fourteen years happy engagement with The Western Front Association – and notably with the Norwich and Waveney branch. In tandem with Richard’s involvement with The Western Front Association was his steady support for the Royal British Legion over all the years after he retired from the Army. Then, finally in this wide ranging record of service in the community, there was his role as a Governor of Riddlesworth Hall School and his continuing support for Greta Hockham Primary School.

Balancing Richard’s service to the local community there was, to an increasing degree in the 1990s, his involvement in the National Hunt Racing and Point to Point circuit around the country.

This, in turn, developed into an interest in and active participation with his wife Rachel in the breeding of racing bloodstock. Hockham Lodge Stud becoming the project that still goes on and has had treasured success.

Richard had a rich and enjoyable life of service and commitment to the Army and to East Anglian life. Howe is survived by his wife Rachel, and his three children, Patrick, Rupert and Lucy.