Obituary for Major  SG Beck

Maj Simon Gilbert Beck of Holt, Norfolk, late The Royal Norfolk Regiment and The Royal Anglian Regiment died on 17 January 2008, aged 76, after a long illness. Simon maintained a low profile resulting in barely getting his name mentioned in the Battalion notes of ‘Britannia’ or, from 1960, in the ‘Britannia and Castle’. Born on 7 July 1931, Simon was commissioned into The Royal Norfolk Regiment on 8 February 1952, joining the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong where he served as the Intelligence Officer. At Roman Way Camp, Colchester, he briefly commanded the MMG Platoon, taking over from Maj Tony Towell MC in June 1955, just as Tony and I left it. He commanded the Platoon until October 1955 then went off to 4 Nigeria Regt (later Queen’s Own Nigeria Regt) until 1959. Promoted to Captain in the autumn of 1958 he was posted to the Royal Norfolk Depot before moving as MTO at the School of Infantry at Warminster 1959-1960, followed by a posting to the 1st Battalion. From late 1962 until late 1964, he was a G3 Intelligence Officer at HQ BAOR and 1 Div. Simon then joined the Federal Regular Army in Aden. He retired to Norfolk in August 1971 and led a quiet life.

JD