‘You’re the boy with the pigskin bat’ said Bill Pool on meeting me on my first day with 1 NORTHAMPTONS in Wuppertal. This remark took me back to when we were both 10 years old, playing cricket against a tree in the park in Peterborough. Little did we imagine that we would open the batting for the Battalion 12 years later and beyond.

Bill was born in Chichester in July 1931, the only child of Kenneth and Lilian Pool. He went to Bedford School and then to Sandhurst from where he joined the 48th/58th. His first five years in the Battalion were spent as a Platoon Commander in Trieste, Wuppertal, Korea and Hong Kong. In view of the possibility of loss or damage to the Colours in Korea, it was decided to leave them in the care of the Depot. Bill was chosen to hand the Queen’s Colour to the Commanding Officer who handed it over to the Colonel of the Regiment. The Colours were returned to the Battalion when it moved to Hong Kong.

Battalion life in the Colony was most enjoyable for everyone, and Bill took a full part in sport and in the delights of the Island and Kowloon. I used to drive him back to San Wei Camp on Sunday mornings just in time for him to play the organ in church. On the Battalion’s return to England, he was posted to the Depot, where I was the Adjutant, as a Training Officer. There I continued to act as his chauffer but, this time, it was London where we spent week-ends. As a result, he met Ruth whom he married in 1958 in Peterborough. I was his best man and many officers and their wives attended a marvellous wedding. He and Ruth were very happily married for 52 years and they brought up a son, Nigel and a daughter Louise.

Shortly after his marriage, Bill was posted to HQ 6 Infantry Brigade in Munster as Staff Captain A. He returned to the then 2nd Battalion The East Anglian Regiment at Watchet as second – in – command of C Company. In 1961, he was posted to Accra as Adjutant of the Ghana Military Academy and was the last British Officer to fill this post. For the last 3 months of 1962 he studied at RMCS Shrivenham and went on to the Staff College Camberley in 1963. His posting from the Staff College was to HQ The Royal Anglian Regiment, as Adjutant, on the formation of the first large Regiment. He spent the last 2 years in the Army commanding A Company in Dhekelia.

He was then 37 and he wanted a change. After much deliberation, and with the ready agreement of Ruth, he decided to taste civilian life. He was fortunate in immediately finding a job because a National Service Officer in the Battalion, John Parker, owned Bridge Farm Diaries in Mildenhall and took him on as General Manager. After 2 years, he moved to the British Aircraft Corporation, Stevenage, as Head of Administration. In 1972, ever ambitious, he progressed to a new post as the Building Industry Representative in the Economic League in London where he helped to avert a National Strike in the Building Industry. For the next 9 years, he worked as Director of Personnel and Administration for Rosehaugh PLC in London. The Group grew to over 20 Companies with 450 staff. This appointment led to him being made the Director of Special Events at Rosehaugh. He became known in the City for organising major events at Broadgate. He directed 2 events for HRH The Prince of Wales, and a combined Jewish/Church of England event at Clarence House attend by HM The Queen.

Rosehaugh PLC loaned him to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development at Broadgate under Jacque Attali. He started with 6 staff and ended with 205 from 20 countries. He retired from Rosehaugh in 1991 and continued to hold various Directorships until 1999.

Numerous interests remained with him. He was a Freeman of the City of London, a member of Sussex Cricket Club (he and I sometimes met at Lords), Chairman of Sussex Heights Ltd (Residents Association covering 115 flats), Trustee of The Royal Anglian Regiment Museum (this entailed much travelling from Eastbourne over 5 years). Too old to play any other sport, he took up bowls and played to Club standard. Finally, he retired to the Bridge Table with Ruth.

I knew Bill, on and off, for 69 years. I last saw him when he and Ruth threw a champagne party at their home shortly before he died. He was a very good friend, exceedingly competitive, efficient and deliberate, humorous and calm. A very pleasant and rewarding companion.

Maj William Kenneth Pool died on the 27th December 2010 aged 79.

LCJMP

Tony Wade, who proudly served under the command of Major Bill Pool in Cyprus, back in the early 60s when he was OC A Company, writes:

Like all young men I was high spirited and often got up to mischief and would find myself on company orders along with others of my ilk. The then CSM, ‘Spam’ Platts, would march us double time, into the OC’s office where Major Pool would be sitting looking sternly at us behind his desk. I must admit that on the first occasion my knees trembled at the sight of this very imposing and commanding figure. I soon learnt the error of my ways under his guidance.

He was always firm, but fair, understanding and compassionate, whilst still commanding respect and authority. A true gentleman, much revered by the men who served under his command. He will always be fondly remembered.