Peter John Solomon Child

Obituary for Peter John Solomon Child

John Child, who died after a 12-year battle with cancer on 2 April 2017, had a unique career in the Regiment, having spent time cap-badged Royal Norfolk followed by regular service in two out of the three East Anglian regiments and all four of the Royal Anglian battalions, as well as being the Honorary Colonel TA for the Norfolk Company after leaving the army.

He was born at Banham in Norfolk on 28 May 1941, went to school at Beeston Hall, followed by Gresham’s School and the Norwich City College, all in Norfolk. From 1959 through to 1962, he read biology at Bristol University, where he joined the OTC and was commissioned into The General Service Corps and cap-badged Royal Norfolk, on the books of the TA battalion, 4 Royal Norfolk.

He joined the regular army in July 1962, being among the first of the new graduate officers to be commissioned straight from university. After a very short period of being taught ‘some basic drill and how to salute’, he was posted temporarily to the 3rd East Anglian Regiment at Ballykinler, whilst the 1st East Anglian Regiment was in British Guiana. In December 1962, on their return, John joined them at Normandy Barracks, Felixstowe, where they remained until being posted to Aden, a year later.

Initially, the regiment was based in the town of Aden with a company ‘up country’ in the Radfan, but in May 1964, the whole battalion was deployed up into the Radfan. On the night of 10/11 June 1964, after preliminary action by a battalion of the Federal Regular Army, the regiment, under the command of Jack Dye, mounted a night attack on the sheer sides of the 5,500 foot high Jebel Huriyah, the spiritual heartland of the dissidents. Supported by the guns of 3RHA, with flares dropped by RAF Shackleton aircraft to light the way, the objective was seized by 04.50 hours and the regimental flag broken out. John’s platoon was the lead platoon for part of the operation.

Marked with a parade at Waterloo Lines, Aden, on 1 September 1964, the 1st East Anglian Regiment became the 1st Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment.

In 1965, an opportunity to serve in Malaysia occurred and John having been selected, was seconded to 3 Police Field Force in Sarawak, in the rank of Assistant Superintendent, commanding a company of 180 local tribesmen. Based at Miri, he always remembered this two-and-a-half-year adventure with great fondness.

He returned to the 1st Battalion in Catterick, briefly, until head-hunted by John Akehurst, to become adjutant of the 2nd Battalion at Felixstowe. From December 1968, the battalion were sent to Gibraltar for nine months and on return, they moved from Felixstowe to Colchester. On 13 December1969, John and Helen were married and three children, Tim, Simon and Beth and 10 grandchildren followed.

Next it was to the 4th Battalion (which became Tiger Company, during John’s time with them), followed by a staff job with 51 Brigade in Hong Kong and Staff College in 1974. Subsequent postings included Tidworth 1975 -77 with the 1st Battalion in the ACE Mobile Force role, two G2 jobs, one in HQ BAOR and in between to the 3rd Battalion as second in command.

John was eager for more Far East postings, thus, in 1985, he returned to Hong Kong and spent three years with the 10th Gurkhas. This was followed by two very happy years in Kathmandu, where he and Helen made the most of their time in Nepal, and Helen, a radiographer, was commended for her work in the Dharan military hospital in the aftermath of the 1988 earthquake. John’s last two years in the army were spent in Hong Kong, first with HQ Brigade of Gurkhas, and then 10th Gurkhas, as second in command.

In August 1992, John left the army and settled back in Norfolk where he was appointed Director of the Norfolk and Norwich Association for the Blind, a post he held for 20 years. John was a terrific people person, and, as a result he was superbly fitted for this task, transforming the Association into an organisation that became recognised nationally as an example of just what could be achieved by a well-run charity. The Association was honoured with two visits by Her Majesty the Queen during this time and he was very deservedly made a Member of the Order of the British Empire for services to the blind and partially sighted in Norfolk.

In failing health, but still eager to be involved with people, John took on the fresh challenge of working part-time, receiving visitors at Norwich Cathedral, where he was also a trustee. Previously, he had retained his links with the regiment, as in 1994, he was appointed the Honorary Colonel TA for the Norfolk Company and was also, for many years, a trustee of the Royal Norfolk Museum in Norwich.

There was a full house at his thanksgiving service, which took place in Norwich Cathedral with fittingly, the Rt Revd Graham James, Bishop of Norwich, giving an excellent address in recognition not only of Peter John Solomon Child’s time in the army but also his dedicated service to the county of Norfolk.