The Regiment was saddened to hear of the death of Peter Ward. Peter died on 10th April 2023 at Glastonbury Court Care Home, Bury St Edmunds.

Peter joined the Essex Regiment and later served in The East Anglian Regiment and subsequently, the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment until 1966. During his career he served in Malaya, Singapore and Northern Ireland.

Peter married Audrey before deploying to Malaya in March 1962. Audrey accompanied Peter when his Battalion deployed to Ballykinler in Northern Ireland. Audrey and Peter met after his Battalion exercised The Freedom of Southend-on-Sea and after 10 weeks were married, a marriage that would last some 61 years until Peter’s passing Audrey and Peter have three children Traceylee, Tanya and Wayne.

Peter and Audrey settled in Bury St Edmunds after Peter left the Army. Peter had many jobs and found it very hard to settle to start with.

After leaving the Regiment Peter worked for Wimpey construction building the then A45 and also worked as a welder and printer before retiring as a lorry driver. Other jobs included a taxi driver, working in a dog biscuit factory.

Peter had a love of speed and always used to tell the story of when he rode through a wall and through someone’s greenhouse on his Royal Enfield motorbike just outside Maldon Essex. Peter used to race hot rods and would take the complete family hot rod racing. Peter would take Wayne to watch speedway when growing up and his love and enthusiasm for speed was passed on to his son Wayne.

Peter had a lifelong love for nature and whilst working in his different roles would often come home with injured animals which the whole family would take a part in looking after.

Peter kept strong ties with the Regiment and was Chairmen of the Bury St Edmunds Branch of The Royal Anglian Regiment Association for almost five years. He was also the first Regimental Association Standard Bearer. He carried out this voluntary duty with immense pride from 2009 until 2015 when ill health forced him to relinquish the role.

Wayne carried on the family tradition and joined the Royal Anglian Regiment’s 1st Battalion in 1987. This heralded the start of a lively and friendly rivalry, interspaced with endless father, son banter that would last for many years. Both Peter and Wayne were immensely proud of each other and their combined service in the Regiment.

After suffering a series of mini-strokes, Peter decided to stop driving and realised his health was starting to deteriorate. Peter was not long after diagnosed with vascular dementia which was a diagnosis he really struggled to come to terms with.

Peter started to attend different groups but really enjoyed NSFT veterans Wellbeing Support Groups on a Tuesday at Combat 2 Coffee in Bury St Edmunds and would often take Audrey with him. Audrey continues to attend the Groups to this day.