Marne 36

Marne 36

14 Platoon of the Sovereign’s Company

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28 October 2021

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PADDY’S EPITAPH - written by himself in June 2021

A little bit of background before the biography. I was born in Essex! (Well someone had to be) The reason I wasn't born in Ireland is that on 10th March 1920 my Grandfather - Thomas Ryan - an officer in the Royal Irish Constabulary based in Waterford, was attacked and killed in Hugginstown, Kilkenny. He left my (pregnant) Grandmother and five children, of which my mother was the eldest - it was her 10th birthday. Their home in Waterford City was 'torched' and the family was subsequently relocated to Burnham-on-Crouch in Essex, about as far away from de Valera and his thugs as possible. Once my two brothers and I were safely packed off to Prep School ((Barlborough Hall in Derbyshire) the family moved back to Ireland and we lived in Leighlinbridge, County Carlow. It remained my home and that of my NOK until I was married in 1972.

On Thursday 4th October 1962 at 1055hrs I marched up the steps of The Central London Recruiting Office and was enlisted into The Life Guards as 23879626 Junior Musician P Hartigan (I did explain that I actually possessed three initials but was told "Only Officers is entitled to more than one initial!") I was then presented with a red book entitled 'Her Majesty's Life Guards Manual of Ceremonial Drill' attached to this was Annex A, which was a New Testament!

I was commissioned into The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars in December 1965 and eventually posted, as a Cornet Tp Ldr to my Regiment at Wolfenbuttel. Border patrols were our main duties.

Three years later QRIH were moved to Perham Down and re-rolled with Centurian Mk 13. I was then 'volunteered' to go to the RAC PARA Sqn, as a Tp Ldr, just down the road at Tidworth. Sadly about 9 months later, during live firing (MALKARA!) at Lulworth, I managed to fall off a cliff and it was very nearly ENDEX for Hartigan. Months in hospital followed, ending with graduation from Headley Court and RTU (and no more parachuting! which I found to be very unpleasant anyway)

1968 I was posted, as a Staff Learner (GSO3 Ops). to 8 Inf Bde at Chester and by the end of the year found myself in Londonderry as part of the reinforcement of 39 Bde in Belfast. Got there in time for the warm up for the NI saga, John Hume's Peoples Democracy, Dana winning the Eurovision Song Contest and discovering that, as an Irish Hussar (with a history - see first para above) I shouldn't have been there in the first place! Good fun though.

1969 Posted back to RD in Paderborn as RSO.

June 1972 Married Cherry Holmes, at Sherbourne Abbey, whom I had met earlier at RMAS (I think as one of Ben Buck's hareem!) and later, on my YO's course, as a week-end guest of Tim at Sherbourne.

Sept 1972 Posted to 8th Canadian Hussars at Petawawa, Ontario. My UK boss = Brig D M O'Flaherty who was DA BHC Ottawa! My NATO Boss = Gen Sir John Mogg DSACEUR! During one of his visits to Petawawa, he said four words to me: "I remember you Hartigan!" Dennis said lots of things to me, particularly when I was late for 'door opening' duties at High Commission receptions!

Oct 1974 RTU in Paderborn as 2i/c Comd&Sp Sqn. Immediately posted to Cyprus as UN Armd Regt (Ferrets & LR!) to stop the Greeks and Turks murdering each other.

July 1975 My little family were MEDEVAC to GOSH London with a VSI son, Tom, who was born at BMH Rinteln under the 'care' of a totally incompetent obstetric RAMC staff. I was 'held' as a SO3 G1 at Stanmore.

1977 - 1979 We were posted to HQ WALES at Brecon as GSO3 Ops/SD. Became a Lay Vicar in Brecon Cathedral Choir!

1979 - 1981 Sqn Ldr of D (Duke of Edinburgh's) Sqn. Medium Recce (Scimitars, (5 Tps of 8 vehs) C-in-C's Reserve (C-in-C = Gen Sir Frank Kitson!) Probably my best job and definitely the most fun.

1981 - Joined the ARMY Monitoring Team, Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Subsequently was re-posted to Zimbabwe as Director of Armour, Zimbabwe Armoured Regiment. Eventually sent home at very short notice!

1981 - 1983 Posted to MOD as SO2 MDS3D DESO/Govt Hospitality. Basically responsible for all inward visits to UK involving the MOD. Millions of (good) stories and another great job!

1983 - 1984 Posted to JLR RAC as B Sqn Ldr & followed by a tour at RAC Sg Sch as SI. V Boring

1986 Temp att to the Office of the Minister for Overseas Development (Linda Chaulker) and sent to Uganda! Eleven of us 'selected' to go (I was the only one not SF trained) and 'have a look around and report back!' Very well paid but bloody dangerous. We all had to run for it at the end (9 months) A book is currently being written though I doubt it will be published.

1987 - 1989 I was sent to the RAF (Crabland!) As the ARMY SO2 Instr at the Department of Initial Officer Trg, RAF College Cranwell. I thought they were going to send me to Sandhurst but Cranwell was far more fun! My Regt was just up the road at Catterick, so I was able to take the O/Cdts (boys & girls) up to see just how crap our Chieftain tanks were! I had a bundle of fun there and they taught me to fly!

1989 - 1993 Back to the MOD as SO2 J1/J3 ACDS(O) Def Cts Overseas, also Secretary to the Loan Service Selection Board. This job made me one of the most popular staff officers at the MOD. I published all the overseas appointments (less diplomatic) in the British Army Review and then took applicants to lunch at the Cavalry & Guards Club to tell them why they were quite unsuitable!

1994 - 1996 SO2 J3 PInfo HQ British Forces Hong Kong. A seriously fun job! Initially I made a few gaffs and was christened "The Minister for Misinformation!"

I was posted back to Bovington from HK and was alternatively OC of the RAC Trg Sqn, Chief Instr of The Signal School and finally Second in Command of the RAC Centre Regiment. MS then wanted me to spend my last two years down the hole at Northwood JCHQ. I refused and was sent to Upavon as SO2 G4 Estates/Plans HQ ATRA and if any of you can tell me what that entailed, I would be grateful! But I was lucky; and while wasting away there I was persuaded to resign and become a recruiter! This I did and then spent 3 happy years as the ACO at Gloucester followed by another 3 years looking after Dorset and Wilts. As I had offices in Bournemouth, Weymouth and Salisbury (where we live) I was able to buy a new motor bike and thunder around the counties creating 'road kill' for the natives! (very popular in Dorset). But all good things come to an end and by the time I got to 60 I felt it was time to hand in the old hay-net and pail and call it a day and so ending 43 years in uniform! However Mrs Hartigan nee Holmes, was not going to allow me to hang around the house/pub/golf club and I was packed off to the ARMY HQ up the road at Wilton to do some ghastly job in Defence Estates (Central Region). I survived a few years of this but resigned after a row with a Civil Serpent (who told me he was the equivalent of a Maj Gen!) about me putting a notice on my office door announcing "The Weasels are Winning!"

So that's about the height of it - as we would say in Limerick. The kids have buggered off. Tom has survived the attentions of the RAMC Rinteln and four major operations, is married and looks after my Granddaughter. He is a Partner in a local Law Firm Trethowns. Edward now lives in New York and is married to Eva Pilgrim, the anchor of Good Morning America on ABC TV. They are expecting my second Grandchild in November and Cherry and I celebrated our 49th Wedding Anniversary last week! And if you have read this far, you're a better man than me!

Paddy Hartigan

Tragically died on 26th October 2021 following serious injuries sustained in a cycling accident earlier in the month.