Private Papers of Major R J Jeffreys MBE

Word-processed memoir (145pp, written April 2011 and privately published in 2012), illustrated throughout with scans of many photographs, newspaper cuttings, letters and other documents, with brief details of his birth in 1926 and childhood in St Pancras, London, evacuation to Luton (September 1939), leaving school aged 14 and returning to London to work for Warren Cycle and Wireless Company, Marylebone, repairing bikes and wireless sets (1940), accounts of bombing during the London Blitz, joining the Royal Fusilier Army Cadets (September 1940), posting to 52nd Training Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) at Bovington, Dorset (December 1943), training stopping for D-Day and being made up to tank crew on home duties to cover replacements, his frustration at not going into action, sailing to Egypt (January 1945), moving to Gaza, Palestine and joining 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, RAC (1st Infantry Division), with service in Egypt and Syria, merging with the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards (March 1946), home leave (August 1946), returning to the Middle East and patrolling in Palestine and Trans Jordan (September 1946 – February 1948), returning home and promotion to Corporal, posting to the tank gunnery range at Warcop, Westmorland, as a range NCO (April 1948), meeting his future wife working in the Naafi, and their marriage in December 1949, posting to 66th Training Regiment at Catterick as a General Military Training Instructor, promotion to Sergeant (July 1951), extra training and taking over as Mess Sergeant in the Officer's Mess, the birth of his daughter and moving into married quarters in Catterick (January 1952), returning to his Regiment, 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, and posting to Fallingbostel, West Germany (November 1954), promotion to Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant (SQMS) (December 1955) and again to Warrant Officer II (WOII) and appointment as Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM) of 'A' Squadron, returning to the UK and Catterick where 4th/7th was the RAC Training Regiment (October 1959), promotion to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (RQMS) (May 1961), posting to Münster, Westphalia, Germany (August 1962), taking over as Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM), posting to a tour in Aden and conversion to an armoured car regiment (September 1965), moving to Omagh, Northern Ireland (September 1966 – April 1969), the Regiment moving to Sennelager, Paderborn, Germany and using Chieftain Tanks (April 1969), visiting Northern Ireland in 1972 after the outbreak of the troubles, the Regiment returning to Tidworth, Wiltshire (June 1973), his posting to the Queen's Own Yeomanry, a Territorial Army (TA) Yeomanry Regiment, accepting the job of Regimental Secretary 4/7th RDG, retiring with the rank of Major, in Catterick Garrison (September 1978), his awarding of the MBE (June 1978) and investiture (October 1978), organising old comrades reunions, the Home HQ and Regimental Museum moving to York (1985) and his duties setting up the Regimental Museum, the amalgamation of the 4/7th RDG with the 5th Royal Iniskilling Dragoon Guards to form The Royal Dragoon Guards (1992), a pilgrimage to Normandy (June 1992), retirement (1992), and his post retirement charity work and Neighbourhood Watch duties, with details throughout of his duties ensuring smooth handovers of postings, and family news.

Cataloguer SJO