Capt RF Fernsby
Notes from Roland Fernsby 19/03/2015
Roland contacted me by email and offered to share memories of his service. On Thursday 19th March 2015 we chatted and here is an agreed summary of our conversation plus some published notes.
Roland attended RMAS 1952-53 but after failing the course, he completed the required 2 years National Service as a Trooper in the RAC. Living in Nottinghamshire, he joined the Sherwood Foresters (TA) until his civilian job took him to Unilever in Manchester. Here, as a Corporal, he approached the DLOY. The regiment, as was often the case, was short of officers and the Commanding Officer, Lt Col Brian Tayleur, offered Roland a commission. The Adjutant at that time was Captain Mark Goodhart.
On 24th May 1961 the regiment was to parade before Her Majesty the Queen at Belle Vue and in preparation held camp at Ashton-Under-Lyne. The RSM was WOI Eddie Sheen 14/20H. In rehearsals for the big day Roland, who held a position in the marching party, had a problem with one of his spurs which would not stay fixed whilst marching. A visit to the REME LAD ensured the spur would remain well-fixed. During the parade it so happened that the Commanding Officer shed a spur whilst passing the dais; subsequently Her Majesty expressed to Col Tayleur that, on seeing the spur detach, Her Majesty felt she should be on her knees to find and retrieve it. The occurrence did cost the CO “drinks all round in the mess” – black velvet actually. The Queen’s visit to Manchester created quite a buzz in town and soldiers heading off to the bright lights for a few beers, many still wearing ‘blues’, were warmly given free rides on the buses in celebration of a wonderful day.
Moving to London, Roland transferred to Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry (SRY) where he was promoted to Lieutenant, 1st November 1964.
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry had had a very busy time throughout WWII, initially deploying on horses with the 1st Cavalry Division to Palestine in 1939/40. They then served as “coast gunners” at Tobruk before moving on for a spell in Crete. They were then grouped together again as an Armoured Regiment going through the desert from El Alamein to Tunis before being redeployed by Monty to join in the DD landings, beaching with the “swimming tanks.” The Normandy countryside proved a particularly damaging time for the tanks with a casualty rate for the tank commanders of 90+%. Their tanks suffered badly from poor visibility and were particularly vulnerable to sniper fire. For further reading Roland recommends “An Englishman at War: The Wartime Diaries of Stanley Christopherson DSO MC & Bar 1939-1945.” (Kindle Edition £6.64, Hardback £19.99)
The SRY was reduced to a single squadron of the Royal Yeomanry, the surviving squadron being the Nottingham squadron. In April 1967 Roland transferred to 14/20H, Army Volunteer Reserve with CO, Lt Col Peter Cavendish and Adjutant, Captain John Smales (later to become CO 14/20H and Brigadier.) John Smales, now retired to Wiltshire, had headed up a horse rescue charity. The commitment here was two weeks with the regiment and 3 weekends per year – always held at Bovington and organised by Col Robin Stephenson. The fortnight with the regiment, took him off to Paderborn and Libya and it was shortly after a Libya camp that Gaddafi executed his coup in 1969. Returning to the UK by the trooping tour Roland and colleagues were held on Cyprus for 3 days whilst a replacement engine was flown out from RAF Lyneham. The cavalry officers “survived” the 3 days in the RAF mess on Cyprus caused by an interruption to the El Adem ( Libya), Malta and Cyprus troop tour circuit.
At the age of 35, Captain Roland Fernsby’s time in service of her Majesty came to a close but still the fond memories of the 1961 Guidon Parade live on and winning the troop competition up at Carnoustie (Barry Buddon Camp) on a DLOY camp or running the butts for an officers shoot after lunch up at Holcombe ranges can still be recalled with a smile or a shudder.
The Duke of Lancaster's Own Yeomanry parade in front of Her Majesty at Belle Vue, 24th May 1961
Photograph: Officers (R to L) CO Lt Col BCL Tayleur, Adjt Maj DE Wreford, Maj TA Marshall, Lt J Stuart-Mills, 2LT RF Fernsby, Lt ES Nelson, Capt DJ McGill