Obituary – Captain Carlos Jacinto PINTOS MBE 25/2/1928-31/5/2025 Carlos Jacinto PINTOS, best known as CJ, joined the Hong Kong Regiment, Royal Hong Kong Defence Force in 1953 at the age of 25 under the Compulsory Service Ordinance. When the Ordinance lapsed, he chose to stay in the Volunteers. He rose through the ranks and was serving as Warrant Officer (WO) II, Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM) of Headquarters Squadron (HQ Sqn) during the 1967 Disturbances and the Call-Out of the Volunteers. In 1971 he was an obvious choice to join Major CP Lee as his SSM for the establishment of the Junior Leaders Squadron in the newly reformed Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers), a post he held until 1981. For his work with J Sqn he, along with Major CP Lee, was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June 1974. The London Gazette of Friday, 7th June 1974 To be Ordinary Members of the Military Division of the said most Excellent Order : Major LEE Chi-ping, E.D., Hong Kong Regiment. Warrant Officer Class 2 Carlos Jacinto PINTOS, Hong Kong Regiment. Following his award of the EM in 1966 and the first Clasp n 1972, he was pleased to receive the second clasp in June 1978 and then the third clasp in 1983, a record that was hard to beat. CJ’s finest hour in serving the Regiment was on 8th May 1971 when he was appointed the Guidon Warrant Officer at the Presentation of the Guidon Parade, becoming the first Guidon Bearer of the Regiment, receiving the Guidon from the Commandant General Sir David Trench. It was the moment that CJ most treasured in his life. Memories from Major Hugh Dey, passed on many years ago, suggested that Colonel John Heywood said, he could either remain as the SSM of J Sqn for the rest of his service or be commissioned; he chose to stay as the SSM and, much later under a different Commanding Officer he was commissioned. He was commissioned on 1 December 1981 and posted to Home Guard Squadron (HG Sqn) as 1 Troop Leader, a position he held for 5 years before being promoted in 1986 to Captain and as the Sqn 2i/c (Second in Command). In May 1988 he retired from HG Sqn, aged 60 and was posted to the Reserve of Officers. The 1988 Regimental Journal noted that “to write about CJ would require 10 pages of the Journal”. Although serving in the Reserve, CJ remained active with the Regiment, serving in various roles in regimental exercises and other events. He continued to serve in the Reserve until the disbandment of the Regiment in September 1995. When the current Volunteers Association was formed in 1993, he was appointed to the Board. He served from 1997 for many years with the former A Sqn at Trailwalker Check Point 8 and only stopped after A Sqn became worried about his health with his staying out in the field all weekend. He continued to join the A Sqn monthly gathering dinners in the Clubhouse until the gatherings were stopped by COVID regulations in 2020. CJ was renowned for his immaculate turnout. His uniforms were always to the same high standard. The way he polished and kept his shoes and boots shinning was legendary. In this way, he will be always remembered. CJ is survived by two sons, Michael and Francis. The funeral

arrangements will be announced in due course.