Fred you will be missed i still remember the Minden Days and the help you gave me when i was a Training screw.thank you 

Jock

Posted by Taff Reinthal.

I was so shocked when I received the sad  news of Fred's passing that at first I did not not believe it, Fred was at my place only a week or so before, He gave me a large tub of curry paste that will last me for years to come even if I had curry once a week!! and as Kenny Potter once remarked " curry"....".for breakfast" how could I ever forget him, his humour and his wrath should you be unfortunate  to incur  it. I remember one incident fondly, it was in a place called San Ignacio, in Belize, Fred had noted that a fellow rifleman Harry Horseman used to fall asleep every day after lunch, he told me to get a Land Rover while he tied a long length of rope to Harry's bed and then to the back of the Land Rover, none of us guessed what would happen next, the bed moved out of it's space at high speed as Harry woke up and  baled out just as the bed crashed through the door taking out the door frame and part of the gable end!! several Rifleman in Khaki shorts and white legs dived over low walls and hid in bins as Harry tried to find the culprits, and when asked Fred would say "it's a complete mystery"...."like Mary Branigans black baby" every day with Fred was like this, some of the best day's of my life, he was  a great friend and a wonderfull character and I will miss him so much.

God bless you Fred.....and do not start any arguments with him or he might bar the rest of us!!

My heart felt condolences to Marie and family

Having attended Fred's funeral service yesterday, together with an impressive number of his friends of all ranks, a measure of the respect and affection in which he was held, I would like to say what a warm and very moving occasion it was. The service in the Light Division chapel was perfect, simple and un-fussy ( as Riflemen like it) yet dignified and entirely fitting. The moving recitation of  Kipling's poem "If" by Fred's son Nick, seemed to coincide with a fall of dust or an outbreak of hay-fever, causing many of those present to cough and wipe their eyes. The eulogy, delivered by one of Fred's many platoon commanders, Col. David Pentreath, reminded us all of what a great rifleman and character Fred was, and what an interesting life he'd led. The sounding of Last Post followed by Reveille by buglers of The Rifles was superb, as was the Guard Of Honour of Riflemen which presented arms  as Fred was taken away. I'm sure he would have loved it , despite the fixed swords!.

Some hours later,  a few of us who had known and worked with Fred were having a few pints (and a curry) in his memory and inevitably the stories began to flow, suitablly embellished and enlarged no doubt,  one after another, and what a laugh we had. Everyone had a tale to tell about Fred, and we could easily have carried on way past closing time. That summed it up for me, if you knew Fred and heard his name mentioned, you smiled, that was Fred.  

Dear Nick

I came on this website because I was told that Colin Payne had posted about my Dad's passing on 10th  February and wanted to read the comments left.

I was so sorry to read about your Dad; I have really lovely memories of him when I was a child growing up and remember him being a warm and friendly man, and a true family man.  I was also really saddened and shocked to read about you losing your sister too; what an absolutely awful thing for you and your family to go through.

Please pass my condolences and love to your Mum.  My Mum also asked me to send you all her love and wishes.

Thinking of you all.

xx