Richard Buckle, late RGJ, 10 Gurkha Rifles & SOF (502388)

Born: 26 Jul 1957; Woking Surrey

Died:  16 Feb 2014 in Thailand

Educated: St Peters Seaford Sussex, Winchester College & RMAS

Service:

B St P & MB DS write: Richard Buckle died peacefully on Sunday 16^th Feb in Chiang Rai in Northern Thailand where he had made his home. His wife Nee was with him at the end. Richard had been ill for some time but found out that it was terminal liver cancer on Christmas Day 2013. He accepted the news with typical good humour and was able to talk to and email many Regimental friends in his last days, sharing many happy memories.

Richard was a gentle, kind, unassuming and incredibly funny man who had that amazing ability to get on with everyone and who lived a colourful life to the full. His brother officers and Riflemen adored his eccentricity but also his caring nature. While commanding 9 Pl, 1 RGJ in 1977, he reacted to the news that a sniper, known to go for head shots, was operating in the area by insisting that his patrol all wobbled their heads as they jogged across Etna Waste in Belfast.  On a jungle warfare course in Brunei, his instructor was astonished to see him lead his patrol wearing a repro German helmet and monocle. His platoon attack with his Riflemen acting out the part of Zulus in the New Territories of Hong Kong will long be fondly remembered.

His 9 Pl leaving party from Hong Kong resulted with the number 9 being tattooed on his big toe. From there he went to Thailand and had further adventures that included working at Tiger Tops in Nepal, clearing mines in Laos, collecting watch batteries for their silver content in the UK, joining the Gurkhas on a Short Service Commission back in Hong Kong, leaving and then serving with Baluchis in the Oman, guarding African oil rigs with a Gurkha security company before settling down and growing bananas on his land on the Thai/ Burmese border.

Knowing that he was terminally ill, he accepted that his time had come and reflected that he had lived a happy life and had never put anyone down.

Letters of condolence if desired: c/o of his brother, Mark Buckle:

9 Hazel Drive, Ripley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6LQ  mpbuckle@btinternet.com     

Funeral arrangements: A private cremation service has been held in Thailand.