Absolutely right Jim, it's sad to think that we were not allowed the opportunity to say cheerio to an old friend and comrade after all the occasions spent together. As for ANOTHER website just to suit somebodies personal purposes, it doesn't warrant any comment.
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 3039
Mike Butchers -
Quadrant 61 -63 -
Stalbridge N Dorset -
Newton Abbot Reunion.
Due to the death of our Queen this afternoon it has been decided to cancel this weekend event, as mark of respect. The RBL has cancelled all events.
Mike.
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 3295
keith harding -
Quadrant tp 1961-63 -
Frimley -
Hi i have just tried to contact jock. Ward c 6 room30.. hes not in there and not in hospital. Anyone have more info.
Skip
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 2784
Ken kay -
White spear 62 64 -
Manchester -
Thanks for your messages which are spot on. Have helped me a lot Looking at a picture of bob with our 2010 ten tor’s team on the wall in my garden pub . Good to see it’s the northerners with their positive views
I was only a young 'Whippersnapper ' compared to you 'Elderly Gentleman '. I read the comments on here and wonder where the other 'Whippersnappers' from my years are? Please you guys from my era join in on this great communication site. Please all you guys out there "Take care and look after yourselves ".
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 3296
George McIntosh -
White Swan 1963 - 1965 -
Carlisle -
Jock Kelly. Skip, Jock is in the high dependency unit of Southampton Hospital, having had a triple heart bypass and an Aortic valve replacement. He is recovering well despite having lost his voice (see my previous messages). His mobile is off since he cannot speak well. The unit is satisfied with his recovery at this point. They told me so!!,,,
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 2785
John Barnes -
K/WS 58-61 -
Northampton -
Only met Bob once, our connection was that we both worked for BT in Northampton at one time, he was a nice bloke and I met him at Flogget same time as I met CJ. He seemed hard hit by the loss of his wife, which was understandable and disappeared soon after. He was a good friend of Steve Wright as far as I know, and went over to see Steve a few times.
RIP Bob you were a nice bloke.
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 3041
Clive Fletcher -
L Tp 58-61 -
Bognor Regis Sussex -
I was asked by an American friend, a retired colonel in the US Signal Corp to comment on the well-known communications problems encountered by the British 1st Para Division Signals Regt. at Arnhem. When I was with 200 Signal Squadron in Detmold we had a captain 2 i/c, name now long lost who was there as a signalman operating a Jeep-mounted No.22 Set when his troop sergeant repeatedly told the C.O. that the No. 19 set would be better, how he proved to be sadly correct.
I replied to my American friend as follows, would appreciate any comments.
Arnhem Radio Communications Problems. Breakdowns in radio communications in both airborne and ground formations were certainly nothing new. The 1st Airborne Divisional Signals had long noted the fragility of their system and had made numerous requests to the airborne hierarchy for more of the powerful Type 19 sets to be issued. Permission was refused on the basis that nobody had previously imagined that an airborne operation would take place within an area that exceeded five miles; well within the range of the Type 22 sets used throughout the Division. Both of these sets, however, were so heavy that they could only be carried by a Jeep, and so to have taken more Type 19 sets into battle would have required additional gliders, which, as had been all too demonstrated, were a rare commodity. Radio communications were a disaster as we now know.
One Royal Signals operator, Second Lieutenant L.R.D. (Len) Willmott, also the training officer at Denbury, equipped with a small and lightweight Special Operations Executive, (SOE) Paraset No.2 radio set maintained communications, albeit via CW, (Morse) throughout the Arnhem campaign. These Paraset were tried, tested and utilised by the Dutch SOE. Senior officers of the Royal Signals were aware of these advanced design radio sets yet failed to allocate them for communications between London and the main Arnhem units.
Also, the order not to use the Dutch national telephone system or the telephone network running alongside the vast canal system was very short-sighted as coded voice messages usually transmitted over the radio networks could have been employed using SLIDEX over the telephone system and would have provided an elementary communications method.
I seem to remember we had this drilled into us when I went to 11 Sigs at Lincoln.
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 3297
George McIntosh -
White Swan 1963 - 1965 -
Carlisle -
Jock Kelly. Jock is progressing well and is likely to be moved out of the High Dependency Unit today. He is not yet avail on the mobile. The staff are pleased with how he is getting on, too early to think about sending him home...George
29 Nov 2025, 15:56
ID: 2786
Jim White -
Iron/H Jan 61/ August 63 -
barnsley -
Gents
To help clear up the confusion of Bob passing, below is an email I sent to to Steve Wright in answer to a private email he sent me. I am posting this as it explains the issues raised by Mick Gue on face book.
"After spending over 1 hour on the phone with Moya I now know you are either Stupid in understanding their instructions or had other reasons for saying what you did say in your Monday email which was sent at 10.33am, some 57 mins after the cremation finished.
In line with the family wishes not I or anyone else posted anything on any site referring to Bobs passing prior to the cremation. Moya was quite clear as to the reasons why both she and Bob wanted to withhold the news ( I already knew of the problems) because of family problems. She was also quite clear that the news of Bobs passing could be passed to the Denbury Boys sites post the cremation. Your Email of Monday 10.33am did not say this but indicated “NO” news be posted. You were most likely pissed when you were given the instructions. Further Moya said the family in Brentford were to hold a “Reunion” for his army friends but this has now fallen through. I asked if we could hold some form of reunion to celebrate his life and friendship with us in our normal way and she said most certainly. I asked if we could help financially as she explained that she had had to pay for the funeral. At first she said no but I said it what we normally do and she gave her blessing.
I am amazed given your “Close” friendship with both Bob and Moya that you have not mentioned these gestures to her but there again you are a taker not a giver.
I will say again you had no reason to form a new group, you could had you not been stupid, posted on all the other sites the sad news at your chosen time of 1033am. "
I will give further details to a call for financial help for Moya.