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Obituaries Sally Mansfield (nee Maycock, Oa 85-89) d. 10/08/2012
www.bromsgrove-school.co.uk
At School, Sally was a fun-loving, mischievous, active member of Oakley House and very attached to WendronGordon. She became a School Monitor and Head of House. Sally enjoyed all aspects of School life, especially the sport (captaining the 2nd XI tennis) – she was fiercely competitive and always encouraged others to achieve their best. She is remembered by her contemporaries as someone who would ask a hundred questions but never wait for the answer to the first before asking the next. As a School Monitor and Head of House, she could be heard calling the juniors to “pull their socks up” – never forgetting that she knew all their tricks better than they themselves did. She was often known to take the LIV Form out on an early morning run – but she would be there joining them rather than disciplining from the sidelines. Sally loved life and she loved people –she always wanted to be the centre of whatever was going on. Sally had a zest for life, and that didn’t change when she was faced with a diagnosis of terminal stomach cancer. She would arrange her chemo sessions
Major Tom Prentice (S 35-40) d. 17/10/2011 late in the day so she could fit in a run or a bike ride first. Her hospital room then became the social centre for the rest of the day and nurses could be heard to say, “It’s standing room only in there”. What amazed so many was Sally’s courage - she never complained about her diagnosis and she wasn’t afraid to die. Her ability to enjoy all life had to offer her, but also to face death without fear was all due to her trust in the Lord Jesus. She knew that each day was a gift from God and she trusted and accepted His perfect plan for her. For the last twenty years of her life, Sally was married to Christopher and lived in Guildford with their four children – Daisy, Archie, Noah and Freddie. Her funeral took place in St Saviours’ Church, Guildford where she was very much part of the church family. Old Bromsgrovians present at the service included her sister Katie Wadsworth (nee Maycock), as well as Sacha Hunter (nee Reynolds), Andy Richards and Sophie Mutimer (nee Bromwich). Provided by Katie Wadsworth (nee Maycock), sister of Sally Mansfield
The death of Tom Prentice on 17th October 2011 at the age of 88, peaceful and in his sleep, after a quiet, enjoyable evening at home, brings to an end a good and generous life. It also all but closes an important chapter in British and Indian History. Tom Prentice was one of the last survivors of those who joined up in the Second World War and proceeded to a commission and service in the Indian Army. In Tom’s case, his service was in the Kumaon Regiment (in 1942, known as the 19th Hyderabad). Now established as the Kumaon and Naga Regiment, it remains a distinguished formation of the Indian Army. A touching sign of the strong, affectionate links that persist to this day with the Indian Regiments which trace their life back before 1947 is that, on the day of Tom’s death, a small group of members of the Kumaon Regiment Association, including another 88 year old officer who also served in India, was setting off as honoured guests to the Regiment’s reunion at its centre at Ranikhet, Kumaon.
For fifteen years Tom was the treasurer, then secretary, of the KRA, becoming a father figure to those who had served in India and their families. He generously passed on his deep knowledge of the Indian Army, India and the North-West Frontier to the children of his fellow officers as they became family members of the KRA. Thomas Anthony Elliot Prentice was born on 15th December 1922 in Leicester, along with his twin brother Robert, who died some twenty years ago. He was educated at Bromsgrove School. His father, Douglas, captained the England Rugby team and the British Lions. He became secretary of the Rugby Football Union at Twickenham. To the end of his days Tom lived in a flat rented from the RFU. Tom, and Bob joined up in the Warwickshire Regiment in May 1941. After initial training in England and a year at the Indian Military Academy at Dehra Dun, Tom was commissioned in September 1942 in the 19th Hyderabad, renamed Kumaon Regiment in 1945 at the suggestion of General Auchinleck.