OBITUARIES ISSUE EIGHT J A N U A RY 2 0 1 7
Mick was one of the most impressive witnesses he interviewed. He found that Mick refused to embellish his account of his experience, or distort it by immersion in the literature of the UFO industry. Mick told him: “I don’t think there are little green men who are going to suddenly land and get out of peculiar looking craft but what I do know is that both David Crofts and I saw something, the like of which we had never seen before, and I have never seen since. I can’t explain it. I was frightened. I make no bones about it. It was something supernatural, perhaps, and when I landed someone told me I looked as if I had seen a ghost.” In 1967, RAF Coltishall was awarded the Freedom of the City of Norwich and, as Wing Commander Flying and Chief Instructor, Mick led a flight of twenty-four Lightnings flying in a diamond formation over the city, together with three aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial flight, then based at Coltishall. In Saigon, he used to fly his Devon aircraft (his “company-car!”) down to Singapore where his brother David was stationed at the same time for some R&R, under the excuse that the aircraft needed servicing. At the same time, he would visit the NAAFI shop and stock up on necessary UK food and rations Mick was dedicated to the RAF, adored flying with a passion, whether in Mosquitoes, Meteors or Lightnings or any other aircraft, and he and Janet made a formidable team wherever they were based, and the perfect host and hostess. Mick was awarded an OBE in 1972 for his work as Air Attache in Saigon, one of the postings that they most enjoyed. On his return from Saigon in 1971, he successfully smuggled a 6ft Russian rocket back to Britain in his hold luggage. It had pride of place in their home for some years until Janet could stand it no longer and it was donated to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford, Cambridgeshire, where it can still be seen. During Mick’s final years in the RAF, having decided that they wanted to retire to North Norfolk, they purchased one of the first new houses to be built at Branodunum on the edge of Brancaster in 1978. A few years later, they were given the opportunity of buying a plot of land right next door known locally as Skipper’s Piece, where they designed and had built their own house. They lived here together very happily for many years until Janet died in January 2011. Mick was very keen on cars. He kept a little black book in which he calculated and recorded the m.p.g he achieved with each and every vehicle he owned, going back over many years (this must have been the RAF training for completion of flight log-books). Heaven help the manufacturer who over-stated their mileage claims! A series of Fiats was followed by Peugeots and Citroens, all pristine silver or white and beautifully kept. Mick and Janet did not have children themselves but much enjoyed the company of an extended family of cousins, and a wide circle of friends, including nephews and nieces on both the Swiney and Dalrymple sides of the family, who always enjoyed their happy visits to Brancaster, sometimes with their own children. Mick was always interested in what everyone was up to, and was very family-minded. He and Janet both enjoyed their holiday travels (in particular Scotland, where they could fish, and in France) but were never happier than when they were at home in their beloved Norfolk. Before problems with his mobility prevented it, he loved fishing and shooting, particularly wild-fowling. He was a true countryman and a signedup member of a number of rural societies and charities. Mick was much loved and respected by all his family on both sides and will be very much missed.
Lt. Col. George Dennis Somerville Truell (OJ, 1936)
George Truell, son of Lt. Col. Edmund Grey Stuart Truell (Xt, 1896), brother of Michael Pomeroy Somerville Truell (OJ, 1933 & Xt, 1938), Charles William Somerville Truell (JS, 1936), uncle of Robert Hall (Current Prep Staff) and grandson of the Rev William Henry Augustus Truell (Turnbull, 1862), died on the 6th May 2016, aged 89. George’s uncle, George Vesey Truell came to College when it was founded and left in 1845. William Goss (Ch, 1972), Angus Gilmour (Xt, 1974), Patrick Goss (Xt, 1975), Donovan Walker (Ch, 51), Peter Walker (Ch, 1977) and Richard Walker (Ch, 1980) were all connected to the Truell family. Thus the Truell family have had a long connection with College since it was founded in 1841. George was born in Cheltenham and attended the Junior School. When the family moved to Dorset in December 1936, George transferred to Charlton Marshall Preparatory School. He was due to go to College in September 1940 but as the school had been evacuated to Shrewsbury, he was sent to Canford. College’s loss was Canford’s gain. He was a member of the XX Club and won 1st XV rugby colours and 2nd XI cricket and hockey colours. On leaving Canford, he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery and thus began a 43 year career with the Gunners. George was affectionately known as the ‘Father of 45 Regiment’ and was one of very few officers who served in a regiment in all commissioned ranks from Subaltern to Commanding Officer, seeing active service in many post-war theatres of conflict. The invasion of South Korea by the communist North, in June 1950, caught the nations of the West unprepared. By September, the incursion had driven the South Korean army and American occupation forces down to the southern port of Pusan. Given a UN Security Council mandate and reinforcements, including two British infantry brigades, US General Douglas MacArthur launched a counteroffensive that sent the invaders reeling back to their frontier with China, outraging the leadership in Beijing. Their general, P’eng Te-huai, was given untold numbers of “volunteer” soldiers to retaliate. By April 1951, the UN force was back half way down the peninsula, with the British brigades holding the high ground overlooking the Imjin River, 30 miles north of Seoul. George was a gun-position officer with 70 Battery 45 Field Regiment, supporting 29th Brigade, with his eight 25-pounder guns. The first attempt by the Chinese to ford the Imjin on the night of April 22nd was repulsed. The next day, St George’s Day, was the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers’ annual celebration of their cap badge, St George slaying the dragon. All ranks, and those of George’s battery, were wearing red roses in respect. It was also the day when the Chinese Liberation Army was ordered to overwhelm 29th Brigade’s positions. During the night they had infiltrated between two forward companies of the 1st Glosters. As the light improved, George saw Chinese troops advancing. One group was setting up a machine gun. 200 yards away, George was busy firing 25lb shells in support of the Glosters away to his left when the Chinese came charging down the hill to his right. He had no option but to resort to Battle of Waterloo tactics. He lowered one of his huge guns to the horizontal, aimed it at the Chinese on the hillside, no more than 150 yards away, and let rip. The machine gun team disappeared with a flash and cloud of smoke, while the enemy infantry took cover. The Glosters were eventually forced off 29th Brigade’s remaining hill but the Chinese offensive was checked. The scene is immortalised in a famous Royal Artillery painting, Over Open Sights, by Terence Cuneo, a noted painter of military action, and hangs in the R.A. Mess. George was asked to give technical help to the artist and was then asked by Cuneo to pose as himself for 12.