Former WO2 (AQMS) Richard Charles (Dick) Tomlin Scribe: Bryan Jarvis
Burton-upon-Trent, followed in 1961 by the birth of a son, Andre. His final posting was a big exercise in Cyprus - Famagusta and Panhandle, returning to UK. Soon for discharge, Bob was offered a three-year accompanied posting to Hong Kong for which he would have to sign on for 22 years and attend No.2 Artificer Course. Although tempted, he decided “goodbye Sergeants Mess!” and accepted a position as a Computer Engineer with the Austin Motor Company in Longbridge, Birmingham, at the time the largest car factory in Europe. Bob spent the next 30 years at the Austin, through the British Leyland years, rising to the position of Site Technical Training Manager at Austin Rover, before taking early retirement in 1992. The next project was ‘Pennypot’, a former nailer’s cottage on the outskirts of Bromsgrove. Bob virtually rebuilt the place, adding garages, outhouses, gardens, bathrooms and kitchen. Eventually, he built a new workshop, where he could be found most days creating on a lathe, bandsaw or any of a myriad of tools gathered over the years. Bob’s other great interests were sport (any sport on TV and radio), chewing the fat with mates down the pub and his grandchildren and great grandchildren who knew him affectionally as “GG”. He is survived by his wife Jan, son Andre, his family and will be greatly missed by all.
Richard Charles Tomlin, who was a Founder member and highly valued member of REME, died on 14 January 2021 at his home in Farnham, Surrey at the age of 98. He had been in poor health for over a year and been in and out of hospital for several weeks before he passed away. Dick Tomlin, as he was better known, grew up in Surrey and attended Grammar Schools in Farnham and Guildford. Then, aged 15, he enlisted into the RAOC at Guildford on 5 July 1938. He completed a Motor Mechanic apprenticeship at the Army Apprentice School in Arborfield. In 1942, when the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was formed, it needed qualified tradesmen – hence Dick’s transfer into REME that October. He then spent the next three years working at a medium (up to 5.0 ton) vehicle repair workshop in the UK under AA Command. Next came a posting to 7 Base Workshops REME in Alexandria, Egypt, where he worked and trained others on engine rebuilds and complete vehicle overhauls. By February 1948 he was back in the UK and, having completed an Artificer Vehicles course at Bordon, he was granted leave to marry Monica. This was just prior to a home posting to a mediumsized REME workshop. His next move in early 1949 was to the Station Workshop REME in Tripoli, Libya where he and his family spent three years. From there he returned to a medium repair workshop back in the UK, where he spent two years in charge of the vehicle overhaul line. At the same time, he became responsible for the adjacent Ancillary Trades section, which included Carpenters, Machine Fitters, Turners and Metalsmiths as well as Blacksmiths. In 1954 Dick was deservedly promoted to AQMS WO2 and posted to 19 Air Formation Signals LAD at Changi, Singapore, where he and his family lived in married quarters. This proved a most enjoyable posting for the whole family. After another short spell in the UK, he and his family then spent nine years at Verden and Fallingbostel in Germany with 7 Armoured Workshop. It was largely here that he built up considerable knowledge and skills for the repair of both tracked and wheeled vehicles. He also attained the acting rank of ASM (WO1). The last year of his service was spent at SEME Bordon where he worked as an Instructor. Finally, in May 1966, after a total of 28 years and a day military service, he finally handed in his uniform. But in what seemed a natural progression, he continued at SEME as a civilian instructor until 1987 when he reached retirement age at 65. Dick and Monica Tomlin had long since settled in at Farnham, Surrey, but in 2002 his wife suddenly predeceased him. They had two children – Nick, who died in 2015 aged 60 years of age, and a daughter, Jenny. He will be sorely missed by both family, which includes three grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and friends. Due to the pandemic, Dick’s funeral comprised of a small private ceremony at Guildford Crematorium. A life well lived. Rest in Peace Dick.
Former Craftsman Oswald Redvers Snell Scribe: Graham A Matthews, Secretary Lincolnshire Branch
Bob with his great grandson, Travis
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It is my sad duty to inform the Corps of the passing of Oswald (Ossy) Redvers Snell who died on 7 December 2020 in the Pilgrim Hospital Boston aged 86 years. Ossy was born on 20 August 1934 at Well Park Farm, Willoughby, Lincolnshire and was the ninth child of 15 to John and Elsie Snell. Born into a farming family, his early years were hard, working on the land from the age of 15. At the age of 18 he received his National Service papers; when the Farm Manager said he was able to submit Exemption papers for farm workers his response was to enlist in Lincoln for 21 years with a three-year option in REME on 5 August 1952. Arriving at the Trg Bn REME in Blandford, Ossy excelled during basic training and was reported as being well behaved and steady in
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