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John Savelle
Late Coldstream Guards
by Major R Watson MBE
formerly Coldstream Guards
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John Gordon Savelle died suddenly at home on 31st March 2024. A tall and striking figure in his prime, he was a fine Coldstreamer and a credit to the Regiment.
He was born in Bristol on 22nd August 1944, attended Thornbury Grammar School, and in September 1959 joined the Coldstream Guards at the Infantry Junior Leaders Battalion, Oswestry. By the time he had completed his training he had attained the rank of Junior Company Sergeant Major and this set him up well for his move to a battalion. His potential was unquestionable and he was promoted Lance Sergeant before he was 20 and was a Colour Sergeant by 24, quick then but breathtaking by modern standards. His battalion service was mixed with tours away including the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where he was a Company Sergeant Major in Victory College.
After the usual progression of Drill Sergeant and Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant he was promoted WO1 in 1979 and appointed as Regimental Sergeant Major of the 2nd Battalion at Caterham. He was commissioned in July 1980 and became the Families Officer of the 1st Battalion in Fallingbostel, Germany, and assumed the same post with the 2nd Battalion on its move from Caterham. In 1982 he was selected as the Quartermaster of 8 UDR, a post he held until 1984 before rejoining the 1st Battalion as the Technical Quartermaster. He deployed with the Battalion to the Falkland Islands from June to November of 1985 and was on exercise in Canada from July to September the same year.
The Battalion moved to Hong Kong in 1986, a tour that included a trip to Fiji as the Quartermaster for a company training exercise and some of the stories he told of that particular trip were worth listening to more than once! It was also whilst in Hong Kong that he was tasked by the Commanding Officer to organise some Christmas entertainment for the Battalion and the local community in the form of a pantomime; it is safe to say that John was responsible for taking Cinderella to the Far East. In 1987 he moved to the 2nd Battalion to take up the post of Quartermaster, exercised in Kenya from February to April that year, and moved with the Battalion to Cyprus in 1988.
On the Battalion’s return in 1990 he became the Adjutant and Quartermaster of the Royal Military School of Music at Kneller Hall. It is felt by some that he may have had some input in the appointment of Roger Swift as Conducting Professor at the school. From Kneller Hall he moved to the College of Military Education at Beaconsfield as Quartermaster and whilst there was made an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 1994 for his work at the College. On rejoining the 1st Battalion he was HQ Company Commander in Münster and Windsor until his retirement in October 1998.
On retirement he became Administrative Officer at Morden College, a retirement facility at Blackheath, and then run by Major General Sir Ian Mackay-Dick. During that time he and Dot lived in Camberley before moving to Lincolnshire on retirement and then finally to Oxfordshire where he spent his final years surrounded by his family.
Although we never served together for any length of time I found myself following him around, taking over from him as RSM of the 2nd Battalion, Technical Quartermaster of the 1st Battalion, and then Quartermaster of the 2nd Battalion. Where we spent time together was at various regimental functions, catching up and discussing all things past. He was larger than life, extremely personable and had a sharp and discerning wit. The 27th Colonel, Lieutenant General The Hon Sir Willie Rous, described John as ‘an outstanding Coldstreamer’ and all who came in contact with him would wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.
He leaves behind his wife Dot, two daughters, Tina and Anne-Marie, and two step sons, Steven and Stuart, and a host of much loved grandchildren. |
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