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Colonel Andrew Parsons OBE
Late Scots Guards
by Colonel T M Parsons MBE
Late Scots Guards
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Andrew Parsons died peacefully on 18th December 2024 aged 84. He was born on 30th July 1940 at Johnstone in Renfrewshire. Early in his life his family moved to Ampney Crucis near Cirencester. Andrew spent many of his formative years here, and first developed his life-long enjoyment of equestrianism and knowledge of the countryside. His father, Thomas, died when Andrew was ten, and served in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Andrew’s nephew, Tom, joined the Scots Guards and is still serving.
Andrew was educated at Millfield in Somerset, where his love of polo began. In 1959 he was commissioned from Mons Officer Cadet School into the Scots Guards, and thereafter served in both battalions of the Regiment. Between 1964 and 1966 he was in Malaysia with the 1st Battalion when it was deployed operationally to Borneo during ‘Confrontation’ with Indonesia. He later commanded a company in Northern Ireland in 1971 and served in a variety of other roles across the Regiment. Significantly, he was Regimental Adjutant at the time of the Falklands War in 1982; the handling of casualties in the aftermath of the 2nd Battalion’s critical battle at Tumbledown required care and sensitivity, something that Andrew and his team at RHQ delivered with great professionalism. Before that, in the summer of 1967, he had been Philip Erskine’s deputy when the Regiment provided the Royal Guard at Balmoral. A duty that required a different sensitivity but also provided the opportunity to join the Royal Family when shooting the Deeside moors, which Andrew relished.
Andrew served with distinction and in 1984 was appointed Commandant of the Military Corrective Training Centre at Colchester. His time at the MCTC saw the adoption of far-reaching changes to the training and rehabilitation of servicemen for which he was awarded an OBE in 1986. Somehow, he also managed to find time to reform the Colchester Garrison Polo Club along with Brigadier Johnny Rickett. Andrew enjoyed a greater variety of extra-regimental appointments than many of his contemporaries: Adjutant at Mons OTC; staff appointments at Rheindahlen; and at SHAPE, where together with others he introduced polo to Antwerp, where they hosted the Cartier International Tournament for the first time; and finally, in 1990, as the UK senior officer at the NATO Defence College in Rome for four years. He even ventured to Zimbabwe serving on the UK Training Team underpinning the establishment of their post-independence armed forces. He retired from the Army in 1993, and then for twelve years worked at RMAS as a Retired Officer helping to manage the training and involvement of overseas students attending the Academy.
Andrew was always proud to be a Scots Guardsman. For many years he was Vice President of the Surrey branch of the Scots Guards Association together with John Whiteley, the longstanding President. Of equal importance to him was his love of country pursuits. An accomplished horseman, he enjoyed race riding and polo in Singapore. Back home he hunted with the Saddle Club at Melton Mowbray and more recently was a founder member of the racing syndicate Hot to Trot. As a dedicated countryman, he enjoyed shooting, stalking, fishing and was Chairman of the Baden Powell Bentley Fly Fishers. Whether it be racing at Windsor with Richard Mayfield, fishing on the River Wey in Hampshire, stalking at Guisachan near Glen Affric, or walking up grouse at Abernethy in the Cairngorms, he was in his element. A familiar sight to many living around Alton was that of Andrew and his close friend, Bill Stanford, beating out the hedgerows to find the occasional pheasant. He encouraged others to take up the sports he so enjoyed, and was never happier than when future generations, particularly his own grandchildren, learnt from his interests and achieved their own successes. He was a genuine all-rounder and had a special affection for his horses and dogs.
Andrew and Romy enjoyed a long and happy marriage of sixty-two years, latterly spending many of those years at Newton Valence, an area of Hampshire they knew well having lived there since 1968. In 1999 their younger son, Edward, died tragically, a loss which their family overcame with resilience, great courage, and fortitude. Meanwhile James and Annabel and their families, living not too far afield, provided that essential love and support upon which all families must rely. Andrew was proud of them all.
A courteous and kindly man, Andrew was well known and highly respected in the Regiment and more widely. He will be missed by many. His service of thanksgiving at St Nicholas Church, Chawton on 27th January was attended by over 250 people. |
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