|
I have been informed today that Tony Makepeace-Warne died on 16 May 2007
in Salisbury.
He was born in 1937: served in the ranks 1957/58 and was first
commissioned into the Intelligence Corps. He joined the King's
Own Yorkshire Light Infantry on 29 March 1960 and served in
Malaya, Germany, Aden and Berlin. He served as Company
Commander in 2LI (1971/72), D Company if I remember correctly
- I can certainly recall him in Armagh.
He went on to command 1LI. He became Deputy Colonel Light
Infantry (Somerset and Cornwall) from 1987 to 1990 and
subsequently Colonel of the Regiment until he retired in 1992.
His funeral was private and a Remembrance Service will be
held in Salisbury Cathedral later this Summer.
Informed by:
Harry Finley : - ex chief Clerk 2 LI
A second Obituary ___
Major-General Antony Makepeace-Warne
Commandant of the Joint Services Defence College
who flew the flag for regimental soldiering
Tony Makepeace-Warne
was not of the usual mould of a General;
efficient certainly and invariably calm, he had an acerbic wit
and could be stubborn when he felt the need to dig in his toes
on a point of principle, but regimental soldiering was what he
most enjoyed, taking a particular interest in the development
of junior officers in whom he saw promise. Music and the arts
were his lifelong passion and in retirement he learnt to play
the cello.
His fluency in Danish, French and German led to a National
Service commission in the Intelligence Corps, and while with
4th Guards Brigade in the Army of the Rhine he was spotted by
the commanding officer of the 1st King’s Own Yorkshire Light
Infantry, who invited him to transfer. The battalion was due
to go to Malaysia to serve with the Commonwealth Brigade and
the prospect had obvious appeal. So delighted was he with his
new regiment that he titled the history he wrote 30 years
later Exceedingly Lucky, taking a quote from a letter written
by Ensign (later General Sir) John Moore to his mother in 1777
after joining the 51st Foot: “Hitherto I have to confess
myself exceedingly lucky. I have got into one of the best of
regiments.”
He quickly made his mark, becoming battalion adjutant before
attending the Staff College in 1970. He was appointed MBE for
service as a company commander in Northern Ireland with the
2nd Light Infantry, as his original battalion had become on
the formation of the Light Infantry in 1968. Then, in 1972, he
became Brigade Major (chief of staff) of 24th Air-portable
Brigade, a formation with responsibilities for rapid
deployment to meet emergencies overseas. After further
regimental duty he returned to Camberley as an instructor in
1975.
The years 1977-80 in command of the 1st Light Infantry in Hong
Kong were almost certainly his happiest in the Army. He was
ambitious for his regiment but not for himself, and the calm
he brought to it amid the frenetic atmosphere of the Crown
Colony was much appreciated.
His first appointment in the MoD, still as a
lieutenant-colonel, was cut short after seven months on
promotion to become Colonel Staff Duties 2 in the Army
Department. Known to be one of the hottest seats in the MoD
Main Building, this put him in the frame for rapid preferment.
Promotion to command the Berlin Brigade followed in 1982, but
though he attended the 1985 course at the Royal College of
Defence Studies the anticipated step to major-general did not
materialise until 1990.
The Joint Services Defence College had been housed in the
imposing King Charles block of the former Greenwich Hospital
for eight years when he was appointed Commandant in 1990, but
the collapse of the threat from the Warsaw Pact had caused his
predecessor to make radical changes to the syllabus.
Makepeace-Warne had the attitude to continue this process
while much appreciating the historical venue. He was appointed
CB on retirement in 1992.
From 1996 to 2002 he was the Director of the Army Museums
Ogilby Trust, a charity established as an archive and library
for the use of historians, in particular those researching
regiments of the British Army. This was a post he relished but
he was in charge when pressure on space obliged the Trust to
put the archive into store and sell many of the books.
Antony Makepeace-Warne was the eldest son of Keith and Nora,
née Kelstrup, Makepeace-Warne. He maintained close contact
with his Danish side family all his life, spending holidays in
Denmark whenever duty allowed. He was educated at Taunton
School, of which he was later a governor, took his BA Hons at
the Open University in 1990 and was reading for a masters
degree in fine arts when his final illness began.
He was Colonel of the Light Infantry 1990-92. His Exceedingly
Lucky – The History of the Light Infantry 1968-1993was
published in 1993 and his Brassey’s Companion to the British
Army in 1995.
He is survived by his wife Jill, née Seath, and two daughters.
Major-General Antony Makepeace-Warne, CB, MBE, Commandant of
the Joint Services Defence College 1990-92, was born on
September 3, 1937. He died of cancer on May 16, 2007, aged 69
Presentation of Colours to 1, 2 and 3LI at Tidworth on 31st May 1991, Colonel of
The Regiment, Major General Makepeace-Warne escorts HM the Queen Mother
(Please click on image for LARGER
one please)
A more relaxed Antony Makepeace-Warne at the Minden Celebration in 2005,
surrounded by his friends who were soldiers who worked with him in the KOYLI 2
LI
(Please click on image for larger image)
Please click on image
|
