Six: Squadron Sergeant-Major R. H. Smedley, 11th Hussars

General Service 1918-62, 2 clasps, Palestine, Malaya (552832 Cpl. R. H. Smedley. 11-H.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 8th Army; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue, Regular Army (552832 Sjt. R. H. Smedley. 11. H.) good very fine (6) £200-£260

Raymond Harry Smedley enlisted into Cavalry of the Line on 6 October 1932, and transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps on 11 April 1939. He served overseas in Egypt, Palestine, North West Europe, British Army of the Rhine, and Far East Land Forces (Malaya), and was discharged in the rank of Squadron Sergeant-Major on 5 October 1959, The following article appeared in the XI Hussars Journal of December 1958:

‘Sergeant-Major Smedley joined the Regiment at Tidworth on 6th October, 1932, and was posted to “C” Squadron, which at that time was commanded by the Duke of Gloucester. After completing recruit’s training, under the watchful eye of R.S.M. Bill Jerden (now Major (Retd.)), he was drafted to the 12th Royal Lancers in Egypt. It was with the 12th that he carried out trade training and was soon to prove himself a very capable Rolls-Royce driver.

In 1934 Smedley rejoined the Regiment and again was posted to “C” Squadron, as troop leader’s driver. There he remained until his promotion to lance-corporal in 1937, and then to start a period as a drill instructor, during which he attended a ten-week drill cadre with the 2nd Bn. The Grenadier Guards at Alexandria.

L/Cpl. Smedley was returned to the U.K. in April 1938 to attend driving and maintenance and gunnery courses at Bovington and Lulworth. It was during this time that he met and married Miss Catherine Fieldwick, who was to follow him to Egypt on his return later in 1938. During the next five years Sgt. Smedley (as he now was) saw active service with “C” Squadron in Palestine and the Western Desert.

In 1943, after completing nine years in Egypt, he was posted home as an instructor at the Royal Military College, and assisted in training many of the officers who were to join the Regiment. On leaving Sandhurst he joined the instructors’ staff of the 57th Training Regiment, where he stayed until rejoining the Regiment at Jever in 1946.

With his experience as and ability as an instructor he soon found himself as staff-sergeant i/c the Regimental Training Wing, an appointment he held for two years before joining “A” Squadron as S.Q.M.S. After two very happy and full years with “A” Squadron he realised his ambition and became S.S.M. of the Squadron he had joined nineteen years before.

Seeing the Squadron safely settled in Malaya S.S.M. Smedley returned home as P.S.I. to “D” Squadron, Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, where he soon became extremely popular with the T.A. soldiers. Rejoining the Regiment at Carlisle in October 1956, he was posted to H.Q. Squadron, an appointment he held for almost two years, before returning to the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, where all who knew him were delighted to see him back.’

Sold with M.O.D. confirmation of all medals and clasps.