Page 18 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 61

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

The Last Post

ACC Association – In Memorials/Obituaries
As you are aware, the Association includes the deaths of Obituary. Families are encouraged to provide an obituary for
members via its magazine, The Flaming Cauldron, which is inclusion in the Flaming Cauldron – format advice can be
published bi-annually (Summer and Winter edition). The sought from the Association Secretary.
Association can only publish members’ deaths if informed, and Support. The Association has a number of ACC Standards
I rely heavily on family and friends of the deceased to do so. and ACC Coffin drapes available should the family want such
I would be grateful if you could inform me as the Association accoutrements to recognise ACC/military service. These can
Secretary (secretary@accassocition.org) by providing: be ordered via the Association Secretary (secretary@accassoc-
• The name of the deceased ACC/RLC soldier/officer, ition.org) – these can either be collected from the Association
office in Worthy Down, Winchester or sent via mail – all we
• Date of death (cause of death (if appropriate)
ask is that they are promptly returned post the service in order
• Funeral details. to support other services and events. In addition, I can request
In Memorial / Publication. In addition to the obituary within for a bugler to play last post – this option is not a given and
the magazine, the Association can email the Association of relies on the availability of buglers in the area of the funeral.
members’ deaths if the family so wishes, either to announce Advice. Should you have any queries re the above then
the death or publicise the funeral details. Please request this please direct them to the Association Secretary (secretary@
service via the Association Secretary. accassocition.org).

Major Richard Ian Moffet Atkinson Ian was commissioned in 1970 and, Division soon becoming the mainstay of
(known to all as Ian) after completing the obligatory Platoon Sodexo UK. He left Sodexo in 2000 but
17 May 2023 Commander appointment in the ACC continued as a consultant for a further
Ian was born in Norham on Tweed, Apprentices College, he moved to the five years before finally stepping back
Northumberland. At a young age, he and Royal Engineers Apprentices College at into full retirement.
his younger brother moved with his par- Chepstow as their Catering Officer in Ian and Sadie had two sons, Paul
ents to their hotel in Berwick on Tweed. the rank of Captain before returning to and Mark. Paul joined the Royal Signals
Growing up in a catering environment, it the Army School of Catering as a Senior whilst Mark followed a different route
was inevitable that, when Ian joined the Instructional Officer. There followed a moving into business management and
Army, it would be in the Army Catering two year spell as a Catering Advisor back commerce. Devastatingly, Mark was
Corps. He enlisted in Edinburgh in 1954 at HQ South East District, before mov- killed in a road traffic accident age 29.
and headed south to Aldershot where he ing back to Germany as the Catering Paul served most of his military career
joined ‘P’ Squad as an apprentice chef. Advisor at Rheindahlen Garrison in abroad, mainly Germany, and on leaving
Unfortunately, Ian contracted polio and the rank of Major. It was there that he the Army emigrated to New Zealand.
was isolated for over four months. On his totally refurbished the Junior Ranks Ian and Sadie enjoyed their holidays
return to training he was back-squaded kitchen and dining room turning it into spending many Winter months with
to the following intake and consequently a modern restaurant style operation. In their son Paul in New Zealand and every
spent longer at Aldershot than those in 1981 he returned to Aldershot as the Summer at La Paillotte in South West
his original squad. Technical Quartermaster at the Army France. They both spoke German and
On passing out into man service School of Catering. Once again he made French and kept in touch with a wide
in 1958 Ian quickly progressed to his mark by reorganising and upgrading circle of friends in Germany, France,
Sergeant, and was head chef at the the stores into an efficient, professional Spain and Sri Lanka. Sadly, Sadie passed
Cowglen Military Hospital, Glasgow. cost effective operation. away in 2019 and Ian’s health began to
It was in Glasgow that he met Sadie, Ian left the Army in 1985, was deteriorate. After suffering polio as a
a hospital sister and soon to be his wife. recruited by Gardner Merchant to be young man, conditions related to that
They commenced married life in Paris employed as a contracts manager with illness began to take it’s toll as he grew
where Ian was employed in the military specific responsibility for developing older. A heart condition requiring heart
hospital. Promotion to Staff Sergeant new opportunities within the Ministry valve replacement did not improve his
in 1962 saw him move to yet another of Defence. Being ambitious and general condition. However, he contin-
military hospital this time in Iserlohn, industrious, with a positive work ethic, ued to live independently and was able
Germany where he spent three years he soon built up the MoD business to enjoy regular lunches with his friends.
working alongside the Canadian Army. and in 1995 he became the Business He managed to travel to New Zealand
From there he was posted to Singapore Development Director. Subsequently, earlier this year to visit his son, daugh-
as a WO2 Catering Instructor before Gardener Merchant was purchased by ter-in-law and granddaughter.
returning to the UK as an STI at HQ Sodexo and the MoD business grew Sadly, on return from New Zealand
South East District in Aldershot. into an independent Sodexo Defence he began to suffer debilitating pain and

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