HarryMAYERof Helmshore, passed away on September 10 at Royal Blackburn Hospital, aged 92.
Harry was born and raised with his two sisters in Manchester. He worked as a mechanical apprentice, and joined the British Army in 1949, enlisting in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME), and shortly after left for Egypt with the 4th Royal Tank Regiment, whose role was the protection of the Suez Canal. He didn’t return to the UK for almost three years following many exploits, and having learned to drive a tank before he could drive a car. He immediately volunteered (unwisely) to join the 1st Royal Tank Regiment who were fighting in Korea. The war was in its closing stages but was quite brutal. The cold was such that soldiers had to sleep with their rifles in their sleeping bags, and all the tanks had to be moved every two hours through the night to prevent the tracks freezing. After seven months, Harry’s jeep was hit by an enemy shell whilst carrying tank ammunition to the front line. The driver was killed, but luckily Harry escaped with injuries that were treated in an Army field hospital – a place he said he never wished to return. After leaving Korea, he was posted back to the Middle East, and finally returned home in 1954.
Shortly afterwards he met Sylvia at a concert party of which they were both members. They married in 1957 and it was to be a long and happy marriage. He joined the Royal Insurance as an engineer and remained there until retirement 30 years later.
He enjoyed his job, although it was never as exciting as fixing tanks in the desert!
He, Sylvia and their two sons moved to Helmshore in 1968.
He was a keen cyclist all his life, loved gardening, and he and Sylvia enjoyed travelling and walking. He was a member of Rossendale Golf Club for 30 years, and by his own admission remained utterly hopeless at the game.
He leaves Sylvia his wife of 67 years, sons Stuart and Peter, daughters-in-law Julie and Beverley, sister Jean, and grandchildren Reece and Tess.
Harry’s funeral will take place at Accrington Crematorium on Wednesday, September 25, at 1pm.
Family flowers only, donations are welcomed for Rossendale Hospice.
Enquiries to Georgina Ormrod at
Johnson Durning Woods Funeral Service.
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