LAST weekend’s Remembrance Sunday was in the 60th year since  the end of World War Two – and it was also the 60th and last reunion of the 23rd Hussars.
The 23rd did their final intensive battle training on the Yorkshire Wolds, while based in Bridlington, before taking their tanks to Normandy in 1944 and playing a key role in the final stages of the war through France and Germany.
The regiment was formed at Penk-ridge in December, 1940, and was followed by months of training, sleeping in tents and Nissen huts throughout the country until they arrived at Bridlington, where they slept in houses!
Many of the young blades began romances with the girls of Bridlington and girls in the Land Army working nearby, and some of them later married their local sweethearts.
In addition to their training on the Yorkshire Moors, they also trained on the sands of Bridlington. They were happy days – the dances at the Spa, the Pavilion and the church  halls were frequented by the men, and many of them remember the Salvation Army hall where, if they joined in the hymns on a Sunday morning, they would get a cup of tea and a ‘Woodbine’. According to some members of the regiment, their happiest days in the Army were spent in Bridlington.
The regiment was hard at it for the next two years, which included the acquisition of the American Sherman Tank. Eventually the training came to a stop, and the time had come to prove themselves and put their training to good use.
While in Bridlington, the regiment was honoured by the visit of King George and the Queen, accompanied by Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.
June, July and August 1944 saw the regiment in major battles in Normandy and then the break out across France. It was then on to Belgium to capture Antwerp, reinforced by some members of the 24th Lancers, who had also been stationed in Bridlington. In January  1945 they crossed the Rhine and made their way towards the Baltic. They passed through Belsen and witnessed many emaciated prisoners clinging to the wire fence.
The 23rd did much of their tank training in Bridlington, driving the tanks on to the Wolds for battle practice. They took part in the final assault on Nazi-occupied Europe and into Germany.
During the battles in Europe the 23rd Hussars lost 149 of its men killed in action.
The 23rd Hussars will be forever remembered in Bridlington by their memorial in the Priory Church.
In September, I received a letter from a former colleague, Mr Michael Chaddock, stating the 23rd Hussars would sadly be holding their last reunion this year, as the veterans were getting older and fewer with the passing years.
Mr Chaddock said the veterans had been reminiscing about an incident in war-time Bridlington when a young boy was run over by one of their tanks, but, thankfully, lived. I appealed for anyone knowing who this young boy was to get in touch, and also for any memorabilia of the Hussars, to help make their 60th reunion a memorable one.
Yet again our great band of readers did not let me down. I soon received a call from Mr Mike Wilson, of Bridlington, who had programmes of some of the Hussars’  reunions in the town, among other Hussars literature. Mr Wilson kindly allowed me to copy them and pass them on.
Within the week, Mr Tom Hammond got in touch to name the young boy who was run over by a Hussar tank in the town. He told me the boy was Kenny Parker.
Mr Hammond, who, coincidentally, also served in the Hussars, but with the 4th, carrying out his duty in Germany, Malaya and Hong Kong to name a few, lived in Swindon Street, and his younger brother was a friend of Kenny Parker, who lived in Cambridge Street. Mr Hammond told me Kenny had emigrated to Australia, but had a sister, Mrs Jeann’e Ward, living in the town. Mr Hammond contacted her to tell her of my search.
Mrs Ward told me about the incident with Kenneth. She said Kenneth was aged about six at the time, and had been playing with an older friend on a go-kart on Bessingby Hill. When the boys saw the tank coming up the road they tried to stop the go-kart but could not. The older boy jumped off but Kenneth couldn’t and he hit the front of the tank and ended up trapped by one leg under one of the tracks.
He broke his ankle very badly, and it was thought he would have to have his foot amputated. Had he not been wearing strong boots, the outcome could have been much worse.
Sgt Jackson was training tank drivers at the time. While Kenneth was stuck under the tank a Dr Johnson was passing. He knew Kenneth and wanted him to have the chance of keeping his foot. The Hussars got another tank to lift the first tank off Kenneth to free him.
Kenneth had to spend two weeks in Lloyd Hospital and had a toe and tendons amputated and three other toes shortened, requiring a basket-type device over the top of his foot. He then spent eight weeks in St James’s Hospital in Leeds.
He suffered a smash in the face as well as a crushed foot, resulting in a scar on his forehead, and two black eyes. He needed two skin grafts. The incident took place around 1946/7.
Kenneth remembered being in Lloyd Hospital and soldiers waving to him through the windows. The soldiers took fruit etc for him. Kenneth was in hospital with a lot of RAF burns victims, and having lost a toe was unable to join the RAF as he got older. For a small child it must have been a very frightening experience.
However, Kenneth made a good recovery and was able to play football and take part in other sports.
He emigrated to Australia about 40 years ago and now lives at Bendigo, Victoria, in a bungalow he built himself.
Kenneth married, had children and now has grandchildren. His daughter Michelle has tried to contact me from Australia, but unfortunately we’ve suffered problems with e-mails. However, Michelle did tell me she was never allowed to play on go-karts!
Another brother of Kenneth and Jeann’e, Donald Parker, has been missing for 60-plus years. At the time the family were living in Kent Street, on Holderness Road, Hull. Donald walked out of the house as a teenager, saying he was going to see about evacuation, just after the bombing of Hull, but never came back.
The family moved to Bridlington soon afterwards. They never knew what had become of Donald, and would be overjoyed to meet him again. If any readers have any suggestions or knowledge, please let me know and I will pass it on.
For this last reunion weekend in Bridlington, the veterans came from all over the country – from as far away as Cornwall as well as a couple from just up the road at Flamborough.
Around 200 people attended the Priory Remembrance Service, including 20 of the 23rd Hussars veterans and their families.  The veterans came with two, even three, generations of their families, and wore their medals.
The Rector, the Rev John Wardle, told them it was a time of mixed emotions because it was the last reunion, but assured them they would be welcome to return to the Priory at any time.
Last Saturday the group held a reunion dinner at the Expanse Hotel, to which they invited Mrs Jeann’e Ward.
Mrs Ward told me she had had an absolutely fantastic time. She had hoped to go to the service on the Sunday, but unfortunately came down with a very bad cold. Mr Hammond had also planned to go to the service, having attended his own regiment’s reunion in Coventry earlier this year. Mrs Ward told me the Hussars had very kindly said they would send Kenneth a memento token from the 23rd Hussars.
Michael Chaddock spoke to the veterans on my behalf and reports David Booker, one of the veterans, who witnessed the accident involving Kenny Parker, said: “We feel sad this is our last reunion after 60 years, but we are dwindling in numbers and getting more infirm.
“The reunions began in London but were eventually moved to Bridlington where our war memorial is located and we have always loved coming here. Some of us will still come back each year. I certainly intend to.”
He spoke to Kenny Parker on the phone in Australia, and chatted about the accident and his injuries.
David thanked the Free Press for its help in locating the boy who had a lucky escape from the tank tracks.
Bridlington Town Council gave a civic reception for the veterans, their wives and guests, in recognition of the time they spent in Bridlngton while carrying out their battle training.
At the Expanse Hotel on Sunday afternoon the mayor, Coun Christine Allerston, presented each veteran with commemorative badge and certificate. They were entertained by an excellent female karaoke singer wearing WW2 uniform and who sang a nostalgic collection of “Forces’ Sweetheart” songs.
Although this was the last reunion of the 23rd Hussars, I’m sure they will be remembered by many here in Bridlington and hope this last official reunion was a happy and memorable occasion for each of them.