Report by Andrew Parks

Ted Rutland is a respected and much-loved long-term member of St Mark’s Church, Mansfield, and following his participation in the D-Day commemorations in France back in June, I recently talked with Ted about his experiences in the Army.

Ted was born on July 30th, 1923, and after leaving school was learning his trade as a joiner when conscripted into the Army. It was shortly before his 18th birthday in 1941.

Ted told me, with understandable pride, that he joined the 147th Army Corps of the 33rd Tank Brigade and his initial training was in Warminster (my hometown in Wiltshire), after which he was posted to Catterick as a driver.

On 11th June, 1944, only a week after the D-Day landings, Ted sailed to Normandy and participated in the battle for Caen Hill 112. Although he was co-driver of a tank, he spent much of his time on the roads walking ahead of it.

“I walked up Hill 112,” Ted told me. “The Germans had littered the roads with bodies of allied soldiers, knowing very well that British tanks would never drive over them.”

As co-driver, Ted had the awful task of alighting from his tank and clearing the bodies, moving them to the roadside. This gruesome job was also very dangerous as the enemy had set booby traps, planting mines in the verges alongside the roads.

The Battle for Hill 112, Operation Jupiter, raged for more than six weeks, ebbing and flowing with gains and losses on both sides. At one time Ted came under ‘friendly’ fire when American forces mistakenly bombed the Allies.

“They killed our colonel,” Ted reminisced, sadly.

Realising that his 21st birthday would have occurred during the conflict, I asked if he and his pals had been able to celebrate or mark the occasion in any way. I doubted it and wasn’t surprised when, after a moment or two, he pensively responded, “I don’t remember.”

After his time in the Army Ted returned to his joinery, spending quite some time in Scotland before returning to Mansfield. I learned from other sources that he gained the reputation of being a very skilful craftsman and evidence is still visible in the doors inside St Mark’s Church, which he repaired and modified, fitting some windows.

This particularly interested me as both my father and grandfather were time-served joiners, having worked in collieries near Barnsley. It was common ground and I told Ted that I have some of their tools, which I treasure. “I still have my tools, too,” he proudly responded, and we talked briefly about boxwood moulding planes, wagon augers, and such like.

For more than 70 years Ted has been an active member of the Royal British Legion and for many of them was their local standard bearer.

Until very recently he proudly carried the Legion flag into St Mark’s Church on every Remembrance Sunday, marching very erectly up the nave before placing the standard in its temporary resting place. His subsequent snappy salute would probably be the envy of many still serving!

Last year, for the Sunday service two days after Ted’s 100th birthday, he was joined by Royal British Legion colleagues to honour the event. They presented him with a handsome cushion bearing insignia of the Tank Regiment.

‘Happy Birthday’ was sung before refreshments in the church hall, where birthday cakes had been appropriately decorated.

This year, accompanied by friends, Ted journeyed back to Normandy and participated in the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings. We all watched the television news bulletins avidly and were not disappointed. Ted made several appearances with his helper, Jane Seals.

More recently, Ted attended a Royal British Legion function in the south of England to launch a new appeal, stopping over in London. Unfortunately, he took a tumble and injured his leg, but with customary fortitude, he was determined not to miss his 101st birthday celebration at St Mark’s and, although not back to full mobility, greeted well-wishers from his usual seat.

Through his Royal British Legion association, Ted has regularly attended St Mark’s for more than 70 years.

Ted Rutland, you are a remarkable man and much admired for serving your country in its time of need. It is an honour to know you.