Colonel WE McConnell TD
Commanding Officer - The East Surrey Regiment
Commanded 4th Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment from May 1966 to April 1967 and 6th (T) Bn The Queen's Regiment (Queen's Surreys) from April 1967 until disbandment on 31st March 1969.
"Mac" or "Bill" McConnell was born on 31st October 1926 and educated at Strand School from which he enlisted in the RAFVR in 1943 as a trainee pilot. In the following year after a long wait on deferred service all air crew training was suspended indefinitely and he volunteered for transfer to the Army. He attended No.161 (RMC) 0CTU at Sandhurst and in February 1946 was commissioned in The East Surrey Regiment and posted to Italy where he served with 1st Bn The London Scottish, then with the School of Mountain Warfare and finally with 2nd Bn The Essex Regiment.
In 1947 he returned to UK and was appointed adjutant of the Depot of The East Surrey Regiment at Kingston. In May 1948 he was demobilised and granted a commission in 6th Bn The East Surrey Regiment (TA) in which he served successively as assistant adjutant, I.O., carrier platoon commander and company commander. In 1961 after amalgamation with 23rd London Regiment he became a company commander in the new 4th Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment (TA). In 1965 he was second-in-command and on 6th May 1966 was appointed to command the Battalion.
In April 1967, after further reorganisation, he commanded 6th (T) Bn The Queen's Regiment (Queen's Surreys) until disbandment on 31st March 1969. In June 1969 he was promoted Brevet Colonel. In civilian life a Solicitor he was appointed the Honorary Legal Advisor of The Queen's Royal Surrey Regimental Association and in 1986 became Chairman of the Association.
