Lt Col R J A Kaulback DSO MA FRGS
(The Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Commanded 1/6th Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment from November 1942 to March 1943 when he was wounded.
Roy James Alfred Kaulback, known as 'Bill', was born on 11th May 1911 in Canada and was educated at Rugby and Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1931 he was commissioned in the Royal Artillery, Territorial Army and in 1932 was granted a Regular Commission in The Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Between 1932 and 1938 he served with the Regiment in India, Sudan, Cyprus, Egypt and England. From 1939 to 1941 he was adjutant of the Small Arms School (Heavy Weapons Wing), Netheravon and then attended the Staff College, Camberley. In 1941 to 1942 he was an Instructor at the Staff College, Haifa. In October 1942 he was posted as second-in-command of 1/5th Bn The Queen's Royal Regiment and the following month was appointed to command the 1/6th Battalion. In March 1943 he was severely wounded and was in hospital and convalescing for the next six months. In January 1944 he was appointed to command 1 York and Lancs in Italy. In December 1944 his Battalion was transferred to North West Europe. He was awarded the DSO for his fine leadership of 1 York, and Lancs. In 1946 he was GSO I 1st Infantry Division in Egypt and Palestine and in 1947 attended the Royal Naval Staff College, Greenwich and Joint Services Staff College.
After this he was placed on the unpaid list at his own request and joined an Oil Company. He was a keen sportsman and played for Harlequins 1st XV in 1929 and with intervals to 1937. He was Light Heavyweight Inter-Services Boxing Champion, India in 1932. When in India in 1933 he took leave and crossed the Himalayas on foot via Sikkim and Bhutan to travel to Tsang Po River in South Central Tibet.
When in Sudan in 1934 he took leave and travelled by camel 2000 miles to explore the South Libyan Desert between El Fasher (Sudan) and the Tibesti massif (Chad) and discovered hitherto unknown Palaeolithic cave dwellings and paintings in Ennedi massif. For this he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Died June 27th 1996
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