PARAS 2 Ball, Howard

Craig Robertson

Administrator
Staff member
  • SURNAME
Ball
  • FORENAME
Howard
  • UNIT
Parachute Regiment
  • RANK
Staff Sergeant
  • NUMBER
14467120
  • AWARD
British Empire Medal
  • PLACE
1968
  • ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 44600, 31st May 1968, Page 6323
 

CITATION:

British Empire Medal : Colour Sergeant BALL enlisted in 1945 and served in Palestine, Germany, Egypt, Cyprus, Aden and the United Kingdom.

Until September 1967 no centralised facilities had existed for the tactical training of non commissioned officers since 1953. Now the Non Commissioned Officers Tactics Division (School of Infantry) has been re-established, after a lapse of fourteen years, at The Parachute Regiment Battle School, BRECON and the uphill task of making good the tactical knowledge amongst infantry non commissioned officers, neglected for so long, has begun.

The Division has been based on The Parachute Regiment Battle School on grounds of economy and the expertise developed by The Parachute Regiment since the establishment of The Parachute Regiment Battle School in 1963 which has been used as a basis on which to formulate infantry non commissioned officer training.

The most serious deficiencies in establishment have been, and to some extent still are, in the Quartermasters Department, where the work load normally carried by three colour sergeants has been done by Colour Sergeant BALL alone. This fact is recognised by the establishment amendments currently under review.

The strain on Colour Sergeant BALL has been considerable, not least on his family. At no time has he allowed personal considerations to affect his work and has accepted the additional load on him in the interest of the School, Regiment and Infantry. His cheerfulness and outstanding devotion to duty have been an example to others.

There is no doubt that but for his efforts and the example set for others to follow the Infantry Non Commissioned Officers Tactics Division could not have been established.

Place : Daring Lines, Brecon, Wales
Date of Action : November 1966 to November 1967
How Employed : Colour Sergeant in Quartermasters Department

WEB LINKS:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44600/supplement/6323
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631542

NATIONAL ARCHIVES:

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7631542
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