Brigadier Arthur William Neville Langston VICKERS, D.S.O., O.B.E. (62638)
Commanded the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment from November 1944 to February 1945.
Arthur William Neville Langston Vickers was born in London on the 19th January 1914, son of Thomas William Vickers and Rhoda Compton. Educated at the Royal Military Academy and commissioned in to the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (K.O.Y.L.I.) in 1934 and attained the rank of Lieutenant on the 1st February 1937. During 1939-1940 he served with the K.O.Y.L.I. in France and Norway. Early in 1944 he was posted to the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry (129th Brigade) and appointed as 2nd-in-Command of that battalion on the 30th March 1944. He landed at Arromanches, Normandy with the 4th Somersets on the 19th June 1944. Early in July 1944, the 4th Battalion Somersets were in the area of Mouen - Tourville and came under heavy shelling by the Germans and suffered casualties, Major Vickers was injured by the over-turning of a Jeep. On the 26th November 1944 he was posted to the 1st Battalion Worcestershire Regiment at Brunssum, Holland near the German border, and took command of the Battalion. At the time the Battalion Headquarters was in the school in the village. Major Vickers (Acting Lieut.-Colonel) continued to command the 1st Worcesters until the 7th February 1945 when at Geldrop, about four miles east of Eindhoven, he left the battalion and was admitted to hospital to undergo an operation and so handed over command to Lieut.-Col. M. R. J. Hope Thomson, M.C. (Royal Scots Fusiliers). On the 13th June 1946 Major Vickers was awarded the O.B.E in the Kings birthday honours. In 1951, as Temporary Lieut.-Colonel, he joined the 1st Commonwealth Division H.Q. in Korea as Assistant Adjutant Quartermaster General (A.A.Q.M.G.) based at Pusan. He was Mentioned-in-Despatches (M.I.D.) for distinguished service between 1st January to 30th June 1952 (Gazette 10/10/1952). |
Brigadier A. W. N. L. Vickers, DSO, OBE |
On the 1st July 1953 he was awarded the rank of Brevet Lieut.-Colonel and that same year he was awarded the USA Bronze Star Medal (London Gazette date 30th October 1953) for gallant and distinguished service during the operations by the United Nations in Korea .
On the 1st April 1957 he was promoted to the substantive rank of Lieut.-Colonel and joined The Brigade of Gurkhas in Malaya, commanding the 2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) and was Mentioned-in-Despatches in Malaya (Aug 1957). The following year he awarded the D.S.O. on the 30th September 1958 for gallant and distinguished services in Malaya.
His Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) citation reads:
"Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur William Neville Langston VICKERS, O.B.E. (62638), 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles. (The Sirmoor Rifles) (now Emp. List 1.)
During his period of command Lieutenant-Colonel VICKERS has added to the renown and fighting traditions of his regiment and proved himself to be a fearless, skilful and determined leader in the field. Inspired by his leadership his men achieved a large number of successes, in jungle operations, against a wary, treacherous and dangerous enemy. Within a year of his assumption of command, in 1956, he completely disrupted the communist terrorists' organisation in the Bahu area of Negri Sembilan. Later he inspired his men to eliminate a considerable number of cunning hard-core terrorists in South Johore.
On four recent occasions he has been into the jungle accompanied only by two police officers to negotiate the surrender of six terrorists.
In thus entering the jungle on foot and unescorted he repeatedly displayed a high degree of personal courage as a result of which the surrender of all six terrorists was brought about.
By his gallantry, and devotion he has made a valuable contribution to the marked successes achieved by the 2nd Battalion The 2nd K.E.O. Gurkha Riflcs."
He was promoted to Colonel on the 25th November 1959 and to Brigadier on the 20th July 1963.
After 33 years of service Brigadier A. W. N. L. Vickers retired from army life on the 11th September 1967. He then went to live in Harleston, Norfolk.
He was heavily involved in the British Soil Association, of which he was president, on his retirement.
Brigadier A. W. N. L. Vickers died at Harleston, Norfolk on the 28th January 1996, age 82.