Richard Golden Fairhead

In 1999, Mrs Mary Fairhead described how her husband had kept quiet about his wartime service until the publication of “The Last Ditch”. His younger brother joined the RAF which meant Dick had to stay behind to help his father on the farm and it is thought he saw Auxiliary Units as being his way to play a part in the war.

He did not mention it even when he went for a commission in the Royal Observer Corps in the early 1960s. He was asked why he did not have the Defence Medal on his uniform and without a satisfactory explanation was turned down for the commission. The next time he went for the commission he had a tailor friend obtain the necessary ribbon and sew it on his uniform and was successfully promoted. After he died, his wife read about the Auxiliary Units being able to claim the Defence Medal and wrote to claim on his behalf.

After the war, Dick Fairhead served for 29 years with he Royal Observer Corps, 16 as an officer. He also sat on Essex County Council. His wife became Mayor of Colchester.