Page added on February 22, 2012
Tigers Regiment Veterans to be made Honoured Citizens
Four war veterans from the Royal Leicestershire Regiment are being given the title of honoured citizens of the city.
The titles will be awarded by the Lord Mayor of Leicester to Captain Raymond P Savage, Mr Reg Twigg, and Mr John Sheppard DCM, and posthumously to Mr Fred Shenstone, whose award will be received by his widow and three children.
The nominations were made by Captain R J Allen MBE, chairman of the Royal Tigers’ Association and Leicestershire Branch of the Royal Anglian Regiment to remember the heroism of the four veterans who served in the regiment in Norway and Malaya in World War II.
Captain Raymond P Savage, who now lives in Devon, is the last surviving officer to have served in the Leicestershire Regiment’s campaigns in both Norway and Malaya. Following the British surrender in Singapore in 1941, he became a prisoner of war of the Japanese until their defeat in 1945.
John Sheppard served in the Norwegian campaign as Platoon Sergeant Major for a mortar platoon whose leadership in defending a critical position earned him the Distinguished Conduct Medal. With ammunition exhausted and woods and building surrounding his position on fire, he was captured and became a prisoner of war of the Germans until the war’s end. During the engagement he knocked out the first two tanks of World War II.
He continued to serve in the Leicestershire Regiment until retirement.
Mr Reg Twigg also served in Malaya in 1941 and was taken prisoner of war until 1945. He was batman to Captain Savage. The two met again in 2006, having not seen each other in over 60 years.
An honoured citizen award will also be presented posthumously to Mr Fred Shenstone, who recently passed away. Mr Shenstone served in
Malaya campaign, fighting south from Jitra on the Saimese border to Singapore, was seriously wounded and lost an eye. He narrowly escaped death when soldiers stormed the hospital where he was recovering. A Japanese sergeant asked Fred the name of his regiment. When he answered ‘Leicestershire’, the sergeant said ‘Jitra – very good’ and ordered that Fred’s life be spared.
He was taken as prisoner of war until 1945.
Mr Shenston’s award will be received by his widow Kathleen and three children Julie, Jane and Jill.
Captain R J Allen MBE, who will be attending the presentation, said: “All four of these brave men show the indomitable spirit of ‘The Tigers’ and it is important that we keep the memories of their heroism and sacrifice alive for future generations.”
The Lord Mayor of Leicester, Cllr Rob Wann, said: “The city is proud of its close association with the Royal Leicestershire Regiment and it is a honour to be able to present these awards.”
The Royal Leicestershire Regiment was an infantry regiment. It was formed in 1688 and served with distinction around the world until being merged into The Royal Anglian Regiment in 1964. Since 1825 it was known by its famous nickname ‘The Tigers’.
The Regiment has a thriving association for old comrades (The Royal Tigers’ Association), a Regimental Chapel in Leicester Cathedral, a fascinating regimental collection in Leicester’s Newarke Houses Museum and a living memorial to the Regiment at Royal Tigers Wood in Bagworth.
