Memoriam
John Gaylor
A Final Salute

Ashok Nath sends us a tribute to the late JOHN GAYLOR.

John William Frederick Gaylor, “John” to his friends sadly passed away on 26 June 2000.

Born on 16 January 1927, John went to India and Burma during the closing stages of World War II. He was then only in his teens, when due to his enquiring mind and ability to grasp languages, he was assigned to the Intelligence Corps. He served with The Royal West African Frontier Force and the 82nd (West African) Division in Burma. Whilst there he came first in contact with Indian soldiers of the XIVth Army in their final liberation of Burma and defeat of the Imperial Japanese Army. It was from that time onwards that his admiration for the Indian soldier and his love for South Asia began.

Back in England after the war he subsequently served as a territorial with the London Scottish and The Special Air Service. His civilian life was spent with BP as their Chief of Information and his interest was reflected in his commitment to the Military Historical Society of which he was Hon Secretary for over 30 years.

I got to know John by pure accident. Twenty years ago based at Stockholm's University, far away from home and isolated from my interests, I chanced a letter to the Military Historical Society, UK, about contact with other historians with similar interests. Promptly a letter arrived, the first sentence read, “By chance you have hit upon the right man”, and right man it was. From then onwards, began our friendship based on our common interest in history and regimental badges of the Indian Army.

John will be best remembered in collecting circles for his classic work “Military Badge Collecting”, which has run into several editions. With his friends in India and Pakistan and with those interested in the Indian Army, he will be remembered for his excellent work “Sons of John Company”- Indian and Pakistan Armies 1903-1991.

John endeared himself to his Indian friends, not only because he was an Indophile, but also, because unlike most other British- Indian military historians who write about military history he completed the full circle by delicately linking the past with the present and bringing the story of the Indian Army to date.

There were not many Indian or Pakistan Army Regimental Centres left which John had not visited. From 1996 onwards he would accompany me each year on my visits to South Asia in connection with research on the history and badges of Indian and Pakistan Army, and delighted in calling himself “My referee” for this project. On our last visit he presented copies of his books to Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw at his home in Conoor and to General Gul Hassan (now late) at Rawalpindi; Two senior officers who command the highest respect in their respective armies.

One of his greatest regrets was the Partition of the Old Indian Army which he felt was the dismemberment of the finest fighting machines to have ever existed in the History of Mankind. With his initiative and help from other members, the MHS produced a splendid poster showing the Regimental homes and insignia of Undivided Indian Army 1939-1947.

A very brave man to the last, he refused to be admitted to hospital when it was discovered that cancer had struck his lung. He could hardly speak and the little he could, was an effort. But he did not give up hope and fought to the last. We were often in touch over phone and a few weeks before he passed away decided that I pay my last farewell and took the plane to London. He wanted to collect me from the Station, but I insisted that I would get to his house on my own. He, however, insisted that when it was time for me to leave he would drive me to the station, in spite of his frail condition. That is the type of friend he was!

Our condolences to members of his family, his daughter Fiona, his son Andrew and to Sheila his friend and companion.

He will be missed by all his friends and fellow collectors world-wide. John’s name will live on as a foremost authority on British Regimental Badges and a splendid historian of The Indian Army.

A memorial service of thanksgiving for the life of John Gaylor was held at St. Luke’s Church, London on 29 September 2000. The address was read by Field Marshal Sir John Chapple GCB CBE.

Present were his relatives, friends and members of the Military Historical Society. The last post was sounded by a bugler of the 2nd Royal Gurkha Rifles, and a bagpiper from his regiment, The London Scottish played their regimental march past “Hieland Laddie”.

(Written by his friend, Ashok Nath. This obituary first appeared in the Journal of the Indian Military Historical Society, United Kingdom).