On receiving the above letter and reading of Ved Malik's appointment as Hon. Col. of the Regiment for life, a letter of congratulation and our Association's delight at this honour was sent to him and Ranjana. What an asset he is to the Regiment!

Our link with our "brother" organisation in Delhi is continuing strongly, and Lt. Col. Sharan [known as "BB"] the Secretary has written asking for "bio data" [life history] of all retired Sikh Ll Officers in the UK. These histories, if received in time, would be included in the Directory of Retired Sikh Ll Officers for 2005-6 he is compiling. Bill Carvalho, Hukm and Hector have already responded, but it may be rather late for any more to be sent out. If you wish to do so, please contact Hugh Mackay who has some blank forms for this purpose.

Also, under the patronage of Lt. Gen. Ashok Kapur, a Coffee Table Book is being completed containing photographs of historical importance to the Regiment, and "BB" has asked our Association to send him any such photos that could be included. I am almost certain that over the years we have sent all we know about; but if any of you have some hidden away please dig them out and send them to him - ek dam! His address is in our current address list.

Their Association issued its October 2005 Newsletter and it reported 3 Sikh Ll had celebrated its Raising Day during 14th to 16th August. Present were Maj. Gen. A. S. Sekhon YSM, Col. A. S. Sisodia [ret.d.] Col. K. D. Upadhyay [ret.d.], Maj. A. S. Gusain [ret.d.] and Maj. Vikram Anand Vr. C [ret.d.] together with local unit commanders. This would have been 63rd anniversary our Members will recall that the Battalion was raised by Col E. P. F. Pearse at Sialkot in August 1942, taking over the 13 Pioneer Bn. Indian Engineers, which was then commanded by Lt. Col. S. A. Bowden who had served in 32 SP.

Their Annual Get Together [sic] will be held in Delhi at 10 a.m. on Sunday 5th February 2006. If you would like to attend, write to "BB" direct.

John Dugdall Hookway, known as Hukm to his friends, sadly died on the 30th June 2005. Hukm was born in 1926 and spent his early days at Wellington School where he was Captain of his House and later School Captain. He was a great follower of Rugby, especially interested in Bath Rugby Club and was also a useful member of the Wellington side.

I met up with Hukm at Maidstone Barracks where we joined up together as Indian Army Cadets. We later sailed for India in the troopship "Strathmore." We went to the Indian Military Academy and were commissioned into the Sikh Light Infantry. We spent some time in jungle training and were to be posted to Burma but we were eventually sent to the 2nd Battalion and sailed from Karachi to Basrah in Iraq. From there we went to Syria. It was at that time the British were having problems with the French over military responsibility for the territory. And Hukm did an excellent, job in organizing the evacuation from the Battalion from that country. Hukm and I were promoted to Lieutenant and later Captain and we were demobbed on the same day. It has been a long lasting friendship. Hukm's first wife died after a long illness, and he was left with four young children. He later met and married Janet, who also had four children. It was a daunting task taking on practically a full mixed X1, but they both took it in their stride, and Janet has been a tower of strength to him during their marriage.

After he returned to Wellington he had a very successful business career in bedding manufacture.

He served for many years in the Somerset Army Cadet Force rising to the rank of Major. He was also Chairman of the Parish Council. He later became President of the Rotary Club. This was Hukm at his best, helping to serve others.

Hukm will always be remembered as the Honorary Secretary of the Sikh Ll and Sikh Pioneers Association. His spell in office was almost 30 years. He was justly proud of his record. It is fair to say that the Association would not have continued as a body had it not been for his utter dedication to keep it going. He kept in touch with the Centre in India and produced a twice-yearly Newsletter with snippets and details from all members. He was also a budding author and with other members of the Association he had his book published on the Regiment's history.

My last conversation with Hukm on the phone was to say that he was determined to produce a final Newsletter and this he did. During this tie he was bedridden and suffering with great medical problems.

His final days were spent surrounded by all his family. A great fighter to the last and always a perfect gentleman.

We shall always remember him.

The service of Thanksgiving for the life of John Hookway was held at his local Parish Church, St. George's in Beckington on Wednesday 13th July 2005.

Representing the Regiment were Capt. H. Bromley [1 SLI] Capt. H. and Mrs. Routley [1 SLI] Capt. T. Shiner [2 SLI] Capt. and Mrs. H. Walters [2 SLI] Mrs. A. Sutton-Pratt [daughter of Brig. Flewett 23 SP] and Mr. and Mrs. K Wynes [son of Capt. Wynes 32 SP]. Also present were Mr. and Mrs. Carvalho representing his father Col. E. W. Carvalho [1 SLI], who lives in Australia. The wearing of the Regimental tie and waistcoat was appreciated by the family.

The service was conducted by John Hookway's daughter the Rev. Joanne Rees, who is a vicar in Basingstoke, with her husband playing the church organ. A tribute to Hukm was spoken from the pulpit by Capt. Howard Walters. Hukm's popularity in his community was evidenced by the large number attending, including representatives from the Somerset County Cadet force, the Parish Council and the Rotary Club.

The order of service concluded with an apt summary: "To be born a gentleman is an accident, but to die a gentleman is an achievement."