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Colonel John Eric (Sam) WELLER
Father: Richard Dudley WELLER
Mother: Jessie Edith SNELL
Born: 1918-06-24
Died: 2005-01-07 (aged 86 years)
= Married  =
on: 1951-04-14
B. CAMPBELL
Born: 19xx
Children:   |
S B.
Born: 19xx
R J.
Born: 19xx

Further information for John Eric WELLER.

Birth place: Selston, Nottinghamshire.
Profession: Colonel RE
Domiciles: Bradninch, Devon

Biography

JOHN Eric Weller, known universally and probably inevitably as "Sam”, was born in Selston, Nottinghamshire to the Rev Richard and Mrs Jessie Weller. He entered Winchester House School at Brackley in 1927 where he became a School Prefect and also played cricket and rugger for the School in the 1st XI and 1st XV respectively. He won a scholarship to Haileybury College and entered Melvill House in September 1932 where he kept up with his cricket and rugger, playing for the College second teams.

He entered The Shop at Woolwich in 1936 where he learned to ride and was commissioned with No 39 Batch on 27 January 1938 and batched into the Corps on 10 February 1938. He then went to Jesus College, Cambridge, but his time at university was cut short by the war and in November 1939 he was posted to Haifa. He travelled via Cherbourg to Marseilles where he embarked on the Bibby Line troopship HMT Devonshire for Alexandria, where he joined 12 Field Company which was employed in building camps for cavalry units. He took the opportunity to travel whilst he could and managed to visit both Cairo and Jersualem.

In June 1940 the company was moved to Egypt where Sam received his captaincy and the post of second-in-command. The unit was part of Wavell's Libyan campaign, and for his part in capturing thousands of Italians, Sam was Mentioned-in- Despatches. In the summer of 1941, the company moved first to Syria and then to Tobruk via Alexandria. From September to December, they were besieged in Tobruk with Sam as its OC in the temporary rank of major, reverting to captain when the te was relieved. The company then moved to the Canal Zon Baalbeck in Syria, Sam himself embarking on a French ship in Suez in March 1942 and sailing for England via South Africa.

He was an instructor in Fieldworks and Demolitions at the SME Ripon for a year before being promoted to major moving to HQ EinC at the War Office and becoming in with the design of equipment to defeat anti-tank mines this for nine months until he was appointed officer comme ing 210 Field Company. The company landed in Normandy in June 1944 and built bridges across rivers and canals during the advance. They entered Brussels in September and were lates involved with the rescue of paratroops at Arnhem and in the battles in the Ardennes. On 24th March 1945 together with the 11th and 20th Field Companies, they built a bridge over the Rhine at Rees for which Sam was awarded the Military Cross Part of the citation read: The whole time work was in progress. Major Weller, whose unit was in the most exposed position, remained on the open bank directing the task. Wherever danger appeared greatest he was to be found encouraging his men and showing disregard for his personal safety. His calm leadership undoubtedly saved casualties, and his courageous example was reflected in the determination of his troops.

After the surrender, Sam had various jobs ranging from building 30 Corps HQ at Nienburg, OC 4th Field Squadron and the RE Instructor at the School of Infantry, Sennelager. During this time, he revived his riding skills learned at The Shop and took up show jumping on ex-German Army horses. After a spell at the Staff College, Camberley, he returned to Germany with HQ BAOR at Bad Oeynhausen and HQ 5 Infantry Brigade at Iserlohn. In 1955 he was appointed Chief Instructor of 4 Training Regiment at Aldershot followed by another pot pourri of jobs; Intelligence at the War Office, DCRE Northern Ireland, CO of 121 Army Engineer Regiment at Shepherds Bush and Staff Officer with the Military Secretary's Branch at Stanmore.

In the summer of 1963 he returned to HQ BAOR once more as Colonel E, but this time at Rheindahlen. Whilst in that post, he organized the Army Ski Championships at St Moritz for three years running. In the summer of 1966 he was appointed Chief Engineer Scotland. During his tenure, he was responsible for many MACC (Military Aid to the Civil Community) tasks; a bridge in Glencoe, airstrips at Unst and Skye to name but two, and roads to isolated places. The Skye airfield was interesting as it was actually on the mainland because the two major Clans on the island could not agree a location, north or south of the island! He returned to the Ministry of Defence in 1969 and retired from the Army in April 1970.

He then worked for the Thames Conservancy as Licensing Officer and later for the Devon Rivers Authority, retiring in 1981. He bought a house near Exeter where he kept a horse and played golf. He had always been a keen fisherman and remained so to the end. He became very involved in local affairs such as the church, the British Legion and the local gymkhana.

He is survived by his wife Barbara whom he married in 1951, and their two children, Susan and Richard.




Picture: John Eric (left), William Richard (centre), Joan Mary (right).

Funeral notice


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