Derek Ernest Skudder 1918- 1986
Derek Ernest Skudder was born on 15th August, 1918, to Ernest and Helen E Skudder, when they were living with Ernest's parents at 33 St. Donatts Road, New Cross. They moved in c1925 to Maclean Road, Honor Oak Park, and then to 36 Lakeside Drive, Bromley Common c1936.
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Derek went to St.Peter's College Primary School in Lewisham, and as he always wanted to be a journalist then on to Pitman's College in Bromley learning typing and shorthand, but instead first worked for Grace Brothers, Shipping Agents, in the City of London, until war was imminent. He was fortunate that his Father was in the Motor Trade as his first Car in 1937 was an Austin Chummy Tourer.
Father volunteered to join the Territorial Army London Irish Rifles in Camberwell in April 1939, was mobilised on 26th August 1939 and was commissioned to the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 8th Machine Gun Battalion, as a Lieutenant, on 15th June 1940. The Battalion landed on Singapore Island in January 1942, two weeks before the surrender to the Japanese forces, which happened before the arrival of their equipment, at which time he was acting Captain. He toured the northern areas of the island with his Commanding Officer and said they were surprised at the lack of defences there, his comments about Gen. Percival were not complimentary. He was reported missing in February 1942 and endured the hardship of life as a POW building a section the Burma Railway near Wampo Viaduct in Thailand. He survived this terrible ordeal for three and a half years until August 1945, and once released rom ther clutches of the Imperial Japanese Army returned home to England. He rarely spoke of his experiences as a prisoner, but did say that the Japanese Officers treated their own men in an equally appalling manner and had nothing but praise for the local Thais who assisted the prisoners in any way they could. He contracted malaria during this time and suffered repeated attacks over the years. It is my belief that the deprivations suffered then resulted in an earlier death than would otherwise have been the case and also for his somewhat depressive mental state in later years.
Derek was a keen model maker over the years, and once just after the War when experimenting at Blackheath with a "Jetex" powered craft, which shot across the water, leap up the bank and over the grass, was admonished by a keeper with the words "'ere you can't do that 'ere!". He made several gliders and a powered Kiel Kraft mono plane, a radio controlled MTB, and a graceful yacht that sailed well.
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Derek met Esme Doreen Squibb by introduction through mutual friends of their parents, and apparently he tried to impress her on a first date by ordering oysters, which she refused to eat so he had to swallow the lot - in later years he had to admit he did not like them either!
They were married at 3.30pm on 11th May 1946, at St.Mary Plaistow, College Road, Bromley. Esme wore a beautiful dress hired for the occasion from Elstree Film Studios. She had a lovely engagement ring with a half hoop of diamonds and rubies (bought second-hand) and a wedding Ring made from a Gold Sovereign. The witnesses were Ernest James Squibb, Lt. Kenneth Claude Addy and Helen E Skudder. They honeymooned in West Country, spending the first night at the The White Hart, Andover, Hampshire at a cost of £1.19.6d then on to Bailey Farm, Stoke in Teignhead, a very picturesque village in Devon.
At the time of the Wedding Derek had accepted a position as a Mercantile Clerk with Smith MacKenzie & Co. in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanganyika, and flew out to Africa from RAF Northolt Airport on 16th June 1946. Esme was pregnant by that time and did not fly to Dar until after the birth of their first child, Lindsay.
Derek and Esme lived in Dar-es-Salaam until early 1953, twins Sally and Simon were born at the then "European Hospital" on 28th/29th July 1950, six minutes apart over midnight. They spent several long "home leaves" back in the UK staying with Esme's parents at their home in Bromley South, moving to Nairobi, Kenya in 1954, to a house in Selous Road (now Kiambere Road).
They moved to Mombasa in January 1960, where Derek was a General Manager, and lived in a house on Kizingo Road, Mombasa Island. They moved back to Nairobi in 1965, when Derek was placed in charge of Lloyds Agency after the take over of Dalgetty and Co and the creation of Mackenzie Dalgetty Ltd. They first lived in a house in Convent Drive, Lavington, and in 1969 moved to the Simms old house in Riverside Drive.
Derek became a lay Preacher at Mombasa Cathedral and Nairobi Cathedral, and also assisted with services at St.Mary's Frinton on Sea. |
Derek retired from work in Nairobi in September 1972 due to the "Kenyanisation" program, and returned to UK moving first into a rented flat on the Esplanade, Frinton-on-sea, Essex, then in March 1973 to "Ophir" 9 Eton Road, Frinton on Sea. He took up a position as a Marine Cargo Surveyor with E.L. Johnson's Sons & Mowat of London, and retired from there in 1982.
Derek died at home in Frinton, on 4th June 1986 after a long battle with cancer, and was cremated at Weeley Crematorium, Essex.
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No part of or any information contained on this or any page on the Skudders website may be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the Webmaster