Lieutenant Colonel Peter John Luard 1949 - 2025 Obituary

Many of a certain vintage in it, and many friends outside The Regiment, will remember with affection and respect Peter Luard, who served between 1968 and 2001 in all three regular battalions and commanded the 4th.  Peter died on 8th December, on his 76th birthday, after a long illness.  His brother officers will recall a very smart, charming officer with a very well-developed sense of duty, undemonstratively determined, thoughtful and generous.  Although an accomplished and highly efficient staff officer, it was in command of Riflemen that he epitomised the Bramallian leadership values of care and respect for them as individuals, patience with the weaker and setting challenges by personal example for the stronger.

The Luard family had provided brave and bold officers for generations, among them an officer of dragoons in the Peninsula and at Waterloo, a grandfather who was a Vice Admiral.

Peter’s father had served, unusually, as a Sapper and as an officer in the RNVR. An uncle, a great-uncle and great-great-uncle had served in The 52nd Light Infantry, the youngest having won a DSO in 1944 in command 13th Bn The Parachute Regiment.  For Peter, with a period of PO training at The Rifle Depot and RMAS Intake 46 behind him, a Regular Commission in The Regiment was never in question.

Within a few months of joining 1 RGJ in early 1970, Peter was in command of a platoon in Letter A Company in the first of his emergency tours in The Province.  Having completed his platoon commander’s course following the tour, he served as a platoon commander in JR  

Company at the Rifle Depot.  As a subaltern officer Peter was a prominent and multi-talented sports player:  rugby, which he played to a high standard until the age of 35 took second place to squash.  Peter was a Regimental, Light Division, Infantry and Army player, continuing to win tournaments as an over 40s veteran.  He had a squash-player’s wiry frame, quick eye and merciless accuracy in the court.  He was the kind of player of whom opponents admitted that they could not have been beaten “by a nicer guy”.

Service in any Regular Battalion of The Regiment in the 70s was full of variety for an active and energetic officer such as Peter. Returning from The Depot to 3RGJ in Shoeburyness, Peter took over The Anti-Tank platoon, which he led successfully on an emergency tour in The Ballymurphy.  Staying with 3RGJ as it moved to Berlin, then Caterham and then Londonderry for the next five years, he filled various posts which included Intelligence Officer, OC Dulwich fire station during the Firemen’s Strike, Captain of the Queens Guard and jungle warfare training.  There were, as well, three more tours in Northern Ireland, making five in all at the height of The Troubles.  Three months in HMS Bulwark in the Caribbean on secondment to the Royal Navy would have pleased the spirits of his sailor ancestors.  

It was towards the end of this period that Peter married Caroline Bazalgette who he had met whilst serving at the Depot.  Caroline was a classically trained soprano.  Her strikingpresence and lovely voice were seen and heard at numerous regimental events.  As a couple they were a great adornment to the mess and to battalion life in Minden, where, after Staff College and an MOD posting, Peter moved to 2 RGJ to take over A Company in 1985.

Peter took A Company back to West Belfast on the emergency tour in later 1985, his sixth Northern Ireland roulement, and to Canada on Exercise Medicine Man 2.  His company command tour ended in Warminster where the Battalion had moved to be Demonstration Battalion.  Following a tour as SO2 G2 Intelligence at Headquarters 1st Armoured Division, Peter spent a short tour as SO2 G1 at HQ The Light Division in Winchester before takingover command of 4(V) RGJ in Davies St.  The family moved into a large house in Wimbledon that Peter and Caroline had rescued from ruin – he was a highly accomplished d.i.y. builder.  Peter regarded his time in 4 (V) RGJ as a privilege, although his three years in command from 1991 to 1994 coincided with a national downturn in recruiting for the Reserves.  He may not have enjoyed the full-on and relentless social duties falling to the CO, yet there is no doubt that the Volunteer officers greatly respected his soldiering experience, profited from his exceptional management skills and relished his responsive and caringapproach to command.

In the remaining five years of his service, volunteering to leave a few years earlier than the age limit, Peter served as SO1 G1 at RMAS, where, he said, he really learned the Bursar’s business, one in which he made a successful second career.  However, he did not let the curtain drop on his soldiering:  two years in Zimbabwe as chief-of-staff in BMATT (the military advisory and training team for Southern Africa) was followed by a seventh and final operational tour in former Yugoslavia.  

Once finally retired, Peter did what he had intended to do for some years:  School Bursar and Clerk to the Governors of, in succession, four schools in Cambridge, Witley, Hampstead and Wimbledon.  There were interludes in other schools where he was head-hunted to solve problems, and under his skilled management those schools thrived, but, sadly, not Peter’s health.  Retiring in March 2021 aged 71, and still vice-chair of the Governors of a local school in Elstead, Peter fought his final illness bravely and with the support of his loving family.  He leaves Caroline, their three children Kirsty, Oliver and Joseph and seven grandchildren: Casper, Otto, Arthur, Eliza, Annie, Fraser and Jack.  To them the Regiment sends its deepest condolences and mourns with them the loss of a fine Rifleman and brother officer.

TRH-B

Address for letters:

Mrs. P.J. Luard (Caroline)

The White House
 Thursley Road
 Elstead
 Surrey
 GU8 6LW

Funeral details to be announced.