This one is just over 5 years old however now that I have seen it I had to post it....Pudding...really! Brigadier R T K 'Pudding' Pye Last Updated: 10:09pm BST 23/08/2002 Brigadier R T K "Pudding" Pye, who died on Wednesday aged 97, was awarded an immediate DSO in April 1943 when commanding the 2nd Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters, in the attack on a strategically vital hill in Tunisia known as Point 174. The position had been taken by British troops on two previous occasions, but was lost again in German counter-attacks. Under heavy artillery, mortar and machine-gun fire, Pye first went forward to find barbed wire and a minefield at the bottom of the hill. After ordering a barrage by the divisional artillery and a mortar platoon, which covered his men with smoke, Pye had the wire cut, and Lt St J M Brachi was killed walking up the hill. With a disregard for the heavy casualties, Pye then showed great determination and coolness in leading a charge over the crest of the hill to occupy the forward slopes. The action secured the hill, and prevented the enemy from forming up to make another attack. But the Foresters continued to be harried by fire from six Tiger tanks 300 yards down on the other side until the Germans withdrew at nightfall. Pye's citation said that his outstanding personal bravery and leadership was an inspiration to all and undoubtedly led to the success of this extremely difficult operation. The Germans, who were surprised and scattered by his final charge, would probably have been even more surprised if they could have known that after the war this fearsome figure would breed budgerigars. Randall Thomas Kellow Pye was the only son of Colonel W E Pye, who served in the 1897 Kirah expedition, the Chinese war of 1900 and the First World War. He was born on October 2 1904 at Aurangabad, India. Known to his mother and father as Randall but to everyone else as "Pudding", he was sent home at seven and, because of the First World War, did not see his parents for another eight years. Initially he stayed with his grandparents, and then, after their return to India, with the family of a fellow pupil at the New Beacon School, Crowborough. He went on to Wellington and Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Sherwood Foresters in 1924. Pye was posted to the 1st Battalion, which moved to Ballykinlar, Northern Ireland, and while they were there, he was instrumental in forming the Londonderry Garrison Drag Hunt, of which he was a whip. In 1931 he was posted to the 2nd Battalion in India and subsequently served at Multan and in the Sudan. Seven years later, he graduated from the Staff College at Camberley, and was posted to HQ Aldershot Command before being appointed Brigade Major of 164 Infantry Brigade. From August 1940 to June 1941 he was on the staff at GHQ, Home Forces, and then for six months served as second-in-command of the 4th Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry. In March 1942 he was GSO1 at HQ First Army and in July of that year was given command of 2nd Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters. He remained with the 2nd Foresters until July 1943 when he became GSO1 (Operations) at HQ 15 Army Group for the remainder of the North African campaign and the invasion of Sicily. The Foresters were assigned to take part in the attack on Pantellaria, a rocky island 60 miles south of Sicily, in June. Although possessed of formidable coast artillery and a garrison of 15,000 Italians, it surrendered after a heavy aerial and sea bombardment without any fighting. The Foresters had one casualty, a corporal bitten by a mule. After the Sicily campaign Pye was GSO1 in Italy with 5 Division, during which time he was appointed OBE and mentioned in dispatches, before joining the staff at Middle East Land Forces. With the return of peace he attended the Senior Officers' War Course held at the Royal Naval College, and after a year in Germany was appointed commander of 6 Infantry Brigade in Malaya where he was again mentioned in dispatches. Pye was that rare combination, an excellent CO of fighting troops and first class staff officer. The citation for his OBE in Italy noted that "he had ensured the smooth running of the divisional machine at all times and gained the well-merited competence of all subordinate commanders. "He has dealt with equal facility and accuracy with the differing problems presented by the defence of the Anzio beachhead, the subsequent advance, and the initiation and organisation of training. He was self-effacing, but forceful and accurate when needed." After retiring to Sussex in 1952, Pye set up in business breeding budgerigars with his brother-in-law. He hunted with the Old Surrey and Burstow; he was also a churchwarden for 19 years and chairman of the local church school. Pye married, in 1937, Peggy Muriel Sagar-Musgrave-Brooksbank, who predeceased him; they had a son and two daughters.
