This can be done because heart valves have no blood supply and are not rejected by the

This can be done because heart valves have no blood supply and are not rejected by the immune system. Goughie (1975) is an excellent biography of General Sir Hubert Gough, the Fifth Army commander in the nightmare situation of 1918.Tony Farrar-Hockley wrote of war because he understood war at close quarters. But he was also able to stand aside to see not only the tactical but the psychological insights of those who wage war and those who fight them.. Brian Gerald Barratt-Boyes, heart surgeon: born Wellington, New Zealand 13 January 1924; Surgeon-in-Charge, Cardio-Thoracic Surgical Unit, Greenlane Hospital, Auckland 1964-88; CBE 1966, KBE 1971; married 1949 Norma Thompson (five sons; marriage dissolved 1986), 1986 Sara Monester; died Cleveland, Ohio 8 March 2006. His book The Somme (1964) is very visceral and captured the horror of that appalling battle. His firm handling of the situation made him a target for the IRA. Twenty years later a bomb was found attached to his garden hosepipe and defused.

To the awaiting reporters, he said simply, “I don’t much care for people who place explosive devices in my garden.”He took command of the 4th Armoured Division in 1971 before moving to the MoD, where his enthusiasm and inventive mind was given full scope as Director of Combat Development. In 1977 he was appointed GOC South East Command and this took him back to Aldershot, the home of the Parachute Regiment. Then, two years later he became Nato’s C-in-C Allied Forces Northern Europe.On his retirement from the Army Farrar-Hockley continued his writing and acted as a defence consultant. Most told him that they would welcome a return of conscription.In 1970-79 Farrar-Hockley became Commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland at a time when riots by both sides were growing. Back in the UK in 1966 he took command of the 16th Para Brigade.Then, aged 44, he went to Exeter College, Oxford, on a Defence Fellowship, where he interviewed over 2,000 young men to ascertain their views on the recently abolished National Service. These well-executed raids by the SAS and other units in many ways brought about an end to the confrontation and the ignominious reign of President Sukarno. But Farrar-Hockley managed to rejoin his two companies and to see them take control of the area.

For his leadership in this action he received a bar to his DSO.Farrar-Hockley then became Chief of Staff to the Director of Operations in Borneo, where he organised covert missions inside Indonesian territory. To gain greater overall understanding of the situation, he called in a helicopter but during the flight it was attacked and was forced to return to base. This idea was abandoned when their aircraft came under fire.Farrar-Hockley decided on a daring approach. After a tough climb carrying heavy packs, mortars and ammunition, in intense heat and with considerable resistance from the Radfanis, his company came down the sharp and almost vertical sides of the valley into the Wadi Dhubson, the seemingly impenetrable home of the Radfanis. The British army had been sent to help the Aden Federal Government in an attempt to curb a tribal insurrection in the Radfan. On 30 April, Farrar-Hockley was warned to have a company available to parachute in to an area codenamed “Cap Badge” and to occupy until relieved. After his release from two years in the prison camp he attended Staff College and then rejoined the Airborne Forces where he saw action with them in Cyprus against EOKA and was involved the ill-fated Suez campaign, as well as in Jordan in 1958.Then, to his delight, in 1959 he became Chief Instructor at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, before taking command of the 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment in the Persian Gulf in 1962.Two years later he was seen again at his most commanding and inspiring.

One morning we were mouse-holing through a chemist shop and as we went through I saw one or two rogues taking cards of scissors, etc. I stood in the middle of this attack, very vexed, and said to my sergeant: “Get a hold of your soldiers and have all those goods handed back before we go on another step.” Which he rapidly did. The whole war seemed to stop for a moment as a reminder of the importance of discipline.After the war Farrar-Hockley served for a year in Palestine before rejoining the Glosters and went to Korea in 1950. Moved quickly to Athens, Farrar-Hockley was again in continued skirmishes against the guerrillas. His commanding officer was wounded and the command of C Company was handed over to the 20-year-old Farrar-Hockley He recalled many years later:I felt like a seasoned soldier.

Throughout this time, their work was hindered by a Communist-led guerrilla brigade some 5,000 in strength. During his imprisonment, he was severely beaten but never gave in. All his life Tony Farrar-Hockley stood by his principles and would not kowtow to anyone, in particular a Chinese intelligence officer. For his leadership and courage during the battle, in 1953 he was awarded his first DSO. The citation read:Throughout this desperate engagement on which the ability of the battalion to hold its position entirely depended, Captain Farrar-Hockley was an inspiration to the defenders. His outstanding gallantry, fighting spirit and great powers of leadership heartened his men and welded them into an indomitable team.