Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Lieutenant Colonel (Hon. Colonel)

Army Number : 451582

Unit : Royal 1st Bn, Royal Depot, 4th R Anglian, Tiger Company 4th R Anglian

Biography :

Educated at Oundle School, Anthony Swallow was called up for National Service in The Royal Leicestershire Regiment on 25 June 1956 (Royal Tigers’ Day) and, after training, was commissioned into the Regiment on 2.2.1957 and posted to the 1st Bn in Famagusta, Cyprus, where he was initially employed as Bn Intelligence Officer. He obtained a Regular Commission in 1959 and, after serving as a Platoon Commander in Plymouth and Münster, he was posted to the Regimental Depot in Glen Parva Barracks, Leicester. In 1962, after language training in Aden, he was seconded to the Sultan’s Armed Forces in Muscat (now Oman) for two years, where he commanded a specially-selected Reconnaissance Platoon of the Northern Frontier Regiment. He then rejoined the 1st Bn in Watchet in time for the rebadging parade on 1.9.1964, when the Battalion became the 4th Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment. He was promoted Captain on 16.10.1964. As IO and Assistant Adjutant of 4th R Anglian in Watchet and Aden, in Malta he was 2IC B Company and Weapon Training Officer, before spending 6 months at HQ 7th Armd Bde in Soltau, West Germany. In his early years, he played hockey regularly for the Battalions and occasional cricket, tennis and basketball at battalion and unit level.
He attended the Staff College in Camberley in 1969, and was promoted Major on 31.12.1969. He was then DAA&QMG of HQ 19th Inf Bde at Colchester, deploying to Malaysia and Northern Ireland. He commanded C Company 2nd R Anglian for a short period during its first tour in Belfast in 1970, A Company 1st R Anglian in 1972 in Londonderry and Episkopi, Cyprus, and Support Company 1st R Anglian in Dhekelia in 1973, followed by Tiger Company 4th R Anglian in Canterbury and Northern Ireland in 1974. After attending the National Defence College 1974/75, from Sep 1975 he spent two years in the MOD Whitehall as MA to the DCDS (Intelligence). Promoted Lt Col on 17.5.1997, he was CO 5th (V) R Anglian at Peterborough 1977-1980, and was awarded the O.B.E. (L.G. 14.6.1980). Returning to the Defence Staff in MOD Whitehall for two years in the Operations 4 (NATO) Branch, he was next Military Attaché in Mexico City 1982-1986, also being accredited to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua. From 1986-89 he served again in MOD Whitehall as SO/SAAS. Finally, becoming a Lt Col (Special List) on 8.12.1989, for 3 years he was a Permanent President of Courts Martial, before retiring from the Regular Army on 16.12.1992.
Anthony then worked for three years in the Chartered Insurance Institute in London. In 1996 he assumed the triple role of Regimental Secretary of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment, Regimental Secretary of The Northamptonshire Regiment and Area Secretary of The Royal Anglian Regiment. He was a Trustee of The Royal Anglian Regiment Museum for seven years. On 17.5.1997 he was also appointed Deputy Honorary Colonel of The Royal Anglian Regiment for Northamptonshire. He retired in 2003, but was recalled as Regimental Secretary The Royal Tigers’ Association three times, serving in 2004/5, 2005/6 and again in 1997. He is a Trustee of The Royal Leicestershire Regiment charities and a member of the Leicestershire and Rutland Committee of the Army Benevolent Fund.

Date of Birth : 16.10.1937

Place of Birth : Barnsley, W Yorks

Civil Occupation : Regimental Secretary

Period of Service : 1956-92

Conflicts : Cyprus Emergency, Aden, Northern Ireland

Places Served : Cyprus, England, Germany, Muscat (Oman), Aden, Malta, Northern Ireland, Mexico