Retired Colonel, 84, is ‘rather amused’ to read ‘sad news’ of his OWN death in Army newsletter after publishers make ’embarrassing mistake’
- Colonel Ron Back, 84, from New Milton, Hants, served in the Army for 38 years
- The Parachute Regiment veteran was shocked to find his own obituary published
- Airborne Network apologised for the ’embarrassing mistake’ which had been confirmed by two separate sources
Colonel Ron Back, 84, who served in the Army for 38 years, said he was completely taken aback when he read his own obituary in the publication. Pictured: Back while serving as a Major
A retired Colonel was shocked to read the ‘sad news’ of his own death in an Army newsletter.
Colonel Ron Back, 84, who served in the Army for 38 years, said he was completely taken aback when he read his own obituary in the publication.
The father of three had to reassure a number of friends and former comrades that he was in fact alive and well after rumours spread of his demise.
Col Back, who is chairman of his local branch of the Royal British Legion, even got a call from the worried branch secretary to check if he had passed away since they last spoke.
Phyllis Inglis was ‘relieved’ to hear his voice, having been told of a death notice bearing his name in an Airborne Network newsletter.
Col Back, from New Milton, in Hampshire’s New Forest, insists he found the mistake ‘rather amusing’ and said friends are now comparing his return from the grave to that of Saint Lazarus.
Col Back, who served in the Parachute Regiment, said: ‘It was first picked up by a member of the branch, who instantly rang Mrs Inglis saying “why didn’t you let me know Ron had died?”
‘From what I’ve heard, the rumour came from a colleague I had served with who now lives in France, who said he heard it from another friend who claimed he had read about my death in a newspaper.
Col Back, from New Milton, in Hampshire’s New Forest, insists he found the mistake ‘rather amusing’ and said friends are now comparing his return from the grave to that of Saint Lazarus
The obituary in the Airborne Network newsletter read: ‘Sad news: Col Ron Back died recently. He was born in 1936, commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1955. ‘He served in 33rd Light Regiment Royal Artillery, 7th Royal Horse Artillery and was Director of Army Accounts and Quartermaster General in headquarters 44th Parachute Brigade 1970-72’
‘I wasn’t angry, but instead thought it was rather amusing.
‘It’s not something everybody gets to do; read their own obituary. The details printed about me were correct – apart from the obvious.
After being told about the obituary, Mrs Inglis had hurriedly phoned him to check whether he had indeed died.
‘Mrs Inglis was very pleased I answered the phone. She said “oh my god – I’m so relieved to hear your voice.”‘
The secretary said: ‘Someone contacted me and said “you’re the secretary and you haven’t let anyone know that our chairman has died”.
‘So I rang a committee member and they said it couldn’t be true, as they’d spoken to him the day before.
‘I phoned Ron and said, “Did you know people think you’re dead?” I’m just glad he’s okay and we’ve still got him as our chairman.’
Col Black, who worked for the British embassy in the USA after leaving the Army and also served as the British military advisor for the European Conference on Disarmament, said his wife Patricia, 83, received a number of cards mentioning the obituary.
A spokesman for the Airborne Network – whose motto is ‘Ready for Anything’ – apologised for the ’embarrassing mistake’ which they said had been confirmed by two separate sources. Pictured: Back in Cyprus prior to the Suez crisis
He added: ‘I’ve spoken to the editor who apologised and said he would make sure he checks his facts more carefully in future.
‘It was a bit of a Mark Twain moment – the news of my death is greatly exaggerated.’
When rumours of American writer Twain’s death spread in 1897 he confirmed he was in good health in a statement that included the phrase: ‘The report of my death was an exaggeration.’
The obituary in the Airborne Network newsletter read: ‘Sad news: Col Ron Back died recently. He was born in 1936, commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1955.
‘He served in 33rd Light Regiment Royal Artillery, 7th Royal Horse Artillery and was Director of Army Accounts and Quartermaster General in headquarters 44th Parachute Brigade 1970-72.
‘He later commanded the Junior Leaders Regiment RA and retired a Colonel in 1991. I have no more details at present.’
A spokesman for the Airborne Network – whose motto is ‘Ready for Anything’ – admitted it was an ’embarrassing mistake’.
He said: ‘We take announcements of the deaths of veterans or serving members of Airborne Forces very seriously, and although Colonel Back’s death was reported to us from two separate sources in good faith it turned out to be an embarrassing mistake.’
He thanked Col Black, who joined the army aged 17, for being ‘very gracious’ about the error.
Source: Read Full Article