The Royal Anglian Regiment museum

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Chick' Ballard, bottom
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Corporal Ballard at Skegness, 1978
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Paderborn, Germany
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Pte Horne and Pte Ballard (right)
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With the Recruitment Team 1978/79
Surname
Ballard
Forenames
Cyril Joseph
Post-nominals
Date of birth
Place of birth
Home town
Final rank
Corporal
Army number
24227370
Date enlisted
Background info
Cyril ‘Chick’ Ballard got his nickname from working on a duck farm. Deciding to leave this job, he joined the Army, along with his brother John and some of their friends. He was 19 when he finished his training and married his wife, Chris. His son, Jason John, who later joined the Royal Navy, was born in 1973.
Army career
Chick’s first posting was Paderborn, Germany, followed by Catterick, and then Cyprus, where he worked in the Officers Mess.

When he returned from Cyprus he moved to Bassingbourn to train new recruits, and joined the travelling recruitment team.

It was while working with the recruitment team that he was diagnosed with the illness from which he never recovered.

Chick’s brother John was also in the Regiment, and was killed while on duty with the Regiment in Northern Ireland in 1972.
Date of death
18/12/1979
Circumstances
Cyril died of cancer while serving with the Regiment in the UK.
Resting place