Maj Gen Bryan Colley
Logistician who kept the Falklands Task Force supplied
MAJOR GENERAL BRYAN COLLEY, who has died aged of 82, played a leading part in the logistical support for the Falklands campaign.
In October 1980 Colley moved to the Ministry of Defence on his appointment as Colonel AQ (Operations & Plans). There he was heavily involved in organising strategic logistic support to land forces in the campaign to retake the Falkland Islands and in formulating plans to support the garrison after the war.
The citation for his appointment as CBE stated that “he has faced exceptional pressures but his calm, resourceful and unfailing response to the ever demanding calls on his energies has been a magnificent example throughout the MoD. His achievements are beyond praise. His hand was everywhere. He quickly assumed a position of leadership in the tri-service forums and his wise counsel and sheer professionalism in providing for the Task Force ammunition, spares across the range, accommodation stores, fuel and food played a major part in the success of the operation.”
David Bryan Hall Colley was born on June 5 1934 at Rowley Regis, Staffordshire and educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham. After RMA Sandhurst, in 1954 he was commissioned into the Royal Army Service Corps and served in BAOR and Belgium before being posted to the Gurkha ASC in Hong Kong.
This was at a time of attempts by immigrants from mainland China to enter the Crown Colony, and typhoon “Wanda” which caused widespread death and destruction together with water shortages and rationing.
He commanded 31 Regiment Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) in Hong Kong from 1971 to 1974. The unit consisted of Gurkha and Chinese transport squadrons, a maritime troop and the British Army’s only remaining pack transport troop.
During an exercise, one of the Gurkha squadrons was acting as enemy to a British battalion, deploying across the hills with a section of mules, some of which had white coats. When the visiting Commander British Forces complained that the mules could not be tactically concealed, Colley had the animals dyed brown. There was no more criticism.
A staff appointment at HQ BAOR and HQ 1st (British) Corps was followed by command of the Logistic Support Group and 27 Regiment RCT. These units formed part of the UK Mobile Force assigned with reinforcing Northern European Command operating in Jutland/ Schleswig-Holstein.
During the Falklands campaign, he slept on a camp bed in the MoD and rarely managed to get home. In 1983, he returned to HQ 1st (British) Corps as Commander Transport and Commander Bielefeld Garrison. Promoted major general in 1986, he became Director General Transport and Movements, the professional head of the RCT. He was appointed MBE in 1968, OBE in 1977, CBE in 1982 and CB in 1988.
When his son, John, was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment in 1984, Bryan Colley took him aside and asked him if he knew the difference between the RTR and the RCT. “Take a round of tank ammunition as an example,” he said, “We get it at the factory gates, move it by air, land and sea, hundreds or thousands of miles through complex echelon supply chains until it reaches your tank. All you do is to deliver it the last 2,000 metres.”
In retirement, he settled in Ascot. He was Colonel Commandant RCT from 1988 to 1993, Colonel Commandant of the RLC from 1993 to 2000, and from 1988 to 1997 he was the Director-General of the British Road Haulage Association.
Bryan Colley married, in 1957, Marie Thérèse (Terry) Préfontaine, in Belgium. She survives him with their daughter, Michele, and their son.