Reginald Apletree Biography

Reginald Arthur Apletree was born 3 Jul 1914

Married Audrey (née and date?) 

Incorporated as an accountant 1948

He had (?) children 

Died in Basildon Essex (date?) August 1997

Military Service

Joined the Royal Signal Corps on 24 Jul 1940 as a Cypher Operator (High grade) Royal Corps of Signals Service No. 6474601

He Served in France and the Middle East

Released in the rank of Sergeant 10 Feb 1946

Biography

By his niece Ann Heymans [nee Apletree]
From a young age I remember Uncle Reg's interest in the Apletree family history. He told us it was sparked by meeting Edith Apletree while he was in the army. He took us on long car journeys to Deddington to read grave stones and he provided us with the excitement of listening to a radio programme about our own ancestor Thomas Apletree of Elizabethan infamy.
He was always a man with a smile and a chuckle. His eyes glinted with impish glee as he told us a story of some wicked family member. The words flowed, only to be halted by his pipe going out (a frequent occurrence). In this event he would pause to squash in some more tobacco, take a match to it and draw heavily to get it alight. Then off again into wonderful pictures of long ago.

He had a wonderful car, a Riley I think, which he drove in a very exciting waytalking all the while. We spent many Saturday evenings at Grandad and Grandma Apples' with Uncle Reg, Auntie Audrie and our cousins John and Graham. I remember some awkward times and uncomfortable conversations. Grandad and Uncle would tell us ghost stories and help us to port and lemon and teach us to play pontoon…. and Auntie Audrie would look on disapprovingly. He divorced and re-married with Connie and spent his time contentedly working on the family tree and his garden.