Roger was born at Redditch in April 1942, the youngest of three sons to Edith
May and Frederick Walter Nutbeem. His brothers were Stuart (1938) and Trevor
(1940). After attending Alcester Grammar School he went on to agricultural
college, followed by two years in Holland working and studying the Dutch
system of dairy farming. He then changed direction, and joined the Royal
Army Medical Corps aged 20, qualifying as a dispenser. His potential had
been recognised though, and he was selected for officer training in 1967,
then commissioned into his old Corps - the RAMC.
After training RAMC recruits, first as a platoon officer, then as a company
commander and 'house officer', Roger developed his adventure training skills,
becoming an expert canoeist and mountain expedition leader. In addition, he
was a keen folk singer, with a talent for playing a somewhat battered guitar
that went with him on exercises and became a welcome feature of team self-
entertainment during long deployments. His knowledge of dairy farming also
proved useful on one exercise in Germany when his unit was camped in a barn.
One of the cows was in labour, and having a difficult time. Roger sorted her
out and delivered the calf, using a block and tackle! When the
farmer arrived he was a bit concerned to see all this going on without him, but it was
soon schnapps all round.
Roger was totally committed to the RAMC, and had an ability to motivate people.
He was never happier than when working with young people who shared his
enthusiasm and zest for life. He was second in command of 16 Field Ambulance RAMC which was deployed to the South Atlantic as part of 5 Brigade. He was particularly admired by the
Airborne element of 16 Fd Amb, the Parachute Clearing Troop RAMC, who were
later to achieve great things alongside their Royal Navy and Royal Marine
counterparts of 'The Red and Green life Machine', the Field Hospital at Ajax
Bay in 1982.
Roger deployed south in QE2, continuing to chivvy, cajole, challenge and
generally inspire his men. One of his subordinates described him as 'turning
up everywhere - you never knew when or where he was going to pop up next. He
was the guy who kept us going ...'
After visiting Ajax Bay when he landed there on the 2nd June, Roger travelled
round to Fitzroy in the RFA SIR GALAHAD on the 8th June. The ship was attacked there
by Argentine fighter-bombers, and Roger was killed instantly, on the upper deck,
by a bomb fragment. His body was later recovered to shore, temporarily
interred, and then repatriated to the UK. He now lies in the military
cemetery at Tidworth.
Roger left a widow, Tricia, who he had married in 1970, and who was appointed
MBE in her own right for the work that she did for the 16 Fd Amb Wives Club
in the aftermath of the GALAHAD disaster. They had two children - Martin (1974)
who is now in management, and Kathryn (1977) who has just graduated from the
University of London in English and Drama. Happily, Tricia has
now remarried and lives in the south west of England.
Roger photographed on a visit to the Parachute Clearing Troop, 16 Field Ambulance at Ajax Bay
