William George Garrard
Bill Garrard, who died in February 2000, aged 77, was an early member of the Forces Postal History Society, joining within 18 months of the formation. He was a long serving and hard working Secretary, from 1960 to 1976. This period included the Society's 21st anniversary in 1973, when Bill put a lot of work into organising the celebration held on board HMS Belfast. Also in that year the FPHS published its first book - Brigadier Virk's Indian Army POs 1939-47 - and Bill was deeply involved in this by receiving information from Brig Virk, checking, collating, indexing and preparing for production.
He was President in 1981/82, and in that same year temporarily took on the job of Treasurer following the death of Reg Kingston.
His interest in RAF postal history developed after 15 years service in the RAF. He undertook considerable research, resulting in several books, including a revision of John Smith's pioneering History of the RAF Postal Service (adding much new information and identifying the allocation of Rafposts in India to Base Post Office control). Another work was the study, with Nick Colley, of RAF censorship.
I first met Bill in the mid 1950's when I first joined a stamp club. Bill noted and encouraged my interest in postmarks and persuaded me to join the FPHS, for which I am eternally grateful.