The Club Cricket Conference Yearbook 2020

- 90 - DEREK ALICK OAKLEY MBE 27 October 1927 – 22 September 2019 Captain Derek Oakley MBE RM was a talented sportsman who played cricket for the Combined Services and Royal Navy (in the days when both sides were far stronger than they are today), hockey for Devon, tennis for the Royal Marines and, in 1956, cricket and hockey for the Singapore national teams. In addition, he was Fixture Secretary for the Royal Navy for some eighteen seasons. For these achievements, Derek was appointed an Honorary Vice President of the Club Cricket Conference. The above was only a very small part of his incredible life: he joined the Corps in 1944 which began a career lasting 42 years. He specialised as an Assault Engineer Officer during the Malaysian Emergency in 1950-51, helping to train 45 Commando in jungle warfare and in 1957 he defused several improvised bombs in Ulster. Later he was brigade intelligence officer during the Brunei Revolt in 1962 and in Sarawak during the “Konfrontasi” (1963-66) with Indonesia. Service afloat saw him deployed to the East Indies, the Far East and Australasia. He was also Aide de Camp to Earl Mountbatten of Burma when he was appointed Colonel Commandant for Life of the Royal Marines in 1965. continued…