“The Army Benevolent Fund helped us when we needed it. Harry loved being a soldier, and he’d be proud to know that his legacy will support other members of the Army Family.”
Harry Maplesden joined the Army after a childhood fascination with Trooping the Colour. “He was seven years old, watching the event on TV,” explained Harry’s wife, Sandra. “He loved everything he saw – the music, the horses, the pomp and ceremony – and told his parents he would be part of it one day.”
True to his word, Harry signed up in 1972, aged 14. “He came home and said, ‘I’ve joined the Household Cavalry!’” said Sandra. “I don’t think his parents could quite believe it. There was no previous Army connection in Harry’s family, although both of his grandfathers were in the Navy.”
Harry served in the Blues and Royals for 18 years. “He was a gentle giant with a heart of gold, and other than his family, the Army was his life,” said Sandra. “He left reluctantly, as he’d sustained several injuries during his time serving, which brought on bad health as time went on.”
Harry and Sandra received initial support from the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) after Harry left the Army. Sandra has now made a generous donation to the charity in Harry’s memory, after his sad passing in May 2025.
“Harry was a soldier through and through,” said Sandra. “He spent a great deal of his post-Army life helping other members of the Army Family, as we were helped ourselves. For me, the donation is also an important way of keeping Harry’s memory alive, as he deserves.”
Harry was born in Lancing, Sussex, where his family are originally from. “He was a very honest person with strong values,” said Sandra. “He cared so much about others, and that would have come from the upbringing his parents gave him.”
After signing up, Harry served in the Army as a boy soldier for two years. “Then he had to go back to school for a short while, which he wasn’t impressed about!” said Sandra.
“Harry made some wonderful friends in the Army. He loved the comradeship, but he was also extremely proud of his Queen and country. Serving them gave him so much pleasure.”
On finishing school, Harry trained at Knightsbridge Barracks as a member of the Mounted Regiment. He fulfilled his childhood ambition and took part in many Trooping the Colours, as well as the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
“Being part of those major events were such a highlight for Harry,” said Sandra. “He was even one of the soldiers who rode forward to protect the Queen in 1981, when her carriage was shot at during Trooping the Colour.”
Harry and Sandra married in 1978, aged 21 and 19 respectively. “I had no Army connection whatsoever, so it was a complete culture shock for me!” said Sandra. “I didn’t know how I’d cope, but there was always a lot of laughter, and we faced down life together. We were married for 47 years, so we did something right.”
A year after their wedding, Harry joined the Armoured Regiment and was initially posted to West Germany. “He did several tours afterwards, including Northern Ireland, which was pretty scary at that time,” said Sandra. “Sadly, they lost several men over there.”
Harry was later posted to Windsor for five years, where Sandra gave birth to their two children. “He then spent his last six months in Brighton, in a bomb disposal unit. Sadly, by then his poor health had caught up with him, and he left in 1986.”
“Along with other military charities, the ABF looked after us when Harry left the Army. In particular, they helped towards some adjustments we had to make to our home in support of his health.”
In the last years of Harry’s life, he and Sandra started fundraising for military charities, including the ABF. “We held events and donated items to raise as much as we could,” said Sandra. “Now I’ve given a donation in Harry’s memory, because it’s what he would have wanted.”
“Harry was a fabulous dad and a devoted granddad, and I know he thought of his Army friends as extended family. I’m so grateful for the man he was, and glad his legacy is one of helping others, just as he did in life.”
