Individual Details
Brig Cecil Robert "Bob" Templer
(21 Dec 1901 - 6 Mar 1986)
The story of the Templer family tree by Cecil Robert Templer -January 1982
From 1915 to 1918 my father used to take the family to Pier Terrace, West Bay, Bridport, during August for the holidays. Then we met many of the family Hebe Julia Templer, Hebe Templer, Florence Templer, Rev James Lethbridge Templer, Constance Templer, Charles Bertram Templer, Charles Lionel Templer, Ronald Arthur Templer, and their children. I was always uncertain as to who was who and decided to work out a family tree.
In 1929 when I was on leave from India, I got in touch with Mary Horsfall who lived with her mother Constance at Bridport. She knew a lot about the Bridport Templers and made out for me the first skeleton of the Bridport tree.
The family tradition was (based on Templer poems) we, the Salmonpool branch and the Stover branch were descended from a “Colonel of Horse in the service of William of Orange”. No one knew the connection between the two families. In 1961 when stationed at Topsham barracks, Exeter I decided to investigate the connections so as to a make a family tree.
Exploring the “Colonel of Horse” myth in the burial register of the ???? parish of Exeter, there were two consecutive entries; one for Thomas Templer died 1 July, 1719 and two, a captain in the service of William of Orange (no name given), someone in the past had read this and started the myth!
In 1955, when I was adjutant of the Royal Devon Yeomanry Artillery, and living at Silverton, I asked Jack Templer who was also interested and could also read old English, to go with me to record the Templer wills in the Exeter diocese and register.
We copied out various wills. These prove the connection of the two branches and that joint descendent was from Richard. I decided to copy out early wills of the 16th century members on my retirement from the Army unfortunately Hitler burns the lot in the Exeter to blitz of 1942.
In the process I discovered the New Zealand Templers who had lost touch with the Devon families. I prepared the first tree which Jack copied.
About 1952, when I retired and was living at Parsonage House, Woodbury near Exeter, I got in touch with Justin Templer who became very interested in the Stover branch. Among other searches we examined the birth register of High Week church near Newton Abbot and discovered George Templer's children out of Ann Wrayford’s whom he never married (AST - we have now found that this marriage occurred). Justin now has a big collection of Templer records and pictures and his son Mark is very interesting.
Justin has also researched the Templer family Northampton and elsewhere. So far no connection found with the Devonshire branch.
Educated at Charterhouse and Royal Military Academy Woolwich (Benson Corp). Commissioned into the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery 21stof December 1921.
1922 4th Battery RFA Shorncliffe. Fought at Battle of Pettigo and Belleek in the summer of 1922 (https://ansionnachfionn.com/2015/06/08/the-battle-of-pettigo-and-belleek-may-to-june-1922/). Army 50 yards swimming champion, Aldershot. Won two point-to-point races.
1925 to 1935 Field Battery, Meerut, India. One month fishing in Kulu.
1926 16 Medium Battery, Delhi.
1927 Shanghai Defence Force. Capt Army Water Polo Team.
1928 to 1930 Muttra. 2×6 month leaves at Treenlour, County Mayo fishing.
1929 to 1930 S. India.
1930 Exeter 24th Field Battery.
1933 Squadron Artillery Officer with RAF, Old Sarum.
1930 to 1933 hunted with East Devon Silverton and Tiverton hunts.
1934 Silverton. Adjutant to Royal Devon Yeoman Artillery. Cruised on “Xenia” on the south coast.
1939 to 1941 30th battery 8th Coastal Regiment, Hong Kong. Won offices swimming championship. Cruised in Trenleur 1.
December 1941 Battle of Hong Kong, wounded 25th December.Won DSO (Repulse Bay Hotel)
1942 to 1945 prisoner of war at Kowloon, Hong Kong, camp cobbler for 300 officers.
1946’s Commanding Officer 85th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Gravesend. Runner-up for Commodores Trophy.
1947 to 1949 Commanding Officer 24th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Sheerness. Dinghy racing and two weeks on the Broads and Solent.
1947 to 1951 Commanded 94th Anti-Aircraft Brigade Tonfanon (including five regiments and practice camp)
June 1951 retired to Parsonage House, Woodbury, hunted with East Devon Hunt. Kept 100 hives. Chairman of the Honey Producers Association of Great Britain and Devon Beekeepers Association. Built Trenleur 2. Enjoyed ham radio, bookbinding, models etc. 20 trips abroad
From 1915 to 1918 my father used to take the family to Pier Terrace, West Bay, Bridport, during August for the holidays. Then we met many of the family Hebe Julia Templer, Hebe Templer, Florence Templer, Rev James Lethbridge Templer, Constance Templer, Charles Bertram Templer, Charles Lionel Templer, Ronald Arthur Templer, and their children. I was always uncertain as to who was who and decided to work out a family tree.
In 1929 when I was on leave from India, I got in touch with Mary Horsfall who lived with her mother Constance at Bridport. She knew a lot about the Bridport Templers and made out for me the first skeleton of the Bridport tree.
The family tradition was (based on Templer poems) we, the Salmonpool branch and the Stover branch were descended from a “Colonel of Horse in the service of William of Orange”. No one knew the connection between the two families. In 1961 when stationed at Topsham barracks, Exeter I decided to investigate the connections so as to a make a family tree.
Exploring the “Colonel of Horse” myth in the burial register of the ???? parish of Exeter, there were two consecutive entries; one for Thomas Templer died 1 July, 1719 and two, a captain in the service of William of Orange (no name given), someone in the past had read this and started the myth!
In 1955, when I was adjutant of the Royal Devon Yeomanry Artillery, and living at Silverton, I asked Jack Templer who was also interested and could also read old English, to go with me to record the Templer wills in the Exeter diocese and register.
We copied out various wills. These prove the connection of the two branches and that joint descendent was from Richard. I decided to copy out early wills of the 16th century members on my retirement from the Army unfortunately Hitler burns the lot in the Exeter to blitz of 1942.
In the process I discovered the New Zealand Templers who had lost touch with the Devon families. I prepared the first tree which Jack copied.
About 1952, when I retired and was living at Parsonage House, Woodbury near Exeter, I got in touch with Justin Templer who became very interested in the Stover branch. Among other searches we examined the birth register of High Week church near Newton Abbot and discovered George Templer's children out of Ann Wrayford’s whom he never married (AST - we have now found that this marriage occurred). Justin now has a big collection of Templer records and pictures and his son Mark is very interesting.
Justin has also researched the Templer family Northampton and elsewhere. So far no connection found with the Devonshire branch.
Educated at Charterhouse and Royal Military Academy Woolwich (Benson Corp). Commissioned into the Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery 21stof December 1921.
1922 4th Battery RFA Shorncliffe. Fought at Battle of Pettigo and Belleek in the summer of 1922 (https://ansionnachfionn.com/2015/06/08/the-battle-of-pettigo-and-belleek-may-to-june-1922/). Army 50 yards swimming champion, Aldershot. Won two point-to-point races.
1925 to 1935 Field Battery, Meerut, India. One month fishing in Kulu.
1926 16 Medium Battery, Delhi.
1927 Shanghai Defence Force. Capt Army Water Polo Team.
1928 to 1930 Muttra. 2×6 month leaves at Treenlour, County Mayo fishing.
1929 to 1930 S. India.
1930 Exeter 24th Field Battery.
1933 Squadron Artillery Officer with RAF, Old Sarum.
1930 to 1933 hunted with East Devon Silverton and Tiverton hunts.
1934 Silverton. Adjutant to Royal Devon Yeoman Artillery. Cruised on “Xenia” on the south coast.
1939 to 1941 30th battery 8th Coastal Regiment, Hong Kong. Won offices swimming championship. Cruised in Trenleur 1.
December 1941 Battle of Hong Kong, wounded 25th December.Won DSO (Repulse Bay Hotel)
1942 to 1945 prisoner of war at Kowloon, Hong Kong, camp cobbler for 300 officers.
1946’s Commanding Officer 85th Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Gravesend. Runner-up for Commodores Trophy.
1947 to 1949 Commanding Officer 24th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery, Sheerness. Dinghy racing and two weeks on the Broads and Solent.
1947 to 1951 Commanded 94th Anti-Aircraft Brigade Tonfanon (including five regiments and practice camp)
June 1951 retired to Parsonage House, Woodbury, hunted with East Devon Hunt. Kept 100 hives. Chairman of the Honey Producers Association of Great Britain and Devon Beekeepers Association. Built Trenleur 2. Enjoyed ham radio, bookbinding, models etc. 20 trips abroad
Events
| Birth | 21 Dec 1901 | Monsoon Lodge, Colpetty, Colombo, Western, Ceylon | |||
| Residence | 2 Apr 1911 | Barnstaple, Devon, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Military service | 1921 - 1951 | British Army | |||
| Residence | 1921 | Royal Military Academy Woolwich, Woolwich, Kent, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Marriage | 29 Sep 1934 | Sudbury, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom - Angela Mary Henderson | |||
| Death | 6 Mar 1986 | Exeter, Devon, England, United Kingdom | |||
| Occupation | Brigadier |  |
Families
| Spouse | Angela Mary Henderson (1911 - 2004) |
| Child | Maj Gen James Robert Templer CB OBE |
| Child | Ann Hazel Templer |
| Child | Jennifer Sylvia Templer (1939 - 2021) |
| Father | Robert Shawe Templer (1864 - 1930) |
| Mother | Frances Anne Tucker "FAT" Beauchamp (1874 - 1969) |
| Sibling | Gertrude Geraldine Templer (1906 - 1995) |
| Sibling | Norah Templer (1906 - 1999) |
Notes
Occupation
First Name(s):Cecil RobertLast Name:Templer
Rank:Major
Service:Royal Artillery
Date of Gazette:04.04.1946
Year of Gazette:1946
Award:Distinguished Service Order
File No,:68/Gen/8208/1
Recommended By:Hong Kong General Malaby
Theatre:Ex Pow
Place of Residence:Sudbury