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Retired Colonel shocked to read the 'sad news' of his own death in an Army newsletter

Colonel Ron Back, 84
Colonel Ron Back, 84

A retired Colonel was shocked to read the 'sad news' of his own death in an Army newsletter published in error.

Colonel Ron Back, 84, who served in the Army for 38 years, had to reassure a number of friends and former comrades that he was in fact alive and well after his obituary was published in the Airborne Network newsletter.

Col Back, from New Milton, in Hampshire's New Forest, insists he found the mistake “rather amusing” and said friends are now comparing his return from the grave to that of Saint Lazarus.

Col Back, who served in the Parachute Regiment, said: "It was first picked up by a member of the branch, who rang Phyllis Inglis, the branch secretary saying 'why didn't you let me know Ron had died?'

"From what I've heard, the rumour came from a colleague I had served with who now lives in France, who said he heard it from another friend who claimed he had read about my death in a newspaper.

The obituary 
The obituary

"I wasn't angry, but instead thought it was rather amusing.

"It's not something everybody gets to do; read their own obituary. The details printed about me were correct - apart from the obvious.

Col Black, who worked for the British embassy in the USA after leaving the Army and also served as the British military advisor for the European Conference on Disarmament, said his wife Patricia, 83, received a number of cards mentioning the obituary.

He added: "I've spoken to the editor who apologised and said he would make sure he checks his facts more carefully in future.

"It was a bit of a Mark Twain moment - the news of my death is greatly exaggerated."

Ronald Back whilst serving as a major
Ronald Back whilst serving as a major

An Airborne Network spokesman admitted it was an 'embarrassing mistake'.

He said: "We take announcements of the deaths of veterans or serving members of Airborne Forces very seriously, and although Colonel Back's death was reported to us from two separate sources in good faith it turned out to be an embarrassing mistake."