Background
Ansell was born on 26 March 1905 at the Curragh, County Kildare. His father George Ansell died in the First World War, while serving as a Lieutenant Colonel in the British.
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Michael Ansell
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After attending Street Michael"s Westgate-in-Sea and Wellington he went to Royal Military College Sandhurst. In 1924 he was commissioned into the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and in the 1930s was a cavalry officer, show jumping rider, and international polo player. He was a Commander by 1935.
In France in March 1940, during World World War II, he was given charge of the 1st Lothians and Border Horse, becoming the British "s youngest commanding officer
All four fingers on his injured left hand were later amputated. He was repatriated from a German Prisoner Of War camp in 1943.
An invitation to take up the position of chairman of the British Association led to him being credited with revitalising the sport. He restarted the Royal International Horse Show and initiated the Horse of the Year Show.
He was Chairman of the British Horse Society and Chaired the British Association from 1945 until 1964.
He also was the first president of the British Equestrian Federation. In 1967, when his address was given as "Pillhead House, Bideford", he was High Sheriff of Devon. He was President of Street Dunstan"s, a charity for blind servicemen, from 1977 to 1986.
He appeared on the television programme This Is Your Life on 28 March 1960, and as a "castaway" on the British Broadcasting Corporation Radio programme Desert Island Discs on 14 July 1973.
His autobiography, Soldier On,was published in 1973. lieutenant had a foreword by the Duke of Edinburgh.
His final book, Leopard: the story of my horse, featured a forward by Prince Charles. He died on 17 February 1994 in Brighton, England.
Achievements
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He won the Distinguished Service Order (Defence Science Organisation), but was shortly afterwards wounded in the hand and eyes by "friendly fire", blinding him permanently, and then became a prisoner of war. Picton was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 1951 and a Knight Bachelor (Kt) in 1968.
Membership
British Association; Blind Veterans United Kingdom.
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Born
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Died
February 17, 1994 (aged 88)