Born in Caversham in Berkshire on October 29, 1925, Brigadier Kenneth Charles Came was first commissioned into the Khyber Rifles of the Indian Army. As a young officer stationed in the northwest frontier of India, he commanded a fort and a company of independent Pashtuns. In 1945, he joined the Royal Hampshire Regiment and in 1947, he was made Lieutenant.

In 1952, he was made Captain, and the same year he was appointed Adjutant of 14 PARA (TA) (5^th R. Hampshires). Between 1954 and 1956, he attended the Staff College at Sandhurst, and subsequently he joined the 16^th Parachute Brigade as GSO 2 (Air), where he took part in the Jordan operation.

When, in 1958, the Parachute Regiment first acquired its own officers, Ken Came was one of the first to join, and in the following years he was appointed to a variety of different roles within the Airborne Forces. First came the 1959-1960 exchange post to the US, then a number of appointments in 3 PARA with the Support Company and the Rifle Company, GSO2 (DS) at the Staff College, and the CO of 17  PARA (TA) and 4 (V) PARA.

In the 1970s, he held several senior roles, including Regimental Colonel of RHQ PARA, Deputy Commander of 3 Infantry Brigade, Commander of 44 PARA Brigade, and finally Defence Advisor to the British Ambassador to Pakistan. Throughout his service, Brigadier Came was also made the Aide-de-Camp to the Queen, and was awarded the OBE in 1967.

Brigadier Kenneth Charles Came passed away on January 29^th, 1986, at the age of 60. His obituary in the Pegasus Journal described him as “a most able officer, as modest about his military capabilities as he was about his skill as a games player.” Ken Came was a avid cricketer, having played for the Army, and it is recorded that he also played Minor counties cricket for Berkshire in the 1950s. He made a single first-class appearance for the Free Foresters in 1957 as well. Aside from cricket, he also played football for the Corinthians and was a “superb full-back” for rugby.

Written and researched by Raphael Tsang, with information from Airborne Assault Archive Box 2.C.3 27/1/44.