It was during one of our frequent and lengthy telephone conversations that Charles told me that he had helped write the London Wargames Section's American Civil War rules. This was the first set of rules that I had ever purchased, some thirty plus years ago. Up until that moment I had always considered myself to be one of the old-stages. The news that I was talking to one of the flagbearers of the hobby in the late 40's, 50's and early 60's was humbling.
I only met Charles Reavley once face to face, all the rest of our communications being by letter and 'phone. The first time was when Peter Heath of Anschluss Publications suggested that I could be a useful contact. Charles was trying to get an answer to an obscure question on French cavalry organisation at Fuentes de Onoro. Charles himself had a great deal of knowledge built up over a great length of time in the hobby, but was never afraid to admit that sometimes there were gaps.
It was this exchanging of information, ideas and theories that made the communications so enjoyable, and his contributions to AoN will be greatly missed. Charles, of course, wrote for nearly all the UK wargames magazines under the by-line Carl Reavley. It will be for his series of Tactical Snippets in AoN that he will be chiefly remembered. These drew on his own book collection, or from books obtained through the inter library lending service.
Serving in the RASC just after the war, Charles was posted to Germany and the Middle East, retiring as a major. In his civilian career as a manager, he lived in France and South Africa with spells at home before finally retiring. In one of his 'home postings' he was one of the original members of the London Wargames Section of the BMSS, and Captain J. Sachs helped him cast and paint his own figures. These meetings were held in a room over a sleazy pub, in his wife's words. A list of members of a postal campaign he helped run in 1958 (from the Lebanon!) is like a 'who's who' of wargamers, with the names of David Nash, Brigadier Peter Young, Jack Scruby and Donald Featherstone amongst the participants. A cutting from The Sunday Times dated 21 March 1965 shows Charles taking part in a refight of Waterloo with Tony Bath.
Charles played most periods but had a particular love of the Napoleonic Period and for World War II. He had little respect for Napoleon the man, but acknowledged his genius as a general. For reasons of space he gamed in 6mm, sometimes to commercial rules, often to his own. He had been suffering from ill health for some time which precluded him from attending his local club or any conventions. He had regular games with friends and liked to know what my own club was doing in terms of periods and rules.
In this way he kept up to date and was one of the few people I know who actually played Chef de Battalion. On my recommendation he had tried Command Decision and Spearhead for his World War II games, discussing rule mechanisms, interpretation and possible changes with gusto, and I had half persuaded him to come to NapFair '98, his first such visit.
He had the natural patriotism of someone who has worn his country's uniform, rather than the temporary sort of the football fan or the racist bigot. To Charles, being born British was to be to be given the winning ticket in the lottery of life. I remember that in the spring of 1997 we had a spirited and lengthy phone conversation when Charles tried to persuade me to join the UK Independence Party. Coming from someone who had had the experience of living and working abroad, this made quite an impression on me.
Charles leaves a wife, Pat, and two daughters. To them and to their families we extend our sincere sympathies. In accordance with Charles' wishes, a donation has been made to the British Heart Foundation.
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