The Army Reserve Centre at Honeypot Lane in Harrow has been renamed Lonergan Lines Reserve Centre in honour of Squadron Sergeant-Major John Lonergan who was killed in action on April 12 1965.
The Reserve Centre is home to 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers who have chosen to rename their base in honour of Sergeant-Major Lonergan, believed to be the first territorial killed in operational action since the Second World War.
The Sergeant-Major died serving with 300 Parachute Field Squadron on their annual training exercise in Radfan, Aden.
The Squadron was attacked by rebel tribesmen while working on the construction of the Dhala Road at Al-Milah, near the Yemen boarder.
The renaming ceremony, held on April 12, was attended by veterans of the unit, including some who served alongside Sergeant-Major Lonergan. A commemorative plaque was unveiled by Lt Col Tom Salberg MBE, Commanding Officer 24 Commando Engineer Regiment.
Mr Salberg said: "It is a measure of the esteem in which Sgt Major John Lonergan was held that so many of his old comrades travelled from far and wide to be here tonight to remember and honour him. He set an example of service and sacrifice that 131 Commando seeks to uphold more than half a century later."
Staff Sgt John Donaldson, who served with John Lonergan and shared a tent with him on the night he was shot, said:
"It's hard to sum up a man in a few words, he was a great man, a good Sergeant Major, first class, he looked after us very well. I don't think anybody had a bad word to say about him."
