Lt-Col John Jacob - obituary - Telegraph In 1951 he was seconded to 2/10 GR. He was quickly mentioned in despatches and, with his gallantry and dash in antiterrorist operations, made a name for himself throughout the battalion, winning the respect and admiration of Gurkhas of all ranks. Eighteen communist terrorists were accounted for under his direct leadership. Jacob returned to the DLI, but in 1966 he was back in action in Borneo during the undeclared war with Indonesia known as the "Confrontation." Their role was to prevent incursions by Indonesian forces across the border, and the conflict was characterised by limited and restrained ground combat. The widespread forests and jungle meant that supplies had to be dropped by air or brought in by helicopter. While Jacob was there he found time to play a vigorous version of polo with the local tribesmen; the players - up to 12 in a side - were mounted on diminutive ponies. In 1968 Jacob took command of the 1st Battalion in Cyprus, where it was deployed with the UN Peacekeeping Force. The regiment was subsequently merged with three other infantry regiments to form the Light Infantry. He retired from the Army in 1970 and served for several years as secretary of the North-East Yorkshire Community Health Council. As a county councillor, he campaigned successfully to save from closure Welburn Hall School, an establishment for children with special educational needs. He was subsequently elected chairman of North Yorkshire County Council. Settled at a village near Scarborough, Jacob enjoyed collecting stamps and watching rugby on television. When England were not playing well, he used to bellow at the set while the family dog cowered under a chair. In the role of cook, he was part tortured artist and part mad scientist. All his recipes had to be put through rigorous tests before he was satisfied with them. After these tests the kitchen resembled the scene of a chemistry experiment gone dreadfully wrong. Despite the mess, however, he never did the washing-up. John Jacob married, in 1965, Jane Keenlyside, who survives him with their two sons and one daughter. Lt-Col John Jacob, born June 24 1928, died November 9 2013