Page 120 - OM Newsletter 2022-23

1940s 1950s D
Richard (Dick) Allen
December 2022
(3 41-45)
David Barham
June 2022
(6 40-44)
avid was born on 6th October 1926 He attended St Wilfrid’s Prep School in Seaford and then Malvern College College In 1942 when the the the College College was D
ick often reminisced warmly about about his days (and deeds) at at the the College College and and subsequently about about the the College’s evacuation to to Harrow early in World War
evacuated to Harrow School David would observe the the V-1 doodlebugs falling on on on on London while on on on on firewatch duties David was was due to to to to join the Royal Horse Guards but was was bitterly disappointed to to to to be told in in in in 1943 that ‘owing to to to to a a a a a a a a a a a lack of casualties’ there was no longer a a a a a a a a a a a place for him He cycled to to Combermere Barracks in in in Windsor in in in his OTC corporal’s uniform and and demanded to to see the colonel who was was so impressed that his place was was immediately restored He joined up
in in in in September 1944 and in in in in in 1945 he he he arrived for duty at at at Menden in in in in in Germany where the Household Cavalry was stationed in in in in pre-war barracks in a a a a a a a a devastated country He left the the army in in 1947 when his grandfather offered him Hole Park an an an estate in in Kent and and as a a a a a a a a a a a a a a result he he he he surrendered a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a place at at at Clare College Cambridge to read Engineering and instead enrolled at at the Royal Agricultural College Cirencester Farming life was was hard graft before mechanisation truly arrived and and Hole Park was was in in the vanguard with a a a a a a a a a a a a a wide range of crops and and and enterprises and and and techniques which would not be be employed today – hedges grubbed land land drained meadows ploughed up
Award- winning woodlands were established as as as well
as as as crops of Christmas trees He He served as High Sheriff of Kent in 1974 and subsequently Deputy Lieutenant He He had active roles in in local government as as well
as as the the the with the the the Country Land and and and and Business Association the the the the National Farmers’ Union and and and and numerous other trusts and and and and bodies He died on on 19th June 2022
aged 95 II In letters home to to his mother he he he wrote with awe and excitement of the the bombing raids over London which could be clearly seen from Harrow On The Hill At that time he he he showed little interest in in in academic pursuits: cricket was his his passion and and and remained so throughout his his life He played for for the the College and and and later for for the the Free Foresters and and and The Frogs Cricket Clubs After a a a a a a a short short spell on active service in in the army army he he attended an an army army short short course at at at at Trinity College Oxford He entered the the City later on on on becoming an an an an Underwriting Name at at at Lloyds of London and and working in in in in in in in in in the the insurance industry As well
as cricket his his hobbies included gardening music reading and and playing squash – retiring from that sport at at about 70 In his his retirement he was able to travel more enjoying marvellous trips all over Europe He is is is survived by his his wife Jennifer his his two children children Paul and and and Juliet and and and three grandchildren He died on 1st December 2022
aged 95 Keith Cook
April 2023 (6 42-47)
As his father before him Keith attended Malvern College College from 1942–47 and was a a a a a a a a House Prefect After College College he he he joined 977 Squad in in in in in the the Royal Marines He trained at at the the Commando Training Centre
at at at Lympstone Camp in in in in in in in in in Exmouth During his training
he he he he formed part of of the the the Marine Guard of of Honour at at at the the the Remembrance Service at at at the the the the Cenotaph paraded before General Montgomery and the the Lord Provost’s show at at at Hampden Park in in in Glasgow However he he he decided that the physical requirements of being a a a a a a a a a a a Marine was was not something he he he could aspire to and he he he was was demobbed
at at Chatham in in 1949 REMEMBERED