Captain Richard Astry Bourne ORLEBAR
2nd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, Royal Irish Rifles. King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment and Royal Air Force

Date of birth: 7th October 1894
Date of death: 28th April 1980

Died aged 85
Unknown
Richard Astry Bourne Orlebar was born at Hinwick House, Podington in Bedfordshire on the 7th of October 1894 the elder son of Captain Richard Rouse Boughton Orlebar JP, Bedfordshire Regiment, and Faith Henrietta (nee Bourne) Orlebar of Hinwick House near Podington.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until December 1907 where he was a member of the Choir. He went on to Rugby School where he was in School House from September 1908 until July 1912 and was a member of the Officer Training Corps. He went on to Pembroke College Cambridge in 1913 where he rowed at stroke in the college eight and served as a Private in the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps until 1914 when his university career was cut short by the outbreak of war.

He applied for a commission in the 3rd Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, Special Reserve of Officer, on the 8th of August 1914 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the battalion on the 15th of August 1914. He embarked for France on the 5th of March 1915 where he was attached to the 2nd Battalion who he joined in the field on the 11th of March 1915 while they were in billets at La Flinque. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of May 1915. On the 16th of May 1915 the battalion was consolidating gains made earlier in the day where they been in support of a successful attack on enemy trenches near Laventie. As the Bedfords were turning the trench to face the other way they were subjected to heavy German shellfire which wounded Richard Orlebar and another officer.

He was evacuated to England from Boulogne on board the Hospital Ship "St Andrew" on the 17th of May 1915 and landed at Dover later the same day. He had been hit in the left shoulder and was left with a large scar. On his recovery he was posted to the 3rd Battalion of his regiment on the 20th of September 1915.

He was promoted to temporary Captain for the period 28th of November to the 19th of December 1915 while in charge of a Company and to Captain on the 4th of February 1916. He was posted to Salonica where he was wounded again on the 28th of April 1917 at Lake Dorian. He was evacuated to England from Salonica on board the French transport ship SS "Plata" on the 8th of July 1917 and landed at Southampton on the 30th of July.

A Medical Board was convened at Queen Alexandra's Military Hospital, Millbank on the 21st of September 1917 which reported on his injuries: -

"He was wounded at Doiran, Salonica on 28/4/17. A fragment of high explosive shell lodged 1" below and behind tip of right mastoid froccus. An incision was made over right external carotid at the 42nd General Hospital, Salonica with the object of removing the fragment but the operation was not successful. He was admitted here on 21/9/17 for periodic attacks of difficulty in swallowing fluid and right sided earache. Recommended for transfer to a Command Depot."

He was mentioned in despatches "for valuable services". He returned to England where he worked for MI5 from the 15th of November 1917 to the 2nd of March 1918. On the 16th of April 1918 he was appointed to duty with the War Office in the Air Intelligence Department with the Royal Air Force and was promoted to Staff Officer Grade 3 on the 20th of July 1918. He was transferred to the Unemployed List and was demobilised on the 15th of April 1919. He relinquished his commission on the 1st of April 1920.

He was mobilised once again on the 12th of April 1921 for service during the General Strike and was promoted to the rank of temporary Captain in the 5th (Defence Force) Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment on the 20th of April 1921. He served until he was released on the 20th of July 1921 and relinquished his commission the following day. He resigned his commission on the Regular Army Reserve of Officers on the 1st of November 1930 on the grounds of ill health.

He was married to Barbara (nee Pilcher) on the 14th of June 1935 and they had three children, Richard Michael born on the 25th of October 1935, Lucy Mary born on the 12th of September 1942 and Robert John born on the 9th of January 1944.

He was appointed as Vice Lieutenant for the County of Bedford on the 5th of August 1936, was Lord of the Manor of Podington, became a Justice of the Peace and lived at the family home of Hinwick House. He successfully applied for a posting with the Army Officers Emergency Reserve on the 27th of December 1939. He was a member of the Wellington Club.
Went on to Rugby School

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