Lieutenant Richard Cathal De La Cour SHIRLEY (IA/962)
13th Frontier Force Rifles, Indian Army

Date of birth: 7th January 1917
Date of death: 6th August 1940

Died aged 23
Buried at Karachi War Cemetery Plot 4 Row D Grave 2
Richard Cathal De La Cour Shirley was born in Bedfordshire on the 7th of January 1917 the younger son of Lieutenant Colonel William Shirley CMG OL, 5th Bengal Lancers, and Ida Mary (nee Corbett) De La Cour Shirley of 149 Harley Street, London and of Silsoe House, Silsoe in Bedfordshire. He was christened at St Mary Magdalene Church, St Pancras on the 5th of February 1917.

He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Heads House from September 1930 to July 1935. He was a Sergeant in the Officer Training Corps achieving Certificate A in 1933. He was a member of the Swimming Team from 1933 to 1935 being Captain in 1935. He was also a member of the Running Team from 1933 to 1935 and was their Secretary for 1933 and 1934. He was a member of the Athletics Team from 1933 to 1935 where he was a mile runner. He gained his School Certificate in 1934.

He went on to Pembroke College Cambridge where he achieved a BA and where he served as a member of the Cambridge University Officer Training Corps. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the General List for the Territorial Army on the 28th of January 1937.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the Unattached List for the Indian Army on the 27th of August 1938 with seniority from the 28th of January 1937. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 13th of September 1938 with seniority from the 28th of April 1939.

He died suddenly at Abbottabad in India and was buried the following day.

Back