Richard lived in New Earswick and first went to New Earswick Primary School, then subsequently on to Joseph Rowntree Secondary School. After that he went to York Technical College on Tadcaster Road and was offered a job as a ‘Premium Apprentice’ with British Rail at York Carriage Works and Darlington Locomotive.
During this time, he qualified as a Chartered Mechanical and Electrical Engineer. He then went to Cranfield University to do his MBA. During his career he has worked for large organisations at home and internationally.

Richard played for York for 3 years as a winger between the ages of 18 – 21 when the club played on Hob Moor. He was one of three brothers who played for the club; John the eldest, was a forward and Chris (younger than Richard) was an outside centre. There is also the youngest brother, Cliff, who played golf instead of rugby! He’s a member at Strensall GC.
(John is pictured in ‘The History of York RUFC 1928-2020’ in the team picture of 1954/55.)

Richard played with Don Butler and in his later time at York RUFC Allan Robertshaw. He remembers the annual games against York RI being highlights and always tough games. He is a Vice President of York RUFC and still has a drink and a chat at the club when visiting York from his home in Birmingham.

The accompanying picture to today’s article shows Richard, 2nd left on the back row.

Back from left: Peter Johnson, Richard Dealtry, Guy Raines, Alan Young, Malcolm Hutton, Ian McGrath, Geoff Harrison, ? .

Front from left: Reg Coultas, Merv Bartram, Mike Wood, Brian Pratt, Ian Denoon,
M O’Dowd, Don Butler (Capt).

Richard left to complete his National Service in 1959. For those like me, too young to be involved, it was ‘peacetime conscription’ which started with the ‘National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. It ended in 1960, so Richard was one of the last of the many! He has written about his time in the army and some of it is included here:

The letter had arrived mid-year 1959 and I was due to join on the 17th of September at the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Southampton Barracks on that date to commence 2 years of Military Service. Ten weeks learning how to be a soldier, then what? After that having passed the Army Commissioning Board, then off to Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot, pending a possible posting to the Royal Army Education Corps (RAEC) Army Education Training School, at Chepstow.

Before any of that posting could take place, I had 16 weeks intensive training at Mons Officer Cadet Training School. I was posted into ‘D’ Company at Mons OCS and was subject to all the officer training and processes possible with a wide variety of people from many different regiments. However, in that process our Commanding Officer decided, based upon his previous experience in Korea, that he would have a team from ‘D’ company entered in the Evelyn Wood Marching and Shooting Competition an all-army event for selected platoon groups from across the British army. Briefly we did some 270 plus miles in 10 mile marches until we were left with a platoon of 32 people who had done some 10 miles plus, in fully loaded and armed kit. We were then entered to compete in the nationwide Evelyn Woods Marching and Shooting Competition. This ten-mile marching and shooting event was to see which army regiment could do the fastest marching time and most accurate shooting of 10 rifle and 20 Bren gun rounds onto selected range targets. We were tasked with beating many other marching teams to be set by other army regiments.
On the eventual final event the Mons OCS ‘D’ Company Officer Cadets, led by Major Smith ‘D’ Company, we won this 1960 all army event: The Evelyn Woods Marching and Shooting Competition.