The following obituarty was written by Henry Dodds (PS 70-75)

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hoole, Old Tonbridgian, Army officer, President of the Army Rifle Association and President of the Limassol Lions Club.

Richard Hoole died unexpectedly in Cyprus on Sunday 1 January 2023 at the age of 70.

He attended the School from 1965-70 and shot for the School VIII. On leaving Tonbridge he joined the British Army and was one of the last intake of Regular officers to go to RMA Sandhurst (Dettingen Company, Intake 49) for a full two years.

He was commissioned into the Royal Signals on 4 August 1972, completing the two year Staff Officer course in 1986. As well as his postings in the Army - mostly in the UK and Germany - he was active in Army shooting (he was an accomplished pistol shooter) and was SO1 Operational Shooting and Secretary of the Army Rifle Association from 2001-2007. He became Life Vice President of the ARA in 2019.

On retiring from the Army in 2007 he settled in Cyprus with his wife Muriel, where they built a house outside Limassol. Richard was active in the local community up until his untimely death from complications arising from the leukaemia he was diagnosed with in 2019. He became President of the Limassol ‘Coeur de Lion’ Lions Club, treasurer of the British Forces Animal Rehoming Centre and Chief Instructor and Deputy Fund Manager of the Episkopi Garrison Gun Club.

Richard was instrumental in a number of OTs joining the Army Rifle Association. He was always interested in the activities of the OTRC, sending apologies for absence to shoots and taking a keen interest in our progress in the Veterans’ match. As Ian Mitchell has written elsewhere he was the guiding force behind the autumn dinner and shoot and provided one of the Club rifles.

He is survived by his wife Muriel, son Chris and daughter Charlie.

Richard Hoole, born 16 March 1952, died of complications arising from leukaemia, 1 January 2023.
Son of Gilbert and Sheila Hoole and younger brother to Peter (WH 58-63).

(WH 65-70)