Captain Richard Alfred Nesbitt Orange-Bromehead (Xt, 1945)

The following tribute has been provided by Richard’s family.

Born in Ferozepur, Punjab, India in 1928, Richard received his education at Cheltenham College from 1941-1945 and later attended Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Following this, he was commissioned as a Regular Officer of The Royal Engineers and obtained a civil engineering degree from the Military College of Science at Shrivenham. His military career included postings to Germany and Cyprus with the 37 Field Engineer Regiment, where he also enjoyed competitive sailing with the Royal Engineers Yacht Club (REYC).

Richard retired from the Army in 1961 after serving at Headquarters Northern Command in York as a Staff Officer R. E. He then joined the consultant engineering firm Rendall Palmer & Tritton in 1963, where he specialized in dam structures. Elected as a member of The Institution of Civil Engineers in 1968, Richard later served as Engineer’s Representative for the Gale Common Ash Disposal scheme in North Yorkshire from 1970, overseeing reservoir operations and supervising earthworks, structures, and drainage until his retirement. In 1987, he was appointed a supervising engineer under the 1975 Reservoirs Act.

An active member of the Conservative Party, Richard retired to Hovingham, Ryedale, where he contributed extensively to the community as a parish council member, school governor, local chairman of the British Legion, and volunteer for the National Trust. In 2000, following significant floods, Richard led the implementation of a flood defence scheme in Hovingham, safeguarding local homes from future flooding, as reported by the York Press.

Richard was preceded in death by his wife Claire in 2021 and is survived by his beloved sons James, Robert, and Peter, as well as seven grandchildren.