Richard Tindall

Born at Sherborne, Dorset, Tindall was the eldest son of schoolmaster Kenneth Bassett Tindall and his wife Theodora Mary Tindall.[1] His early education was undertaken at Hawtreys at Westgate-on-Sea, from which he attended Winchester College.[2] From Winchester, he went up to Trinity College, Oxford, where he studied Classical Moderations and Modern Greats.[1]

He first played minor counties cricket for Dorset in the 1931 Minor Counties Championship.[3] His debut in first-class cricket came at the University Parks in 1933 for Oxford University against Yorkshire.[4] Tindall played first-class cricket for Oxford University in 1933 and 1934, making 18 appearances.[4] He scored 610 runs during his first-class career, averaging 22.59, with a high score of 113;[5] as a fast bowler, Tindall took 50 wickets at a bowling average of 31.62, twice taking a five wicket haul.[6] His best bowling figures of 5/73 came against the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1934.[7][8] His highest batting score of 113, which was also his only century in first-class cricket, came in the same match.[8]

Tindall also played for Oxford University A.F.C., winning a Blue in both cricket and football.[1][2] He left Oxford with Third Class Honours.[1] After graduating from Oxford, Tindall joined the staff at Eton College as a sports coach.[2] He continued to play minor counties cricket until 1939, making a total of 49 appearances for Dorset in the Minor Counties Championship.[3] As part of his duties with Eton, Tindall served in the Eton contingent of the Officers' Training Corps, entering in 1934 with rank of second lieutenant.[9] He gained the rank of lieutenant in January 1938,[10] with promotion to captain following in July 1938.[11]

With the onset of World War II, he was commissioned in the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC),[2][12] At Tindall's own request, he reverted to the rank of Lieutenant in September 1940.[13] He left with the 1st Armoured Division for North Africa on 23 September 1941.[2] After a period of desert acclimatization, Tindall, who was by now in charge of D Company in the KRRC (having regained the rank of captain), set off for Libya.[1] After driving for 700 miles, Tindall's battalion reached the front lines at Antelat, some forty miles north-east of Ajdabiya, where he saw immediate action.[2]

On 21 January 1942, the German Afrika Korps attacked the British lines with tanks. With few anti-tank guns and little air support, the British were forced to retreat.[2] Tindall was killed the following day in an air raid.[2] His younger brother, Mark, also served in the KRRC and died in a training accident in August 1942.[1] He is commemorated at the Alamein Memorial.[2]

• Richard Tindall at ESPNcricinfo