We were very saddened to hear that former Bursar Donald Richard Mantell (33-42) passed away on 14th January 2017.
Donald was born in Egypt in 1923 and was ‘sent home’ to join his older brother Bruce (32-38), starting at Bedford on his tenth birthday. He left School in 1942, where he had been Deputy Head of School, Head of Pemberley and Captain of Boats. After a short
Donald went on to be commissioned into the East Riding Yeomanry, an armoured regiment, and after arduous training in ‘swimming’ DD tanks he landed with them on the morning of D-Day itself, 6th June 1944, as a 20-year-old Second Lieutenant. He fought with his unit through North West Europe, being Mentioned in Despatches, and having fought their way across France, Holland and Belgium, the regiment took part in
After the
His brother, Bruce Mantell had also been Captain of Boats and also served in a Yeomanry Regiment, the County of London, with whom he fought in North Africa before also taking part in the invasion of Normandy. Bruce sadly passed away in 1989.
Donald made a great contribution as both a boy and man at Bedford School, and we extend our most sincere condolences to his widow, Trish, his three children, Jeremy (63-70) Susan and Sarah and his extended family.
Details of funeral arrangements will be circulated at a later date, but the family have informed us that any member of the school ‘family’ who knew Donald would be most welcome to attend.