2 August 1934 – 11 June 2025

George Redfern (Tr 48) on leaving Haileybury, went on to Sandhurst and was commissioned into the Queen’s Royal Surrey Regiment in 1954. After the Platoon Commander’s Course, he served with 1 Queens as a Platoon Commander for two years in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency. A tour as Training Officer at the Queens Depot followed and he then transferred to 1/10GR on secondment. He was with 1/10GR from January 1959 to February 1962 and became a Company Commander.

Shortly before his secondment, George married Maureen Minhall, who he met when he was at Sandhurst; she was a nurse at the King Edward VII hospital in Windsor. They had two daughters, Susie born in Penang in 1960 and Lucy born in Hong Kong in 1963.

In 1968 George transferred to the Intelligence Corps. There he served at the Intelligence Corps Depot, in Australia, Germany, Hong Kong and finally in the Headquarters Northern Ireland, when, as a Lt Col, he was awarded the OBE.

In May 1983 George took early retirement and returned to Hong Kong. General John Archer, then Chief Executive of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey (RHKJC), who knew George from his work in Germany and Hong Kong, appointed him Head of Security at the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club. Ostensibly, the Head of Security was responsible for physical security – guards on the stables, security of the movement of horses, crowd control on race days and other logistical elements, however corruption was a serious problem, with some activity being at a very high level, involving race fixing and illegal gambling, and identifying and rooting this element out, was the main focus of his role during his time in post.

After 10 years at the RHKJC George returned to his converted oast house in Kent. Ever active he was a Company Director dealing with control measures for the World Lottery Association; he was a consultant on the rebuild of the Singapore Turf Club and advised the Singapore Lottery and later qualified as a London Transport Tour Guide. Closer to home he immersed himself in local affairs. He was an Honorary Representative for the Officers’ Association for 18 years and was required to relinquish the appointment at 85 simply because the Officers’ Association could no longer insure him.

Although he had been diagnosed with cancer in 2022, this was successfully treated, and he continued to live a full and independent life taking up painting when he was well into his 80s. Sadly, in late April, he tripped and fell at home, fracturing his pelvis in three places. This resulted in a lengthy hospital stay. Over the weeks, his strength deteriorated, and following a viral infection he developed pneumonia, which he was unable to recover from.

Maureen predeceased him in 2004, and he is survived by his daughters Lucy and Susie.