Captain 140800 Richard John Frederick Abel, 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps was born 1911, the son of John Harold and Winifred Annie Abel, of Crofton, Hildenborough, Kent. He was educated at St Michael’s, Uckfield and at Sherborne, Dorset, following which he worked with the insurance brokers Wright, Dean and Co of King William Street.

In 1939, Richard joined the Army and passed through Sandhurst, receiving his commission, as a Second Lieutenant in 1940 and rose to Acting Captain in August, 1942.

On D-Day, the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards landed on Gold Beach, equipped with Sherman tanks - the first tanks to land. The unit then led the advance towards Caen.

On the 19th of June 1944, Captain Abel was killed in action. He was initially buried with other casualties at Cristot until all were exhumed on the 8th of February 1945 for re-burial in Bayeux War Cemetery.

His Colonel wrote of him that “He was one of the pillars of the Regiment, being most popular and extremely capable. He would shortly have commanded the squadron. He was a magnificent officer and his death will be a great loss to the regiment."