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Richard Tindall
Personal information
Full name	Richard Geoffrey Tindall
Born	20 February 1912; Sherborne, Dorset, England
Died	22 January 1942 (aged 29); Ajdabiya, Cyrenaica, Italian Libya
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Domestic team information
1933–1934	Oxford University
1931–1939	Dorset
Career statistics
Matches	18
Runs scored	610
Batting average	22.59
100s/50s	1/2
Top score	113
Balls bowled	3,020
Wickets	50
Bowling average	31.62
5 wickets in innings	2
10 wickets in match	0
Best bowling	5/73
Catches/stumpings	11/–
	Source: Cricinfo, 30 September 2018

Richard Geoffrey Tindall (20 February 1912 – 22 January 1942) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.

Early life, cricket and pre-WWII

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]

War service and death

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]