Colonel Richard Wilkes died on 21 June 2021, aged 93. The son of a Leicestershire boot and shoe manufacturer, he was educated at Nevill Holt and Repton. He did his National Service in BAOR as a Gun Position Officer with J (Sidi Rezegh) Battery, 3 Royal Horse Artillery, having been commissioned in 1947.

On his return to Leicester as a chartered accountant, he joined the TA and served with 579 (The Royal Leicestershire Regiment) Light Anti Aircraft Regiment RA (TA), which in 1955 became Q (The Royal Leicestershire Regiment) Battery, 438 LAA Regiment RA (TA), both equipped with the 40mm Bofors gun. In 1957 he assumed command of the Battery, with his younger brother Michael as Battery Captain. On disbandment in 1961 the Battery became HQ Company 4/5th Battalion The Royal Leicestershire Regiment with Richard Wilkes as OC. There was a memorable farewell parade through Victoria Park and the City that March, at which the writer, then aged six, recalls attempting his first salute!

By 1964 Richard Wilkes was the Second in Command of the 4/5th Battalion under the CO, Lt Col Pat Creagh, heralding the formation of The Royal Anglian Regiment, when 1st Battalion The Royal Leicestershire Regiment became 4th (Leicestershire) Battalion of the new Regiment. Following the announcement by the Government of the formation of the Territorial & Army Volunteer Reserve (TAVR) in late 1965, Richard Wilkes became the last CO of a Royal Leicestershire Regiment Battalion, with Captain Tony Pollard as his Adjutant.

Richard Wilkes had a marvellous time in the TA. He not only had the privilege of commanding a Battalion of his county Regiment, but more especially he made very many lifelong friends, enjoyed a wide and varied social life, supported by his wife Wendy and contributed greatly to the City of Leicester and the wider county. He was made a Deputy Lieutenant of Leicestershire in 1967, an honour that remained until his death, thus making him the longest serving DL in the county by some twenty years.

During this period Richard Wilkes became Treasurer, and later Chairman, of SSAFA Leicestershire, an interest he maintained for over thirty years. On relinquishing command in 1969 he was awarded the OBE (Military), promoted and appointed Territorial Colonel for East Midlands District. During 1971 he became a Trustee and later Chairman of CARE, a national charity started by his friend and ex-Tiger Jack Townsend, which provided homes and jobs for adults with learning difficulties.

In 1972 he was made ADC (TAVR) to HM The Queen and in the same year he was appointed Commandant of Leicestershire Special Constabulary. In 1981 he was made Deputy Honorary Colonel The Royal Anglian Regiment (Leicestershire) and in 1990 he became Chairman of the East Midlands Employers Liaison Committee. For many years he was a Trustee of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment Funds, serving as Chairman for two decades.

Like all TA members, Richard Wilkes soldiered when his civilian role allowed him to. Typically, in his case, this was alongside building a formidable professional reputation as a chartered accountant. He joined, and rapidly became a partner, in the Leicester firm of Bolton Bullivant, at the time a normal provincial city firm providing a service to many of the county’s manufacturing companies. He made many contacts through his membership of the Leicestershire Club, being a committee member of the Leicester Junior Chamber of Commerce, as well as through playing hockey, cricket and squash. On becoming senior partner in 1969 and seeing the way the profession was moving forward, he sold the firm to Price Waterhouse as that firm expanded nationally. He led the Leicester office for several years before, unusually, he was asked to join the firm in London on elevation to a senior partner role, necessitating having a home in both Leicestershire and London.

For many years he had been an active member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAEW) and in 1980 he served as President. In 1983 he was appointed by No 10 Downing Street an adviser on self-regulation to the Chief Executive of Lloyds Insurance market. In 1987 he served as President of the International Federation of Accountants, necessitating travelling the world over a six-year period, often accompanied by Wendy.

After he retired from Price Waterhouse in 1988 he served as a non-executive director and then as chairman of Cassidy Davis Insurance Group for ten years. In 1990 he was appointed CBE (Civil) for his services to the accounting profession and given the ICAEW International Award. The following year he was Master of the Chartered Accountants Livery Company.

Richard Wilkes was an immensely patient man. He was acknowledged to be approachable and diplomatic, thoughtful and a source of inspiration and leadership. He was a respected ambassador for his profession, always interested in the next generation and full of wise counsel. He had a good sense of humour, a twinkle in his eye and enjoyed taking his friends and family out for a good meal.

Throughout his whole career, Wendy was a constant support. Their shared love of gardening gave them much joy and satisfaction. He was at his most relaxed on the annual family holidays in West Sussex, where they enjoyed messing about in sailing boats and having sandy picnics. His abiding passion was shooting and he shot at Rushton Park for more than 60 years and was still shooting in his ninetieth year. He was a keen supporter of Leicester Tigers and would watch the rugby on television throughout the season. After 68 years of being happily married, Wendy died in April 2021, ten weeks before Richard. He is survived by his son Tim, who served in 4th and 1st Battalions The Royal Anglian Regiment, by three daughters, six grand-children and nine great grand-children.

TRW