Arthur Wolseley-Lewis (C2 1925-29), the oldest OM in Kenya, died on 16^th February 2008

Wolseley-Lewis was born on 8^th September 1911 the son of Dr. H.W. Lewis. He joined Marlborough College in September 1925 and gained a 60 rugger cap, playing for the Ist XV and was also a House Prefect.

He arrived in Kenya on his 19^th birthday and became a farm pupil. During the War (1939-45) he served with the King’s African Rifles (2/4 KAR) in the conquest of the Italians in Abysinnia, then in the Madagascar campaign, ending the War in Burma with the 14^th Army, where he was mentioned in dispatches.

Tragically his wife, Anne, whom he had married in 1940 and who was a highly qualified Nursing Sister was drowned when her ship was torpedoed en route to Ceylon. Arthur ended the War as a Major.

After the War he returned to farming in Kenya and in 1946 married Joan, who survives him. Arthur retired from farming and had a spell as a Courier, guide and friend of rich tourists, before spending a few years as a Hunter at world-famous Treetops.

1953, during the Mau Mau Emergency, truck loads of British soldiers were entertained at their farm with home-made food and comforts until Mau Mau burnt the farm down when the Wolseley-Lewises were on their regular monthly shopping trip to the nearby town 25 miles away”

He was the Executive Officer of St John Ambulance, during the first visit of Pope John Paul to Kenya. Finally, he retired to the Nairobi area, where he was much in demand as a talented artist of animals and a skillful repairer of broken china. Wosleley-Lewis was also a masterly bridge and snooker player.

Although his final years were clouded by ill-health, he managed to write an idiosyncratic autobiography “Empire to Dust”. In his last year he appeared on British Television in the programme “Empire’s Children” with Lord Steel.

He is survived by Joan Wolesley-Lewis and his step-daughter, Garland.

Grateful thanks to James Foster (PR 1944-46) for this obituary