Brigadier Ralph Frink of Cuylers, Little Thurlow, who commanded British Army divisions in the Middle and Far East campaigns of the last war, has died at the age of 74.
He died in a hotel at Auxerre, just south of Paris where he was taken ill while travelling with his wife, Mrs Jean Frink to their house near Avignon. They had left Thurlow after voting in the General Election. A private funeral service was held at St. Peter’s Church, Little Thurlow, on Saturday.
Born at Thurlow, he followed in the footsteps of his father Captain F.C. Frink, in a military career which stretched from just before the 1914-18 war to 1947 when he was invalided out. At that time he commanded a territorial brigade in Yorkshire.
Brigadier Frink was with the fourth 7th Dragoons when evacuated from Dunkirk in the early part of the last war. He was one of the last of the British Expeditionary Force to leave the French shores.
He commanded a regiment in Burma against the Japanese and took over a division in the battle against Rommel’s army in the Middle East.
On returning to civilian life he took a close interest in the life of the village, representing Little Thurlow on Clare Rural Council for several years. He also served on the parish council. For several years he organised the shoots for Mr Ronald Vestey of Great Thurlow Hall.
In addition to Mrs Frink, who sits as a JP on the Haverhill Bench, he leaves a daughter, Elisabeth, the sculptress, and a son, Timothy, who is a stock broker in Canada.
Published in Suffolk and Essex Free Press, 21 March 1974.
Herbert Ralph Cuyler Frink DSO (1899-1974)
Born on 26 August 1899 at Little Thurlow, Haverfield, Suffolk.
Son of Captain Frederick Cuyler Frink OS (1868-1956) and Mabel Eleanor Frink (née Bree) (1867-1931). Captain Frederick Cuyler Frink attended Sherborne School (Abbey House) 1881-1886.
Prep School: Warden House, Upper Deal, Kent.
Sherborne School (Abbey House, housemaster G.M. Carey) September 1913-July 1917; 1st XI (1917); 2nd XV (1916-17); Lance-Corporal in OTC.
Characters of the 1st XI (1917): H.R.C. Frink. ‘A batsman with fair defence and some good leg shots. Fairly safe but slow in the field.’
Sandhurst. 1918, senior Sergeant of E Company, and captain of his Company cricket.
4th/7th Dragoon Guards, in 1925 instructor at the Equitation School at Sangor.
WW2, Major-General, RAC 4th / 7th Dragoon Guards (DSO, despatches, wounded), evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, he was amongst the last of the BEF to leave. Commanded a regiment in Burma and took a division in the battle against Rommel’s army in the Middle East. Wounded in May 1944. Invalided out of the army in 1947.
Married on 11 February 1929 at Delhi, Bengal, India to Jean Kathleen Conway-Gordon (1909-1997).
Children: Elisabeth Jean Frink (1930-1993), sculptor and printmaker, and Timothy Cuyler Frink (1935-2009), a stock broker in Canada.
Died on 2 March 1974 at a hotel in Auxerre, Departement de l’Yonne, Bourgogne, France, where he was taken ill while travelling with his wife to their house near Avignon.
Buried at St Peter’s, Little Thurlow, Suffolk.