Remembering Kenneth William Rednall Orger (OI 1928-33)

Kenneth served with the 58th Medium Regiment Royal Artillery and was one of the last soldiers to return from Dunkirk. The Regiment was based in Suffolk and saw action in Belgium before retreating to Menin, close to Ypres and then to Dunkirk. All its guns and equipment were left behind. On its return, the Regiment was based at Bovington in Dorset and then Christchurch. In 1942, it embarked for Algiers and fought with the 1st and 8th Armies in North Africa before engaging in the fierce fighting at Cassino in Italy. It then carried on to France and Germany.

One of his cousins, on hearing that he was one of the last to leave Dunkirk, remarked: "That figures. Ken would be saying "No no, after you" to all his comrades queuing for the Boats with him - always a gentleman to the fingertips"

Kenneth was born in 1917 on Candlemass in Catford. At Ipswich School he was put into the A stream (there being only A and B streams) and regularly won prizes for diligence and hard work from headmaster Charles Sherwood. 

He loved cricket and hockey, the latter sport introduced to the School by the Revd H. A. S. Pink in 1930, and played hockey for Ipswich Town on leaving school. He was popular with both his classmates and the staff, being a quiet, well-mannered boy. 

He left school in 1933 at the beginning of Truman Tanqueray’s headship, and started work with the Employers Liability Assurance Company in Ipswich. He regularly attended school functions and loved OI Cricket Week where he played an active role, either with bat in hand, or scoring. 

In 1941 he married a Norwegian Scot, Euphemia Milner, and they had three children – two daughters and a son Ian (OI 1955-62).

Kenneth was never happier that being given an opportunity to welcome OIs of all generations to his home. His wife once quipped that she was married to two people – Ken Orger and Ipswich School! 

In 1948 he received a call from the Alliance Assurance Co. in Oxford, headhunting him for the position of Accident Superintendent. He remained in Oxford for the next 28 years, returning to Suffolk on his retirement in 1976. He and Effie settled happily in Southwold.

He was a very honourable man, generous, non-judgmental and broadminded. He left us with a treasury of happy memories, which will stay with us for ever.

We believe the above was written by Kenneth's son Ian Orger (OI 1955-62).