A prominent High Wycombe hotelier, former Councillor and Dunkirk veteran has passed away aged 95.

Peter Mogford, a well-known figure in the High Wycombe and Bledlow Ridge communities, passed away on Tuesday, May 26.

He was born on October 18, 1919 in Southend-on-Sea to parents Arthur and Rosa and was educated at Magdelen College School in Oxford, where he was an avid rower, boxer and rugby player.

After leaving school and sensing that war with Hitler was inevitable, he enlisted with the army at Cowley Barracks, in Oxford. He was selected for training at Bulford Barracks and commissioned as second lieutenant with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers.

Starting his campaign in Belgium, he found himself near Dunkirk and after being pushed back by the Germans and awaiting evacuation on the beach, his RNF platoon was ordered back to hold the front line against the advancing Germans. At just 20 years old, he was tasked with holding his men in the front line position.

It seemed that they would not be heading back to England, which was reinforced when they heard reports on BBC World Service saying the Dunkirk evacuation had been completed.   

However, at the last minute they received a change of orders to evacuate and managed to leave on the Margate Queen.

Coincidently, after returning from Dunkirk, the train delivering Peter back to the Catterick Camp on June 2 1940, passed slowly through High Wycombe station and whilst he was sleeping, a fellow soldier threw a screwed up scrap of paper onto the platform saying ‘Mogford is safe’.

The station master picked it up and delivered it to his worried parents, who were hoteliers living at the Red Lion Hotel.

Peter went on to serve in North Africa, Cyprus, Italy and India, rising to the position of Major before he was de-commissioned after the war.

He married Pamela in 1946 and went on to have two sons and a daughter.

Peter became a director of the family business, which he ran with his elder brother Harry. Together, they operated various hotels during including the Red Lion and Falcon hotels in High Wycombe and Weston Manor, in Oxford.

After the Red Lion was sold, he developed the Runnymede Hotel in Egham, and also owned the White Hart Hotel, Sonning and Wrens Old House House, Windsor.

He was also heavily involved in the High Wycombe community, playing for and supporting High Wycombe Rugby Union Football Club and becoming a local Councillor for Bledlow Ridge for some time.

He also spent time as a guarantor at the annual High Wycombe Guarantors party and as Worshipful Master of Hughenden Lodge, while dedicating his time to being President of the local Dunkirk Veteran’s Association.

As President, he worked tirelessly to raise money for the permanent Dunkirk Memorial in Castle Street, which was unveiled in 2008.

After retiring, he remained active by challenging himself to complete strenuous walks, including included a 192-mile Coast to Coast walk from St Bees to Whitby at the age of 82 and the 110-mile Icknield Way path.

Peter is survived by his wife Pamela, 94, two sons, a daughter, six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and his brother Tony Mogford MBE, a farmer in Wendover.

His funeral will be held on Tuesday, June 9 at 11am in St Paul’s Church, Bledlow Ridge.