David Strangeways

David Inderwick Strangeways DSO, OBE (26 February 19121 August 1998) was a colonel in the British Army who helped organise several military deceptions during World War II. After leaving the army in 1957, he took holy orders.

Early life Strangeways was born in Cambridge, the third son of Strangeways, founder of the Strangeways Research Laboratory. He attended Cambridgeshire High School for Boys and later Trinity Hall, Cambridge, reading History.

Post-war After the Allies' victory over Nazi Germany, Strangeways was given the role of political adviser to the Allied Commissioners for Westphalia and the Rhine. This role was a combination of intelligence work, administration of German detainees and border control. Later, following two staff appointments in England, Strangeways briefly joined the Green Howards. In 1949, a posting to the British Military Mission in Greece saw him advising the Greek government.

In 1952, Strangeways took command of the 1st Battalion the East Yorkshire Regiment. The regiment was on a three-year tour of Malaya and engaged in fighting the Communist insurgency during the Malayan Emergency.

Theological career Strangeways left the Army in 1957 to attend Wells Theological College and gain Anglican holy orders. In 1958, his first appointment was as curate of Lee-on-the-Solent. From 1961 to 1965, he was vicar at Symondsbury, Dorset, followed by eight years at Holy Trinity Church, Bradford on Avon. He served as Chaplain at St Peter and St Sigfrid's Church in Stockholm and, in 1977, became Chancellor and Senior Canon of St Paul's Pro-Cathedral, Malta.

Strangeways retired in 1981 and returned to England, continuing to serve as a priest in the dioceses of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and Norwich.