Additional general notes on the memorial
Suffolk and Essex Free Press 19/6/1918 reported:
'THE REV R.A.P. COLBORNE C.F.
The Rev Richard Arthur Pell Colborne, C.F., who was killed on May 28 when ministering to the wounded, was the elder son of the Rev. Arthur Colborne (formerly Headmaster of Sudbury Grammar School) and Mrs. Colborne, of Quy Vicarage. Cambridge. He was educated at St. Faith's Cambridge, and at Radley College under Dr. Field, and won a scholarship at Worcester College, Oxford, graduating with honours in Divinity in 1909. After taking his degree he was ordained in the parish of Gaddesden, Herts, and in 1913 given charge of St. John's Church, Romford. In 1916 he was called to the populous district of St. John's, Merton, and in March, 1917, he went to France and was attached as chaplain to the London Regiment. In December of the same year he was badly gassed, but made a good recovery. In March. 1918, he reached home for fortnight's leave, and in less than a week hurried back to the regiment, so soon as he heard of the attack; The senior chaplain writes: I have had a chat with the colonel, who spoke of him in terms of great affection, and said that the men all loved him. This I know to be true; we were all proud of him. He just lived for others, and we could hardly expect that he would die in any other way. His priestly work was wonderfully effective; he brought many boys to Confirmation, and his spiritual influence was splendid. The colonel tells me that had from 300 to 400 men at a voluntary service not long ago, and that should be sufficient testimony to his real hold over men as a minister and priest.” One of the men writes .‘"He died thinking only of others, thus carrying out to the last the principles and example of the Master he served so well. I believe that his life with us made a great impression even on the least religious among us, and I have no doubt that his practical example had more effect than a thousand sermons by the most eloquent preacher".
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001584/19180619/071/0006