Bernard Penfold


Robert Bernard Penfold CB LVO was a British Army officer who commanded South East District.

Military career

Penfold was commissioned into the Leicestershire Regiment in 1936 and then transferred to the Indian Army. He served in World War II as an officer in Iraqforce and after the War transferred to the Royal Artillery. He became commanding Officer of 6th Battalion King's African Rifles in Tanganyika in 1959. He was appointed Commander of 127th Infantry Brigade in 1962, Security Operations Advisor to the High Commissioner in Aden during the Aden Emergency in 1964 and Chief of Defence Staff, Kenya Defence Forces in 1966. He went on to be General Officer Commanding South East District in 1969 before he retired in 1972. He was appointed CB in 1969 and died in 2015.
After he retired from the Army, he became the first general manager of the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club from 1972 to 1979. Penfold Park in the centre of the Sha Tin Racecourse, which was constructed during his term of office as general manager, is named in his honour.