Born in Bermuda and educated at Wellington College. On leaving school he joined the Coldstream Guards, went to Sandhurst and in 1955 was commissioned into the 4th Queen’s Own Hussars.

Capt AE Burland
Capt AE Burland

He joined the Regiment in Hohne, Germany where he became a Troop Leader in ‘C’ Squadron. He was a good all-around athlete and boxed for the regiment.

He wasn’t a keen horseman and in order to encourage him, he found that, together with another reluctant horseman, Douglas Scott, they had been allocated a horse, called Carter Paterson, to share and look after.

Arthur wanted to get married and, as he was under 25 years old, needed to get permission from the Commanding Officer.

When this was refused he decided to join the Army Air Corps where he learnt to fly Austers and in 1957 married Jenny Odbert.

They went on to have three children, a son and two daughters.

In 1962 he rejoined the regiment in Aden when the regimental flight was formed under Brian Wright. Amongst his co-pilots were Robin Merton and Brian Kenny. He went on to serve with ‘C’ Squadron of the regiment in Malaya and Borneo.

He then returned to England to convert to flying helicopters and in November 1964 took command of the regimental flight in Wolfenbutel, Germany.

Arthur’s love of life was flying and, as he felt his career choices in the Army were limited, he decided in 1967 to leave the army and become a civilian helicopter pilot. He had some interesting jobs including flying for Hugh Fraser of Harrods, to the North Sea Oil platforms and for the Police. It was during this time he separated from Jenny and remarried. He eventually had to give up flying.

Arthur always felt life was greener on the other side of the fence and on retirement decided to move, with his wife Serina and their young daughter, to live in France. There he busied himself researching what life was like in Vichy France, trying to learn French and enjoying being the oldest father at school gatherings.

In the last year, he suffered from ill health but was always cheerful, and everyone thought he was on the road to recovery when he had a relapse and sadly died in hospital.

Related topics

  1. A short history of The 4th Hussars
  2. A short history of The Queen’s Royal Irish Hussars
  3. Aden and The Persian Gulf 1961
  4. Malaya and Borneo 1962-64