Richard was born in Bromley, Kent to Arthur Richard Kidner and his wife, Mabel Wakeley. His father who had been educated at Cambridge, was in the First Secretary’s Office at the General Post Office at the time of his marriage in 1909. By 1935, he was Controller of Stamps at Somerset House and, eventually, became Director of Postal Services at the Royal Mint. He died in 1948.
Richard was educated at Westminster and matriculated in 1939 having been awarded the Weston Exhibition. He was up at Christ Church for two years and was Gazetted Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery on 4 November 1941.
He died, accidentally, in Trieste on 15 February 1946 whilst serving as a Captain with the 64th Bty, 3 Field Regiment of the Royal Artillery.
His parents wrote to Christ Church on 22 March. They were living in Seaford, Sussex.
Richard is buried in Udine War Cemetery Plot III. D. 12.