This fine man was a good while after me and it was some time before I became aware of him, probably not until he was advancing up the ladder of promotion and I was directing operations in either the senior or the junior theory room. Wherever, it was not long before I was struck by the attitude of this tall, agile young man. Though unfailingly polite he had a wonderful sense of humour which he signalled through a very mobile face which could always be relied on to warn you of an impending "funny". His turnout was never anything else other than immaculate, a fine example to all around him. On the podium he reminded me very much of my old colleague and dear friend, Don Guthrie, very expressive and deeply involved with the music. He had much personal courage and was one of the few people I knew who could be relied upon to stand his ground, if he thought he was right, even in the face of our illustrious leader, Sir Francis Vivian Dunn.

He was the stuff of the earth, the sort of officer that made the old School of Music work so admirably, as it did. I'm sure that all that knew him would join me in expressing our sorrow and in wishing his dear wife, June, our intense regrets that he had to die so relatively young. Vale!*Dicky Place.

Tom Lambert

*[edit] Latin

[edit] Verb form
vale

singular present imperative of valere

[edit] Interjection
vale

goodbye, farewell
"Ave atque vale." (Hello and goodbye.)