GATFORD, D L (21006014) (V)

Don Gatford was my father and I have so many wonderful memories from my childhood. I remember when I used to walk with his ex-wife, my Mother, Margaret to meet him from work. We lived in Army flats on Stillington Street and we would walk to meet him at St James Park, as he was working in Regimental Headquarters on Birdcage Walk. My highlight used to be feeding the ducks and making daisy chains to put around his neck. I remember him wearing his beautiful Bearskin cap and red Tunic when Trooping The Colour for HRH Queen Elizabeth II. Being an only child I stayed close to my Dad and due to London not being good for my health we moved to Brighton and then for many years in Norfolk. In Norfolk as a civilian, he worked as a court baliff for the Norwich courts, then at Docwras Rockmaking business as a store manager before joining Global Marine as a stores keeper. I didn't get to see my Dad too much as we both seemed to be living and working in different parts of the world as the years went by. I can honestly say that his love and strictness as I was brought up has helped me to become the strong independent person I am today. Dad,"Once a Grenadier, always a Grenadier".

I was priviliged to have worked with Don for some years during which he sort of became my mentor. We were both working for Global Marine offshore. Don was the Storekeeper and I was a lowly ordinary seaman. Don went out of his way to train me and show me the ropes of running offshore materials. He did this for nearly two years until he was promoted and transferred to a new rig building project in Pascagoula Shipyard, Mississippi. I continued on as a seaman and still kept up my training albeit on my own. Then six months later out of the blue I was told to pack my kit and that I was on my way to Pascagoula, Mississippi. Don had not forgotten me and had specifically asked for me to join him in the shipyard project. This was the type of man Don was. He never forgot a friend and was always true to his word. We then went on to work together, Don in the office in Gabon, West Africa and me on the rig in West Africa. It was then that I met the wonderful Eve, Don's wife and they became almost like my second family. Later Don was promoted again to Area Materials Manager and he requested that I be promoted into the office in Gabon. This all took place and we continued to work together until his retirement. I will never forget Don and will be eternally grateful to him for recognizing the potential in me. I went on to become the General Manager of two American Oil & Gas Companies. So I will end by saying "To Don, A true gentleman, it was an honour to have known you"

We first met when we worked together in the stores at moores garage in  Brighton-this was not the normal type of garage but a huge premises reserved for servicing and repairing all types of military vehicles.be it a jeep or huge tank like lorries called quads. We became very good friends and as he lived not far away and I had a motorbike we went to his mothers army flat at an army drill hall with 4 flats above reserved for ex service personnel. i was two years older than him and was called up for 2 years national service but kept in close toutch with him. Soon after my discharge we met up again and I went out with his sister Doris and he went out with my present wife Gwen. He later joined the army and after initial training joined the Grenadier Guards. We kept in touch and were very close friends and went out in a foursome, he with Gwen and me with his sister,  circumstances changed but we remained good friends.Ii was so sad when I heard of his death but will never forget him and hope one dayIi could see where he ended life.