Brian G. Davies

Born in 1933 in South London of Welsh parentage, Brian G. Davies was at the start of World War Two one of London's evacuees. Having spent a year as such in a small South Wales mining village he was then sent as a boarder to King's School, Ely in Cambridgeshire, where he remained until the war's end. Returning home in 1945, Brian transferred to Alleyn's College, Dulwich, and in 1952 was called up for National Service, initially at the Tower of London then posted to the Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment) in Canterbury, before eventually joining the R.A.E.C. Most of this period was served as an educational Sergeant Instructor in Singapore. Following his demob, Brian spent three years studying to qualify as a teacher. After some years as such in various schools he withdrew from the teaching profession and turned instead to commerce as a management consultant, working for various "blue-chip" companies. During this period he met Maureen, his wife-to-be, also a teacher, and they had two children. Over a considerable period they owned several motorhomes and spent many holidays travelling throughout the U.K. and on the continent. This enabled them to indulge their passion for exploration and travel while broadening the experiences of their children. Amongst their travels they followed the Pilgrim Route to Compostela, visited Singapore, crossed the Canadian Rockies by motorhome, cruised up the Inside Passage to Alaska, and ascended several of France's highest passes. In their retirement they settled in the Welsh Marches, first at Leintwardine, then at Knighton, becoming active members of Leintwardine Methodist Church, and constant members of community activity groups. Brian's beloved wife Maureen passed away in April 2014, after which Brian began putting together the book of poetry that would be released in her memory, A Fountain Stirred, which would also help raise for a pancreatic cancer charity. Brian busied himself with volunteering work, including befriending, and driving, until he moved away from Knighton in 2017 to be nearer to his children and grandchildren. Brian became an active member of U3A, and of several local history societies in the Swansea area, and spent a lot of time with his grandchildren, and children. He continued to travel, including to Vietnam and Cambodia, and to write articles, and give talks on his experiences. He passed away in January 2022, after a short non-Covid respiratory illness. During the last couple of years of his life he had worked hard on compiling his book or memoirs, and travel, A Road So Travelled, and this was published posthumously a few weeks after he died.