Dick Bruce (1919 - 2008)

We will fondly remember Dick Bruce who has died aged 89. Truth be told, Dick will be unforgettable to all who knew him, his boundless energy seeing him live his life to the full right to the very end.

To Tonsley Events, Dick was particularly special. His mischievous wit was the perfect fit - in fact, it has inevitably defined part of Tonsley, his humour having rubbed off on Joe and Rob (his son and grandson). Even in his late 80s, Dick played a direct role in our activities, embracing the spirit of Tonsley and injecting his unrelenting enthusiasm.

As a soldier and doctor, Dick had a fascinating life. Indeed, the Tonsley Time Team tour to Monte Cassino in 2003 was planned around Dick's front-line experience of this major WWII battle and all who joined this journey will remember Dick's poignant first-hand accounts as we retraced his steps of some 60 years before.

The four of us will probably most fondly recall Dick's participation in the Operation Yelsnot Day of Reckoning in 2004 - a truly memorable night with Dick's bubbly character at its classic best.

It was during this wonderful evening that Dick, along with the three other Tonsley dads, took on the Second Chapter of this challenge. Over the year that followed, Dick embraced the task, adorning his Tonsley cap and travelling to places as far afield as the Shetland Islands in search of weird sporting events.

Tonsley has given us a lot of fun over the last few years, never more so than when Dick was around the table. As he gets up from his seat, a little piece of Tonsley goes with him.