Major Derek James Edward Bamford was born in 1926, son of the late Charles and Nellie Bamford of Kingston-Upon-Thames in the UK.

Derek served in both the British and Canadian Armies, principally with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada (2nd Battalion) and the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry. He completed tours in Burma, Korea, Germany, Cyprus and Vietnam, many with the UN Peacekeeping Forces.

An avid traveller with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Derek enjoyed sharing tales of life’s travelled roads. He and wife Mitou took pleasure in their many trips to far-off places, including southeast Asia, Europe and continental North America, either on their own or with friends and family.

Derek died 9 January 2005 at Saffron Walden in England.