Michael Eric Giles Welsford was born in 1935 in Romford where his father was a successful shopkeeper.

After attending Brentwood School and some further education he was called up for National Service with the Essex Regiment, being commissioned on 14 January 1956 and serving at the Depot at Warley. On completion of his full-time service on 30 December of that year he transferred to the Army Emergency Reserve (known as ‘The Ever-Readies’, a category of reserve willing to be deployed overseas at short notice), remaining there until June 1960.

In civilian life he became a lecturer in English at South-East Essex Technical College and School of Art in Dagenham. There he took up running as a hobby, competing in a number of marathons. He was also a loyal supporter of and player for his old school’s cricket club. On retirement he moved to Bristol to be near a cousin (his only sister having died in 1990), but subsequently returned to live in Brentwood. He loved travelling, visiting Canada, America, Australia and South Africa in later life.

Michael remained intensely proud of his brief period of military service, joining the Pompadour Officers’ Dinner Club and attending the annual cocktail parties for many years. These were held at the Army & Navy Club, of which he became a member, often utilising the Club’s reciprocal facilities on his travels. He is remembered as always being immaculately turned out, never without a tie or cravat in public, and was described as an absolute gentleman.

Sadly he was diagnosed with dementia and had to move into a care home in Basildon, where he died peacefully on 2 April 2020. He was laid to rest in Woodman Road Cemetery, Warley, on 13 May. With coronavirus restrictions in place and having no family other than his elderly cousin who was unable to travel, attendance was limited to some previous neighbours but the Regiment was pleased to be represented by Lieutenant Colonel Simon Bacon, and suitable purple flowers were arranged.