Bradford has seen many a man with a title or letters to add to their names conduct winning bands here at Bradford.

Two docs

Last year for instance we had two MBEs and a Captain to go with the two Doctors who took to the stage.

In the past we have also had a Professor or two, a few Majors, a Colonel, Lt Colonel and even a man who was unofficially called 'The Prime Minister of Brass Bands' — the great Arthur O Pearce of Black Dyke.

Rare honour

However, only one could boast a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) — a rare honour for bravery in the RAF — although we doubt whether he boasted about it at all.

Trevor Walmsley DFC, winning conductor of Brighouse & Rastrick (1960) and Yorkshire Imperial (1970, 1972, 1975 and 1976) who was awarded his for his actions as a bomber pilot in the War.

'When you are being shot up the arse at at 200 miles an hour by a Mesherschmitt fighter, that's when you feel pressure, mate. This is just fun compared to thatKeith Miller

Being shot at

It reminds you of the story of the great Australian cricketer Keith Miller, also a pilot in the War, who asked if he ever felt pressure on the big cricket stages such as Lord's replied; 'When you are being shot up the arse at at 200 miles an hour by a Mesherschmitt fighter, that's when you feel pressure, mate. This is just fun compared to that.'

Puts all that winning nonsense into perspective then...

Trevor Walmsley DFC died on the 25th March 1998.