Page 11 - Flaming Cauldron – Issue 54

ACC ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER

The Last Post

appointments during his time in the ACC includ- Memo from Surrey University
regarding Major Bruno
ing HQ 1 BR Corps in Bielefeld (where I followed
Burford’s retirement
him some 40 years later! Ed.), completing his Army
career as OC Technical Training in the ACC
Training Centre where he was permanent President
of the Trade Testing Board.
His somewhat fluid date of birth raised its head
again in 1958 when his original Commission run-
out date was going to be three years earlier than it
should have been. So it was at last corrected but
it is believed this may have cost him a promotion
through his having been rumbled at last. Bruno
remained in the Army, now in the rank of Major,
until his retirement at 55 (his correct age) in 1972.
However, retirement was not for him so he
returned to hotel and catering management at the
Devonshire Club in London and subsequently
became catering manager at Surrey University, a
post he did not much enjoy. When an opportunity
to join the audio visual department of that same
University came along, he took it, and stayed there
very happily until he was 71. Again he worked his
way up and not only learnt all about theatre equip-
ment but he also educated himself by watching

many of the lectures for which he had prepared.
He was most happy there because he could prac-
tice his love of tinkering and repairing. He also
brought many items home, some working, some
not. Whether these items were surplus to require-
ment or awaiting repair they were stored at home
in the loft.
There is no doubt that Bruno lived a very full
and varied life. He also enjoyed his little pleasures,
smoking his pipe, drinking a tipple of Martini,
indulging his sweet tooth and playing the football
pools, always winning enough to cover his costs,
plus a little. Apparently he was the same with
the slot machines in the Officers’ Mess and Club.
He would patiently watch others topping up the
machines then he would follow with his bag of £1
coins and take the winnings. He also loved his food
and was lucky never to have had to take any other
form of medication, ever, probably the real secret to
his long life…
His final wish to was to remain in his beloved
bungalow till the end, which he was able to do. On
the 28th of August, son James made an unsched-
uled trip to Bruno’s house to cut his grass. The carer
and James gave him his supper in bed, and while he
was enjoying his usual cup of coffee he peacefully
Major Bruno Burford slipped away.
with daughter Maureen Bruno Burford, ‘Father of the Corps’, may you
at Corps Sunday 2012 Rest in Peace.

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