A FORMER Scots Guardsman who was also an active member of the Royal British Legion (RBL) on the IW has died aged just 61.

David Smith Dalrymple Todd, of Riboleau Street Ryde, was born in 1957 in Irvine, Scotland to Sam and Jeanie Todd and was the eldest of three brothers.

He joined the 1st Battalion Scots Guards in September 1972 and was a guardsman and infantryman. He did three tours of Northern Ireland and was also posted to Germany and Kenya.

In 1976 he was stationed at Pirbright camp in Surrey where he taught soldiers to drive Land Rovers and lorries.

He met his wife, Yvonne, in Knaphill near Woking Surrey in December 1976 and they married the following year in December 1977. They travelled with the army and were stationed in London,Northern Ireland and Warminster Wiltshire. The couple also had three sons Allistair, Glenn and Craig.

Mr Todd left the army in 1982 to secure a permanent home for his family and in 2000 they all moved to the Isle of Wight for a better life.

He worked at Wightlink on the cats for seven years and at Island Harbour as a lock keeper,and lastly at the Cowes floating bridge.

He was an active member of the Royal British Legion and was vice chairman there. He was also was a member of the veterans club and sadly passed away unexpectedly on Armed Forces day in Sandown whilst taking part in the marches on June 16.

He leaves behind his widow Yvonne, sons Allistair, Glenn and Craig, daughters in law, Liz, Jo and Lois and grandchildren Jasmine, Charlie and Isabella,

His funeral took place at All Saints Church Ryde on July 20 and was attended by at least 300 people. His funeral cortège was escorted by a lone piper and a Royal British Legion standard bearer. The Royal British Legion and other members of armed forces walked with the cortège to the church and outside a guard of honour was formed on the pavement.

After the funeral service conducted by Canon Morris the cortège was accompanied by pipers and a drummer and the Royal British Legion and the RBL Bikers to the cemetery where as a mark of respect the roads had been closed to allow the procession to move freely. At the graveside the pipers played a lament and the RBL sounded the last post and dipped their flags.

David will be greatly missed by all his family and anyone who knew him.