David Urquart Esplin Miller 1923 "“ 2015

David was born in Grimsby and went to Wintringham School, Aberdeen University in 1942 and then to Guy`s Hospital from 1946 to 1952 when he qualified as a Licentiate of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England  (R.C.S. Eng).

In 1941 David volunteered for special entry into the Royal Artillery and was commissioned in 1943, whence he served in West Africa, Italy, Greece and Palestine. In 1945 he married Mary and they had a family of four children and seven grand children.

David was President of the British Dental Association from 1961 to 1974, joining Grimsby Rotary Club in 1979, serving as President 1988/89. David had a distinctive, booming voice, loved to converse on many subjects and was a member of the quiz team.

David participated in the first battlefield tour to the Somme and Lochnager Crater. A short service had been organised at the Crater with a French piper and the laying of a wreath. David read out a moving poem and it is safe to say that were few dry eyes.

David and Mary enjoyed caravanning, travelling in Europe and dancing. As an avid supporter of the Rotary caravan club, he towed his van as far as Italy and to many regions of France, even at an age when most would have abandoned the challenge. On another battlefield tour the crossing over the North Sea was a little rough - a force 8-9 gale. Both were doing the quick step and were so engrossed in demonstrating “twiddly bits” that they started at one corner of the dance floor and, as the ship listed, gracefully slid across to the other side. 

In 2014 David`s health had deteriorated and he was in a local care home. On a trip to complete some private business he had a fall which broke his thigh resulting in both David and Mary moving to a care home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire to be nearer to their family.  David did not fully recover from his injury and sadly died on 15^th August 2015.