I met Dave about a month into our time at St John’s College. 
Dave had been drafted in to play trumpet in the college orchestra – Dave was an excellent cornet player and, for the standards of the college orchestra, that meant he was also an excellent trumpet player as well.
I’d been trying to avoid orchestra rehearsals but had finally had to give up and attend.
I rushed in, late – as I would continue to do for the next 4 years – to find someone sitting in the 1st Trumpet seat.  I said hello and Dave asked if I was the trumpet player he’d heard so much about.  I answered, “Yes, but keep quiet about it!”.
So started a friendship that would last for 35 years.
After that I came to consider Dave my “best mate”.

Whatever happened over the ensuing years Dave was always there. 
He was an outstanding friend, a drinking mate, a shoulder to cry on, always a source of good impartial advice and an excellent but modest musician.
He was the essence of compassion, humour and modesty.
Over the years, as our lives moved in different directions, we saw each other (and our other college friends) less.  But every time we managed to get together, the years would just drop away leaving those fresh faced young men we last saw in the late 1980s.
Dave was the best man at my wedding and managed to do a speech that showed his ever present wit whilst keeping away from the “naughty bits” to appease the elderly relatives attending!
This is my chance to say goodbye to a true friend. This is my chance to say thank you for the chance to have Dave as my “best mate” for all of these years. This is my chance to say, one last time,

“Cheers Dave – love you mate”.