Ken was born to William and Alice Davies on the 26th May 1933. Ken was the youngest of four children, Edna being the eldest, then came Pat followed by Alan. They lived together in the family home in an area known as the Flower Gardens, in Bassett Green, Southampton.

Ken attended Bassett Green School, which is no more than half a mile from where we sit for this remembrance service today. Of course the area looked very different then, Ken's childhood was surrounded by fields, woods, rivers and lakes. This is no doubt where Ken's passion for nature and outdoor pursuits developed.
Ken's world significantly changed at the age of 7 when WWII, forced Ken's evacuation from Southampton to Broadmayne in Dorset.

Ken lived with a Methodist Minister and his family for those war years.
We don't know exactly what life was like for Ken at this time however for those that knew Ken could understand that the minister and his family had their hands full and I am sure Ken regularly tested their godly patience.

Ken often surprised people with his understanding of the 'Bible' and was able to quote a significant number of psalms/ chapters/ verses fluently from the bible. This no doubt came from those years spent with the Methodist Minister and his family.
At the end of WWII Ken returned to the family home in Southampton, Bassett Green. Ken's return was shorted lived as it is believed that Ken's behaviour was too much for his mother to manage and he was sent to a reform school in Wales known as Tymar.

The reform school had a significant reputation and Ken often recalled his arrival as a 12 year old boy, he was told to put his boxing gloves on to see what he was made of!

Ken impressed the teacher/ trainer and from that day forward Ken found himself in the protective circle of the boxing squad and it's trainers. Ken travelled around the UK with the amateur boxing squad and was protected from the unsavoury behaviours of some staff and pupils at the reform school.

Ken left the reform school at 15 and with the help of his sister Edna he found work as a trainee chef. Ken's chef training saw him working at a number of aristocratic estates such as Highclere Castle, Wythenshaw Hall and served historical figures such as Field Marshal Slim.

During this time Ken developed a true passion for food, which many of you sat here today would have sampled. Ken continued with his training until he was 18 when national service called.

Ken joined the Royal Fusiliers 28th Brigade in August 1951. During Ken's time in National service he served in Korea on the front line as part of the infantry division.

The Korean War is often referred to as the forgotten war.

Well it was far from forgotten for those that served their country and we know Ken like many other war veterans still have very vivid and haunting memories for a lifetime thereafter.

Ken was actually blown up (and has the shrapnel/ scars to prove it), during his treatment he contracted malaria and we nearly lost Ken but he was a natural born fighter and overcame the disease. Ken was discharged from national service on the 27/09/53.

Following Ken's discharge he secured an assist chef position in the merchant navy at 21 years of age and his maiden voyage was on the Mauretania from Southampton to New York.

Ken spent 6 years in the merchant navy and served on a number of ships including the Mauretania, Athlone and Sterling Castle.

Ken spent these years visiting numerous locations across the globe and this is no doubt where Ken's appetite for travel developed.

Ken enjoyed his time in the merchant navy and like many could have written a book on his antics during this period and no doubt many would have made your toe's curl.

Ken left the merchant navy on the 3/07/1960 following a return trip from the UK to Australia.

On the 27/07/1960 Ken joined Pirelli General in Eastleigh as a general production worker. It didn't take long before Ken's no nonsense leadership skills were spotted and he was promoted to general Forman. Pirelli supported Ken through his development in people management and Ken excelled and passed a number of management courses with distinction. This resulted in Ken's promotion to section manager.

Ken enjoyed 21 years service at Pirelli General and took redundancy in May 1981.
During the later part of Ken's time in Pirelli's he established a steel erection business 'Zamcrest' which increased Ken's interest in construction and the financial opportunities that the industry offered.

Upon leaving Pirelli's Ken established his own building firm 'Mansbridge Builders'.
In the early stages Ken specialised in the building of fireplaces, ponds and ornamental construction using purbeck stone.

Ken then diversified into general construction both in the domestic and industrial markets.

At the peak of Ken's business he employed 40 people .

Ken was a successful business man and also during this time he was very proud of the house that he had built in North Baddesley where he lived to the day of his passing.

Ken was not a greedy man and by 1990 at the age of 57 Ken felt that he had accumulated enough funds to comfortably retire.

Although Ken retired from his main business he did have his fingers in a number of pie's and some of you sat here today benefitted from his business accruement and wisdom. Helping people that deserved it was close to Ken's heart.

During Ken's retirement he pursued a number of hobbies which he was passionate about three examples were wood turning, fly fishing and Free Masonry. Those of you that new Ken would know and appreciate how passionate he was when he set his mind to something, he always gave 110%.

In Ken's earlier life he was passionate about birds (the feathered variety) and he kept a range of birds from a talking jackdaw to a tropical macaw.

He also kept fish ranging from a clown fish to a tetraodontidae (puffer fish).
Ken also enjoyed sub aqua diving and regularly dived the Jurassic coast for scallops.

At the pinnacle of his diving he dived the Scapa Flow, in the Orkney Islands, where 74 German ships were scuttled following the WWI defeat. This is one of the most challenging dives in the UK, and Ken actually saved a young American man's life who got himself into trouble during a wreck dive.

Ken also enjoyed travelling and visited and toured South America and Africa during his retirement years.

Ken had an interesting, challenging yet rewarding life. He was a loving husband, dependable father, doting Grandfather and a loyal family member and friend.

There are givers and takers in this life and Ken was one of life's givers!