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NEWS OF OLD BRUTONIANS
OBITUARIES
PETER RUDORF (L90/96)
Report by Jill Harding that appeared in a local Salisbury
newspaper
A POPULAR SALISBURY RUGBY PLAYER HAS DIED IN A
DEEP-SEA DIVING TRAGEDY OFF THE COAST OF IRAQ.
Peter Rudorf (25) was working as a commercial diver in
the south of the country when the incident happened on
Monday morning. The well-loved former Cathedral
School pupil had spent nine weeks in the Gulf clearing
shipping routes into the war-torn country.
“He was working for a company contracted by the US
Government,” said Mr Rudorf’s devastated uncle, Mr Mike
Smith. “In order to get aid in by sea, the water first needs
to be dredged and cleared of debris. Pete was one of the
divers who went ahead of the dredger to clear away bits
of metal and other equipment dumped in the sea which
got in the way. It was very dangerous - there were mines
and they had been shot at by snipers. He found it very
difficult work and was just looking forward to coming
home in August for the bank holiday weekend.”
Mr Rudorf who lived with his family in St Ann Street,
Salisbury later attended King’s School, Bruton and went
on to study at Oxford Brookes University. He completed
his deep-sea diving training at the Royal Naval College,
Portsmouth, four years ago and had been stationed in
Scotland before being contracted to work in the Gulf. “It
was a job he had always enjoyed,” said Mr Smith. “He had
an adventurous spirit and loved going to different places
around the world - but I know he found this contract in
Iraq very hard. He had been in Kuwait first and was then
moved to Iraq. I remember so clearly the day he left, 63
days before he died - what makes it so hard is we all
knew he was counting the days until he came home.”
Mr Rudorf was an avid rugby fan and loved playing
and watching the sport. He was a key member of
Salisbury rugby club and in May helped them secure
victory in the prestigious Lychett Minster seven-a-side
tournament. “Pete was a very keen rugby player and
played for the First XV at Bruton,” added Mr Smith. “He
loved playing for Salisbury rugby club and was great
friends with the other players. Pete was a first-class
player and we know how much his team will miss him.”
The popular sportsman was well-known throughout
Salisbury, where he had many life-long friends. “He was a
very sociable person,” said Mr Smith “He loved living in
the city centre and he always had friends round and
staying over. We used to joke that the house was like a
youth hostel because there were so many people round
all the time.”
Mr Rudorf dreamed of joining the Royal Marines and
had cut back on his rugby commitments so that he could
focus on the gruelling selection process. “He was very
determined,” said Mr Smith. “We are left numb by what
happened. It is so sad, and I can imagine there are a lot of
young people in Salisbury who were friends with Pete
who are sharing our grief. We don’t know the details of
what happened yet - all we can say is that it was a
terrible tragedy.”
Mr Rudorf leaves his parents, Lind and Simon, brother,
Ian and sisters, Fiona and Helen. An investigation is
under way to establish the circumstances surrounding
his tragic death.
ARTHUR CHARLES CROSFIELD ODDIE (O24/27)
13th June 1909 - 30th August 2002
Address given by his son-in-law, Mark Wightman, at
Charles’s funeral on September 9th, 2002
It is a great honour to have been asked to give this
address to a man for whom I will always have huge
respect. Where do I start? At the risk of being perverse - I
am going to start at the end! Olivia - who has been a
tower of strength in looking after Charles over recent
years - kindly let me read the letters and cards of
condolence that she has received and I would like to
quote from some of them: “Gentle, positive, a lesson to us
all and to humanity”; “A fine, sophisticated and very
distinguished ‘gentle - man”; “Courteous”; “Delightful
courtesy”; “A passion for so many interests”; “A very
stimulating person with so many interests”.
Remember these quotations as I recount a few
stories that demonstrate just how accurate and
perceptive they are.
Charles was born in Clarendon Road, Redland, Bristol
into a Quaker family whose ideals were important to him
all his life. He was the youngest of four children, 2 boys
and 2 girls. I knew them as Aunty Bimbi, Uncle Duncan
and Aunty Mary. He was especially fond of Mary, the
eldest.
Later at King’s School, Bruton he became very keen
on games. I quote from the Old Brutonian Newsletter,
April 1995:
Tom Blanning 1909 - 1995 Family legend records that
when his father brought Tom to the Old House for the first
time, he told the Headmaster, Charles Tremlett, “I don’t
mind what Tom learns, as long as he plays games.” Mr
Tremlett, who was to be found as often in the hunting field
as in the classrooms, did little to deflect the path of this
parental choice of education.
Charles thoroughly approved of those sentiments,
although he was clearly successful academically as well!
He loved his time at Bruton and regularly attended Old
Boys Dinners until last year - not surprisingly he was the
oldest old boy and had become quite a celebrity.
His family moved from Bristol to Churchill and it was
there he met Miss Cynthia Corefield who later became
his wife. The family grew with five daughters by which
time they had returned to live in Bristol at 27 Downs Park
26 OLD BRUTONIAN ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER 2004