A MILITARY funeral marked the life of a former chairman of the Alexandra Hospital Trust and popular community figure this week.

Brigadier Brian Thomas died last Monday, aged 74, after battling against cancer for four-and-a-half years.

Nor O'Neill Thomas, his wife of 11 years, told the Advertiser her husband, who had served all over the world, was commissioned in 1950 and was involved in the Special Investigations Branch (SIB), or Royal Military Police.

Mr Thomas (pictured) held various ranks, including Deputy Assistant Provost Marshall SIB Far East Land Forces, Assistant Provost Marshall and Commanding Officer SIB headquarter British Army of the Rhine, and Provost Marshall and Commander RMP headquarters Northern Ireland.

He was made Brigadier in June 1983 and awarded the CBE in 1985, before retiring from the army and moving to Mappleborough Green in 1986.

He then became general manager of Birmingham's General Hospital from 1986-1991 and on retiring from that post took on the role of Chairman of the Trust for Redditch's Alexandra Hospital.

"He was chairman of the Studley bypass committee, a governor at St Mary's Roman Catholic School and a member of the Warwickshire police authority," said Mrs Thomas.

"He also headed up Help the Aged for Worcestershire and Warwickshire - he did a lot for the community."

She said her husband had suffered from cancer but the majority of time had felt well and led a normal life.

Mrs Thomas added: "Somebody said modesty was his hallmark, and that is true. People do remember him, even if they didn't know him but had seen him - he had a commanding presence but was a very unassuming, modest man."

A military funeral was held yesterday at St Mary's Roman Catholic Church. Mr Thomas also leaves two stepsons and six grandchildren.