Ron Wolfenden

He was born and brought up in Triangle, near Sowerby Bridge, and after attending his local school, went to Halifax Technical College. He then worked for a Halifax accountant until joining the Military Police.

Transferring to Army Intelligence, he eventually served in Burma and India, and after Japan's capitulation, he stayed in the Far East and was in charge of rounding up Japanese war criminals. He revisited the region two years ago with his son Richard.

That part of his career led to his becoming a member of the

Intelligence Corps veterans group, driving to its monthly meetings in York, and being nominated to represent it at the Queen's birthday party in July.

After returning to the UK, Ron Wolfenden would have joined the police, but failed an eye test. Instead he joined the Leeds-based British arm of American-owned Diamond Shamrock Chemicals. He rose through the company to become managing director of the British operation, retiring in 1981.

As a teenager, Ron Wolfenden was an opening batsman with Triangle Cricket Club which he re-joined after the War, becoming captain and leading it to triumph in the 1953 Halifax Parish Cup final.

Later he played for Sowerby Bridge CC and in 1962 joined Central Yorkshire League club Methley CC, near Leeds. His association with the club, as player, captain, chairman, club historian and president, lasted 48 years.

He was chairman of the club in 1998 when it won the National Village Cup at Lords.

Rugby was another sporting interest. He was a director of Halifax RLFC between 1966 and 1972, and became vice-chairman.

His wife Ruth died in 2005 and he is survived by their two children Richard and Jane, their other daughter, Judith, having died last month.