I WOULD like to add my congratulations and appreciation to Tony Ruth’s letter of Saturday July 3 on the 100th birthday last Friday of Wally Driffield MBE, a great and most knowledgeable man of Bournemouth.

I first met Wally in 1991 when I enrolled on a Bournemouth Tour Guide course he was running over winter 1991-92.

I was already keenly interested in Bournemouth history but Wally and his talks greatly increased my knowledge and inspired me to become a local tour guide, historian and author.

I remain eternally grateful to him. Wally, here’s to the next 100!

John Walker, Grove Road, Bournemouth