THE Queen has officially appointed Col. Dai Davies (68), of Haverfordwest, as the next High Sheriff of Dyfed. She 'pricked' his name in time honoured fashion by silver bodkin from a parchment list and he takes office on March 28. Then the former chief bank manager and Commandant of the Dyfed Army Cadet Force will take over the 1,000-year-old ceremonial role as the sovereign's representative in Dyfed, from the current High Sheriff, Dr. Ann Rhys, of Ceredigion. Married to Linda and with two married children, Richard and Sian, Col. Davies was born in St. Dogmaels, youngest son of the village policeman, the late PC and Mrs. Dai Davies. Educated at St. Dogmaels Church School and Cardigan Grammar School, he joined the National Provincial Bank in 1955, serving all over the UK. He became NatWest senior agricultural manager covering the UK in 1984, and retired as chief manager West Wales at Haverfordwest in 1993. After National Service in the Royal Artillery from 1957-59, he joined the TA and was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in 1983 and Colonel Commandant of the Dyfed Army Cadet Force in 1990. Appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Dyfed in 1998, he is still actively involved in many voluntary and youth organisations with which he has been associated for over 50 years. He is very active in Haverfordwest Rotary Club, of which he is a past president and Paul Harris Fellow and holds office in many other spheres. Note: The Shrievalty dates from Saxon times and the ceremony of the bodkin pricking from the reign of Elizabeth I. The High Sheriff represents the sovereign in support of the judiciary, the police and other law enforcement agencies and also the voluntary sector.
