I was brought up in an R.A.F. family where my late father was the flying instructor for 609 Squadron who were using the Mosquito aircraft. Both my grandfather and uncle served with the R.A.F. one in the RFC the other as a national serviceman. My father's postings took us to Eastleigh in Kenya and Nicosia in Cyprus plus stations in the UK. I joined the BSA Police in Rhodesia in March 1969 (My late mother being born in Bulawayo) and then joined the Rhodesian/Zimbabwe Rhodesian and finally Zimbabwe Defence Forces. I was primarily in the infantry stationed at KGV1 Barracks, Salisbury-3 Brigade, Brady Barracks Bulawayo-1 Brigade, 3 (Indep) Company Rhodesia Regiment- Inyanga, 5 (Indep) Company Rhodesia Regiment Umtali and Selous Scouts Regiment-Special Forces. Chose to remain at my post after independence, Selous Scouts changed it's name to 4th Bn (HU) R.A.R./Zim Inf from 23rd April to 30th September 1980 and on 1st October 1980 we finally changed our name to 1st Zimbabwe Parachute Battalion where I was appointed Transport Officer (MTO) as a Warrant Officer. After 10 years residing and working in Johannesburg South Africa my wife and I returned to the village of my birth in West Yorkshire.
