CLOSURE

The author joined the British army as a Junior Leader at sixteen, two years after leaving school. He went on to serve in The 8th Kings Royal Irish Hussars until they amalgamated in 1958. In March 1960 he returned to the UK from the Persian Gulf to the freezing conditions in the Brecon Beacons' to successfully complete his selection course and become a founding member of the Special Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS). Later, when this specialist unit was disbanded, he re-joined his parent regiment on active service in Malaya, Brunei, Sarawak and Borneo. Having served in most overseas theatres, he returned to his native Ulster at the start of the troubles in 1969 with the rank of Sergeant, by 1974 he was still serving in Northern Ireland as a Warrant Officer. Between the onset of the troubles, and eventually leaving the service in 1985, he served a total of sixteen years in the province. During this period a considerable amount of his time was spent on cross-community work -- organising and running outward bound and adventure training courses for the youth from both sides of the religious divide. The author served a total of thirty one years in the army. With his service completed he set up home in Northern Ireland and took a job as a sales manager with an office equipment company in Belfast, and later, with the help of a partner, took ownership of the company. He retired in 2001 and left Belfast to take up residence on the North Antrim coast where he continues to live with his wife Jacqueline.