My service record with the Royal Corps of Signals covers a period from 22nd February 1964 through to the 3rd July 2003. A total of nearly 40 years service. I joined as a Signalman at Catterick in Yorkshire and retired as a Major (QM) in Corsham Wiltshire.

I served with the following units in the ranks as shown below: 

Feb 1964 Joined. 11th and 24th Signal Regiment's basic and trade training.

1964-69.  216 (Parachute) Signal Squadron Aldershot as a Lance Corporal.

1969-72   HQ AFCENT (227 Signal Squadron) Brunssum/Maastricht NL as a Corporal.

1972        (9 months) 603 Signal Troop RAF Masirah Indian Ocean as a Corporal.

1973-75   HQ 4th Signal Group Rheindahlen Germany as a Sergeant. 

1975-77   HQ 3 Infantry Brigade and Signal Squadron Lurgan and Portadown 

                Northern Ireland as a Staff Sergeant.

1977-80  14th (EW) Signal Regiment Celle Germany as a Warrant Officer Class 2.

1980-81  8th Signal Regiment (TTS) Catterick UK as a Warrant Officer Class 2.

1981-86  HQ NORTHAG (C&E Division) Rheindahlen as a Warrant Officer Class 1.

1986-89  22nd Signal Regiment Lippstadt Germany on commissioning as a Captain.

1989-91  35th Signal Regiment (TA) Sutton Coldfield UK as Captain Adjutant.

1991-95  13th Signal Regiment (EW) Birgelen Germany as a Major OC HQ Sqn.

1995-99  37th Signal Regiment (TA) Redditch UK as the Major Quartermaster.

1999-00  32nd (Scottish) Signal Regiment (TA) as the Major Quartermaster. (Op

               Tour in Banya Luka Bosnia as Camp Commandant HQ MND during this

               tour) and a short tour with the 2LI to Fort Stewart Georgia USA.

Jul 2000 Retired from the Regulars aged 55 and took up a post as follows.

2000-03  Appointed PSAO of 81st Signal Squadron (TA) Corsham UK.

 3rd July 2003 retired at the age of 57.

MASIRAH

Back in December 1971, I was warned for posting in the March of 1972. I was serving at the time as a Corporal in Communications and Electronics Division in Headquarters Allied Forces Central Europe Brunssum (AFCENT) Netherlands (part of 227 Signal Squadron based in Tapijn Kaserne, Maastricht). My posting was to 603 Signal Troop Royal Air Force Masirah in the Persian Gulf. It was a 9 month unnaccompanied tour in an operational theatre. My family of three, my wife and two boys both under the age of three, remained in a tied quarter in Honiton Devon for the tour duration. When you left the UK you were gone. There were no landline communications, no mobile phones, no mid tour leave and there was very little in the way of extra LOA. My family saw no military representative whilst I was away and in hindsight that was wrong. However, you got on with life and the served the Queen as your duty expected you to. You remained in contact with your family by the "Bluey" Airmail letters and tape recordings. It was expected of you to do your duty and to do it with little redress or fuss.

   It seems so different today. Albeit still tough on separated families and love ones the modern day soldier 'usually' receives mid tour leave during a six month tour, extra LOA, a pretty substantial bonus, has mandatory military welfare contact for families and mobile communications which give you instant access to your loved ones. We had none of that which is a shame but that's how it was. I however, salute those young comrades of today and pray Governments of the day do right by them. They have sadly failed to date.

   Good soldiers and airmen gripe but they do not complain when Queen and Country call. That is our business, that's what we signed up for and that's what we are paid to do.