His dad was on the retreat from Mons, then the Somme and various other fronts right through the war and came out as sergeant.

He taught gunnery in what was then India (now Pakistan) between the wars and became regimental QSM.

He also fought through WW2 at St Valéry (the Scottish Dunkirk) was on D Day +3 and was there when they broke down the doors of Kz Belsen. Fetched up as Town Major of a town in the Ruhr at the end of it all. He became a TA Major afterwards and retired after many years of service in the seventies. He died at a grand age in the eighties.