Gary was born in a small town, Shipley West Yorkshire just outside Bradford on 16 January 1960 and the eldest son of four boys.

Gary enjoyed school even though everyone with schooling in the 1970s were disciplined severely by both teachers and parents, which as you know who had that upbringing, didn’t harm you on your road in life.

He respected his parents, teachers, police and had no issues with people in authority.

On leaving school he moved to live with his father after a split between his parents.

His first job was with a steel fabrication company in Queensbury where his dad worked and secured him a job. 12 months later, Gary decided there was more to my life than Bradford, mundane life and after splitting with the girlfriend he fell in love, enrolled himself in the Army.

On 8th August 1977, he arrived at the main gates of Woolwich Garrison, where he received his first of many culture shocks, one of which was the fireman’s strike and spent 3 weeks in Westminster on Green Goddesses.

On completion of 10 weeks training, Gary went to Hohne, West Germany where he joined 52 Niagara Bty 45 Field Regiment and had the most enjoyable time being a young soldier on the guns until his first tour of Northern Ireland in Portadown with 34 Bty in 1979.

Whilst on leave after NI, he met and got engaged to his now Wife of 40 years – Pauline, who has supported him through thick and thin.

in 1980, Gary was badly burnt in an accident on the guns, whilst performing a 21 gun salute for the Queens birthday parade. After 6 weeks in Hanover Hospital and Morphine in his leg every 4 hours, 1980 also gave Gary his first son.

However, his confidence was shattered after moving jobs from guns to stores, sgts mess, driver, QMs department and several other slow promotions.

The regiment moved from Germany to Colchester where he ran ration stores NCO, then to the Sgts Mess as assistant mess steward and earned his second stripe.

Back to Germany, Paderborn where he moved to 170 Bty and knew my destiny was eventually to go back on the Guns.

Knowing promotion to Sgt was impossible unless he did a Crew Commanders Course in Larkhill, away he went with the utmost confidence and apprehension of gunnery. Gary completed the course with good grades, even after having 2 consecutive misfires as commander on the final assessment.

On return he was appointed gun 2ic of a gun crew of which won the last Best Gun Competition 45 Regiment held due to disbandment.

39 Regiment saw him through 22 Yrs, where he then retired from the forces and returned to civilian life.

Gary found it extremely difficult adjusting to civilian life.

He established a fabrication company in 2002, now has 12 employees and is looking to expand.

His ethics, standards and morals are a tribute to his schooling, parents and military career. Gary aspires to keep these traits to move his business forwards in the future.