Born in London but raised in Devon, I disappointed my mother by not wanting to play the violin as a child! Whilst still at school, I joined the Air Training Corps, subsequently joining the R.A.F. as an apprentice. It was at R.A.F. Halton that I was introduced to the pipe bands for which Halton was famous, however, with the pressure of learning to be an aircraft electrician I did not have the time to learn to play the pipes. My only regret in life, even more so since my grandfather had played the clarinet in the band of the Grenadier Guards.
It was while walking the dogs in 2009 that I found somebody’s camera chip on the pavement. I dropped it into the police station in St. Austell and the young lady behind the desk commented on my writing being “just like my pipe tutor’s”. I replied that my only regret in life was not taking up the pipes when I had the chance and received a fairly lengthy briefing on Kernow Pipes and Drums.
I duly enlisted the next week….
