Making it in Civvy Street.
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Lord Paddy Ashdown. Lib dem politician
Born in New Delhi in British India, to a family of soldiers and colonial administrators who spent their lives in India. His mother was a QA nurse. Ashdown's father, John William Richard Durham Ashdown, was an Indian Army officer in the 14th Punjab Regiment and the Indian Army Service Corps and in 1944 attained the rank of T/Lt.Col.
Paddy Ashdown joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before training as a Swimmer Canoeist in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Section (which became the Special Boat Service in the 1980s) and commanded a Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast.
Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6).
Ashdown decided to enter politics due to living during the era of two general elections in one year and the Three-Day Week.
Born in New Delhi in British India, to a family of soldiers and colonial administrators who spent their lives in India. His mother was a QA nurse. Ashdown's father, John William Richard Durham Ashdown, was an Indian Army officer in the 14th Punjab Regiment and the Indian Army Service Corps and in 1944 attained the rank of T/Lt.Col.
Paddy Ashdown joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before training as a Swimmer Canoeist in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Section (which became the Special Boat Service in the 1980s) and commanded a Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast.
Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6).
Ashdown decided to enter politics due to living during the era of two general elections in one year and the Three-Day Week.
I heard rumours in 1969, as an apprentice at Halton, that Hank Marvin and Jet Harris and Tony Meehan first met as Halton Apprentices. To this day, I don't know if its true.
Smudge
Smudge
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Smudge, not true. Hank and Bruce joined up with Cliff when they were only 16, the rest is history as they say.
Edit: Bruce Welch that is.
Edit: Bruce Welch that is.
Last edited by thing; 25th Aug 2013 at 22:16.
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kintyred
Sir John Harvey Jones, from matelot to chairman of ICI
Sir John Harvey Jones, from matelot to chairman of ICI
thing,
Thanks for that, tonight seems to be putting a lot of misleading rumours of my life right. Do you know if it was Halton they were at, or have I got that wrong as well.
Smudge
Thanks for that, tonight seems to be putting a lot of misleading rumours of my life right. Do you know if it was Halton they were at, or have I got that wrong as well.
Smudge
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Smuj
Sorry by joined up I meant joined up as a band! They weren't in the forces. They were all household names and stars before they were 20.
Sorry by joined up I meant joined up as a band! They weren't in the forces. They were all household names and stars before they were 20.
thing
Well, after the exposure of the origin of the term "egg banjos" on the "best food" thread, this is indeed a real revelation in my life. I'm sure I now need to take a powder and lie down for a while.
. Seriously, thanks for that, it really is another myth sorted out.
Smudge
Well, after the exposure of the origin of the term "egg banjos" on the "best food" thread, this is indeed a real revelation in my life. I'm sure I now need to take a powder and lie down for a while.
. Seriously, thanks for that, it really is another myth sorted out.Smudge
OK I said I would stop but Leon's post about 'the Barron Knights' has opened the door to my memory again.
This group was originated by 'Ozzie' Osmond (Halton App circa 67th entry?) and myself (72nd) on the troopship Oxfordshire.
We left Liverpool on Oxfordshire's maiden voyage in 1957 and steamed around Durban (South Africa) as the Suez Canal had been blocked by President Nasser, and others like me, that dropped bombs on Cairo from Canberras, in 1956!
The trip was boring and Ozzie, a guitar player, would entertain us with Lonnie Donegan music.
I simulated bongoes to add some rhythm and another guy (I'll call him stringfellow) simulated bass. Whilst ashore in Durban I bought a washboard and stringfellow found a tea-chest...for the rest of the trip to Singapore we were the entertainers.
Co-incidently we three were chosen to take the train to RAF Butterworth (Penang). The military gave us machine guns and, I presume, some bullets, but no training. We were supposed to guard the train from the Communist insurgents that roamed the jungle. Ozzie jokingly said we would be more fearful playing skiffle. I agreed and included..if we only had bagpipes..this is when a handsome man 'piped in'..."I play bagpipes".
Ozzie asked "but can you sing?" we found our lead singer there and then.
On arrival RAF Butterworth the 'Venom Skiffle Group' was formed which, after finding a manager and appearing on Singapore's inaugural TV and many other military shows up and down Malaya it later morphed to the 'Barron Knights" when Ozzie bought himself out of the RAF and became the 'Barron'.
This group was originated by 'Ozzie' Osmond (Halton App circa 67th entry?) and myself (72nd) on the troopship Oxfordshire.
We left Liverpool on Oxfordshire's maiden voyage in 1957 and steamed around Durban (South Africa) as the Suez Canal had been blocked by President Nasser, and others like me, that dropped bombs on Cairo from Canberras, in 1956!
The trip was boring and Ozzie, a guitar player, would entertain us with Lonnie Donegan music.
I simulated bongoes to add some rhythm and another guy (I'll call him stringfellow) simulated bass. Whilst ashore in Durban I bought a washboard and stringfellow found a tea-chest...for the rest of the trip to Singapore we were the entertainers.
Co-incidently we three were chosen to take the train to RAF Butterworth (Penang). The military gave us machine guns and, I presume, some bullets, but no training. We were supposed to guard the train from the Communist insurgents that roamed the jungle. Ozzie jokingly said we would be more fearful playing skiffle. I agreed and included..if we only had bagpipes..this is when a handsome man 'piped in'..."I play bagpipes".
Ozzie asked "but can you sing?" we found our lead singer there and then.
On arrival RAF Butterworth the 'Venom Skiffle Group' was formed which, after finding a manager and appearing on Singapore's inaugural TV and many other military shows up and down Malaya it later morphed to the 'Barron Knights" when Ozzie bought himself out of the RAF and became the 'Barron'.
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Similar Kintyred, but not on subject,
Joseph Banford was turned down by Rolls Royce for an apprenticeship, so he formed his own company using his initials JCB!
Joseph Banford was turned down by Rolls Royce for an apprenticeship, so he formed his own company using his initials JCB!
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Another slightly OT but my cousin was left 10K in his grandfather's will in '86. (His other grandfather, not the one we shared) He stuck the lot in the newly released Microsoft shares...everyone thought he was bonkers. They don't anymore...his bonkers purchase is now worth around 3 million. He smiles. A lot.
Edit: ex pongo, three months I think, so a valid entry!
Edit: ex pongo, three months I think, so a valid entry!
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Making it in civvy street after a military career is ok, but making it in the military AND civvy street is a true sign of leadership and drive.
"Life at full throttle" by Admiral Sir John Treacher.
I bought this book for my dad a couple of years ago, he served under the Admiral during his FONAC days and remembers him fondly.
Seems like a real character.
Cheers now
"Life at full throttle" by Admiral Sir John Treacher.
I bought this book for my dad a couple of years ago, he served under the Admiral during his FONAC days and remembers him fondly.
Seems like a real character.
Cheers now
Making it in Civvy Street.
If you're willing to include Reserves in this discussion, then Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden and airline pilot fame is ex TA.
@thing post #75
If your cousin had sold those Microsoft shares in Dec 1999 he would then be worth US$6 Million.
Co-incidently, Microsoft's 'jumpin cat' CEO 'Steve Ballmer' announced resignation last Thursday and the share price rose 8%. His personal share value, at age 57, jumped by around another US$1 Billion to US$15 Billion plus change....just because he quit!
This makes the commuted pension of UKP5,000 the Queen gave me when I resigned, after serving her in the RAF for 22 years, a mere pittance!
Fortunately for me, I also invested in the stock market.
If your cousin had sold those Microsoft shares in Dec 1999 he would then be worth US$6 Million.
Co-incidently, Microsoft's 'jumpin cat' CEO 'Steve Ballmer' announced resignation last Thursday and the share price rose 8%. His personal share value, at age 57, jumped by around another US$1 Billion to US$15 Billion plus change....just because he quit!
This makes the commuted pension of UKP5,000 the Queen gave me when I resigned, after serving her in the RAF for 22 years, a mere pittance!
Fortunately for me, I also invested in the stock market.