Then and Now

Royal Artillery Recruiting Troop |

Then and Now

On this Page you can find out what your Old Friends have been doing over the Years.

Keith Holderness

When Keith left the Army he settled in Hull, East Yorkshire. He worked for Hull City Council as

The Lord Mayors Senior Beadle. In 1989 he joined Southend Borough Council as the Mayors Macebearer.

Keith is married to Catherine and between them have 3 Children and 5 Grandchildren.

Richard Vickers

Richard spent 5 years in the MCDTwas demobed in March 68 and went Bus Driving. In 78 Richard wife and two kids

packed up and went touring Europe and North Africa for a couple of yearsuntill settling in Holland. He learned the Dried Flower

trade and in 1991 came back to England to set up his own family Buisness, employing more than

fifty people at its height. He is now retired with his good wife Janet.

Brian Hails

Brian Hailes left the Army in 1975, He worked for British Aerospace until 1995. He then had a

couple of years chilling out and taking some great holidays. Then in 1997 went to work for Ideal Standard,

again in IT. He retired in 2006. Sadly in 2000 his wife died, leaving Brian with two daughters.

In 2001 Brian took up Biking again, and now has a Honda VFR 800.

Derek Neighbour

Derek Neighbour left the Army in 1977 after 18 years service. He then worked for Beverley Council.

After that he worked for Blue Circle Cement as a Driver. He then went driving for Humber Growers, and is now retired.

John Rhodes

John Rhodes left the Army in 1967to become an Air Traffic Controller at Gatwick, Belfast and Manchester.

He married his Wife Bea in Belfast, is now semi-retired, and teaches people to fly light aircraft for a Hobby.

Keith (Tich) Church

Keith Church spent 25 years in the Army coming out in 1985. He then joined the MOD

as a Radar Operator at Manobeir, and in 1995 he retired with his good Wife Jackie.

Mike Wilson

Mike Wilson left the Army in 1967 and moved back to Co Durham working in Plant Hire, then as a

Bus Driver and Waggon Driver. He has now retired with his good Wife Doreen and their dogs.

Colin (Ginge) Hughes

Colin (Ginge) Hughes Left the Army In Jan 1968 he also got married the same month. In 1974 moved to South Africa

returning in 1978 and stayed in LeighLancs untill 1982. He then returned to South Africa and has lived there ever since.

His wife died in 2002 leaving Colin with three grown up Children, he remarried 12 months ago is now semi Retired

Joe Truman

Joe Truman whilst in the Troop worked with the No2 Display Team. On leaving the Army in 1974 he went working

as an HGV Driver.After a while he went working down the Coal Mines, later on he decided to leave the pits and went back to

HGV driving. He is still doing that job but working Nights, is married to his good wife Jan

Garry Sherwood

Garry Sherwood left the army in 1967 and became a mechanic. He

got married in 1972, loves to go on holiday's any where in the world with

his dear wife and loves scuba diving.

Leslie Newnes

Leslie Newnes left the army in 1983 after 22 years, he was married in 1966 to his lovley wife Pauline,

after leaving the army he went working for a cable T.V. company for the next 23 years and now is

semi retired and delivers cars to any place in europe, Leslie and Pauline had one child a boy.

Mick Benge

Mick served for 22 years in the Army, he first settled in Cardiff and was a Bus Driver there for

several years. He now lives in Manchester with his Partner Geraldine and is employed as a

Head Caretaker at a High School. Both Mick and Geraldine enjoy visiting their home in Spain.

Mike Elliott

Tony (Taff) Jenkins

When Tony left the Army he first worked in Scotland for a short while. He then joined the

Post Office and had a long career with them. Sadly Tony's wife Barbara died and he then retired.

Tony then lived in Cyprus and travelled to New Zealand to visit his daughter and family.

He now own's a property in France and enjoys the life there.

Barry Sanderson

Barry spent 23years in the army coming out in1979 and joining the Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London, he was made

Assistant Curator of The Crown Jewels. He left the Tower in 1996 and for the next 10 years went selling caravans which

he enjoys doing up to the present time. He was married in 1959 to his good wife Rita and they had

two boys together. Barry loves going to his club and joining in the line dancing

Ernie Fenlow

On leaving the army Ernie went working for the London Fire Brigade Marine Division. After a few years he bought a

70ft MTB boat and then spent the next two years rigging it out to live in. When it was complete he set sail for Gibraltar

spending quite a few years there before then setting sail for France, where he and Patricia his wife lived for a

futher few years, upon returning to England together they bought a house in Margate.

As Ernie says being married for 39years each year has been an adventure with Patricia.

David Thorpe

David was in the RA Recuiting Troop in 1962/3 leaving the army in March 1968, then taking a Government Training course

in Mechanical Engineering in Birmingham. Finding work in contract tool rooms. After a few moves he ended up staying with his last

employer for 30years up to his retirement in 2005. David has Two children a Daughter and Son and three grandchildren,

later this year David intends to march in the Rememberance Parade along with his Brother and Son in his Village in North Derbyshire

David (Titch) Doughty

David (Titch) Doughty joined the RA Band in 1966 as a very young lad and he was always watching the MCDT,

and the team took him under their wing. He was always with the team going to Breakfast in Greasy Annies and spending a

great deal of time with them. Having held the MCDT in his heart for the last 42 years he has now made contact with some of the

team from that era. He left the RA Band in 1982 then went as a training officer to Birmingham Enterprise Council. He was pleased he could show

the same friendship and understanding to the youth of Birmingham that was shown to him so many years ago by the members of the MCDT.