420: A pictorial autobiography - 60 years of Des!

Prompted, in part, by several military friends and acquaintances who have recently posted Facebook statuses of themselves at the beginning of their career, I thought I would try something similar but over a longer period - i.e. the whole of my life thus far. Here we go then: a caterpillar metamorphosing into a beautiful butterfly, or, perhaps, a scabby old moth.

Part 1: The early years

Above: My first, and only, foray into acting. Erith Grammar School 1965. Left: looking very smug having presumably just mastered 1950s Lego. No glasses, must be a very very old picture.

A very young Apprentice Radio Technician at the Army Apprentices College. Harrogate. 1967.

Having transferred to the Royal Army Pay Corps in late 1969, here I am in Cyprus in Summer 1971. The last pic without a moustache!

Part II: Soldier on.......
24 years service in the Royal Army Pay Corps. Postings/attachments to The Gordon Highlanders, The Life Guards, The Cheshire Regiment, 39 Engineer Regiment, The British Embassy Moscow 1978-1980,The Royal Military Police, The RAPC Computer Centre and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe. It wasn't all work and no play though, as you can see here: 

Entertaining HM Ambassador and staff Xmas 79

Burns night at the Embassy dacha  Jan 1980

One of many formal dinner nights

A formal dinner almost at the end of our Russian language course. Somebody, perhaps unwisely, decided to play Boney M's Rasputin. Cue drunken dancing on the table!

Part III - The Royal Auxiliary Air Force

10 very interesting years as a Russian Interpreter in the RAuxAF. Here are just a few of the highlights:

	Above: meeting HM The Queen on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the RAuxAF. 2005 Left: Helping out the Royal Navy during a ship visit to St Petersburg. 2004
Squadron Training in Cyprus 2006	2005. At a dedication ceremony to the Russian ship Varyag, scuttled off the West coast of Scotland.

Part IV - Teaching English - in Moscow, Warsaw and Salou

Moscow, of course, couldn't be anywhere else!

Lodz (pronounced Woodz) in Poland

Part V - Sports (Marathons, hill walking, fishing, sailing, horse riding

Ben Nevis with my son Gareth. 2007
	Above: Rutland Water with Dave Grundy 2016 Left: Russian (Zavidovo) 1979 with a much younger daughter
Above and right: fishing off Ascension Island

Part VI - and the fun just goes on and on....

With daughter, Mo, at the RAF Club

Cheers!