I realise that in the last couple of years I have not fulfilled the commitment of a BLOG properly. Now I could make every excuse in the world, but who am I kidding.

I sometimes wonder what is the point of this blog? Am I trying to reach anyone? No, not really. This is much more of a diary really, an opportunity to put some thoughts down, ideally thoughts I don’t mind others knowing about, that is.

So after a relatively poor show for some time, where do you go to try to kick it all off again?

The last twelve months have been busy with one thing and another. There have been some really interesting trips away, a lot of mundane work, but then that is the lot of essentially being a staff photographer.

Here are some images taken pretty much in the last year, I will add a notation explaining them.

The year has tended to start with covering the Divisional championships in France.

An unusual trip to Cyprus and the last European divided city, here the tour piper uses the solitude of the roof to practice.

The military do occasionally do this kind of thing from time to time.

The summer saw the spectacle of the Queens birthday reception in Hannover, with all the pomp and ceremony you could imagine.

Sport and competition is and always will be a big part of the military experience, this was from the British Forces Germany athletics finals.

The final pomp in the small spa town of Bad Oeynhausen.

Army restructuring brings with it new training opportunities and part of that is seeing exactly what the kit is able to do.

Poland has been a big part of this year, with two exercises being covered.

‘Green eyes’, or Night vision can make for an interesting shot.

This year has been a whole lot of ‘last one’s’, here is the last British Army Polo competition in Germany before the withdrawal.

A second visit to Poland saw our largest armoured deployment for an exercise for decades.

The feet on the ground, every conflict needs them.

A soldier moves as quickly as he can over open ground during the exercise.

A British Challenger 2 can move very quickly over rough terrain, one of the fastest.

Army boxing is in good form and an amazing experience to see.

The last bookend, back to skiing, this time an Army snowboarder makes some shapes against a dramatic backdrop.

Boxing and capturing raw emotion

February 26, 2015

Sport / Action

Return to Afghanistan and mono memories

November 21, 2013

Afghanistan

Revisiting the past and the affirmation of your choices

June 13, 2013

Afghanistan, Military work, Portraits

2 Comments

We make potentially life changing decisions on a regular basis, we react to our surroundings our experiences and try to make the best choices we can.

When I joined the British Army all that time ago, I joined as the Royal Military Police (there goes half my readers), I had an amazing introduction to Army life and the life has changed me so much in a positive way I no longer remember the shy timid person I was. Anyone still with me?

I am now a photographer with the Royal Logistic Corps (there goes the other half), and the job I do has an essential need for this confidence. I don’t think I am an overbearing person, well not until a couple too many sociables… er hello?

I look back on my RMP days with pride, I still have many friends in their ranks, although ever being replaced with young people who are obviously too young to even be in the Army. I have nothing but great memories even patrolling in the Arctic circle in -40. It is fair to say I even miss it from time to time. It’s all gone very quiet in here.

Do I have any regrets? Well the really honest answer is no, why would I. I can put my hand on my heart now and tell you I quite possibly have the best job in the Army, in fact if Heineken……..

As you can see from these images I covered a recent parade in Germany as part of the withdrawal from Germany. A sad day because after such a long time, ties with the local community are inevitable and once we depart they will need to much more work to try and keep them alive.

Now I do try to keep in contact with quite a few of my old mates, so this does mean I have on occasion socialised with RMP, although I am now talking to myself now. I accept I miss being with a bunch of guys that do a great job and yet receive little recognition (nor do they crave it). That said, I now have new skills that enable me to show them off a little now, although not often. I enjoy working with them and I hope I do them justice.

I guess all I am trying to say is this. Life is too short to have regrets, look back and smile, look forward and focus on whatever you see ahead. Oh and don’t live in fear of the unknown.