A Melksham man has published his memoirs about his life in the Army.
Untapped Potential: Born in Scotland, Found in the Royal Signals by George Greig is a story about the highs and lows of military life, and how George witnessed the chilling scenes of the ravages of war in conflicts such as the Gulf, Falklands and Northern Ireland. George is a Highland Scot, born and raised in rural Aberdeenshire and now living in Melksham.
He joined the army at the tender age of 16 and his book, published last month, tells the story of his life in ‘the world’s finest army’.
“My latest book is a memoir relating to my military service and tells my story between the ages of 15 and 40 years of age,” he said.
“That said, it will ignite memories for thousands of others that have followed a similar path, from obscurity and in some cases, a wasted education, or even petty crime, to a challenging, exciting and high-octane career in the world’s finest army.
“This was a career that enabled a shy, lost, and misguided young boy to not only find his way in the world, but to be ‘the best he could be’.
“Writing this book touched every emotion, it made me laugh out loud, cry at the loss of family, friends and colleagues, but most of all, it made me realise just how much I owe to my beloved Corps. The experience not only changed my life, it made my life.
“The memoir takes the reader on a journey starting out on a building site, explaining what drove my decision to join the Army. From there it follows my career through my time at the Army Apprentice College (AAC), Harrogate, which I believe to have been one of the world’s leading training establishments, and describes some of the momentous times I enjoyed as a soldier and officer in the R Signals.
“I have very deliberately tried to reflect the special humour that exists within our armed forces, which sets them apart from other walks of life. Most of all, I wanted to record ‘my story’, how a lost young boy found happiness, a job that he was born to do, and just how much that can change a person. I owe everything good in my life to my Corps and it, in turn, allowed me to be the best I could be. I hope you enjoy my story; it made me laugh, cry, and feel so very grateful that I was lucky enough to serve in the finest Army in the world.”
George, now 63, is an author, public speaker and entrepreneur, running an IT software solutions business. Untapped Potential is his fourth book. • Untapped Potential: Born in Scotland, Found in the Royal Signals by George Greig, published by Book Brilliance Publishing, 26th July 2022, ISBN 978‐1‐ 913770‐44‐0, £14.99. To order, visit www.georgegreig.com. Special edition hardbacks are available directly from the website.
