During my childhood I always felt different to the other children around me.
At secondary school I was bullied every day, probably because I was perceived as being different. It was an all-boys school. I was academically bright, and my teachers wanted me to stay on for ‘O’ Levels. However, my parents didn’t want me to stay at school for another year, so I decided to join the Army. Both my parents were ex-Army from WW2.
I joined the Royal Engineers Junior Leaders Regiment in 1963 at the age of 15. During my two and a half years at Old Park Barracks, Dover, I was beaten up every day by my fellow boy soldiers. I was obviously perceived as different. The only respite was during leave and the few days I spent in the medical centre with concussion following being forced to “run the gauntlet” of everyone in the squadron.
On leaving Junior Leaders and joining the Regular Army in Cove, near Farnborough, this abuse abated. However, I still always felt different, and had thoughts of being transsexual. I never mentioned this to anyone. I then went to The School of Military Survey at Hermitage, near Newbury, and later was posted to the Map Depot in Aden in 1966.
I was posted back to England, to Barton Stacey, when the Map Depot was closed in Aden in 1967.
In 1969 I was posted to the Map Depot in Bahrain. While there I finally came to terms with the fact, I was actually transsexual. I spoke to my CO, who referred me to the medical people. They then sent me to the military hospital at Netley near Southampton. After several months there I was given a medical discharge in 1970, officially transferred to the reserves.
Obviously, my preference would have been surgery and a transfer to the WRAC, but that was clearly not an option. I eventually found civilian medical help and transitioned in 1972 with surgery in 1974. my self-confidence increased massively from that point. I was probably one of the first transsexuals to be discharged from the Army.
Since then, I have had a productive life. Ordinary jobs until age 30 then a career in Computer Programming, including achieving a BSc (Hons) in Computing, Geography and Organisation Studies mid-career. I retired at age 60 and have since written a couple of books and have a decent social life.
