Rtn Colin Smith

New member Colin Smith talked about his career. Living on the Isle of Wight as a 16 year old, he had a trial to play football for Southampton. That did not work out. He trained as a chef and went into hospitality. Wanting to see the world, he offered his services to the RAF and completed 30 years, the last 10 as a Warrant Officer. He had been asked to go to Cranwell. He visited Hong Kong, Borneo, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe. Retirement age was 50. Keen to extend his career, he heard that Yeoman Warders at the Tower of London could work to 55, he applied and was accepted. He gave a short history of the Tower. There is a north east link as a Royal Regiment of Fusiliers building is there. 118 people live in the Tower including 38 Warders. He has appeared in a number of TV documentaries, helped with 1000 school children visiting in a day and given history talks to groups of 300. Once male only, women have been able to apply for the last 5 years. His last duty at the Tower was over 4 years ago. He could have stayed as there is no longer a retirement age.

He brought a wonderful display of his dress uniform, trousers with braces, red tights, ruff, sword, hat, shoes and rosettes; and his official social occasions tie and jacket, with embroidered key and unique number on the sleeve. Cost of the kit was £8000.