Determined to join the Royal Navy when he left Technical College aged 14, Colin was not initially accepted. He joined the circus and funfair in the interim before the Navy. It was whilst selling ice cream and hotdogs on the beach that he first saw the Grampus sailing from Birkenhead on her trials. He was so impressed by the sleek black ship that he decided he must join the Submarine Service.

Colin joined the Navy as a Junior Mechanic at the age of 16, and served on surface fleet for another couple of years before volunteering for the Submarine Service.

Within a couple of years he moved from diesel to nuclear submarines working his way up to Chief Mechanician before returning to HMS Sultan to train navies from abroad.

Always willing to give anything a go, Colin has many great stories to tell about his time in the Submarine Service.