It's a small world!

A few days ago I got an email from Hector Charvetto.  Among other things he told me that he is from Gibraltar and remembers seeing my brother William in around 1946/48, playing the guitar at the barber's shop near my house.  William would have been around 7/8 years old.  The barber was his first teacher!  After playing his first public concert at the age of 12 he was seen by Narciso Yepes, at the time one of the world's top classical guitarists, who became his mentor.  Urged on by him, William went on to study at the conservatory of music in Madrid.

Hector and his wife Jane had read about our proposed Walk for William 2010 in the local Surrey Herald newspaper.   Ana Maria and I met them for coffee and we reminisced about the old days in Gib!  Somehow the conversation turned to the Gibraltar Regiment and he was telling me that he had to do his military service at the age of 27 instead of 18 as he had been working at the Navy Dockyard and so was exempt from doing his service earlier.  As we talked it became clear that notwithstanding our age difference we had both served in the same intake, the 28th!  Last night he sent me a photo of the 28th, which I have reproduced here.  I'm the one in the top row!  Soldiers from the Gibraltar Regiment have distinguished themselves in Iraq and Afghanistan with several receiving decorations including a Military Cross.

(click on the photo to enlarge)