William “Bish” Bishop joined 4 PARA in 2016 and was proud to become the first recruit from D Company, Rugby, to pass P-Coy.

His passion was serving as a Physical Training Instructor, where he took great pride in guiding and supporting recruits through their training. Shortly after earning his wings, he also qualified as a Troop Insertion Extraction Systems Operator (TIESO).

The highlight of his reserve service was overseas adventure training with regular battalions in Germany and Egypt.

Civilian career opportunities later took him to the Middle East, where he worked with the UAE Armed Forces to develop a military qualifications framework. Although this slowed his progression in 4 PARA, Bish’s time in the reserves provided a strong foundation, equipping him with the confidence and skills to seize new opportunities.

The photo beneath the Dakota was taken during the 40th Anniversary celebration of Prince Charles as Colonel-in-Chief at Colchester.