William Gardiner

William 'Bill' Gardiner enlisted into the Scots Guards in 1961,and was posted to the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.

He volunteered for Airborne Forces in 1963 and passed the Guards Parachute Company Hardening Course and Pegasus (P) Company the same year. Bill successfully passed parachute jump instruction at RAF Abingdon on course 582.

1964 the Company were “Quick Move” and were on Christmas leave and all got the words “Return To Base”  and at 0430 on the 3rd January 1964 they emplaned at RAF Colerne,Lyneham, Benson and deployed on an emergency tour of Cyprus  with 16 Parachute Brigade Group.

February 1964 The Company had a new SAS Operational deployment in Jungle Warfare. All JW and 4//5 Man Patrols had to be completed by 1 April to end of May 1964 

The Company then began its first 6 Month tour of Borneo in their SAS roll in 1964. Hence the Formation of G Squadron in 1966. The Company did Successive Tours of Borneo 1964/65/66 .

Bill did the first Operational Tour of Borneo in 1964 with 1 Troop. He was The Patrol Medic of 80 Patrol with Captain Robin Dixon GGG, George McLean IG, Tony Wybrow GGG, Brian Flippance GGG, Derek (Black Tom) Thomson GGG. 

On Active Service in Cyprus and Borneo 

He was 'Exemplary' discharged in 1970 after serving 9 years with The British Army. 

Bill sadly passed away in October 2024. His funeral was held at The Aberdeen Crematorium on 22 October 2024.