Corporal George Y Mair

George Mair served with Airborne Forces at Depot in the early 1950s.

George Young Mair was born in May 1931. After leaving school, he started work as an apprentice joiner, initially joined the Army with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1950 as part of the Lowland Brigade, based in Edinburgh.

In 1951, he joined Airborne Forces. He qualified to wear parachute wings awarded in September 1951, and transferred to to the Parachute Regiment at Aldershot shortly afterwards. After time with the Depot staff, he may have served with The 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) at some stage, before leaving the Army in October 1954.

Despite numerous efforts, include full programmes of injections and new kit for Egypt, George was never deployed overseas, finding himself back at Depot. Nevertheless, he made the most of his time there.

Early in his service at Depot, he made a lifelong friend in Cpl John Bruce. They joined up together and remained posted together throughout George's career. At one stage, Cpl Mair had the keys to the stores, whilst Cpl Bruce was is charge of Motor Transport (MT). With both stores and transport at their disposal, 'they made more money than they could spend'. His son Alex remembers a favoured idea for George was to visit the married quarters with medal ribbons which wives bought for hair ribbons for their little girls.

He also became good friends with Sgt Thomas Cyril 'Busty' Bentley DCM of 10 PARA and and his wife, during this time. 'Busty' had to pay the camp taylor to make uniforms for him because of his stature. George discovered a stockpile of uniforms in the back of the stores however, made for 'little old fat men of the Home Guard'. A message was sent across the camp to Busty and their friendship began.

George can be seen on one of the attached photos with other Paras on a night out to the London Casino in 1953. As his son Alex remembers: 'He was the original half fag man. Every photo I have of him, he has half a fag between his fingers!'

After leaving the Army in 1954, he spent a further nine years on the reserve list however, before discharge in October 1963. The CO of the Airborne Depot wrote 'His military conduct was very good, a first class NCO in every way. He is keen, smart intelligent and gives of his best at all times. He is completely trustworthy and works well without supervision'.

His army career continued to have a positive influence his civilian life however. John Bruce was the best man at his wedding. George married Agnes 'Nancy' G Burnside in 1957. George and Nancy had two children, Fiona and Alexander.

After returning briefly to the joining trade, George managed to land a job at a cargo shipping company with John Bruce's father and later taking over as Scottish Manager - Cargo Superintendant for the company where he continued to work until his retirement.

George Mair died following a battle with cancer in January 2000, aged 68 years old.