He earned a Scout Silver Medal for Gallantry after saving a young girl from drowning in Cullercoats Bay when he was 14. He served in the armed forces before returning to the North East to begin a career in teaching.
At the age of 14, he earned a Scout Silver Medal for Heroism after saving a young girl's life in Cullercoats Bay. Before that, he had military service and later returned to the North East to start teaching.