Cornwall Brochure Final(6) - Flipbook - Page 8
CORNISH
RIFLEMEN
IT’S A POINT OF PRIDE TO SAY
I AM A RIFLEMAN
Warrant Officer Class 1 Gavin Paton
Lance Corporal Jimmy Regan
Cadet Serjeant Major Martha Hayes
WO2 Nigel “Jesse” James MBE
Army Serjeant Major
Machine Gun Platoon, 6 RIFLES
Cadet, Cornwall ACF
LI and RIFLES
Hometown: Penzance
Hometown: Redruth
Hometown: Falmouth
Hometown: St Columb Major
Warrant Officer Class 1 Gavin Paton joined
the Light Infantry in 1997, operating in
Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Sierra Leone,
Iraq and Afghanistan. After serving as the
Regimental Serjeant Major of 3 RIFLES, he
was selected to attend the United States
Command Sergeant Major Academy in
Texas, USA, the first British Soldier since
1989. On return, he commissioned into
The Rifles and then became the first Field
Army Sergeant Major.
Lance Corporal Jimmy Regan is a member
of D Coy 6 RIFLES and is a director of a
family-owned construction firm. Although
he was 31 when he joined the Reserves,
he has made rapid progress and hopes
to go further. Jimmy has trained in the
Brecon Beacons and in Cyprus, where he
recently returned to carry out UN duties.
Being a member of the Machine Gun
Platoon gives him responsibilities quite
different to his those in his civilian life, but
as an Army Reservist in Cornwall, where
there are relatively few big employers,
Jimmy typifies the many self-motivated
owner-managers of smaller businesses
whose transferable skills work both ways.
Cadet Serjeant Major Martha Hayes is very
proud of her achievements in the Army
Cadet Force. She has walked up Mount
Snowdon, completed Ten Tors, played
Rugby 7’s for the South West and loves
mentoring younger cadets. Martha’s most
notable achievement is being selected
as Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Cornwall,
which has seen her perform several
duties including undertaking the Royal
engagement of Their Royal Highnesses
The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall on
their visit to Treverbyn Community Hall.
Martha is currently working full time as a
waitress and is undertaking a UAL Media
and Photography course at Truro College.
Jesse James joined the Light Infantry in
1972 as a junior soldier and started his
service with 3LI in Minden. During the next
25 years he served in Germany, NI, the
Falklands, Cyprus and Rhodesia and his
last regular post was in HQ 43 Bde, where
his organisation of the Ten Tors expedition
resulted in the award of the MBE. He then
transferred to the Reserves and served for
another 20 years in HQ 43 Bde, The Rifle
Volunteers and, from 2007, in 6 RIFLES as
QPSI. He is still active in civilian life, driving
HGVs, and runs the Bodmin Branch of the
DCLI, SCLI, LI and RIFLES Association. He
also organises the LI contingent at the
Cenotaph Remembrance parade.
In November 2018 he was appointed as
the second Army Sergeant Major. In his
spare time, Gavin enjoys cycling, rugby,
boxing and running.