The Army life was my life for my first 13 years. My father was a soldier for 25 years. As a child I lived in Edinburgh, Germany, Penicuik, Hong Kong and Colchester. When we came back from HK (1974) my Dad decided I should go to a military boarding school Queen Victoria School in Dunblane, which is free for the sons (daughters now too) of Scottish soldiers, sailors and airmen. A terrible place where we were beaten with shoes and forced to take freezing cold showers while a teacher (a now dead Paedophile called Ben Phillips) watched.
When my mum ( she from good Fenian stock) and dad divorced in 1978 my mum rescued me and brought me back to Dundee with her. I went from strict military discipline to a High School in the worst Dundee housing scheme. A real culture shock.
I have had an aversion to all things British since my four years at that school.
Took until my thirties ( and loads o drugs) for the anger and hate to leave me.