Hi - My name is Pat O'Keeffe and I was a Junior Leader at Oswestry from September 1966 until December 1968.  Mick Boswell was part of the same intake and a good friend.  As some have said Mick was impressive even at that young age.  He was in the RGJ along with myself, Dave Han****, Bill Sawyer, Barry Maddison and Phil Hopkins.  Mick held the Young Briton's Javelin Record before he came to Oswestry and he was a natural athlete, competing in Batt Rugby, Football, Swimming and Athletic Teams.  As a Junior Leader he rose to become the Junior RSM and just about everyone who knew him thought he would go on make a very successful career.  I last saw him in late December 1968 - I had to stay on at Oswestry for surgery at Gobowen Hospital, but stayed in touch with the others.  I learned of Mick's death via Dave Han****.  I believe Mick's father was an Captain or Major in the Kenyan Police and some dim memory seems to recall he had a sister - though I couldn't swear to that.  Hope this helps.  RIP Mick.

A blast from the past.

I knew Mick, Pat O'Keefe, Dave Han****, Bill Sayer and co when I was posted from 1 RGJ back to the INJB.  He become the J/RSM but stood out because he was one of the nicest blokes I have known.   I seem to remember him as always laughing as he was the last time I saw him in Armagh.   I had a bet with him that I would be back in 1 RGJ before he outranked me.  When he saw me just before he died, he was laughing away, calling out "Snap".     Whenever I am in the UK I take a detour to see his grave in TMC.   Dave Walker, B Company Storeman is buried just a few rows away.   I was there a couple of months ago having driven down after seeing the Rifles on Horseguards. 

I think if Mick had lived he would have been a dead cert for a Commission.

John I knew from Cyprus as were in the same Company and he was another good one.   Chris Wagstaff and Nobby are names that bring a smile as well.

I've researched my family tree and found Mick Boswell. He was my father's cousin and died the year I was born. My father has passed away now, and I don't remember him mentioning him. 

It's interesting to read what sort of person he was. Unfortunately I didn't have his athletic gene!

His father was high up in the police in what was Tanganyike ( probably spelt that wrong!) - I found him in the Queen's honours in 1956 (- Frederick Vincent Boswell)

It would be interesting if there were any photos of him - as the grandfather he shared with my dad was the spit of my father!

I'm sure his other relatives would be pleased to know he's still remembered.

Dear Katheryn, I have only just seen your post enquiring about Mick Boswell. my late and very likeable friend. I am assuming that you know the cause of his very sad and what, I consider to have been a possible avoidable death had the lorry that we were travelling together in had been better designed, with bench seats running along the centre of the vehicle, rather than the sides.

We became good mates from the first, as we were both very young and mad on motorbikes and planned, once the NI tour was over, to go touring when on leave. I won`t go into the details of the accident here. But will say that I had the honour of both gathering his personal effects and being allowed to return to England with them when attending his funeral. Where I met his parents. Mick had an infectious laugh and a permanent smile. Even now, al these on, I can still picture it.

I am sorry that I have no photos of him, but I am sure that there must be some, somewhere in RGJ archives or other friends collections. There is little else I can tell I am afraid. Only to say that I could have also have been killed that day but fate moves in strange ways.

Even this. Finding mention of him on this posting that I have never seen before, could be classed as fateful as I am in the midst of writing a book about my RGJ exploits and adventures and that day was sadly, so memorable but for all the wrong reasons.