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Left: Mark Green in uniform at his son’s wedding.
Below: Failed guide dog’ Nando.
was deployed to HMS Invincible which was fantastic. Landing a Harrier on an aircraft carrier was an unforgettable experience and I got an insight into the Royal Navy with all their rich heritage and traditions.” During all this time Mark’s loyal
wife, Jane, stood by him setting up home wherever he was sent to next. “We lived all over the world and enjoyed moving around together. It was tough at times, there’s no doubt about that, but our children got to see some exotic places and I think looking back it did help broaden their minds. They turned into confident young people and they look back fondly on those days. My son, Tim, is now a helicopter pilot in the Royal Air Force so it can’t have scarred him too much!” One of the highlights over their military years was hosting Prince William, Mark says, however it wasn’t fine dining and caviar! “He was 22 at the time and came to do work experience at RAF Valley in Wales where I was stationed. Jane said he was welcome to come to our house for dinner along with some of the young officers so he could meet the people he would be working with. We didn’t want anything too formal so we did a curry and asked others to bring a dish. Some of the younger chaps wanted to get involved so they went down
to a beach shop and bought kids’ buckets shaped like castles. They then filled them with vodka jelly and we turned them out onto the middle of the table so they made the centre piece! William loved them!” That wasn’t his only brush with royalty - Mark was also asked to help make up the guard of honour for Prince Charles’ wedding to Camilla. “It was a great honour to be on parade as the happy couple walked into St George’s Chapel. We also really enjoyed the reception in Windsor Castle.”
“They then filled them with vodka jelly and we turned them out onto the middle of the table so they made the centre piece! William loved them!”
Mark and Jane have always had a
link to Dartmouth as Jane’s parents moved here after her father retired (he was a pilot during World War Two). “We often came to see them and fell in love with the area,” Mark says. “We spent hours fishing, walking and sailing during the children’s school holidays - it felt like a little bit of stability during our many, many moves.” The family settled here permanently in 2014 when Mark left the RAF. They set up home on the Kingswear side of
the river in one of the houses just above the Higher Ferry. “From our balcony we can watch the cadets at the Naval College learning their sea skills. It’s nice to sit and listen to their antics whilst sipping a gin and tonic! “It is good to see military spirit still endures. Last year my son was due to fly up the river in a helicopter so we hung up a Royal Air Force flag. The next morning Jane looked out the window to see that some of the cadets had crossed the river and climbed up in a night raid and swapped the RAF ensign for a huge Royal Navy one!” Mark is enjoying being in one
place and says after years of damp and dingy RAF housing it is a joy to be in an airy, bright house overlooking the river. If not enjoying sailing or lobster fishing, Mark can be found walking his ‘failed guide dog’ Nando. Mark believes the golden lab didn’t pass his tests as he can get a little over excited! They think he was sponsored by the chicken restaurant chain which is why he got that name: “People do think it’s a rather strange name for a dog; I think they presume we just really like that restaurant! Nando is a clever chap and has worked out every shop in town where he is offered a biscuit or indeed an Alf’s sausage and tries to drag us in if we walk by, always hopeful!”
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