Mick Bostock

Military Service & Rank: 24 years in the army: The Royal Armoured Corps

Yeoman at the Tower Since: 1984

Interests & Hobbies: Touring & Camping, Springer Spaniel Dogs

Before becoming a Yeoman Warder Mick Bostock spent 24 years in the army's Royal Armoured Corps which is basically a mechanised version of the Cavalry. For most of his military service he was stationed in North Africa and Germany. His introduction to life as a Yeoman Warder happened almost by accident, as he explained. After spending so long in the army when the time to leave had arrived I didn't quite know what I wanted to do. One day I was having an informal chat and a coffee with the Head Quartermaster in his office. I couldn't help noticing some military publications laying on his desk in front of me. To my astonishment there was an official advertisement for Tower of London Yeoman Warders. The add said that any interested parties with more than 22 years of military service behind them should apply in accordance to Queens regulations. Evidently several Yeoman were due for retirement and it was necessary to rapidly make up the numbers. Initially my reaction was to laugh at the thought of being referred to as a Beafeater but the Head Quartermaster, who was also laughing said it might be a good job. Well, I did apply, met the requirements and the rest, as they say is history, excuse the pun.

The basic elements of army life are survival, living of the land and camping. Mick Bostock says that even now one of the things he loves most is to take off in his mobile camper and just keep driving until he finds a picturesque spot. The freedom of open spaces without the restrictions of city life is something you can't beat he says passionately.

Something that seems to tie in with Mick Bostock's fondness for open spaces is his love of dogs, especially Springer Spaniels. Being the proud owner of such a beautiful animal who answers to the name of Frankie, Mick's plan for the future is to one day open a kennel for breeding purposes.