Time and Place – Everybody Knows the Troubles I’ve Seen

Martin Figura goes on about how brilliant Norwich is

So here goes with my first ever blog and there’s nothing like revealing an Army past to endear yourself to an arts audience, so I’ll start there.  Two more to follow shortly: one on the Norwich Live Lit scene and the other on displacement.

I left school at 15 and joined the Army in 1973 after a turbulent childhood, a fairly common route.  The Army was the perfect receptacle for an angry boy to pour his difficult past into, with plenty to kick against.

I enjoyed the notoriety of being a rebel, but inside wanted promotion and acceptance more than anything.  I eventually got over myself and whilst I did not exactly fully surrender to its rough embrace, we struck up a mutually satisfactory relationship and I worked my way up to major.